Burt Reynolds was the most popular movie star of the late 1970s and early 1980s, his success built on rugged good looks, easygoing charm, self-deprecating humor and more talent in front of the cameras, and sometimes behind them, than he was usually given credit.

Known best for comedies featuring fast cars and Southern accents, he also delivered winning performances in action dramas, romantic comedies, neo-noir thrillers and dramedies. Yet by the mid-'80s, his Hollywood star faded after years of him choosing projects that fit him poorly. He enjoyed a 1990s resurgence: returning to his 1960s training ground of TV and being more discerning in the films and roles he chose. That comeback culminated in 1997 with an Academy Award nomination for a film he turned down eight times before saying "yes." The Burt Reynolds Films is a film-by-film study of his career, celebrating the triumphs while contextualizing the trials. It chronicles one of the truly fascinating screen careers of any noted star and reveals a man who never lost his drive nor his sense of humor.

GARY SCHNEEBERGER is the co-author of The Films of Bruce Willis, From Connery to Craig: The James Bond Film Series, and Frank Sinatra on the Big Screen: The Singer as Actor and Filmmaker. He is also author of Bite the Dog: Build a PR Strategy to Make News That Matters.

JAMES L. NEIBAUR is a film historian and scholar with over 35 published books and hundreds of articles including over 40 essays in the Encyclopedia Britannica.