Burt Reynolds: His Life, Love, and Financial Downfall

There’s a reason people still talk about Burt Reynolds decades after his prime—and it’s not just the mustache. His life packed more twists than a Hollywood screenplay: a football injury that launched an acting career, a string of box-office records, a romance with Sally Field that defined both their lives, and a financial collapse that stripped away his fortune. By the end, what remained was a complicated legacy of charm, regret, and one very protected son.

Born: February 11, 1936 ·
Died: September 6, 2018 ·
Peak Net Worth: Approx. $60 million ·
Marriages: 2 (Judy Carne, Loni Anderson) ·
Golden Globe Nominations: 6 ·
Number of Films: Over 100

Seven key facts, one pattern: Reynolds’ life was a cycle of peak fame followed by personal and financial trouble.

Who was the love of Burt Reynolds’ life?

When Reynolds talked about the woman who mattered most, he didn’t hesitate: Sally Field. In his autobiography, he called her the love of his life (Fox News (news outlet)). The two met on the set of Smokey and the Bandit in 1977 and began an on-and-off relationship that lasted about five years (Variety (entertainment trade publication)). Over that period they made four movies together.

Sally Field and Burt Reynolds’ relationship

• Field has described Reynolds as “wonderful and lovable” but also difficult (People (celebrity news magazine))
• He was married to Loni Anderson from 1988 to 1994, but that marriage ended bitterly (Phi Delta Theta)
• Despite other relationships, Reynolds repeatedly singled out Field as the one who got away.

The implication: Reynolds’ love life was a mirror of his career—immense success paired with a self-destructive streak that left key relationships damaged.

Why did Sally Field leave Burt Reynolds?

Field has given a clear answer: she felt frightened by Reynolds’ controlling behavior and had to find her own voice. The turning point came when she was offered the lead role in Norma Rae (1979). Field said that film was “the beginning of the end” of her relationship with Reynolds (People (celebrity news magazine)).

How Norma Rae helped Sally Field leave

• Norma Rae gave Field a platform to play a strong, independent woman—and she embraced the role fully.
• Reynolds reportedly tried to control her career choices, which created tension (Fox News (news outlet))
• Field recalled that Reynolds threw a script at her when she insisted on pursuing the project (Variety (entertainment trade publication))

The catch: Field’s escape from Reynolds’ shadow wasn’t just personal—it was professional. By walking away, she won an Oscar for Norma Rae. Reynolds never fully recovered from the loss.

What did Sally Field say when Burt Reynolds died?

When Reynolds died on September 6, 2018 at age 82 (Biography.com (authoritative biography site)), Field released a statement that captured the complexity of their bond. She called him “wonderful and frightening” and remembered both the good and the hard times (Fox News (news outlet)).

Did Loni Anderson go to Burt Reynolds’ funeral?

• Loni Anderson did attend the funeral in Jupiter, Florida, though their marriage had ended in a messy divorce in 1994 (Phi Delta Theta)
• Quinton, Reynolds’ son, was present. Many Hollywood colleagues paid tribute.

Burt Reynolds’ cause of death

• Cause: cardiac arrest, but underlying health issues were not fully disclosed (Biography.com)
• He had been suffering from heart problems for several years, though he kept his condition private.

What this means: Reynolds’ death brought an outpouring of conflicted affection—a reminder that his legacy is as much about the fractures he created as the films he left.

Who did Burt Reynolds leave his money to when he died?

Reynolds left his entire estate to his only son, Quinton Anderson Reynolds, through a carefully structured trust (Dupont Estate Law (estate planning blog)). The trust was designed to protect Quinton’s inheritance from creditors and from Reynolds’ own past financial mistakes.

Why did Burt Reynolds create a trust for his son?

• Reynolds experienced bankruptcy in 1996 and wanted to shield his son from similar hardship (Business Insider (financial news outlet))
• The trust prevented Quinton from receiving a lump sum at age 18; instead, control was spread over time.
• Reynolds excluded his own name from the will to avoid asset seizure by previous creditors (Dupont Estate Law (estate planning blog))

Burt Reynolds’ net worth at death

• Reports place his net worth at about $5 million at the time of his death (People (celebrity news magazine))
• Business Insider and Vanity Fair both estimated $3 million to $5 million, a fraction of his peak fortune of around $60 million (Vanity Fair (cultural magazine))
• He had sold his Florida ranch and many possessions to cover debts before his death.

The pattern: Reynolds learned from his financial ruin and made sure his son wouldn’t repeat it—even if it meant leaving nothing to his ex-wives.

How did Burt Reynolds lose his fortune?

At his peak in the late 1970s, Reynolds earned millions per film. But a combination of bad investments, a costly divorce from Loni Anderson, and extravagant spending wiped out the bulk of his wealth (Business Insider (financial news outlet)).

Burt Reynolds’ financial decline

• He poured money into a Florida dinner theater and a football team venture, both of which failed.
• He owned a private jet, a yacht, and a sprawling horse ranch.
• His divorce from Anderson in 1994 cost him millions in settlement and legal fees.
• By 1996 he had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, listing debts of over $10 million (Vanity Fair (cultural magazine))

Investments gone wrong

• Reynolds invested in a chain of restaurants named “Burt Reynolds’ Dinner Theatre” that never turned a profit.
• He also backed a proposed professional football league that collapsed after one season.
• His property in Jupiter, Florida, once worth $12 million, was sold at a fraction of its value.

Why this matters: Reynolds’ fortune evaporated not because he stopped earning, but because he never diversified or saved. His legacy is a masterclass in how not to manage sudden wealth.