Editing Burt Reynolds (section)

==Early life==
Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. was born on February&nbsp;11, 1936, to Burton Milo Reynolds Sr. and Harriet Fernette "Fern" (''[[née]]'' Miller).<ref name="orsg">{{cite web|author=Russell|first=James|date=April 23, 2002|title=Burton Reynolds, Father Of Actor|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2002-04-23/news/0204220538_1_mr-reynolds-jupiter-farms-burton-reynolds|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104211425/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2002-04-23/news/0204220538_1_mr-reynolds-jupiter-farms-burton-reynolds|archive-date=January 4, 2016|access-date=January 14, 2016|website=[[Sun-Sentinel]]}}</ref> His family descended from [[Dutch people|Dutch]], English, [[Scotch-Irish Americans|Scots-Irish]] and [[Scottish people|Scottish]] ancestry. Reynolds also claimed some [[Cherokee]] and [[Italians|Italian]] ancestry.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Baxter|first=Brian|date=September 6, 2018|title=Burt Reynolds obituary|url=http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/sep/06/burt-reynolds-obituary|access-date=February 2, 2023|website=[[The Guardian]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Harvey|first=Chris|date=September 7, 2018|title=Burt Reynolds: What he lacked in talent he made up for with charm and sex appeal|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/burt-reynolds-dead-tribute-sex-symbol-smokey-and-the-bandit-johnny-carson-show-a8527006.html|website=[[The Independent]]|access-date=October 28, 2018|archive-date=October 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028235648/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/burt-reynolds-dead-tribute-sex-symbol-smokey-and-the-bandit-johnny-carson-show-a8527006.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

During his career, Reynolds often claimed to have been born in [[Waycross, Georgia]], although in 2015, he stated that he was actually born in [[Lansing, Michigan]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Lacy|first=Eric|date=November 19, 2015|title=Burt Reynolds finally reveals he was born in Lansing|newspaper=[[Detroit Free Press]]|url=http://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/people/2015/11/19/burt-reynolds-finally-reveals-he-born-lansing/76040476/|access-date=November 19, 2015|archive-date=November 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106203645/https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/people/2015/11/19/burt-reynolds-finally-reveals-he-born-lansing/76040476/|url-status=live}}</ref> In his autobiography, he stated that Lansing is where his family lived when his father was [[Conscription|drafted]] into the [[United States Army]].<ref name="birthplace">{{cite web|url=http://www.tcmdb.com/participant/participant.jsp?participantId=160584|title=Overview for Burt Reynolds|publisher=Turner Classic Movies|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930231857/http://www.tcmdb.com/participant/participant.jsp?participantId=160584|archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/509:127/1/Burt_Reynolds.htm|title=Birthplace|publisher=Biography Channel|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070526163359/http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/509%3A127/1/Burt_Reynolds.htm|archive-date=May 26, 2007}}</ref>

Reynolds, his mother, and his sister joined his father at [[Fort Leonard Wood#Military base|Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri]], where they subsequently lived for two years. When his father was sent to Europe, the family relocated to [[Lake City, Michigan|Lake City]], Michigan, where his mother had been raised.<ref>David Votta, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110420001440/http://lansingonlinenews.com/news/lost-lansing-burt-reynolds-native-son-and-now-wikipedia-agrees/ "Lost Lansing: Burt Reynolds Native Son (and now Wikipedia agrees)"], ''Lansing Online'', February 6, 2011.</ref> In 1946, the family relocated to [[Riviera Beach, Florida|Riviera Beach]], Florida, where, in sixth grade, Reynolds began a lifelong close friendship with [[Dick Howser]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/story/1985-world-series-kansas-city-royals-st-louis-cardinals-bret-saberhagen-george-brett-102915|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312203604/https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/story/1985-world-series-kansas-city-royals-st-louis-cardinals-bret-saberhagen-george-brett-102915|archive-date=March 12, 2017|title=1985 World Series: The wild and crazy complete story of the Kansas City Royals' unlikely win|author=<!--staff-->|date=October 29, 2015|work=Fox Sports|access-date=July 20, 2023}}</ref> Reynolds's father eventually became Chief of Police of Riviera Beach, which is adjacent to the north end of [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]], Florida.

His nickname in Riviera Beach was "Buddy".<ref name="Vanity Fair 2016">{{cite web|last1=Zeman|first1=Ned|title=Burt Reynolds Isn't Broke, but He's Got a Few Regrets|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/11/burt-reynolds-on-career-bankruptcy-regrets|website=vanityfair.com|date=November 5, 2015|publisher=Vanity Fair|access-date=August 13, 2023|archive-date=March 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327231309/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/11/burt-reynolds-on-career-bankruptcy-regrets|url-status=live}}</ref> (The childhood nicknames of [[Marlon Brando]], the [[A list|superstar actor]] whom Reynolds was said to resemble and with whom he feuded, were "Bud" and "Buddy".)<ref name="Shelf Life">{{cite web|last1=Joe|title=A kid named Bud: Marlon Brando in Libertyville, 1938–1941|url=https://shelflife.cooklib.org/2017/02/16/a-kid-named-bud-marlon-brando-in-libertyville-1938-1941/|website=Shelf Life|date=February 17, 2017|publisher=Cook Memorial Public Library District|access-date=August 13, 2023|archive-date=August 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813193840/https://shelflife.cooklib.org/2017/02/16/a-kid-named-bud-marlon-brando-in-libertyville-1938-1941/|url-status=live}}</ref>

During 10th grade at [[Palm Beach Lakes Community High School#History|Palm Beach High School]], Reynolds was named First Team All State and All [[Southeastern United States|Southern]] as a [[Fullback (gridiron football)|fullback]], and received multiple scholarship offers.<ref>Reynolds, pp. 17, 33–37, 41–44.</ref>

===College===
After graduating from Palm Beach High School, he attended [[Florida State University]] on a [[college football|football]] scholarship and played [[running back|halfback]], starting in 1954. While at Florida State, he roomed with future college-football coach, broadcaster and analyst [[Lee Corso]], and also became a brother of the [[Phi Delta Theta]] fraternity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phideltatheta.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=161|title=Phi Delta Theta International Site – Famous Phis|publisher=Phideltatheta.org|access-date=November 8, 2011|archive-date=March 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316072537/http://www.phideltatheta.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=161|url-status=live}}</ref>

Reynolds had an outstanding freshman year as a football player. However, he injured his knee in the first game of his sophomore season and, later that year, lost his spleen and injured his other knee in a bad car accident. He did not return to the university for almost two years.<ref name=bogage>{{Cite news|last=Bogage|first=Jacob|date=September 6, 2018|title=The college football game that changed Burt Reynolds's life forever|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/09/06/the-college-football-game-that-changed-burt-reynoldss-life-forever/|access-date=May 9, 2021|archive-date=December 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206193347/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/09/06/the-college-football-game-that-changed-burt-reynoldss-life-forever/|url-status=live}}</ref> To keep up with his studies, he enrolled at [[Palm Beach State College|Palm Beach Junior College]] (PBJC) in neighboring [[Lake Park, Florida|Lake Park]] in early 1956.<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 7, 2018|title=PBSC reflects on legacy of Reynolds|url=https://news.palmbeachstate.edu/2018/09/07/pbsc-reflects-on-legacy-of-reynolds/|access-date=May 9, 2021|website=Palm Beach State College|archive-date=May 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510143045/https://news.palmbeachstate.edu/2018/09/07/pbsc-reflects-on-legacy-of-reynolds/|url-status=live}}</ref><!---Do NOT change. Reynolds attended PBJC in Spring, 1956, when the school was still in Lake Park. The school did not move to Lake Worth until the Fall of 1956.---> When Reynolds returned to Florida State in 1957, he rejoined the football team, although his leg injured by the car accident slowed him. He was blamed, fairly or not, for the team's loss to [[North Carolina State University]] on October 12, 1957. Immediately after the game, he told his teammates that he was done with football.<ref name=bogage/>

===Early acting===
During his term at PBJC in early 1956, Reynolds was in an English class taught by [[Watson B. Duncan III]]. Duncan encouraged him to try out for a play he was producing, ''[[Outward Bound (play)|Outward Bound]]''. He cast him in the lead role based on having heard him read Shakespeare in class, resulting in his winning the 1956 Florida State Drama Award for his performance. "I read two words and they gave me a lead," he later said.<ref name="macho">{{Cite news|title=Burt Reynolds: Going Beyond Macho|author=Cohen, Barney|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 29, 1981|page=A.18}}</ref>

In his autobiography, he referred to Duncan as his mentor and the most influential person of his life.<ref>Reynolds, pp. 57–59.</ref>