The actor, known for his roles in films such as Smokey and the Bandit and Boogie Nights, suffered a cardiac arrest, his agent Todd Eisner confirmed.
'Reynolds had heart problems for years — he underwent major heart surgery in February 2010. His rep tells us Burt had appeared extremely frail recently after being in and out of the hospital,' TMZ reports.
An iconic Hollywood sex symbol in front of the camera, Reynolds also tried his directorial hand behind it, and later earned a reputation for philanthropy after founding the Burt Reynolds Institute for Film & Theatre in his home state of Florida.
Many have taken to Twitter to mourn the icon's death.
Burt is survived by his son Quinton Anderson Reynolds. The actor always regarded his son as his 'greatest achievement.'
This article originally appeared on New Idea.
