Smokey and the Bandit is an action comedy franchise following the exploits of bootleggers Bo "Bandit" Darville (Burt Reynolds), Cledus "Snowman" Snow (Jerry Reed), and Texas county sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason). The series consists of three theatrical films and four made-for-TV spinoff films.

Created by stuntman and director Hal Needham, the first film of the series, Smokey and the Bandit, was the second-highest-grossing domestic film of 1977 in the United States^[1] and had significant cultural impact including adding to the 1970s CB radio fad and igniting the popularity of the Pontiac Trans Am car driven by the Bandit.

Smokey and the Bandit

Smokey and the Bandit (1977) is an American action comedy film and stars Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams and Mike Henry and was the directorial debut of stuntman Hal Needham.^[2]

The film follows Bo "Bandit" Darville (Reynolds) and Cledus "Snowman" Snow (Reed), two bootleggers attempting to illegally transport 400 cases of Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta. While the Snowman drives the truck carrying the beer, the Bandit drives a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am to distract law enforcement (called blocking) and keep the attention off the Snowman. During their run, they are pursued by Texas county sheriff Buford T. Justice (Gleason).

Smokey and the Bandit was the second-highest-grossing domestic film of 1977 in the United States.^[1]

Smokey and the Bandit II

Smokey and the Bandit II (1980) is an American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham, and starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Jackie Gleason and Dom DeLuise. The film is the sequel to the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit.

The plot centers on Bo "Bandit" Darville (Burt Reynolds) and Cledus "Snowman" Snow (Jerry Reed), transporting an elephant to the GOP National Convention, with Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason) once again in hot pursuit.The second film was a modest box office success, earning $66.1 million against a $17 million budget.^[3]

Smokey and the Bandit Part 3

Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983) is an American action comedy film starring Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Paul Williams, Pat McCormick, Mike Henry and Colleen Camp. The plot of the film revolves around Sheriff Buford T. Justice ("Smokey"), with the presence of the Bandit merely being suggested through him being impersonated by Cledus ("Snowman").^[4]

The third film – which had no involvement from either Hal Needham or Sally Field and contained only a short cameo appearance by Burt Reynolds – revolved entirely around Jackie Gleason's character, was panned by critics, and was a box office bomb, earning only $7 million against a $9 million budget.

Films

Television spin-off films

A series of four made-for-TV spin-off films (Bandit Goes Country, Bandit Bandit, Beauty and the Bandit, and Bandit's Silver Angel) were produced in 1994 for Universal Television's Action Pack with actor Brian Bloom playing a younger version of the Bandit. The three original films introduced two generations of the Pontiac Trans Am and the Dodge Stealth in the television movies.^[5]

Documentary

The Bandit is a documentary film about the making of "Smokey and the Bandit" and working with director and stuntman Hal Needham. Featuring interviews with Burt Reynolds and the crew, the film explores the unique relationship between Reynolds and Needham. The film was directed by Jesse Moss.^[6]

Television series

In October 2020, a Smokey and the Bandit TV series was revealed to be in development, with a pilot written by David Gordon Green and Brian Sides and also executive produced with his Rough House confederates Jody Hill, Danny McBride and Brandon James, as well as Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins of Fuzzy Door.^[7]

References