Reynolds was the son of Harriette Fernette "Fern" (née Miller; 1902–1992) and Douglas Burton Reynolds (1906–2002). He had Dutch, English, Scots-Irish and Scottish ancestry, and also claimed Cherokee and Italian roots through his father. During his career, he often claimed to have been born in Waycross, Georgia, although he said in 2015 he was actually born in Lansing, Michigan. He was born on February 11, 1936, and in his autobiography stated that Lansing is where his family lived when his father was drafted into the United States Army.