Burt Reynolds his spleen and injured his other knee in a bad car accident. These injuries hampered his abilities on the field, and after being beaten in coverage for the game-winning touchdown in a 7-0 loss to North Carolina State on October 12, 1957, he decided to give up football. Ending his college football career, Reynolds thought of becoming a police officer; however, his father suggested he finish college and become a parole officer. To keep up with his studies, he began taking classes at Palm Beach Junior College (PBJC) in neighboring Lake Park. In his first term at PBJC, he was
Burt Reynolds box office failures, Reynolds returned to television, starring in the sitcom "Evening Shade" (1990–1994). He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in "Boogie Nights" (1997). Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. was the son of Harriette Fernette "Fern" ("née" Miller; 1902–1992) and Burton Milo Reynolds (1906–2002). He had Dutch, English, Scots-Irish, and Scottish ancestry. He also claimed Cherokee and Italian roots, both of which remain unverified. 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