Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 films. Big Enos and Little Enos offer retiring Sheriff Buford T. Justice a wager, betting $250,000 against his badge on his ability to transport a large stuffed fish from Florida to Texas. Buford picks up the fish and starts driving with his son, Junior. The Enoses set many traps, but Buford dodges them, so they try to hire the Bandit to stop him. Deciding that the original Bandit is too hard to manage, they hire the Snowman to act as the Bandit. The new Snowman/Bandit parks his truck so he can drive a black and gold 1983 Pontiac Trans Am.
Burt Reynolds by Merrick, who fired and then rehired director Don Siegel during filming. Reynolds had two huge hits with car films directed by Needham, "Smokey and the Bandit II" (1980) and "The Cannonball Run" (1981). He starred in David Steinberg's film "Paternity" (1981) and directed himself in a tough action film, "Sharky's Machine" (1981). Reynolds wanted to try a musical again and so agreed to do "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (1982). It was a hit, as was "Best Friends" (1982) with Goldie Hawn. In 1982, Reynolds was voted the most popular star in the US for the fifth year