Smokey and the Bandit episodes of the series. Needham saw an advertisement for the soon-to-be-released 1977 Pontiac Trans Am and knew right away that would be the Bandit's car, or, as Needham referred to it, a character in the movie. He contacted Pontiac and an agreement was made that four 1977 Trans Ams and two Pontiac LeMans 4-door sedans would be provided for the movie. The Trans Ams were actually 1976-model cars with 1977 front ends. (From 1970 to 1976, both the Firebird/Trans Am and Chevrolet Camaro had two round headlights, and in 1977, the Firebird/Trans Am was changed to four rectangular headlights, while
Smokey and the Bandit II to which Charlotte responds loudly. They drive away with Charlotte and her baby in tow, with Buford pursuing them in a bus. Jackie Gleason played Sheriff Buford T. Justice, Gaylord Justice and Reginald Van Justice. For his roles as Sheriff Buford T. Justice and Reginald Van Justice he is credited as Mr. Jackie Gleason, but for his role as Gaylord he is credited as Ms. Jackie Gleason. Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise would star together again in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", "The Cannonball Run", "Cannonball Run II", and (in voice only) Don Bluth's "All Dogs Go to Heaven".