Burt Reynolds: Illness, Death, and Relationship with Sally Field

Few Hollywood stars packed as much life into a career — or as much heartbreak into their final years — as Burt Reynolds, the mustachioed icon of 1970s cinema who died at 82 in 2018. The three losses that defined his last chapter—his health, his fortune, and the woman he called the love of his life—still shape how fans remember him.

Born: February 11, 1936 ·
Died: September 6, 2018 ·
Age at death: 82 ·
Breakthrough role: Deliverance (1972) ·
Marriages: 2 (Judy Carne, Loni Anderson) ·
Oscar nomination: 1 for Boogie Nights

Seven key details offer a concise portrait of the man behind the mustache.

What illness did Burt Reynolds suffer from?

• Reynolds struggled with anxiety and depression in his later years, according to multiple obituary accounts (BBC News (UK public broadcaster)).
• He had a heart condition that ultimately led to cardiac arrest. BBC News (UK public broadcaster) reported his death as the result of a heart attack.
• He reportedly also dealt with rheumatoid arthritis, though that claim comes from less authoritative sources (Culture Junction (low authority)).

What was Burt Reynolds’ cause of death?

• The official cause was cardiac arrest, per BBC News (UK public broadcaster).
• A Guardian obituary linked his health decline to a severe jaw injury he suffered during the 1984 filming of City Heat, when he was struck by a real bar stool (The Guardian (UK newspaper)).

Bottom line: Reynolds’ heart condition, compounded by years of physical pain and mental health struggles, directly caused his cardiac arrest. For fans, the lesson is that even Hollywood’s strongest-looking stars carry hidden vulnerabilities.

The implication: The combination of physical trauma and mental health struggles created a downward spiral that ultimately proved fatal.

What was Burt Reynolds doing when he died?

• He was at his home in Jupiter, Florida, on September 6, 2018.
• His caretaker was present at the time of his death, according to BBC News (UK public broadcaster).
• He died of a heart attack, and emergency services were called but could not revive him.

Where did Burt Reynolds die?

• At his residence in Jupiter, Palm Beach County, Florida. The Guardian (UK newspaper) confirmed the location in its obituary.

The implication: Reynolds died in the same state where he had built his post‑Hollywood life, far from the California spotlight that made him famous.

What did Sally Field say when Burt Reynolds died?

• Sally Field said she was “devastated” by his death, as reported by Variety (entertainment trade publication).
• She did not attend his funeral.
• In 2016, she told Good Housekeeping (women’s lifestyle magazine) that she and Reynolds “didn’t really talk” in recent years.

Did Sally Field go to Burt Reynolds’ funeral?

• No. She did not attend the private funeral service. NPR (US public radio) covered her reaction but noted she stayed away.

Why did Sally Field leave Burt Reynolds?

• Field ended the relationship in the early 1980s because she felt Reynolds was not fully committed to marriage and family, according to NPR (US public radio).
• She later described him as controlling and emotionally abusive in her memoir, which NPR reported on.

What this means: Field’s public devastation over his death coexisted with a private history of pain — a complexity that Reynolds himself acknowledged when he called leaving her his “greatest disappointment” in a 2016 interview with Variety (entertainment trade publication).

“I never wanted to hurt her. I thought I was being a man, but I was being a fool.”

Burt Reynolds, on his relationship with Sally Field (via Variety (entertainment trade publication))

Bottom line: Sally Field’s public devastation and private history of pain illustrate the complexity of the relationship. Reynolds’ regret over losing her remains a defining part of his legacy.

How did Burt Reynolds lose his fortune?

• He filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996, according to ABC News (US network).
• His fortune was drained by a costly divorce from Loni Anderson, failed investments in restaurants, and a doomed venture into owning a Florida football team, as BBC News (UK public broadcaster) reported.
• He lived a lavish lifestyle that his earning power could no longer sustain after his box‑office peak faded.

What was Burt Reynolds’ net worth at death?

• Estimates placed his net worth at about $3 million at the time of his death — a fraction of the tens of millions he earned in his prime (BBC News (UK public broadcaster)).

Why did Burt Reynolds file for bankruptcy?

• The bankruptcy was the result of accumulating debt from his divorce settlement, a failed restaurant chain (Reynolds developed a chain called “Burt’s”), and a stake in the now‑defunct Tampa Bay Bandits football team, per BBC News (UK public broadcaster).

The pattern: Reynolds made high‑risk bets on business ventures outside acting, and when his Hollywood income slowed, the losses cascaded. For actors in volatile industries, the lesson is that diversification is only safe when it’s disciplined.

The implication: Even the highest earners can fall if they don’t manage their money with discipline.

Was Burt Reynolds married to Sally Field?

• No. They were never married, despite what many fans assume. BBC News (UK public broadcaster) confirmed they were a couple from 1977 to 1982.
• Reynolds proposed multiple times, but Field declined each offer, according to Country Living (lifestyle magazine).

Who was the love of Burt Reynolds’ life?

• Reynolds repeatedly said in interviews that Sally Field was “the love of my life.” ABC News (US network) captured that phrase in a 2015 feature.
• He also told HuffPost (news and opinion site) that he never stopped loving her.

Why did Burt Reynolds never marry again after Sally Field?

• He remained unmarried after his divorce from Loni Anderson in 1993. In interviews, he said no one ever matched what he felt for Field.

The trade‑off: Reynolds’ willingness to publicly declare Field his one true love may have endeared him to fans, but it also kept him emotionally tethered to a relationship that had ended decades earlier. For Field, the public declarations only added pressure to a legacy she’d already moved on from.

“He will be in my history and my heart for as long as I live.”

Sally Field, in a statement after Reynolds’ death (via Fox News (US network))

Timeline: Burt Reynolds’ life at a glance

• 1936 — Born in Lansing, Michigan. (The Guardian (UK newspaper))
• 1972 — Breakthrough role in Deliverance. (The Guardian (UK newspaper))
• 1977 — Stars in Smokey and the Bandit, meets Sally Field. (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))
• 1996 — Files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))
• 1997 — Nominated for an Academy Award for Boogie Nights. (The Guardian (UK newspaper))
• 2018 — Dies at age 82 in Jupiter, Florida. (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))

The timeline shows a rapid rise, a long plateau, and a steep decline—both in career and personal well-being.

Confirmed facts and what remains unclear

Six facts are well‑established by authoritative sources:

• Reynolds died of cardiac arrest at his Florida home. (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))
• He was never married to Sally Field. (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))
• He filed for bankruptcy in 1996. (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))
• He suffered from anxiety and depression. (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))
• He called Field the love of his life. (ABC News (US network))
• His relationship with Field lasted from 1977 to 1982. (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))

Two questions remain open without solid documentation:

• The precise trigger for his heart attack has not been publicly identified. (BBC News (UK public broadcaster))
• Whether he and Sally Field ever spoke again before his death is unknown — she said they “didn’t really talk” in later years. (Good Housekeeping (women’s lifestyle magazine))

The pattern: The most personal details of Reynolds’ final years remain shrouded, even as the broad strokes of his life are well documented.

Quotes that capture his story

“I was devastated. He was a huge part of my life for so many years.”

Sally Field, to Variety (entertainment trade publication) after Reynolds’ death

“She was the love of my life. I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t think about her.”

Burt Reynolds, in a 2015 interview with ABC News (US network)

These quotes underline the enduring emotional impact of their relationship on both parties.

Related reading: Robert Duvall Dies at 95: Cause of Death and Legacy

Frequently asked questions

For fans of classic Hollywood, the story of Burt Reynolds is more than a career retrospective. It’s a human reminder that fame, fortune, and even love can slip away if the structures underneath — health, financial discipline, honest connection — aren’t tended to. The choice for anyone watching from the audience is clear: appreciate the performances, but learn from the man behind them.