UPDATED 5/27/2024 The late Burt Reynolds was a movie star, no question about it. In fact, for several years — with hits like Smokey and the Bandit, Deliverance, The Cannonball Run and The Longest Yard — he was the top box office draw in the world. But what oftentimes gets lost when remembering the late actor is the fact that he had a pretty extensive background in television, including three years on classic TV Western Gunsmoke. Shows on which he was either the star or co-star include Darren McGavin’s Riverboat (1959 to 1960), the detective series Hawk (1966) Dan August (1970 to 1971) and B.L. Stryker (1989 to 1990), and the sitcoms Evening Shade (1990 to 1994) and Hitting the Breaks (2016). But between those, from 1962 to 1965 he was cast as “halfbreed” blacksmith — and acting deputy — Quint Asper. The part came about due to the fact that series regular Dennis Weaver expressed his desire to leave the show. RELATED: The 50 Best Classic TV Western Series from the 50s and 60s In the book Gunsmoke: An American Institution, Celebrating 50 Years of Television’s Best Western, author Ben Costello interviewed Reynolds, who notes that he thought he was being brought on as a guest star, not in a recurring role. What Season Was Burt Reynolds on ‘Gunsmoke’? (Everett Collection) Says Reynolds, who was on Gunsmoke for seasons eight through 10, “Every actor in town loved doing the show, because it was a family and — now that I think back about it — I don’t think anybody in town, before or since, ever had the generosity of spirit that they had on that show in terms of being an ensemble group, where it was Kitty’s [Amanda Blake] turn or Doc’s [Milburn Stone] turn or Chester’s [Dennis Weaver] turn or whoever’s turn. It was a great place for young actors to learn some manners and behave, because, number one, Jim Arness [Marshal Matt Dillon] and Milburn wouldn’t put up with it.” RELATED: Whatever Happened to Amanda Blake, Miss Kitty from ‘Gunsmoke’? Reynolds played the character once and was surprised to learn from his agent that the producers wanted him back. Admittedly flattered, he also recognized there was great potential in the character, dramatic possibilities springing from the fact that Asper was half-Indian. In retrospect, he felt the character was like Nevada Smith in the big-screen Western The Carpetbaggers. (Everett Collection) “[He was] raised by one Indian parent and really thought of himself as more of an Indian than a white man,” Reynolds explains “Then we could deal with the prejudice and all that kind of stuff that was going on at the time in those days.” Why Did Burt Reynolds Leave ‘Gunsmoke’? (Everett Collection) By 1965, and after much deliberation, Reynolds decided to leave the series, telling the New York Times that he felt “I had served my apprenticeship and there wasn’t room for two leading men.” Part of what convinced him to leave, according to Costello, was the fact that both Arness and Stone felt that it was time, with the former in particular believing that movie stardom was awaiting Reynolds, who was nonetheless reluctant. (Everett Collection) “I thought that this was a terrific show to be on,” he reflects. “And quite honestly, and I didn’t know it then, some of the happiest years of my life were on that show … Jim said — I’ll never forget it — ‘You know, we’ve been on seven years and, hell, we’ve probably only got another year.’ I thought, ‘Well, okay,’ I had done it for almost three years, so I said I’ll strike out on my own.” Gunsmoke, of course, ended up enjoying a 20-year run from 1955 to 1975, and for the rest of his life, Reynolds looked back warmly on his time there. “Quite honestly,” he muses in Costello’s book, “in spite of the fact that I had an incredible, very lucky motion picture career, I’ve often wondered what would have happened had I stayed for the whole run of the show. There’s a lot to be said for peace of mind and the fun and just being part of the whole legend of that show.” Click for next Article The post Looking Back At Burt Reynolds’ Days On Classic TV Western ‘Gunsmoke’ appeared first on DoYouRemember? - The Home of Nostalgia. Author, Ed Gross

Fans know Melissa Joan Hart from the 1996 series Sabrina The Teenage Witch, where she played Sabrina Spellman alongside Caroline Rhea, Jenna Leigh Green, Michelle Beaudoin, and others. After the popular show ended in 2003, Hart took on more roles in Melissa & Joey, No Good Nick, God’s Not Dead 2, and a few more films. More recently, she plays Leigh Delgado in a Lifetime TV film titled The Bad Guardian, and viewers can hardly recognize her. Hart teased the show multiple times on her social media ahead of its premiere on May 18, with movie posters and behind-the-scenes snaps. Melissa Joan Hart looks so different in new film SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH, from left: Salem the cat, Melissa Joan Hart, (Season 1, 1996), 1996-2003. photo: George Lange / ©Viacom Prod. / Courtesy: Everett Collection Hart’s appearance as Leigh, who fights “to save her father from a court-appointed guardian,” is a far cry from what her fans are used to. Photos feature her in a simple bun hairstyle, minimal makeup, and some facial injuries. She shared a video during filming as she chatted to the camera in green knit cardigan over a white T-shirt, noting that her black eye was for half the story. REALLY: ’90s Star Melissa Joan Hart Has Fans Talking After Looking ‘Crazed’ In Recent Photo Her new role is also something for fans to rave about as they await a promised reboot of Sabrina The Teenage Witch, as revealed by Hart in 2022. She gave a glimpse into the plot, hinting that the original characters will likely be married and have children with special powers, “and then the great aunts come along.” Youtube video screenshot ‘The Bad Guardian’ Starring alongside Hart is La La Anthony, who plays the guardian named Janet to Luis Bordonada’s Jason after he suffers a bad fall. Hart’s character is tasked with saving Jason from Janet, who turns out to have evil intentions. The film is reportedly a nod to pop singer Britney Spears and TV personality Wendy Williams, who have been caught up in controversial conservatorships. Instagram Hart revealed that The Bad Guardian seeks to address the corruption within guardian#ship procedures as she “was just fascinated to learn all this and to see how people would struggle with this.” She noted that Britney and Wendy are “high-profile women” with the means to fight against exploitative guardians, however her character had no status like most people in the same situation. She hopes victims can learn a thing or two from the film and “find some information to find a way out of it.” Click for next Article The post Melissa Joan Hart From ‘Sabrina The Teenage Witch’ Looks Crazed In New Film appeared first on DoYouRemember? - The Home of Nostalgia. Author, Peace A

Egyptian border guards and Israeli soldiers exchanged fire Monday at the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, during the course of which an Egyptian soldier was killed.  Subscribe Today Get daily…

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