Movies

Norm MacDonald Pays Tribute to Burt Reynolds

The late Burt Reynolds has had countless memorable roles throughout his storied career in […]

The late Burt Reynolds has had countless memorable roles throughout his storied career in Hollywood, but his personality served as the basis for one of Saturday Night Live‘s fan-favorite characters.

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Norm MacDonald brought Reynolds to life as a staple on Celebrity Jeopardy, hosted by Will Ferrell’s constantly frustrated take on Alex Trebek. Now the comedian is paying respects to the deceased star with a touching tribute posted on social media.

As Reynolds, MacDonald served as one of the funniest contestants on Celebrity Jeopardy, insisting that his jokes were always funnier than they were all while donning a comically oversized cowboy hat, all while wearing his trademark jacket and bolo tie.

MacDonald’s parody of Reynolds was obviously done in reverence, not belittling the icon for his sardonic demeanor, and that makes the tribute all more sentimental.

The former Saturday Night Live star is but one of many celebrities coming forward with their own tributes. Arnold Schwarzenegger also wrote a poignant post that reflected on the impact Reynolds had on his own career.

“Burt Reynolds was one of my heroes,” the former California governor wrote on Twitter. “He was a trailblazer. He showed the way to transition from being an athlete to being the highest paid actor, and he always inspired me. He also had a great sense of humor – check out his Tonight Show clips. My thoughts are with his family.”

Reynolds had many memorable years over the course of his long career, starring in classics such as Smokey and the Bandit, Deliverance, Cannonball Run, and The Longest Yard. He also turned down roles in the ’60s Batman series, Star Wars, Die Hard, and Pretty Woman. Reynolds was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in Boogie Nights.

The actor tragically passed away at age 82 while admitted to the Jupiter Medical Center in Florida, according to a report from the Hollywood Reporter.