In the1970s, there were few people who had the star power ofBurt Reynolds.

The following movies are prime examples of what helped make the iconic actor the star he was.

As the directorial follow-up to Reynolds warmly receivedSharkys Machine,Stickfailed to deliver the same critical acclaim.

Burt Reynolds after shootout on bus in Sharky’s Machine

Image via Warner Bros.

A botched narcotics bust sends Sgt.

Can Hooper walk away from the business, or will he die a legend?

Hooperwould serve as a reunion between Reynolds and Needham who he had previously worked with onSmokey and the Bandit.

Burt Reynolds as Ernest “Stick” Stickley looking deep in thought in Stick (1985).

Image via Universal Pictures

WhatThe Longest Yardmanages to do so well is make small stakes feel like something grand.

Moviegoers flocked to seeSmokey and the Bandit,loving the combination of high-speed car chases and humor.

NEXT:The 10 Best Movies That Defined the 70s

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Burt Reynolds as Nick Escalante at a casino in Heat.

Image via New Century Vista Film Company

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Burt Reynolds as Gator holds a plate of food with an animal in his lap in Gator.

Image via United Artists

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Burt Reynolds and his colleagues at a ballpark in Sharky’s Machine.

Image via Warner Bros.

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Burt Reynolds and Jan-Michael Vincent looking out the window of a car and smiling in Hooper.

Image via Warner Bros.

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Burt Reynolds as Paul Crewe in a football uniform shouting from sidelines at a prison game, The Longest Yard

Image via Paramount Pictures

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Burt Reynolds stands in a river with large boulders in ‘Deliverance’.

Image via Warner Bros.

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Intent on seeing the Cahulawassee River before it’s dammed and turned into a lake, outdoor fanatic Lewis Medlock takes his friends on a canoeing trip they’ll never forget into the dangerous American back-country.

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Gator (Burt Reynolds) fixing an engine in ‘White Lightning’.

Image via United Artists

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Burt Reynolds smiling toward the camera wearing an orang track jacket in The Cannonball Run.

Image via Golden Harvest Company

Burt Reynolds and Sally Field in a car looking excited as they drive in ‘Smokey and the Bandit’.

Image via Universal Pictures

Smokey and the Bandit 1977 Movie Poster

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