<P> Reynolds made his directorial debut in 1976 with Gator, the sequel to White Lightning, written by Norton . "I waited 20 years to do it (directing) and I enjoyed it more than anything I've ever done in this business," he said after filming . "And I happen to think it's what I do best ." </P> <P> He was reunited with Bogdanovich for the screwball comedy Nickelodeon (1976), which was a commercial disappointment . Aldrich later commented, "Bogdanovich can get him to do the telephone book! Anybody else has to persuade him to do something . He's fascinated by Bogdanovich . I can't understand it ." He turned down the part of Clark Gable in Gable and Lombard . </P> <P> Reynolds had the biggest hit of his career with a car chase film Smokey and the Bandit (1977), directed by Hal Needham and co-starring Jackie Gleason and Sally Field . </P> <P> He followed it with a comedy about football players, Semi-Tough (1977), co-starring Jill Clayburgh and Kris Kristofferson and produced by David Merrick . He then made his second film as director The End (1978), a black comedy, playing a role originally written for Woody Allen . </P>

Who co-starred with burt reynolds in smokey and the bandit