THE STAR WHO NEVER LEFT TALLAHASSEE

This framed photograph captures two FSU icons: longtime equipment manager Jimmie Callaway and legendary actor Burt Reynolds, whose connection to Florida State went far beyond the silver screen. Though Reynolds became a Hollywood megastar — starring in films like Deliverance, Smokey and the Bandit and The Longest Yard — he was first and foremost a Seminole. A promising halfback under coach Tom Nugent in the 1950s, Reynolds’ football career was cut short by injury, but his loyalty to the program never wavered. Reynolds remained one of FSU’s most visible and generous supporters for decades. He helped fund the construction of the Burt Reynolds Hall for football players, and his presence at events, like the Hollywood Seminole Spectacular, brought glitz and national attention to the program.