It was not until Needham's friend Burt Reynolds read the script, and said he would star, that the film was aimed at a more mainstream release Reed would now portray Bandit's friend Snowman (Reed would eventually play the Bandit in Smokey and the Bandit Part III).
Sonny Shroyer as a Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)ĭirector Hal Needham originally planned the film as a low-budget B movie with a production cost of $1 million, with Jerry Reed as the Bandit.Burt Reynolds as Bo Darville ("Bandit").Bandit first directs Sheriff Justice to Big and Little Enos, but then in a gesture of respect, reveals his true location and invites Justice to give chase, leaving Junior behind. They quickly leave in one of Big Enos' Cadillac convertibles, passing Sheriff Justice's badly damaged police car by the side of the road. They arrive back at Lakewood Speedway (while the Southern Classic race is being run) with only 10 minutes to spare, but instead of taking the payoff, Frog and Bandit accept a double-or-nothing offer from Little Enos: a challenge to run up to Boston and bring back clam chowder in 18 hours. With four miles still to go, and discouraged by the unexpected mounting attention, Bandit is ready to give up, but Snowman refuses to listen and takes the lead, smashing through the police roadblock at the entrance to the fairgrounds. The chase intensifies as Bandit and Snowman get closer to Atlanta state and local police have stepped up their pursuit with more cruisers, larger roadblocks, and even a police helicopter to track Bandit's movements. Neither Sheriff Justice nor any other police officers have any knowledge of Snowman's illegal manifest.
Bandit and Snowman are helped along the way (including via CB radio) by many colorful characters, including a hearse driver, an elderly lady, a drive-in waitress and all her customers, a convoy of trucks, and even a madam who runs a brothel out of her RV. The remainder of the film is one lengthy high-speed chase, as Bandit's antics attract more and more attention from local and state police across Dixie while Snowman barrels on toward Atlanta with the contraband beer. Ignoring his own jurisdiction, Sheriff Justice, with Junior in tow, chases Bandit all the way to Georgia, even as various mishaps cause his cruiser to disintegrate around them.
Justice ( Jackie Gleason), a career lawman whose handsome but slow-witted son Junior ( Mike Henry) was to have been Carrie's bridegroom. But in so doing, Bandit makes himself a target of Texas Sheriff Buford T.
Immediately upon starting the second leg of the run, Bandit picks up runaway bride Carrie ( Sally Field), whom he eventually nicknames "Frog" because she is "kinda cute like a frog" and "always hoppin' around". They reach Texarkana an hour ahead of schedule, load their truck with the beer and head back toward Atlanta. The trip to Texas is mostly uneventful except for at least one pursuing Smokey whom Bandit evades with ease.
The Burdettes find legendary trucker Bo "Bandit" Darville ( Burt Reynolds) competing in a truck rodeo at Lakewood Fairgrounds in Atlanta they offer him $80,000 to haul 400 cases of Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas back to Atlanta in 28 hours Big Enos has sponsored a driver running in the Southern Classic stockcar race and wants to "celebrate in style when he wins." Bandit accepts the bet and recruits his best friend and partner Cledus "Snowman" Snow ( Jerry Reed) to drive the truck, while Bandit drives the "blocker", a black Trans Am bought on an advance from the Burdettes, to divert attention away from the truck and its illegal cargo.
Truck drivers who had taken the bet previously had been caught and arrested by "Smokey" ( CB slang for highway patrol officers, referring to the Smokey Bear–type hats worn in some states). At the time, Coors was regarded as one of the finest beers in the United States, but it could not be legally sold east of the Mississippi River.
Wealthy Texan Big Enos Burdette ( Pat McCormick) and his son Little Enos ( Paul Williams) seek a truck driver willing to bootleg Coors beer to Georgia for their refreshment. 7 Television censorship and alternative versions.