According to his agent, Reynolds died of cardiac arrest Thursday morning.
"No comment, just heartbreaking," Eisner said.
Reynolds had been in Knoxville a few times recently.
In 2016, he left Scruffy City starstruck when he arrived to film scenes for 'The Last Movie Star.' He also was in town in August 2018 for Bubba Fest.
Reynolds was well known for his roles in such classic films as 'Smokey and the Bandit' and 'Deliverance.'
"I've been very, very lucky through ups and downs. When you crash and burn, you have to pick yourself up and go on and hope to make up for it," Reynolds said in an interview in March with USA TODAY. "Along the way, I’ve met some wonderful people. And you always run into some jerks. But that would be the same if you were working for the Ford Motor Co."
"It’s a tough business. Very tough. But I always tried to leave a good impression wherever we shot, and I didn’t leave any buildings burning or anything," he added with a smile. "And I've had a good time through it all."
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools !
My childhood wouldn't have been the same without Smokey and the Bandit. Still need that 1977 Trans Am.
It was also that year that I figured out the Academy Awards are meaningless shit when "Annie" (made by pedoweirdo Woody Allen) beat out Star Wars and Close Encounters for best picture and Smokey wasn't even nominated.