That time ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ blew up an Atlanta roller coaster

Actor Burt Reynolds, who has died at 82, leaves a vast film legacy, but will forever be known for his roles in the Georgia-filmed "Smokey and the Bandit" adventure flicks.

He and co-stars Sally Field, Jackie Gleason and others were here in 1976 for the original and again in 1980 for the sequel. It was at the end of Smokey II that a roller coaster known as the "Greyhound" at the old Lakewood Fairgrounds was blown up as part of a sensational scene.

According to “The History of Lakewood,” the wooden roller coaster was designed by John A. Miller. In operation from 1915 to 1974, it was partially rebuilt in 1956. It had been sitting idle for a few years before being used for the movie explosion scene.