On this day in 1977, UNIVERSAL PICTURES released the first in a series of what can only be called ‘vanity films’ that became a hugely successful franchise. SMOKEY & THE BANDIT was directed by HAL NEEDHAM and starred BURT REYNOLDS, JERRY REED, SALLY FIELD, PAT McCORMACK, PAUL WILLIAMS and JACKIE GLEASON. Basically, an excuse to party, SMOKEY & THE BANDIT was the blue-collar equivalent of THE RAT PACK’s OCEAN ELEVEN.