This month marks the 43rd anniversary of the release of Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, the third and final chapter in the iconic action-comedy franchise that brought Hollywood cameras and stunt drivers to Marion County.
The film, which officially premiered in theaters on August 12, 1983, shot several exterior scenes in Silver Springs as part of a statewide production across Florida.
According to records from the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), principal photography for the movie originally took place between late October 1982 and January 1983.
In addition to the scenery captured in Silver Springs, production crews also traveled across Florida to shoot scenes in Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Clearwater.
The film stars Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Buford T. Justice (“Smokey”), Jerry Reed as Cledus “Snowman” Snow, Paul Williams and Pat McCormick as the scheming Big and Little Enos Burdette, Mike Henry as Junior, and Colleen Camp as Dusty Trails.
Original franchise star Burt Reynolds, who headlined the first two blockbusters in the series, did not return in a starring role and made only a brief cameo appearance near the end of the movie…