We got Sally Field onboard [in Smokey and the Bandit] and it changed the entire dynamic. About a third of the way into filming, I was in the car with Sally and there was this little moment where we kind of looked at each other, and then we both turned and looked over at Hal [Needham]. He gave us a thumbs up and said, "Yeah!" And we kind of knew there was some magic going on.

All you really have in the end are your stories.

The audience will always forgive you for being wrong and exciting, but never for being right and dull.

A fan is a fan is a friend no matter what current he/she/it operates on, AC or DC. Thanks for being one of mine.

You're not a man until your father says you're a man.

You get to a certain age, where you know you can't go over the wall, but I'll never get to the age where I can't go through it.

My movies were the kind they show in prisons and airplanes, because nobody can leave.