Longtime Co-Star Of Burt Reynolds Passes Away

Alfie Wise, the beloved character actor best known for his longtime collaboration with Burt Reynolds, has died at the age of 82.

He passed away of natural causes on July 22, at the Thomas H. Corey Veteran Affairs Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, according to his longtime fiancée, Stephanie Bliss.

Born Ralph Louis Wise Jr. on November 17, 1942, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Wise’s life was marked by service, humor, and a steady presence across decades of television and film.

Wise graduated from Altoona Area High School in 1960, serving as class president—a role he’d later hold again at Pennsylvania State University, from which he graduated around 1964. Before turning to acting, Wise served in the U.S. Navy during the 1960s, where he hosted and produced programming aboard ship. That experience sparked his interest in entertainment and helped pave the way for a post-military transition into the entertainment industry.

After his service, Wise moved to Los Angeles and became an NBC page—a classic entry point into Hollywood for many hopefuls of the time. That role helped launch what became a decades-long career on screen.

Wise’s first credited appearance came in 1972 with the made-for-TV film Call Her Mom and a spot on The Sandy Duncan Show. But his career soon took off, thanks in large part to his close relationship with Burt Reynolds.

Their first collaboration came in 1974’s The Longest Yard, and over the next decade, Wise became a fixture in Reynolds’ films. The pair worked together in Smokey and the Bandit (1977), Hooper (1978), The Cannonball Run (1981), Stroker Ace (1983), City Heat (1984), and Heat (1986), among others—ten films in total.

Wise’s diminutive stature (he stood 5 feet tall) and comedic instincts made him a reliable supporting presence. He could bring levity to otherwise intense scenes and often played quirky, lovable side characters. Beyond the cameras, he occasionally worked as Reynolds’ personal assistant—a testament to the deep bond they shared off screen.

In addition to his film roles, Wise had a significant presence on television. He portrayed Mr. Rabbit Ears in the children’s show Uncle Croc’s Block (1975), paramedic Sidney Pacelli in Trauma Center (1983), and Oliver Wardell in the ABC detective drama B.L. Stryker (1989–1990), another Reynolds-led project. His final screen appearance came in the family-friendly series S Club 7 in Miami (1999–2000), where he played Howard Borlotti.

Other appearances included The Fall Guy, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, The Jeffersons, Tour of Duty, and stage work, including a 1985 production of The Foreigner.

After stepping away from acting in 2000, Wise reinvented himself once again—this time in the world of real estate. He worked with Donohue Real Estate in Florida, where he remained active for years. Friends and coworkers described him as warm, upbeat, and ever ready with a joke or smile.

Alfie Wise may never have been a household name, but for generations of moviegoers, he was the familiar face who always made a scene better. His partnership with Burt Reynolds defined much of his career, but his legacy extends far beyond those roles. Wise represented the best of character acting—humble, consistent, and unforgettable.