When most actors are asked to name the greatest of all time, they usually go with Marlon Brando or Meryl Streep. But Burt Reynolds had a different answer—one that shaped his entire career and influenced his approach to acting more than anything else.
For Reynolds, there was no one better than Spencer Tracy, a legend of Hollywood’s golden age. Tracy wasn’t just an incredible actor; he was the master of effortless realism. Unlike others who made a performance feel theatrical, Tracy had a rare ability to make audiences forget he was even acting. He didn’t seem to perform—he simply was. And to Reynolds, that was the highest level of artistry.
Their paths crossed in 1959 when Reynolds, still an up-and-coming actor, was working on the set of Riverboat. Across the studio lot, Spencer Tracy was filming Inherit the Wind, the role that would earn him yet another Oscar nomination. Reynolds soon realized that his dressing room was right across from Tracy’s, which was actually four rooms combined into one massive space—a testament to the star’s status.
For days, Reynolds watched his idol from a distance, too nervous to approach. But one day, Tracy took notice.
“Come on,” Tracy said, inviting Reynolds to walk with him. Then he turned and asked, “Are you an actor?”
Never one to miss an opportunity for a joke, Reynolds quipped, “The jury’s still out on that.”
To his surprise, Tracy laughed and responded with a piece of advice that stuck with him for life: “Well, just don’t let anybody catch you at it.”
That simple line changed everything for Reynolds. To him, it wasn’t just a passing comment—it was the key to truly great acting. He realized that the best performances felt natural, as if the camera had simply stumbled upon something real. From that moment on, Reynolds embraced that philosophy, adopting the motto: “Don’t act, just behave.”
In every role he played, he strived to capture the same ease and authenticity that made Spencer Tracy unforgettable. Even in his later years, when reflecting on his career, Reynolds remained convinced: No one did it better than Tracy.
“I have never been able to catch him acting,” Reynolds once said. And to him, that was the greatest compliment an actor could ever receive.
