Betz brings Buford T. Justice back to Automania
David Betz, of St. Joseph, Mo., travels the countryside as Buford T. Justice, the fictional character played by Jackie Gleason in three “Smokey and the Bandit” films. He was back in Brandon to chat with folks at the sixth annual Automania. Photo by Jill Meier
A knee replacement may have kept David Betz from Automania a year ago, but Betz, who travels the country as a Buford T. Justice impersonator with his brown Pontiac LeMans, was back among the lineup of autos this year.
“Bill (Nelson) makes sure I come,” Betz said. “I love the community getting together for something like this, and everybody’s friendly.”
Betz, of St. Joseph, Mo., travels the countryside as Buford T. Justice, the fictional character played by Jackie Gleason in three “Smokey and the Bandit” films. In the movie, Buford T. Justice is a determined, foul-mouthed Texas sheriff, from Montague County, who chases “the Bandit” all over the Southern United States.
But in real life, Betz is popular with the people.
“I just have a love for the people,” he says.
Betz was elated to be back in Brandon, and he was busy talking up the 40th anniversary of the original “Smokey and the Bandit” films this time.
“Everybody knows where they were when they saw the movie,” he said.
To celebrate the four-decade anniversary of the “Smokey and the Bandit” trilogy, Betz took part in a re-enactment ride from Texarkana to Atlanta.
“I spent last weekend with Burt Reynolds,” he tells.
While he may not have shared the ride alongside the famed star, Betz was among 300 people, 200 Trans Ams, a trio of Smokey and the Bandit semi-trucks and four cop cars that took part in reenacting the movie’s famed haul.
“We tried to stay within the speed limit, but sometimes that doesn’t work,” Betz said. “Four to five of us got tickets, but not me.”
“There’s a line in the movie, ‘100 in a 10’, and someone actually got a ticket for $110.”
