Alfie Wise, the character actor best known for his frequent collaborations with Burt Reynolds in films including “Smokey and the Bandit” and “The Cannonball Run,” died July 22 at age 82. Wise died of natural causes at the Thomas H. Corey VA Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, according to his longtime fiancée Stephanie Bliss.
Born Ralph Louis Wise on November 17, 1942, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, the actor appeared in 10 films with Reynolds over the course of their friendship. Their first collaboration was “The Longest Yard” in 1974, where Wise played a state trooper. He went on to appear in Reynolds’ biggest hits, including “Smokey and the Bandit” (1977) as a police officer and “The Cannonball Run” (1981) as a tow-truck driver nicknamed “Batman.”
The five-foot-five actor’s other collaborations with Reynolds included “The End” (1978), “Hooper” (1978), “Starting Over” (1979), “Paternity” (1981), “Stroker Ace” (1983), “City Heat” (1984), and “Heat” (1986). Beyond films, Wise appeared as marina owner Oliver Wardell on all 12 episodes of the ABC crime series “B.L Stryker” (1989-90) and made a guest appearance on Reynolds’ CBS sitcom “Evening Shade” in 1991.
Wise served as more than just an on-screen collaborator; he also worked as Reynolds’ personal assistant during their years together. Following Reynolds’ death in 2018, Wise reflected on their friendship with the New York Daily News. “His films were like an ongoing block party,” he said, adding that Reynolds loved his friends and kept them close. Wise noted that audiences always knew they were going to have a great time with a Reynolds movie.
Before his acting career, Wise attended Pennsylvania State University, where he served as class president for four years before graduating in 1964. He also served three years as class president at Altoona Area High School, graduating in 1960. After college, he joined the U.S. Navy, where he produced and hosted shows on his ship.
Following his military service, Wise moved to Los Angeles and worked as an NBC page. He made his acting debut in the 1972 ABC television movie “Call Her Mom,” starring Connie Stevens. Early in his career, he portrayed Mr. Rabbit Ears, the sidekick to Charles Nelson Reilly’s title character on the children’s show “Uncle Croc’s Block” from 1975 to 1976.
Wise also worked alongside Lou Ferrigno as part of a paramedic team on the 1983 ABC series “Trauma Center,” which starred James Naughton, Wendie Malick, and Dorian Harewood. His television appearances included roles on “The Fall Guy,” “The Jeffersons,” “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” and “Legends of the Superheroes.” He also appeared as a panelist on “Match Game.”
Independent of his Reynolds collaborations, Wise’s filmography included “Midway” (1976), “Swashbuckler” (1976), “Hot Stuff” (1979), and “Rad” (1986). His final acting credit was the CBBC series “S Club 7 in Miami,” which followed the British pop group and was filmed where he lived in Florida.
After retiring from acting in 2000, Wise began a second career as a real estate agent in Jupiter, Florida, where Reynolds also lived. He worked for Donohue Real Estate in Palm Beach County. The company posted a tribute on Facebook following his death, describing him as someone who was always present at company gatherings, smiling and chatting with everyone.
The real estate firm remembered Wise not only as a successful realtor but as an accomplished actor who frequently worked with his friend Reynolds. They noted his appearances in classic films and as a regular on television shows including “B.L Stryker,” “Trauma Center,” and “S Club 7 in Miami.” The company expressed that they would greatly miss Wise’s sense of humor, positive attitude, and charming personality.
Lori Wyman, casting director for “B.L. Stryker” and “S Club 7,” posted an Instagram tribute calling Wise a funny and talented individual. According to reports, Wise had developed a bacterial infection several months before his death and had been hospitalized. While initially discharged, he returned to the hospital in a weakened state and remained there for approximately one month before his death.
Wise’s career spanned nearly three decades in Hollywood, from his debut in 1972 until his retirement in 2000. Throughout this period, he maintained close friendships within the industry, particularly with Reynolds, whom he described to his hometown Altoona Mirror in the late 1970s as one of the true gentlemen in the business and a caring, warm man.
