Burt Reynolds' Generosity Shaped Former Co-Star's Path After Hollywood

In 2025, Norman Golden II, who starred as a child actor in the 1993 film Cop and a Half, reflects on the generosity and mentorship of his Oscar-nominated co-star, Burt Reynolds. Despite being just 8 years old at the time, Golden performed several of his own stunts in the cop-comedy, including jumping onto a moving bus and driving a speedboat.

For every major stunt Golden completed, the legendary Gunsmoke and Smokey and the Bandit actor compensated his pint-sized co-star with a $100 bill. Reynolds also gifted Golden with four custom pairs of cowboy boots, a video camera, and other electronics during their time on set. "He was so generous," Golden notes, adding that Reynolds also advised him and his parents on navigating the pitfalls of Hollywood.

Though Golden, who was 7 when he read for the role of Devon Butler, was never starstruck by the Oscar nominee, he came to know Reynolds as a mentor. However, major on-screen success did not follow, and Golden essentially left Hollywood in 1998 at the age of 14 to focus on his education.

Now 41 years old, Golden works in the tech space and is launching a startup company called Golden Path. The venture is designed to help former child actors, like himself, deal with the challenges of fame and the entertainment industry. "There's an adjustment period that a lot of people don't talk about," he said. "I want to give artists the kind of support that I wish that I could have had, or at least my parents could have had."