Dinah Shore’s Confession About Burt Reynolds and Sally Field

For six years, Dinah Shore and Burt Reynolds shared a love affair that could inspire Hollywood scripts. Their romance, though deeply real, remained discreet, with the couple rarely showing public affection.

Valuing privacy, they kept their time together away from the spotlight. When they met in 1971 on Dinah’s daily talk show, she was the bigger star. Burt’s TV series *Dan August* had just been canceled after one season, and his breakout film *Deliverance* was still ahead. Dinah, a seasoned entertainer, had already been married and divorced, as had Burt.

Their connection was instant, but by 1980, their romance had ended. By then, Burt was nearly three years into a relationship with actress Sally Field, yet he and Dinah remained close friends.

In a 1980 article by reporter Vernon Scott, Dinah opened up with a tinge of regret about her lingering feelings for Burt. She confessed, “Emotions don’t act atrophy,” admitting she never stopped loving him. Though they occasionally spoke on the phone, she found these conversations difficult, suggesting that the emotional distance might be for the best.

Dinah also revealed an awkward encounter when Sally Field appeared on her show to promote *Norma Rae*. Neither addressed the obvious—Burt became the unspoken “elephant in the room” during the televised interview. At the time, Dinah wasn’t dating anyone, and Burt would be her last long-term relationship, her final great love.

Despite the heartbreak, Dinah didn’t retreat from public life. Throughout the 1980s, she continued performing on television, making memorable appearances like singing “The 12 Days of Christmas” on *Pee-wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special*.

In 1989, she guest-starred on *Murder, She Wrote* and launched a series of one-on-one interviews on the Nashville Network, running from 1989 to 1992. During this period, Burt made a special appearance on her show, where they reminisced about their cherished times together. By then, Dinah had been a tireless performer for over half a century.

Tragically, in spring 1993, Dinah was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She passed away on February 24, 1994, just five days shy of her 78th birthday.

Her body was cremated the same day, and her ashes were interred in two memorial sites in California—Culver City and Cathedral City. Reflecting on their relationship, Burt later expressed deep regret, saying, “We were soulmates, but my career was on fire, and my ego was out of control.

My biggest regret is parting ways with her. It was so stupid of me. I didn’t think it would work because of the age gap. I was wrong.” After his failed marriage to Loni Anderson, Burt reportedly tried to reconnect with Dinah, but she refused, not wanting him to know about her illness or see her in her final state.

Burt never got to say goodbye. After her passing, he visited her memorial sites, speaking to her as if she could hear, hoping she was waiting. Whether they’ve reunited in some way remains a mystery, but their story remains a poignant chapter of Hollywood romance, marked by love, loss, and unspoken longing.