This Might Have Been One of the Saddest Moments to Ever Air on Network TV

It was supposed to be a celebration, but with the way this thing ended, it just felt really sad. I’m referencing a TV special called All-Star Party for Burt Reynolds and thanks to the internet, one of the most heartbreaking moments to ever air on network television is now available for one and all to watch.

Now let me just state for the record, I didn’t watch this TV special way back when it aired on CBS on Dec. 13, 1981. If I had, I probably would have thought nothing of it. However, watching it now with context about the relationship between Burt Reynolds and Dinah Shore gives this particular TV moment additional nuance and meaning. But I’m getting way ahead of myself here. Let’s talk about that show for just a moment.

TV Guide Magazine

A massive group of movie and TV stars came together on the special to celebrate Burt’s 25 years as an actor, as well as the fact that he was one of the top box office draws at the time.

There are lots of really fun moments, not the least of which was Dolly Parton‘s performance of a song that she wrote especially for Burt; James Stewart and Jack Lemmon were also great. Even Jackie Gleason shows up, in character as Sheriff Buford T. Justice. However, at the very end of the event, there was a moment that seemed to have been very unrehearsed — and, quite frankly, it is where things get a bit nutty.

Those who have watched the clip know that it starts with a visibly humbled Burt Reynolds getting up to thank all of the attendees for celebrating the evening with him. As Burt struggles to find the words, he looks out into the crowd and sees Dinah. Out of the blue, he asks her if she wouldn’t mind coming up to sing him a song.

DINAH SHORE: A SPECIAL CONVERSATION WITH BURT REYNOLDS, from leflt: Burt Reynolds, Dinah Shore, (aired July 10, 1991), 1989-1991. ph: ©TNN / courtesy Everett Collection

TNN/courtesy Everett Collection

As the camera pans to Dinah, you can tell that she was not ready for this. She and Burt had been madly in love, but ultimately their relationship was torn apart by different life goals. In an article from Closer Weekly dated March 27, 2022, Burt is quoted as saying, “We couldn’t have been more in love. But there was a snag. Dinah wouldn’t marry me. She said it was because she couldn’t give me children, and it’s true I wanted them badly.”

For the next five minutes, Dinah did what she did best. She was, after all, a seasoned entertainment professional. With Jack Lemmon’s help playing the piano (who knew he was such a great pianist?), Dinah belts out an extremely bittersweet version of the classic song, “The Glory of Love.” I truly have to believe that every single second of this performance was the emotional equivalent of stepping on a bed of nails for her. She still loved him, and he still loved her, but they both knew that they were destined not to be together.

If one takes a look at the listing for the TV special in the December 12, 1981 edition of TV Guide, it’s pretty clear that Dinah Shore was not supposed to be one of the headliners. And yet, that beautiful but incredibly sad moment is what makes an All-Star Party for Burt Reynolds an absolutely memorable part of television history.