His father, a former Army draftee and then officer in WW2 Euro combat, then a police chief, was distant almost all of the time. Way at the end, a confession and a revelation:
Today I live in Jupiter, Fla., in a five-bedroom house on the water. I’ve lived here for more than 20 years. I love my living room most. When my father was up in his years, he lived with me and sat in there with his pipe.
In his last years, he finally told me he loved me. He also apologized for not telling me so earlier or showing me affection. He said, “Son, I never knew what I was supposed to say or do as a father.”
The whole story, which is easy reading, is here: The Athletic Boyhood of Actor Burt Reynolds – WSJ
Blithe Spirit 