In the scene where Hooper (Burt Reynolds) and crew are watching Hooper's "stunt reel" at Hooper's house, the stunt reel contains scenes of Burt Reynolds in Délivrance (1972) being flipped out of the canoe.
Burt Reynolds and director Hal Needham both worked as stuntmen early in their careers. The film was made as a tribute to all of their fellow stuntmen.
Hal Needham said on a radio show that he decided he wanted a shot from the point-of-view of the stuntman doing the motorcycle stunt that opens the film but the stuntman had already left for the day; so Needham put on pads over his street clothes and did the gag himself. The footage was not used, after all.
This film was not a tribute to just stuntmen in general but to the well-known stuntman Jock Mahoney. Mahoney is the stepfather of co-star Sally Field.
In the movie, Burt Reynolds and James Best were long time friends. They were also close friends in real life. In fact, Best, who also taught acting, was an early acting instructor to Reynolds.