The 1988 movie saved by the “added expense and considerable mayhem” of hiring Burt Reynolds

When Michael Caine’s filming on *Jaws: The Revenge* ran over schedule, Burt Reynolds was hired to replace him in *Switching Channels*, a 1988 comedy about a cable news network. Reynolds helped the production move forward, but his arrival also brought tension that made the troubled film’s set more hostile.

Kathleen Turner said Reynolds made a shocking, chauvinistic remark on her first day, leaving her in tears; Christopher Reeve, who had wanted to work with Caine, reportedly found himself mediating between the co-stars. Executive producer Don Carmody described Reynolds’s involvement as bringing “added expense and considerable mayhem”. The film performed poorly at the box office, and Reynolds received a Golden Raspberry nomination for his performance.