Burt Reynolds' heart surgery successful, but not dramatic

Burt Reynolds did indeed have a quintuple bypass last week. Burt Reynolds was not, however, rushed to the hospital for said quintuple bypass. Everyone take a deep breath, OK? If your hair's on fire, just put that out right now and we'll forget it happened. 

Like Rue McClanahan before him, with her cardiac-illness-but-not-cardiac-arrest, Reynolds, 74, appears to have taken advantage of the age-old traditions of "making an appointment" and "planning" to get necessary but not emergency surgery.

"All reports that are implying he was rushed to a hospital are completely untrue," said his manager, Erik Kritzer, "as he has had this operation scheduled for over a month."

Reynolds -- who in September checked himself into rehab in West Palm Beach for an addiction to painkillers -- has been released from the Florida hospital where the bypass operation was performed.

‘Golden Girls’ fans can relax -- Rue McClanahan 'great' after heart surgery

Rue McClanahan has had heart bypass surgery in New York and is "doing absolutely great," Access Hollywood reports.

Unfortunately, some folks on Twitter were spreading the (untrue) rumor on Thursday that TV's Blanche had been hospitalized after "cardiac arrest."

People, people, people -- check before you retweet, OK? Although "cardiac arrest" is indeed a form of "cardiac illness," it does not necessarily follow that all "cardiac illness" is "cardiac arrest."

"The Golden Girls" actress was hospitalized this week for what she called "some maintenance on the old ticker." The problem was discovered recently when McClanahan went in for a physical, and surgery was scheduled promptly. She'll likely be out in a week. 

 The news broke Wednesday on the Advocate's website after Rue sent word from her hospital room that she wouldn't be able to attend a Nov. 14 gala fundraising event in her honor. The event has since been canceled.

"My darlings, I'm just devastated that I am going to have to miss my own tribute at the Castro Theatre," she said.

Event organizer Marc Huestis "wished McClanahan a speedy recovery and suggested that the event may be postponed to a later date," the Advocate reported. 

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photo: The cast of "The Golden Girls," clockwise from top right: Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty, Betty White and Rue McClanahan. Credit: File.