Burt Reynolds recovering after open-heart surgery

American actor Burt Reynolds is said to have undergone quintuple bypass surgery and is now at home recovering, with 24-hour nursing care.

According to Entertainment Tonight, the heart surgery had been planned for about a month.

Reynolds, 74, had also recently completed a month-long stint in rehab, in which he sought treatment for an addiction to prescription drugs.

"I felt that in spite of the fact I am supposedly a big tough guy, I couldn't beat prescription drugs on my own," the New York Daily News quoted him as having told People.com in September.

"This has been a challenging time for me personally, and I really appreciate the outpouring of love and support from my fans, friends and family.

"I am looking forward to getting back to teaching and working," he added.