Actor Joe Don Baker, whose star turn in “Walking Tall” and appearances in three Bond films endeared him to legions of fans, has died.
The character actor known for his versatility was 89.
Baker’s family confirmed his death of undisclosed causes on Tuesday.
“Joe Don was a beacon of kindness and generosity,” his family wrote in an obituary revealing his May 7 death. “His intellectual curiosity made him a voracious reader, inspiring a great love of nature and animals, particularly cats.”
Baker joined the Bond universe as megalomaniacal arms dealer Brad Whitaker in 1987’s “The Living Daylights” opposite Timothy Dalton’s 007. He resurfaced as standup CIA agent Jack Wade in “GoldenEye” in 1995 and “Tomorrow Never Dies,” in 1997, both opposite Pierce Brosnan as Bond.
Baker was born on Feb. 12, 1936, growing up in Groesbeck, Texas, where his prowess in high school football and basketball netted him an athletic scholarship at North Texas State College, his family said. He earned a business degree there, enlisted in the U.S. Army for two years, and then moved to New York City to study acting, joining the Actors’ Studio in the early 1960s.
He graced the Broadway stage for a year or so before moving to Los Angeles to launch what would be a decades-long career in television and film. Starting with guest appearances on the likes of “Gunsmoke,” “Mission Impossible” and “The Streets of San Francisco,” he jumped to film with an uncredited part in “Cool Hand Luke” and another bit part in “The Valachi Papers.” He went on to appear in 57 movies and scores of TV shows over a career that lasted until he retired in 2012, his family said.
The broad-shouldered, 6’3” actor was as ideally suited to playing the tough guy — on either side of the law — as he was charging opponents on the football field. He made a mark alongside Steve McQueen in Junior Bonner in 1972, according to IMDb. He then portrayed a sadistic mob assassin in “Charley Varrick” in 1973. These helped him snag his true breakout role, as hickory-club-wielding Sheriff Buford Pusser in 1973’s “Walking Tall.”
The 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s saw Baker in numerous character roles in “The Natural,” “Cape Fear” with Robert DeNiro, “Reality Bites,” “Mars Attacks!” and “The Dukes of Hazzard,” among many others. His last role was in “Mud,” in 2012.
Baker’s sole 11-year marriage yielded no children, his family said.
“He is survived by relations in his native Groesbeck, who will forever cherish his memory,” the obituary read. “He is mourned by a small but very close circle of friends who will miss him eternally.”
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