Joe Don Baker, who played a bad guy and a CIA agent in three James Bond films and the star of the classic movie Walking Tall, has died aged 89. His family announced on May 7 that the actor had passed, but no cause of death was revealed. Baker established himself as an action star, first appearing in minor roles on television and in films in the mid-to-late ’60s. It wasn’t long before he snagged his breakthrough role as real-life Tennessee Sheriff Buford Pusser in the 1976 movie Walking Tall. After that, leading and supporting roles flowed in for the Texas native, who played basketball and football in school.
After serving two years in the United States Army, Baker moved to New York City to study at the Actors Studio. While there, during the 1963-1964 Broadway season, he appeared onstage in Marathon ’33, a play based on June Havoc’s memoir, which focuses on her experience with dance marathons. Baker had a face and presence that belonged on the small and big screens, which led him to appear in many classic series. So, after appearing in Blues for Mister Charlie, the actor left NYC for Los Angeles. He worked regularly on the Lorne Greene-led Western Bonanza, Gunsmoke which starred James Arness, and had a guest role on The Big Valley, which starred Lee Majors.
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Then came the role he was made for: Sheriff Buford Pusser in Walking Tall. Pusser was a professional wrestler turned lawman in McNairy County, Tennessee. He moved back there to start a logging business with his father, Carl. After an altercation at The Lucky Spot, Pusser found himself badly beaten with 200 stitches. He complains to the sheriff, who ignores him, and he goes to get revenge on the guys who hurt him. Pusser is arrested and represents himself at trial, where these iconic lines are said: “If you let them do this to me and get away with it, then you’re giving them the eternal right to do the same d*mn thing to any one of you.” He is found not guilty and created the goal of cleaning the county of corruption, so he runs for sheriff and wins.
The film had a budget of $500,000 and grossed $40 million at the box office. Baker starred in 15 films after his breakthrough, playing more memorable roles, and in 1987, joined the James Bond universe. He played villain international black market dealer, Brad Whitaker, in The Living Daylights. He returned as a different character, CIA agent Jack Wade, in GoldenEye (1995) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). Baker appeared in nearly 60 movies and over 30 television shows throughout his career.
Joe Don Baker’s Performance with Robert De Niro in ‘Cape Fear’
Universal Pictures
The seventh collaboration between Robert De Niro and filmmaker Martin Scorsese saw Joe Don Baker as Claude Kersek. Cape Fear is a 1991 physiological thriller about a convict (De Niro) who uses his newfound knowledge of law to seek revenge on a former public defender. Baker is the private investigator who is hired to follow De Niro’s character (“Max” Cady) around. The film also stars Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, and Juliette Lewis. It grossed $182 million at the box office.
Source: Deadline
Release Date
July 31, 1987
Runtime
130 minutes
Director
John Glen
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Jeroen Krabbé
General Georgi Koskov
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Joe Don Baker
Brad Whitaker
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