Joe Don Baker, the actor best known for his portrayal of no-nonsense lawman Buford Pusser in the 1973 cult classic "Walking Tall", has died. He was 89. His family announced that the actor passed away on May 7, but didn't cite the cause of death.
Baker was born on February 12, 1936, in Groesbeck, Texas. He played football at North Texas State College before graduating in 1959. He went on to serve two years in the U.S. Army and then moved to New York City to study acting at the prestigious Actor's Studio, where he remained a lifelong member.
He began his career on the New York stage, with notable Broadway roles in "Marathon '33" (1963) and "Blues for Mister Charlie" (1964). After moving to Los Angeles, he transitioned to television and film, racking up guest spots on series such as Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, The Big Valley, Lancer, and The Streets of San Francisco. Early film appearances included small roles in Cool Hand Luke and The Valachi Papers.
His breakout role came with "Walking Tall", in which he played Sheriff Buford Pusser, a real-life Tennessee lawman who waged a one-man war against crime, armed with a massive hickory stick. Though critics were divided, audiences flocked to the gritty vigilante film, released during a decade that also embraced anti-hero classics like Death Wish, Dirty Harry, and Taxi Driver.
Baker's rugged image helped with lead tough-guy roles throughout the '70s and '80s in films like "Charley Varrick" (1973), "Mitchell" (1975), and "Speedtrap" (1977). He later demonstrated his versatility in comedic roles, appearing as a police chief in the Chevy Chase comedy "Fletch" (1985) and as a general in Tim Burton's "Mars Attacks!" (1996).
In 1984, Baker took on a memorable supporting role as "The Whammer," a larger-than-life baseball slugger in "The Natural" alongside Robert Redford. He later played a corrupt detective in Martin Scorsese's 1991 remake of "Cape Fear". James Bond fans will recognize Baker from three films in the franchise. He played CIA agent Jack Wade opposite Pierce Brosnan in "GoldenEye" (1995) and "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997), and appeared in "The Living Daylights" (1987) alongside Timothy Dalton.
Baker also starred as Chief Earl Eischied in the short-lived NBC police drama Eischied (1979-1980), playing a gruff but compassionate New York detective.
He retired from acting in 2012.
Baker was married to Maria Dolores Rivero-Torres from 1969 until their divorce in 1980. He is survived by extended family in his hometown of Groesbeck, Texas.
A funeral service will be held on Tuesday in Mission Hills, California.
Tags: joe don baker, walking tall, james bond, r.i.p.
