Joe Don Baker, an imposing character actor who left his mark on action films, Westerns and James Bond adventures, has died at 89. An obituary for the actor reveals he died on May 7 and is survived by a small group of friends.
Baker was born on February 12, 1936, and spent his early life in Texas, attending Groesbeck High School and North Texas State College. After serving for two years in the U.S. Army, Baker traveled to New York City to pursue a career in theater.
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He eventually began a career in television with a small part in the 1965 Western “Iron Horse,” and soon started appearing in films, with an uncredited start in 1967’s “Cool Hand Luke.”
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His most famous role was that of wrestler-turned-sheriff Buford Pusser in the 1973 film “Walking Tall.” Baker appeared in scores of projects as a character actor, including three different Bond films (1987’s “The Living Daylights,” 1995’s “GoldenEye” and 1997’s “Tomorrow Never Dies”) and box office hits including 1984’s “The Natural,” 1985’s “Fletch” and Martin Scorsese’s 1991 “Cape Fear” remake.
Other film roles included “Reality Bites,” “Mars Attacks!” and the TV movie “Poodle Springs.”
On TV, he appeared in the mini-series “Edge of Darkness,” had a recurring role in the series “In the Heat of the Night,” on the series “Eischeid” and guest-starred on shows including “Gunsmoke” and “Lancer.”
Baker retired in 2012. His work in the ensemble cast of his final film, 2012’s “Mud,” was awarded the Robert Altman Award at the Independent Spirit Awards.
Baker’s one marriage was to Marlo Baker in 1969 and lasted for 11 years but produced no children. Per the obituary, Baker is “survived by relations in his native Groesbeck, who will forever cherish his memory. He is mourned by a small but very close circle of friends who will miss him eternally.”
A funeral will be held on May 20 in Mission Hills, Calif.
