Joe Don Baker, ‘Walking Tall’ Star and Bond Actor, Dies at 89
Joe Don Baker, the tough, scene-stealing actor best known for his role as vigilante sheriff Buford Pusser in Walking Tall and for appearing on both sides of the James Bond franchise, has died of lung cancer at 89.
Born in 1936 in Groesbeck, Texas, Baker played football at North Texas State and served in the Army before shifting to acting. He trained at the Actors Studio in New York, inspired by legends like Robert Mitchum and Spencer Tracy.
His breakout came in 1973 with Walking Tall, where his gritty performance turned the film into a surprise hit. He later claimed the movie even sparked political protests abroad.
Baker’s career spanned 57 films, from Charley Varrick and Mitchell to Cape Fear, Mars Attacks!, and Reality Bites. In the Bond universe, he uniquely played both a villain (The Living Daylights, 1987) and ally (GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies).
He also earned a BAFTA nod for the British miniseries Edge of Darkness. Though often cast as a heavy, friends remembered him as kind, thoughtful, and a lover of books, nature, and cats.
His final film was Mud (2012), after which he quietly retired. Baker was married to Maria Dolores Rivero-Torres from 1969 to 1980 and had no children.
He passed away May 7 in Los Angeles, with the news made public on May 15.
From westerns to espionage thrillers, Baker left a legacy of gritty, grounded performances. RIP.