Uncategorized 'Walking Tall' and three-time James Bond star dies aged...

‘Walking Tall’ and three-time James Bond star dies aged 89

-

- Advertisment -
ADVERTISEMENT

Celebrated American actor Joe Don Baker has died at the age of 89.

A cause of death has not been disclosed.  

Best known for his role as the justice-seeking sheriff Buford Pusser in the 1973 vigilante film Walking Tall, Joe Don Baker leaves behind him a lasting legacy of screen roles. 

The late actor’s obituary reads: “Joe Don was a beacon of kindness and generosity. His intellectual curiosity made him a voracious reader, inspiring a great love of nature and animals, particularly cats. Throughout his life, Joe Don touched many lives with his warmth and compassion, leaving an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know him.” 

Poster for Walking Tall
Poster for Walking TallCinerama Releasing Corporation

Born on 12 February 1936 in Groesbeck, Texas, Baker played football for North Texas State College and, upon graduating in 1959, served a two-year stint in the Army before moving to New York City to study acting at the Actor’s Studio.  

He would remain a lifelong member of the famed organization. 

During his long career, until his retirement in 2012, he performed in 57 movies, starring in Walking Tall, Mitchell and his last film role in Jeff Nichols’ acclaimed coming-of-age drama, also starring Matthew McConaughey, Mud – for which he won the Robert Altman Award.

He also appeared in Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear, Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks! and performed in numerous television productions, including a starring role in the popular series Eischied, Mission: Impossible, Gunsmoke, and in the acclaimed British television production of Edge of Darkness, which earned him a Best Actor nomination from the British Academy of Television. 

The Living Daylights
The Living DaylightsMGM / United International Pictures

Many film fans will remember Joe Don Baker for appearing in not one but three James Bond films of the 1980s and 90s.

He played the villainous Brad Whitaker in The Living Daylights (1987) opposite Timothy Dalton as James Bond – earning the distinction of being the first American Bond villain. He then switched sides by playing 007’s CIA ally Jack Wade in both GoldenEye (1995) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), opposite Pierce Brosnan as Bond.  

GoldenEye
GoldenEyeMGM / United International Pictures

Joe Don Baker was married to Maria Dolores Rivero-Torres from 1969 until their 1980 divorce. They did not have children and he is survived by relatives in Groesbeck.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest news

Meet Enigmacursor: New dinosaur species unveiled in London

ADVERTISEMENTIt’s just 64cm tall - but this newly discovered dinosaur is causing big excitement at the Natural History Museum. The Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae was a nimble, plant-eating dinosaur that roamed western North America around 150 million years ago, during the late Jurassic period.Despite living among prehistoric heavyweights like Stegosaurus and Diplodocus, this little runner likely darted

Why are more Spaniards quitting music festivals over Israeli ties?

ADVERTISEMENTIf you're planning to attend a music festival in Spain this summer, you might wonder who cashes in the money you spend on the tickets and drinks. Gone are the days of live music sessions when the only concern was getting a good spot on the dance floor to enjoy your favourite band.This year, an

Pharrell Williams brings Indian style to Louis Vuitton show in Paris

ADVERTISEMENTParis Fashion Week opened Tuesday with Pharrell Williams' Spring/Summer 2026 Louis Vuitton show, rooted in Indian culture and staged in front of the Centre Pompidou.Pharrell fused Paris and Mumbai into a vibrant, sun-soaked vision of Vuitton’s 2026 man - a globe-trotting, style-forward dandy. Models marched in jewelled cricket jerseys, monsoon-sized sleeves, and Bollywood-inspired tailoring, all

Emmanuel Macron wants UNESCO cultural heritage status for French touch

ADVERTISEMENTFrench President Emmanuel Macron has called for French electronic music - also referred to as French touch - to be granted UNESCO cultural heritage status – like Irish harp music, Jamaican reggae and Cuban rumba before it. The list of intangible cultural heritage allows signatory states of the UNESCO Convention to register “practices, representations, expressions, knowledge
- Advertisement -

Syringe attacks during France’s music street festival leave 145 jabbed

ADVERTISEMENTFrench police have detained 12 suspects after nearly 150 people reported being assaulted with syringes across France during its annual "Fête de la Musique" summer festival.  The outdoor festival took place all over France last Saturday, with authorities reporting "unprecedented crowds" in Paris.The Interior Ministry said that 145 people nationwide had reported being stabbed with needles

James Bond in danger: Why is 007 under threat from a property tycoon?

ADVERTISEMENTHe’s gone up against nefarious and shadowy organisations, as well as cat-stroking megalomaniacs with plans for world domination. However, the world’s most famous secret agent may have met his match with an Austrian property developer by the name of Josef Kleindienst.Indeed, the founder of the Kleindienst Group is challenging trademark registrations relating to the James

Must read

Meet Enigmacursor: New dinosaur species unveiled in London

ADVERTISEMENTIt’s just 64cm tall - but this newly discovered dinosaur is causing big excitement at the Natural History Museum. The Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae was a nimble, plant-eating dinosaur that roamed western North America around 150 million years ago, during the late Jurassic period.Despite living among prehistoric heavyweights like Stegosaurus and Diplodocus, this little runner likely darted

Why are more Spaniards quitting music festivals over Israeli ties?

ADVERTISEMENTIf you're planning to attend a music festival in Spain this summer, you might wonder who cashes in the money you spend on the tickets and drinks. Gone are the days of live music sessions when the only concern was getting a good spot on the dance floor to enjoy your favourite band.This year, an
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you