Joe Don Baker, star of 'Walking Tall 'and the James Bond films 'Tomorrow Never Dies and GoldenEye,' dies at 89
Baker's death was shared in an obituary, in which he is mourned by his "small but very close circle of friends who will miss him eternally." No cause of death was provided. Entertainment Weekly has reached out to the actor's reps for additional comment.
"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," his obituary reads.
As remembered by his community, the Texas-born Baker was a college athlete before serving two years in the U.S. Army, and subsequently moving to New York to study at the Actor's Studio. The actor began his career with bit parts in movies and television — mostly westerns such as The Big Valley (1965-1969), Bonanza (1959-1973), Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969), and Wild Rovers (1971) — before garnering mainstream attention with his supporting role alongside Steve McQueen in Sam Peckinpah's Junior Bonner (1972).
It was a year later that Baker scored his breakthrough role as real-life Tennessee wrestler-turned-sheriff Buford Pusser in Walking Tall.
Baker became known for his "tough guy" characters who walked on either side of the law, whether they were a rugged lawman or an intimidating villain. His ability to bounce between the two was most notably apparent in his appearance in three James Bond films in which he played two different characters on both sides of the law.
He first portrayed villainous arms dealer Brad Whitaker in The Living Daylights, which starred Timothy Dalton in 1987. Baker returned to the franchise in 1995's GoldenEye and 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies as Pierce Brosnan's CIA associate Jack Wade.
Baker would go on to appear in films like Martin Scorsese's Cape Fear, Congo, Mars Attacks!, Joe Dirt, and The Dukes of Hazzard. His last big-screen role was in the 2012 film Mud, before he retired from acting after performing in 57 movies, according to his obituary.
"As we say goodbye to Joe Don, we hold onto the memories and the love he shared with us," the obituary concludes. "Though he may no longer be with us in body, his spirit will always remain, a guiding light in the lives he touched. Rest in peace, Joe Don. You will be dearly missed but never forgotten."
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