Latest news with #JoeDonBaker
The Guardian
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Joe Don Baker obituary
Although Joe Don Baker, who has died aged 89, was one of Hollywood's most accomplished character actors, he came to prominence as a star in the wildly successful B movie Walking Tall (1973). He played Buford Pusser, a former wrestler who returns home to Tennessee and, armed with a baseball bat, battles the Dixie mafia who have taken control of his town. Directed on the cheap by Phil Karlson, the $500,000 film grossed over $40m. 'It touched a vigilante nerve in everyone who would like to do in the bad guys but doesn't have the power,' Baker explained in a 1991 interview. Tall and powerfully built, Baker had a broad smile and Texas drawl that could convey an aura of menace, but also suggested sharp intelligence, something that served him well in what may have been his best role, as the flamboyant CIA agent Darius Jedburgh in the TV miniseries Edge of Darkness (1985), for which he was nominated for a Bafta as best actor; he lost to the series' star Bob Peck. 'I would have done that all my life … and been happy,' he said. The director, Martin Campbell, agreed, and a decade later cast him in the James Bond movie GoldenEye (1995), where he virtually reprised Jedburgh, as Jack Wade, in brilliant contrast to Pierce Brosnan's Bond. He was Wade again in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), and had already played a megalomaniacal Bond villain in The Living Daylights (1987). Even without Walking Tall, 1973 should have already established Baker's talents beyond Buford Pusser. That year he also shone in two films that have become neo-noir classics, though they were overshadowed at the time by blockbusters such as The Godfather. Both involved professional thieves who unknowingly steal from banks that are fronts for the mob. In Charley Varrick, Baker played Molly, the hitman sent to get the money back from Walter Matthau's Varrick. In The Outfit, based on a Richard Stark (Donald Westlake) novel, Baker played Robert Duvall's partner Cody, who runs a diner between heists, as they seek revenge against Robert Ryan's mob. Although he starred in his next film, the forgettable Golden Needles (1974), he was typecast as Pusser-type tough guys in two 1975 movies; Framed, which was Karlson's final film, and Andrew McLaglen's one-dimensionally violent Mitchell. Baker took a long road into acting. He was born in Groesbeck, Texas, near Waco, where his father, Doyle, ran a gas station. His mother, Edna (nee McDonald), died when Joe Don was 12, and he was raised by an aunt. He was captain of the gridiron team in high school, and won a scholarship to North Texas State University in Denton. He graduated with a degree in business administration, but he decided he wanted to become an actor after getting a part in a student play during his senior year. He served for two years in the army, then headed to New York and joined the Actors Studio, passing his audition because, 'I listened … what you're supposed to do when you act is listen.' He appeared in two notable Broadway productions: Marathon 33, a play written by the actor June Havoc about Depression-era dance marathons; and James Baldwin's Blues For Mr Charlie, which was directed by Burgess Meredith. Moving to Los Angeles, Baker made his television debut in 1965, in Honey West, which starred Anne Francis as a glamorous detective. He kept busy with westerns such as Gunsmoke and Bonanza, and crime shows, including Judd for the Defense and The Mod Squad. He was uncredited in his first film, Cool Hand Luke (1967), but was notable in Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969). He played with Telly Savalas and Francis as the title character in the TV movie Mongo's Back in Town, but finally hit paydirt as Steve McQueen's brother in Sam Peckinpah's rodeo drama, Junior Bonner (1972). Baker moved on to TV roles and smaller films. In 1978 he starred in a TV movie version of Robert Daley's police novel, To Kill a Cop, which became a series, Eischied (AKA Chief of Detectives). He played a Jimmy Hoffa-like union boss in the 1980 TV movie Power. His cameo as a Babe Ruth figure, the Whammer, being bested by Robert Redford, was a highlight of Barry Levinson's 1984 baseball film based on Bernard Malamud's The Natural. The following year, he was a corrupt police chief facing Chevy Chase in Fletch. While Carroll O'Connor was recovering from illness, he took the starring role in four episodes of the TV series In the Heat of the Night. He was excellent as the private investigator hired by Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's Cape Fear (1991) and played a number of flamboyant public figures in TV films: Senator Joe McCarthy in Citizen Cohn (1992); the celebrity lawyer Gerry Spence in The Siege at Ruby Ridge (1996) and the Alabama governor Big Jim Folsom in the miniseries George Wallace (1997). He was the farmer holding off aliens with a shotgun in Mars Attacks! (1996) and stole scenes from James Caan's Phillip Marlowe playing his corrupt father-in-law in Poodle Springs (1998). He played the Louisiana congressman Hale Boggs in The Commission (2003), about the dealings of the Warren commission investigating the JFK assassination. His final role came in a neo-noir reminiscent of his two great roles of 1973, Mud (2012), starring Matthew McConaughey. Baker's 1969 marriage, to Maria Dolores 'Marlo' Rivero-Torres, ended in divorce in 1980. Joe Don Baker, actor, born 12 February 1936; died 7 May 2025
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Farewell To James Bond Villain Legend Joe Don Baker
Hollywood says goodbye to one of its most unforgettable screen presences, Joe Don Baker, the legendary actor best known for his powerful roles in the James Bond franchise and gritty American thrillers, has passed away at the age of 89. Baker famously portrayed both a Bond villain and later a CIA ally, appearing in 'The Living Daylights', 'GoldenEye' and 'Tomorrow Never Dies'. A versatile actor with a career spanning decades, he became a household name with the cult classic 'Walking Tall' and left a lasting mark on film and television with roles in 'Charley Varrick', 'Edge of Darkness' and 'Cape Fear'. WATCH Read More
USA Today
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Joe Don Baker, actor known for 'James Bond,' 'Walking Tall' roles, dies at 89
Joe Don Baker, actor known for 'James Bond,' 'Walking Tall' roles, dies at 89 Joe Don Baker, a Hollywood veteran who first rose to fame as tough-talking Sheriff Buford Pusser in "Walking Tall," has died, his family announced. He was 89. The announcement of his May 7 death, published on by his family May 13, did not cite a cause. A Texas native and army veteran, Baker infused a real-life sense of southern toughness into his roles. Studying at the Actor's Studio in New York before traveling to Los Angeles to make it to the big screen, he guest spotted on a smattering of television shows before his big break came with "Walking Tall." The 1973 film, which chronicled the story of a Tennessee sheriff battling to save his hometown from corruption and vice, became an unexpected and overnight hit, propelling Baker to fame. At 37, his not-yet-noticed acting prowess was suddenly gaining wide acclaim as critics across the country lauded the breakout star of the low-budget, if not thrilling, watch. Baker went on to play a host of characters on either side of the law − both detectives and cops, as well as troubled ex-cons and mafia men. His roles were not limited to either side of the law enforcement equation, though. Across his almost 60 films, he portrayed several politicians as well as a star baseball player in Robert Redford's "The Natural." Before his retirement in 2012, he made an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, famed not just for "Walking Tall" but also for "Charley Varrick," in which he played a mafioso, and "Mitchell," which saw him as a no-nonsense detective. Baker also starred in "Fletch" and became a "James Bond" regular, appearing in three 007 films. Baker, who married Maria Dolores Rivero-Torres in 1969 before the pair divorced 11 years later, has no children. "He 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," the obituary posted to reads. "As we say goodbye to Joe Don, we hold onto the memories and the love he shared with us," it continued. "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."
Boston Globe
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Joe Don Baker, actor who found fame with ‘Walking Tall,' dies at 89
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up A low-budget production, directed by journeyman filmmaker Phil Karlson, it opened on Staten Island, N.Y., months before it arrived in Manhattan but proved to be a phenomenon. Vincent Canby, reviewing the film in the Times, called it 'relentlessly violent' but also 'uncommonly well acted.' Advertisement It was soon noticed and praised by a wide array of prominent critics. Pauline Kael of The New Yorker called it 'a volcano of a movie' and saw in Mr. Baker, a 37-year-old unknown with a decade of credits, mostly on television, 'the mighty stature of a classic hero.' 'The picture's crudeness and its crummy cinematography give it the illusion of honesty,' she wrote. Advertisement The character Mr. Baker played -- Sheriff Buford Pusser, whose weapon of choice is an oversize, homemade baseball bat -- was a real person. According to Variety, 'Walking Tall,' which was made for about $500,000, earned more than $40 million worldwide. Looking back in 2000, Vanity Fair saw the film's star as its secret weapon, writing that 'Walking Tall' had 'a major asset in Joe Don Baker, whose sideburns and greasy, likable rockabilly grin suggest a larger doughnut version of Elvis Presley.' Joe Don Baker was born Feb. 12, 1936, in Groesbeck, Texas, a small town east of Waco. He was the only child of Doyle Charles Baker, who managed a gas station, and Edna (McDonald) Baker. After his mother's death, in 1946, he was raised by an aunt. Joe Don Baker played football in high school and had no particular interest in acting. But in his senior year at North Texas State College (now the University of North Texas), he got a small part in a play. After graduating in 1958 and serving in the Army for two years, he headed for New York. He studied at the Actors Studio and made his Broadway debut in 1963 in 'Marathon '33,' a play written by actress June Havoc about Depression-era dance marathons. Both that and his next play, James Baldwin's 'Blues for Mister Charlie' (1964), were Actors Studio Theater productions. Mr. Baker made his television debut in a 1965 episode of the detective series 'Honey West,' as a truck driver in trouble with his employer. He had an uncredited part in the hit Paul Newman prison drama 'Cool Hand Luke' (1967) before making his official movie debut in 'Guns of the Magnificent Seven' (1969). Advertisement He was noticed in Sam Peckinpah's 'Junior Bonner' (1971), in which he played Steve McQueen's cheerfully dishonest younger brother. The character, Andrew Sarris wrote in The Village Voice, is 'a kind of Disneyland desperado, out to swindle all the senior citizens he can find.' After 'Walking Tall,' Mr. Baker made an equally impressive showing in the Don Siegel heist film " Charley Varrick" (1973). His character, a supremely confident Mafia hit man, is the kind who would shove a storekeeper in a wheelchair against a wall or literally kick a man when he's down. Otherwise, Mr. Baker was often the face of law enforcement: a drug-dealing police chief in Chevy Chase comedy thriller 'Fletch' (1985); another small-town Southern sheriff in 'The Grass Harp' (1995); a private detective who knows how to play tough in Martin Scorsese's 'Cape Fear' (1991). Mr. Baker, however, was far from typecast, in film or on television. In 'The Natural' (1984), starring Robert Redford, he was a 1920s baseball superstar meant to evoke Babe Ruth. He was bellicose Senator Joe McCarthy in HBO's 'Citizen Cohn' (1992) and Big Jim Folsom, a colorful midcentury Alabama governor, in 'George Wallace' (1997). He played a brutally sadistic ex-con in a leisure suit in 'Framed' (1975), Winona Ryder's father in 'Reality Bites' (1994), a rural Kansan ready to fight off space aliens with a shotgun in 'Mars Attacks!' (1996), a heroine's beer-guzzling father in 'Joe Dirt' (2001), and a detective's rich father-in-law in 'Poodle Springs' (1998). Mr. Baker appeared in three James Bond movies. He played a CIA agent in 'GoldenEye' (1995) and the same character in 'Tomorrow Never Dies' (1997), both starring Pierce Brosnan. That was a step up morally from his first Bond role: an arms dealer and historical-battle fanatic, up against Timothy Dalton, in 'The Living Daylights' (1987). Advertisement His marriage to Maria Dolores Rivero-Torres ended in divorce in 1980 after 11 years. No immediate family members survive. When asked how an inexperienced young man like him had been accepted into the prestigious Actors Studio, Mr. Baker was typically modest. 'I listened,' he said in a 1986 video interview. 'I did a scene with a girl, and she did most of the talking, so I listened. Come to find out, that's what you're supposed to do when you act is listen.' This article originally appeared in
Fox News
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
'Walking Tall' and 'James Bond' actor Joe Don Baker dead at 89
Joe Don Baker, the actor known for starring in "Walking Tall" and three James Bond movies, has died. He was 89. Baker died on May 7, according to an obituary shared by his family on Tuesday. No cause of death was announced. "Joe Don was a beacon of kindness and generosity," the obituary read. "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." Born on Feb. 12, 1936, Baker spent his early years in Groesbeck, Texas, and attended North Texas State College. After graduating with a degree in business administration, he served in the U.S. Army for two years before moving to New York to pursue an acting career. According to his obituary, Baker studied at the Actors Studio and launched his career in theater before moving to Los Angeles. He made his onscreen debut in a 1965 episode of the crime drama "Honey West" and his first foray into film was an appearance in 1967's "Cool Hand Luke." Baker went on to appear in dozens of TV shows and movies over his nearly five-decade career. He is best known for his starring role as Sheriff Buford Pusser in the hit 1973 crime thriller "Walking Tall." He also appeared as a character actor in three different James Bond movies, including 1987's "The Living Daylights" starring Thomas Dalton, 1995's "GoldenEye" and 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies" opposite Pierce Brosnan. The actor had other notable roles in "Mitchell," "Charlie Varrick" "The Natural," "Fletch," "Mars Attacks!," "Reality Bites" and Martin Scorsese's "Cape Fear" remake. On the small screen, Baker starred as the titular NYPD detective on the crime thriller series "Eischeid" and made appearances on shows including "Gunsmoke," "Lancer," "Edge of Darkness," "Mission: Impossible" and "In the Heat of the Night." Baker earned a BAFTA nomination for best actor for his performance in the British miniseries "Edge of Darkness." The actor made his final on-screen appearance in 2012's "Mud," starring Matthew McConaughey, before retiring that year. According to his obituary, Baker was married for 11 years but did not have children. His obituary noted that the actor 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 service for Baker will be held next Tuesday in Mission Hills, California. "As we say goodbye to Joe Don, we hold onto the memories and the love he shared with us. 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," his obituary concluded. "You will be dearly missed but never forgotten."
