Latest news with #TheLivingDaylights'
New York Post
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘James Bond' actor Joe Don Baker dead at 89
Hollywood has lost one of their own. Actor Joe Don Baker died at age 89 on May 7, per his obituary. The star was perhaps best known for his role as Sheriff Buford Pusser in the 1973 action/thriller 'Walking Tall.' Baker first rose to fame in the 1972 western flick 'Junior Bonner,' playing Curly, the younger brother of Steve McQueen's character Junior Bonner, a middle-aged rodeo rider. 7 Joe Don Baker in 'Walking Tall.' Courtesy Everett Collection Baker also had a role in the James Bond films, first playing arms dealer Brad Whitaker in the 1987 movie 'The Living Daylights' that starred Timothy Dalton as 007. In 1995 and 1997, the actor was back — this time as CIA agent Jack Wade in 'GoldenEye' and 'Tomorrow Never Dies,' which were led by Pierce Brosnan as Bond. 7 Joe Don Baker in 'Walking Tall.' Courtesy Everett Collection 'Born on February 12, 1936, 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,' his obituary reads. 'Throughout his life, Joe Don touched many lives with his warmth and compassion, leaving an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know him.' Baker grew up in Groesbeck, Texas, where he 'excelled in football and basketball,' per the obit. 'His athletic skills led him to secure a scholarship at North Texas State College, where he joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and graduated in 1958 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. In 1994 he received the Distinguished Alumni award from his College, now renamed University of North Texas.' 7 Joe Don Baker and Pierce Brosnan in 'Tomorrow Never Dies.' ©United Artists/Courtesy Everett Collection After joining the army, Baker moved to New York City and studied at the Actor's Studio. 'Eventually, he moved to Los Angeles, where his acting career gradually took off,' the obituary continued. 'Starting with small television parts, he eventually progressed to major acting roles as leading man and later in life as a character actor. During his long career, until his retirement in 2012 he performed in 57 movies.' During his career, Baker won the Robert Altman Award at the Independent Spirit Awards for his role in the 2012 movie 'Mud,' which also starred Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepard and Sarah Paulson. 7 Joe Don Baker and Pierce Brosnan in 'GoldenEye.' ©United Artists/Courtesy Everett Collection Baker was also nominated for best actor by the British Academy of Television for his role in the 1985 movie 'Edge of Darkness,' and again for Best Supporting Actor in 1997 for the film 'George Wallace.' According to his obituary Baker, who was married from 1969 to 1980 never had kids. 'Joe Don's 11 year marriage produced no offspring. 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.' 7 Joe Don Baker as Ron Lewis in the 1975 movie 'Framed.' Silver Screen The message concluded, '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. You will be dearly missed but never forgotten.' During a interview with The Hard Times in 2020, Baker poked fun at his James Bond costars, Brosnan, 71, and Alan Cumming, who played Boris Grishenko in the movies. When the outlet asked who he could take in a fight, Baker joked, 'Please. I could take on both of those church boys with one hand.' 7 Joe Don Baker in 'Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke.' CBS via Getty Images After the official James Bond Instagram account posted about Baker's death, fans flocked to the comments section to remember the late star. One follower said, 'Sad news. Really enjoyed in him in all of his Bond roles. 'Yo, Jimbo!' Rest in peace, Joe :(,' while a second user stated, 'Oh no! Not Jack Wade!! RIP legend.' 'Whitaker was always one of my all time favourite Bond villains despite his lack of screen time,' a third social media person expressed. 'Joe played him brilliantly! Such a fun villain!' 7 Joe Don Baker. WireImage Another fan quoted Baker from the films, writing, 'Let me get this straight, Jim. You shot him in the leg, you stole his car, you stole his girl. And now you want Zukovsky to set you up with a meeting with Janus. What are you gonna do, appeal to his heart?' The original post, which was beneath a shot of Baker from the movie, read, 'We are really sad to hear of the passing of Joe Don Baker at the age of 89. The Texan actor played villain Brad Whitaker in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS and CIA agent Jack Wade in GOLDENEYE and TOMORROW NEVER DIES,'
Perth Now
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
James Bond star Joe Don Baker dies aged 89
James Bond actor Joe Don Baker has died at the age of 89. The star, who featured in three 007 films and appeared alongside Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan in the blockbusters, passed away on May 7. Baker first appeared in Bond in the 1987 movie 'The Living Daylights' as he portrayed the crazed arms dealer antagonist Brad Whitaker. He returned to the iconic spy series in 1995's 'GoldenEye' as a good guy, playing the CIA agent Jack Wade before reprising the role in 'Tomorrow Never Dies' in 1997. A statement from the actor's family 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." It added: "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. You will be dearly missed but never forgotten." Before coming to prominence in the Bond films, Baker enjoyed his breakthrough role as Sheriff Buford Presser in the acclaimed 1973 vigilante action movie 'Walking Tall' and felt that the flick – which told the story of a real-life lawman who stopped crime in his Tennessee town - captured the US public's imagination at the time. He said during the 1990s: "In those days in the early '70s, I think a lot of people wanted to take a stick to (Richard) Nixon and all those Watergate guys. "(The film) touched a vigilante nerve in everybody who would like to do in the bad guys but don't have the power and would get in trouble if (they) did. But Buford was able to pull it off." He also featured in the 1985 BBC programme 'Edge of Darkness', earning a BAFTA nomination. Other credits during nearly 50 years on screen include Chevy Chase's comedy 'Fletch', Martin Scorsese's 'thriller Cape Fear' and Tim Burton's sci-fi movie 'Mars Attacks'. Baker never had any children but was married to Maria Dolores Rivero-Torres from 1969 to 1980. He is survived by relatives in his home city of Groesbeck in Texas.
Boston Globe
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
James Bond fans shaken, not stirred, by Amazon ownership of beloved 007
In case you missed it, the British family that scrupulously supervised the film franchise for six-plus decades has, grudgingly, The concern in the UK and elsewhere — aside from the fact that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is a Bond villain cliche — is what the world's second largest corporation might do with a remarkably Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Considering the Advertisement What's worrisome to some Bond fans is that Amazon's track record of handling prized IP isn't great. After paying the Tolkien Estate close to It's hardly beloved; one reviewer called it ' Advertisement It's clear that Broccoli, who inherited the franchise from her father, was dubious of Bezos's intentions. A year ago, The notion that Bond now toils for a US company is demoralizing to many in the UK — including one of the actors who used to play the character. Timothy Dalton, who was Bond in 1987's 'The Living Daylights' and 1989's 'License to Kill,' told the 'It is one of the few wonderful stories we've got in film that is British,' Dalton said. 'We can call it our own.' David Hepworth, a music journalist and 'Everybody understands certain things about James Bond,' he says. 'Bond knows the correct way to serve a martini, to win at poker, and how to ask a lady to dance at an embassy ball.' Advertisement It's been four years since the last James Bond movie — 2021's ' Still, Broccoli and Wilson's restraint has had a downside. Oscar-winning British directors Danny Boyle ('Slumdog Millionaire') and Christopher Nolan ('Oppenheimer') both were interested in making a Bond film but were It's anyone's guess who Amazon will pick to play Bond. Broccoli and Wilson took a chance on Craig, who was little known (and blonde and not conventionally handsome), and the bet paid off. Craig starred in five Bond films, two of which — ' 'Sean Connery is James Bond, as far as I'm concerned,' Quantick says of the Scottish actor who was in seven Bond movies between 1962 and 1983. 'He's an Aston Martin; he's martinis and Italian suits; he's sex with women whose names are synonyms for 'vagina'.' Actors Idris Elba and Robert Pattinson are often mentioned as possibilities, and either would be OK. But there are many others. Variety put together Advertisement 'I would fundamentally refuse to have anything to do with it,' says Hepworth. 'It's as simple as that. I would regard it as a reason to never think about James Bond again.' As for a villain, Bezos, the bald, billionaire tech tycoon, certainly fills the bill. Indeed, John Higgs, author of ' 'They've been very good at working out what people are afraid of and having Bond address that problem,' says Higgs. 'The fear in the world now is people like Bezos and Elon Musk.' Amazon would never let that happen, of course, and some wonder if a Bezos-like bad guy would be compelling enough. 'How could Bezos destroy the world when he can't even deliver a parcel?' says Quantick. 'He's too dull. I mean, Goldfinger wouldn't buy a newspaper and Advertisement Mark Shanahan can be reached at
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lucien Laviscount would give the role of James Bond a 'good shot'
Lucien Laviscount would give the role of James Bond a "good shot". The 'Emily in Paris' star is among the names who have been rumoured to be replacing Daniel Craig as the next 007, and he says it would be a "special" gig should the part of the suave spy ever come his way. He told Best UK magazine: "I think Bond for anyone would be special, wouldn't it? "But whatever else presents itself, I'll take it with open arms." Asked if he thinks he would make a good Bond, he replied: "What do you think? (laughs). "It would be cool, and if the stars aligned, and it's meant to be this time round, I'm sure I'd give it a good old shot." James Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli recently made the shock decision to step back from the iconic film series. They've formed a new joint venture with Amazon MGM to house James Bond's intellectual property rights, while remaining co-owners of the franchise. Craig, who bowed out of playing 007 after being killed off in 2021 blockbuster 'No Time To Die', said of the news in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: 'My respect, admiration and love for Barbara and Michael remain constant and undiminished. 'I wish Michael a long, relaxing (and well-deserved) retirement and whatever ventures Barbara goes on to do, I know they will be spectacular and I hope I can be part of them.' Former 007 Timothy Dalton - who played the role in 'The Living Daylights' and 'Licence to Kill' - hopes the studio doesn't try to change the franchise. He told "It's a wonderful franchise. The movies have taken different courses over the years, but there is something very good about the original and I hope Amazon latch onto that and give us the kind of film that's brought so much excitement and fun to so many people. "Can you remember the first time you saw a Bond movie? You were a kid, right? Me too! And that's what got us going. "Anyway, good luck to them, I say. I do wish them all the very, very best. They'll be doing their best to make a lot of money, so hopefully they will make good movies."
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jane Seymour optimistic for James Bond's future under Amazon MGM
Jane Seymour is optimistic about the future of James Bond. The 74-year-old actress - who played Solitaire opposite Roger Moore as 007 in 1973's 'Live and Let Die' - has faith in Amazon MGM's plans for the franchise after the studio took full creative control following the surprise departures of longterm producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. She told People magazine: 'I hope they're good. I mean, it's an end of an era, isn't it? 'I am sure it'll do really well. I think Bond will keep going. People love Bond. It's a great franchise.' And the veteran actress admitted she'd happily return to the series in the future. Asked about the possibility, she said: 'I've always said I'd be very happy to be a part of it. I'm very proud to have been part of that, but I was like a really early Bond when they actually did the books. Well, maybe. We'll see. 'I mean, I was very young when I did it. I was 20." But Jane played coy when quizzed on her memories of working on 'Live and Let Die'. She quipped: 'I give so many interviews, I give most of my stories away. I've got to keep some from my book.' Timothy Dalton - who played Bond in 'The Living Daylights' and 'License to Kill' - recently admitted he was "surprised and shocked" to hear the news that the longtime producers have resigned and formed a new joint venture with Amazon MGM to house James Bond's intellectual property rights, while remaining co-owners of the franchise. Speaking to he said: "I was very, very surprised and shocked. "Barbara is I think a fabulous woman and a wonderful producer, as was her father Cubby Broccoli, who I got on with very well and liked a lot. He was a very powerful and strong anchor for the project. Nothing went on that he didn't want and it's sad that he's not with us anymore, that's all I can say. "He was well in charge of the show and that's not so anymore." The most recent Bond film, 2021's 'No Time to Die', was Daniel Craig's last outing as the spy and his successor has yet to be announced. The 56-year-old actor commented in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: 'My respect, admiration and love for Barbara and Michael remain constant and undiminished. 'I wish Michael a long, relaxing (and well-deserved) retirement and whatever ventures Barbara goes on to do, I know they will be spectacular and I hope I can be part of them.' Amazon acquired MGM in 2022, and as well as taking over an extensive catalogue of more than 4,000 films and 17,000 TV shows, they also took the rights to distribute all of the James Bond movies.
