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Joe Don Baker best remembers for his groundbreaking performance in the film Walking Tall, but died at 89.
Baker’s loved ones announced his death Official obituarysaid he passed away on May 7th.
“It’s a heavy heart to announce the death of Joe Don, a prominent member of the performing arts community… Joe Don was a beacon of kindness and generosity. His intellectual curiosity inspired him to have a great love for nature and animals, especially cats.
Baker was born on February 12, 1936 in Grossbeck, Texas.
In addition to his beliefless appearance in the classic “Cool Hand Luke” (1967), his early acting gigs were Westerners such as “The Magnificent Seven Gun” (1969) and “The Wild Rover” (1971).
In 1973, he played Sheriff Buford Pusser in the vigilante-led action film Walking Tall, which raked over $40 million at the box office on a $500,000 budget.
Baker has been a performer in high demand for many years, appearing in the films Charlie Barrick (1973), Golden Needle (1974), Mitchell (1975), The Natural (1984), Fletch (1985), Cape Fear (1991), Reality Biting (1994), Congo (1995), Attack (1995), Attack (1991), Congo (1995), and Congo (1995). (1996), “Joe Dirt” (2001), and “The Dukes of Hazzard” (2005).
He also played two different characters in three James Bond films, “The Living Daylights” (1987), “Goldeneye” (1995), and “Tomorrow Never Dies” (1997).
Among his many television appearances, he took part in episodes of Honey West (1965), Bonanza (1968), Gunsmoke (1966 and 1969), and was praised for his work in the TV films “Power” (1980) and “Citizen Corn” (1992). He was nominated for BAFTA for his work in the British miniseries Edge of Darkness (1985) and was nominated for a Satellite Award for his performance in the miniseries George Wallace (1997).
In 1989, when the series’ lead Carol O’Connor was undergoing surgery, he played Chief Tom Dugan in four episodes of the hit series In the Heat of the Night.
His last television production took place in a 2009 episode of the series “The Cleaner”, and his last film was “Mud” in 2012.
Baker was married for 11 years, but did not remarry after his divorce in 1980. He had no children.
A funeral to honor his life is scheduled for May 20, 2025 at McKinley Funeral in Mission Hills, California, with friends and family welcome at 10am.