‘Walking Tall’ and ‘Cape Fear’ Actor Dies: Joe Don Baker Was 89

Character actor Joe Don Baker, known for playing several tough guy characters in some of the world’s favorite movies, has died. He was 89.

The cause of death for the Texas-born actor is currently unknown.

Baker started off his acting career on stage before his Texas drawl and broad shoulders made him a perfect fit for guest roles in various Western TV series, like The Big Valley, Bonanza, and Gunsmoke.

His first big Hollywood role came when Sam Peckinpah cast him to play Steve McQueen’s younger brother in Junior Bonner, a neo-Western about an aging rodeo cowboy.

Next, Baker had his breakout role in Walking Tall, where he played real-life Tennessee sheriff Buford Pusser. The ultra-violent vigilante thriller was an unexpected box office supernova when it was released independently, grossing what would be the equivalent of $622 million in today’s dollars with a budget of what would be just over $3 million in 2025.

The actor was also well-liked by the Broccoli family, the clan known for their tight grip on control of the James Bond franchise, as he is one of 25 actors to appear in more than two Bond films.

Baker starred as evil arms dealer Brad Whitaker in The Living Daylights, starring Timothy Dalton as 007, in 1987. He then returned to the franchise in the 90s as a completely different character, playing CIA operative Jack Wade in GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies opposite Pierce Brosnan.

His last on-screen role was in the 2012 coming-of-age drama Mud, opposite Matthew McConaughey.