Joe Don Baker Dead at 89: From ‘Walking Tall’ Sheriff to Bond Heavy
So picture this: Joe Don Baker—the walking-tall sheriff turned James Bond bad guy—has passed away at 89. Millennial Vibes over here, just scrolling through sad headlines and landing on the news that this versatile screen tough guy is gone. Renowned for kicking butt as Sheriff Buford Pusser in 1973’s gritty Walking Tall, Baker later crossed the pond to play Brad Whitaker, the unhinged arms dealer in 1987’s The Living Daylights, per Variety. Then he coolly slid into the role of CIA agent Jack Wade in both GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies, according to People Magazine.
Born in Groesbeck, Texas, Baker built his rep with supporting turns on TV’s Dallas and The Rockford Files before blowing up on the big screen. Walking Tall wasn’t just a one-off hero flick—it cemented him as the kind of rugged, laconic star people remember. Fast-forward to ’87, and he was opposite Timothy Dalton, delivering that trademark deadpan menace as a Bond heavy who literally blows up his own bodyguard to prove a point. It’s the kind of off-the-rails moment fans still share on fan forums.
Sources say Baker died peacefully at his Nashville home on April 12, 2024, leaving behind a legacy of tough characters and a crew of family—survived by his wife and three kids. No official cause of death has been released, but colleagues from the set of The Rockford Files to the Bond franchise have been streaming clips of his steely stares and trademark growls in tribute. Collider points out younger fans rediscovered Baker’s work after Walking Tall was remade in 2004, and YouTube essays on ’80s villains keep his Bond roles trending.
Beyond action fare, Baker appeared in The Naked Gun and even had a guest spot on NCIS: New Orleans, proving he never really left the screen. Whether you caught him delivering one-liners or staring down the hero’s camera, his low-key charisma made you lean in. Critics from The Hollywood Reporter to The Guardian have noted that Baker’s brand of no-nonsense grit is rarer in today’s CGI-heavy blockbusters.
Anyway, that’s the deal. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Variety, People Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
