Hollywood Tough Guy Dies of Cancer at 89

Joe Don Baker has died at age 89.

He passed away from lung cancer on May 7 at an assisted living facility in Los Angeles, though his death was not made public until May 15.

This was reported by Newsner.

The rugged Texan actor was best known for his breakout role as vigilante sheriff Buford Pusser in Walking Tall and for playing both villain and ally in the James Bond franchise.

Though often cast as the heavy, Baker’s career was anything but one-note. Spanning more than five decades and 57 film credits, his presence could fill a screen — even when he wasn’t in the spotlight.

From Texas Gridiron to Actors Studio

Born in Groesbeck, Texas, in 1936, Baker played football at North Texas State, served in the Army, and eventually pivoted to acting.

After moving to New York, he studied at the Actors Studio, honing his craft under the shadow of his idols, Robert Mitchum and Spencer Tracy.

Baker became a household name with 1973’s Walking Tall, in which he portrayed a real-life sheriff who fought crime with a baseball bat. The film became an unexpected box office hit and a political touchstone.

Baker himself once claimed the film even helped inspire an uprising in Thailand, saying:

After it had a run in Thailand for six months, guess what? One hundred thousand students and farmers picked up sticks, pitchforks, and guns to overthrow the damn rip-off government.

A Bond First — Then a Bond Twist

In 1987, Baker made history by becoming the first American to play a Bond villain, starring opposite Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights as shady arms dealer Brad Whitaker.

But he wasn’t done with 007 just yet.

Later, he returned in a rare franchise flip, this time playing CIA agent Jack Wade in Pierce Brosnan’s GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies, a rare double-entry that made him a unique figure in Bond lore.

TV Accolades

Beyond film, Baker also impressed on the small screen.

His role as Darius Jedburgh in the acclaimed British miniseries Edge of Darkness earned him a BAFTA nomination, cementing his international reputation.

Though frequently cast as a gruff enforcer, Baker was, according to friends, a gentle soul with a love for nature, reading, and especially cats.

They don’t think big guys like us are romantic or anything, you know. Or we can’t play comedy or something,” he once said in a 1992 interview. “You do the best you can as well as you can ’cause you want to be hired again.

Baker’s final film role came in 2012’s Mud, starring alongside Matthew McConaughey, where his performance earned part of the Robert Altman Award.

After that, he quietly retired from acting, choosing a life away from the spotlight.

He was married to Maria Dolores Rivero-Torres from 1969 to 1980. The couple had no children, and Baker is survived by extended family in Texas.