Actor Joe Don Baker, a Texas native known for portraying burly, tough-guy characters in his signature Southern drawl, has died at the age of 89.
“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,” the tribute 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.”
Born on Feb. 12, 1936, Baker grew up in Groesbeck, a little Texas town just east of Waco. He later attended North Texas State College, now known as the University of North Texas, graduating in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Following a two-year stint in the U.S. Army, Baker decided to pursue a different career path, moving to New York City to study performing arts at The Actors Studio. He relocated to Los Angeles, where he quickly landed roles on the small screen, appearing in several Western shows in the late 1960s, including “Bonanza,” “Gunsmoke,” and “The Big Valley.”
After playing a one-armed sharpshooter in the 1969 gunslinger film “Guns of the Magnificent Seven,” the towering actor—who stood more than 6 feet tall—was cast as Steve McQueen’s onscreen brother in the 1972 Western “Junior Bonner,” directed by filmmaker Sam Peckinpah.
The following year, Baker landed his breakout role in the neo-noir biographical vigilante thriller “Walking Tall,” based on the riveting true story of Buford Pusser, a professional wrestler-turned-lawman from McNairy County, Tennessee.
He went on to star in more than 50 other films, playing memorable characters on both sides of the law, most notably gracing the big screen in three James Bond films: “The Living Daylights” (1987), “GoldenEye” (1995), and “Tomorrow Never Dies” (1997).
Baker retired from acting in 2012 after starring in the Matthew McConaughey-led coming-of-age drama “Mud.”
The actor’s funeral service will be held on May 20 in Mission Hills, California.
“As we say goodbye to Joe Don, we hold onto the memories and the love he shared with us,” his tribute concludes.
“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.”
