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Joe Don Baker

Actor

Joe Don Baker

Born February 12, 1936 in Groesbeck, Texas, USADied May 7, 202557 films

Joe Don Baker (February 12, 1936 - May 7, 2025) was an American film actor, perhaps best known for his roles as a Mafia hitman in Charley Varrick, real-life Tennessee sheriff Buford Pusser in Walking Tall, James Bond villain Brad Whitaker in The Living Daylights, and CIA agent Jack Wade in the James Bond films GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies.

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The best way into Joe Don Baker's work
Cape Fear posterFirst watchCape Fear19917.3as Claude KersekSam Bowden is a small-town corporate attorney. Max Cady is a tattooed, cigar-smoking, Bible-quoting, psychotic rapist.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
GoldenEye poster6.9GoldenEye1995Cool Hand Luke poster7.7Cool Hand Luke1967Mud poster7.1Mud2013Mars Attacks! poster6.4Mars Attacks!1996Tomorrow Never Dies poster6.4Tomorrow Never Dies1997The Living Daylights poster6.6The Living Daylights1987The Natural poster6.9The Natural1984Fletch poster6.8Fletch1985

Filmography

57 films as actor
  1. 2013MudKing
  2. 2008Strange WildernessBill Calhoun
  3. 2005The Dukes of HazzardGovernor Jim Applewhite
  4. 2003The CommissionRep. Hale Boggs
  5. 2001Joe DirtDon, Brandy's Dad (uncredited)
  6. 2001Vegas, City of DreamsDylan Garrett
  7. 1998Poodle SpringsP.J. Parker
  8. 1997Tomorrow Never DiesWade
  9. 1997George WallaceBig Jim Folsom
  10. 1997To Dance with OliviaHorace
  11. 1996Mars Attacks!Glenn Norris
  12. 1996The Grass HarpSheriff Junius Candle
  13. 1996The Siege at Ruby RidgeGerry Spence
  14. 1996FelonyDonovan
  15. 1995GoldenEyeJack Wade
  16. 1995CongoR.B. Travis
  17. 1995PantherBrimmer
  18. 1995The UnderneathClay Hinkle
  19. 1994Ring of SteelMan in Black
  20. 1994Reality BitesTom Pierce
  21. 1993Complex of FearDet. Frank Farrel
  22. 1992The Distinguished GentlemanOlaf Andersen
  23. 1992Citizen CohnSen. Joseph McCarthy
  24. 1991Cape FearClaude Kersek
  25. 1990The ChildrenCliffe Wheater
  26. 1989Criminal LawDetective Mesel
  27. 1989Defrosting the FridgeHunter McCall
  28. 1987Leonard Part 6Snyderburn
  29. 1987The Killing TimeCarl Cunningham
  30. 1987The Living DaylightsBrad Whitaker
  31. 1987The Abduction of Kari SwensonSheriff Onstad
  32. 1986Getting EvenKing R. Kenderson
  33. 1985FletchChief Jerry Karlin
  34. 1984Final JusticeDeputy Sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo III
  35. 1984The NaturalThe Whammer
  36. 1983JoysticksJoseph Rutter
  37. 1982WackoDick Harbinger
  38. 1978To Kill a CopChief Earl M. Eischied
  39. 1977The PackJerry
  40. 1977SpeedtrapPete Novick
  41. 1977The Shadow of ChikaraWishbone Cutter
  42. 1977Checkered Flag or CrashWalkaway Madden
  43. 1975MitchellMitchell
  44. 1975FramedRon Lewis
  45. 1974Golden NeedlesDan Mason
  46. 1973The OutfitJack Cody
  47. 1973Charley VarrickMolly
  48. 1973Walking TallBuford Pusser
  49. 1972That Certain SummerPhil Bonner
  50. 1972Junior BonnerCurly Bonner
  51. 1972The Valachi PapersIrish member of Valachi gang (uncredited)
  52. 1971Welcome Home, Soldier BoysDanny
  53. 1971Mongo's Back in TownMongo Nash
  54. 1971Wild RoversPaul Buckman
  55. 1970Adam at Six A.M.Harvey Gavin
  56. 1969Guns of the Magnificent SevenSlater
  57. 1967Cool Hand LukeFixer