HIS LAST VIDEO | James Bond Actor Joe Don Baker Dies Aged 89

Joe Don Baker, Star of Walking Tall, Dies at 89

Joe Don Baker, the broad-shouldered, tough-as-nails actor from Texas who made a name for himself portraying gritty characters on both sides of the law, has died. His family confirmed that the veteran actor passed away on May 7 at the age of 89.

Baker rose to prominence in the early 1970s, capturing the attention of both critics and audiences with his compelling performances. One of his first major roles came in Junior Bonner (1972), directed by the legendary Sam Peckinpah. In the film, Baker played the younger, business-savvy brother of Steve McQueen’s aging rodeo rider—a performance that showcased his ability to bring complexity and authenticity to a supporting role.

He followed this with a chilling turn in Don Siegel’s Charley Varrick (1973), portraying Molly, a cold-blooded and sadistic mob hitman who pursues Walter Matthau’s title character. The performance further cemented Baker’s reputation as a formidable screen presence capable of intense menace.

However, it was his portrayal of Sheriff Buford Pusser in Walking Tall (1973) that turned Baker into a household name. Based on a real-life Tennessee lawman, the film tells the story of a former professional wrestler who returns to his hometown and wages a one-man war against organized crime and corruption. Baker’s Pusser endures brutal beatings, represents himself in court—and wins—and is ultimately elected sheriff. After his wife is tragically murdered, he takes justice into his own hands, wielding heavy wooden clubs carved from oak trees to take down gamblers, moonshiners, and other criminals.

The film resonated deeply with audiences of the time, tapping into the nation’s disillusionment with politics and authority figures amid the Watergate scandal. “In those days in the early ’70s, I think a lot of people wanted to take a stick to Nixon and all those Watergate guys,” Baker recalled in a 1990s interview. “The movie touched a vigilante nerve in everybody who wanted to take down the bad guys but didn’t have the power—or would get in trouble if they tried. But Buford was able to pull it off.”