Joe Don Baker
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Production Manager
Tall, broad shouldered character actor with Texan drawl first appeared
in support in several Western vehicles both on TV and the cinema in the
mid 1960s. Got himself noticed playing Steve McQueen's younger brother
inJunior Bonner (1972),and then scored the lead role of Buford Pusser (!) in the
unexpected hitWalking Tall (1973),an allegedly true tale about a Southern sheriff
confronting corruption & gangsters with a large wooden club and a mean
attitude. Followed it up by playing a sadistic hit man called Molly, in
Don Siegel's bank heist dramaCharley Varrick (1973).Joe Don Baker's next few films
were rather forgettable until he landed the role of police detective
Earl Eischied inTo Kill a Cop (1978)....which led him into reprising the same
character in the short lived TV seriesEischied (1979).Since then he has
proved he is also quite adept at taking on comedy roles, as well as
picking up plenty of work playing lawmen, military men, politicians
etc. Keep your eye open for him as a nosy police chief inFletch (1985),a
meglomanical general inThe Living Daylights (1987),as a redneck father inMars Attacks! (1996),and as
intelligence operative Jack Wade in the 007 filmsTomorrow Never Dies (1997)and
GoldenEye (1995).