BAKER, JOE DON

Contributed by: The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia by Steven Jay Rubin

(February 12, 1936–     ): American tough-guy actor who portrayed shady arms dealer and military memorabilia connoisseur Brad Whitaker in The Living Daylights. Baker returned to the Bond fold as CIA agent Jack Wade in GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies.

A native of tiny Groesbeck, Texas, Baker made his film debut as a fixer in Cool Hand Luke (1967). He later played Steve McQueen’s younger brother in Sam Peckinpah’s seminal rodeo drama Junior Bonner (1972), but it was his appearance the following year as Sheriff Buford Pusser in Phil Karlson’s slam-bang action drama Walking Tall that gave his career a major boost—further cementing his reputation as tough action player.

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