Movies

Joe Don Baker, actor who wielded a big stick in ‘Walking Tall,’ dies at 89

BBG News

Joe Don Baker, a prominent actor previously known for lead roles but later excelling as a character actor, gained fame portraying Sheriff Buford Pusser in the 1973 film “Walking Tall.” Regrettably, it was announced by his family that he has passed away.

89-year-old hardened individual from Texas passed away on May 7th, without a specified reason for his demise. He resided in Southern California at the time of his passing.

Television

JOE DON BAKER GETS MAD — AND GETS EVEN

Joe Don Baker is one angry Texan.

Joe Don was known for his kindness and generosity, shining brightly in all he did. He impacted numerous lives with his warmth and compassion throughout his life, creating a lasting impression on anyone who had the good fortune of knowing him, as shared by his family.

12th February, 1936 saw the birth of Baker in Groesbeck, Texas. He showcased his skills in both football and basketball, which earned him a sports scholarship at North Texas State College (now University of North Texas). He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 1958 and became a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity during his time there.

A baker spent two years in the U.S. military and later resurfaced in New York, where he honed his craft at the Actors Studio and made his stage debut. His acting journey took flight in the mid-1960s upon relocating to Los Angeles, where he initially landed roles on television series such as “The High Chaparral” and “Mission: Impossible.” Eventually, he ascended to leading roles in films like “Walking Tall” and “Final Justice.

As he transitioned into character acting roles, Baker appeared as Claude Kersek in the 1991 remake of “Cape Fear” starring Robert DeNiro, Olaf Anderson in Eddie Murphy’s 1992 film “The Distinguished Gentleman”, and Tom Pierce in the 1994 movie “Reality Bites”. In the 1987 James Bond film “The Living Daylights”, he portrayed a villain opposite Timothy Dalton as Bond, and later played CIA agent Jack Wade in two Bond films featuring Pierce Brosnan: “GoldenEye” in 1995 and “Tomorrow Never Dies” in 1997.

Television

Actress Ruth Buzzi, renowned for her character as a handbag-carrying old maid on ‘Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,’ passed away at her Texas residence. She was 88 years old.

As a dedicated film enthusiast, I’ve had the privilege to immerse myself in various television roles over the years. In 1979, I took on the iconic role of the cop in “Eischied,” which marked my recurring portrayal of law enforcement officials. Later, in 1997, I had the honor to portray Big Jim Folsom in the miniseries “George Wallace.” My repertoire extends across numerous series such as “Ironside,” “The Streets of San Francisco,” “Gunsmoke,” and “Mod Squad.

In both television and cinema, Baker was a pioneer in predicting that creativity in Hollywood would soon become obsolete.

In 1986, while promoting the BBC-made miniseries “Edge of Darkness”, he expressed his opinion to The Times that in Hollywood, talented writers were being driven away. He claimed that when producing a TV movie in America, one rarely meets the writer because they are embarrassed to witness their work being altered by a committee.

He went on, expressing his discomfort with the idea of returning to another TV production set in the U.S. “What matters most here is memorizing lines,” he said. “In England, they invest time to ensure everything is accurate. I spent six months creating just six hours of content there, which is roughly twice as long as it would take in America.

As a film critic hailing from the heart of America, I’ve often found myself reflecting on the creative process behind our beloved movies. The networks, in their quest to appease everyone, can sometimes find themselves in a predicament: by the time they finish fretting over who they might offend, they’re left with nothing but a bland, unremarkable product.

Entertainment & Arts

Actress Priscilla Pointer, renowned for her versatile performances across theater, film, and television, passed away at the age of 100 on Monday. Notably, she is the mother of Amy Irving, who starred in ‘Crossing Delancey’.

He found it challenging to catch the attention of American studios for anything unconventional, as they tend to favor large budgets that are easier to embezzle from. It appears that these studios don’t mind losing hundreds of millions – they can claim it all as a tax write-off. The rest of us either have to pay to watch their mediocre films or bear the burden of covering their write-offs.

The movie “Walking Tall” that catapulted him to fame is based on the true tale of a Tennessee sheriff whose life was marred by criminals. In his six-year tenure, the actual Pusser, famed for wielding a large hickory stick as a weapon, battled a criminal gang who were illegally selling alcohol and committing fraud across the Mississippi-Tennessee border. He was attacked multiple times with guns and knives and even killed a deceitful motel owner who attacked him. Tragically, in 1967, he was ambushed by criminals who shot him and his wife, Pauline. Pusser eventually gained national recognition due to media coverage on network news.

Although the movie deviated from historical accuracy in portraying Pusser’s life as it often does in Hollywood films, it still felt authentic to American neo-realism: Viewers witnessed a resolute family man who entered politics following a betrayal at a local casino, a brutal beating, and being abandoned. After becoming sheriff, he was motivated to wage war against the local crime syndicate, dishonest judges, and government officials. The movie had a powerful emotional impact.

Initially, it didn’t strike a chord instantly, but upon its debut in urban cinemas as a classic Southern law-and-order tale marketed for the good ol’ boy demographic, I stood behind it.

Movies

‘Walking Tall’ is still about one man making a difference, minus the drawl.

In 2004, Baker shared with The Times his thoughts about the original advertisements for the remake of “Walking Tall,” starring Dwayne Johnson. He described them as portraying him covered in slime from a swamp, holding a small stick, which he found to be quite poor quality ads. However, the film’s immense popularity in Asian markets paved the way for a revised marketing strategy that eventually transformed it into a box office success in America.

In 2004, he commented, “These days, I don’t often receive great roles offered to me,” but added, “I used to get better roles before I was known as a star from ‘Walking Tall.’

2000 saw a humor piece penned by ex-Times columnist Chris Erskine, who affectionately dubbed Baker as one of the finest poor performers around.

Despite its flaws or not, he bagged a Robert Altman Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in 2014 for his performance in the 2012 film “Mud,” starring Matthew McConaughey. Remarkably, this was his last role before he decided to retire, as he portrayed the father of a man who had been murdered.

Baker spent eleven years married to Maria Dolores Rivero-Torres; they didn’t have any children together. An avid reader, cat enthusiast, and admirer of nature, this lifelong member of the Actors Studio is deeply mourned by a tight-knit group of friends who will miss him forever, as stated by his family.

A funeral service will be held Tuesday morning at Utter McKinley Mortuary in Mission Hills.

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2025-05-15 21:01

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