Joe Don Baker

Biography

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.

Career Overview

Joe Don Baker has 65 screen credits in a career dating back to 1955. Their work spans 7 cinematic universes — most prominently James Bond with 3 titles. Signature works include GoldenEye, The Living Daylights, Tomorrow Never Dies. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For

Acting

Gender

male

Known Credits

65

Birth Date

1936-02-12 00:00:00

Birth Place

Groesbeck, Texas, USA

Known For

• 

  GoldenEye
• 

  The Living Daylights
• 

  Tomorrow Never Dies
• 

  Cape Fear
• 

  Joysticks
• 

  Charley Varrick

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 7 universes

• James Bond (3 titles)
• The Dukes of Hazzard (Reboot) Collection (1 titles)
• Joe Dirt Series (1 titles)
• Invaders from Mars Series (1 titles)
• Fletch (1 titles)
• Walking Tall (1 titles)
• The Magnificent Seven Collection (1 titles)

Frequent Collaborators

• Desmond Llewelyn (3 collaborations)
• Pierce Brosnan (2 collaborations)
• Judi Dench (2 collaborations)
• Samantha Bond (2 collaborations)
• Robert Miranda (2 collaborations)
• Michael G. Wilson (2 collaborations)
• Sean Bean (1 collaborations)
• Izabella Scorupco (1 collaborations)
• Famke Janssen (1 collaborations)
• Robbie Coltrane (1 collaborations)

Credits

• actors (65 credits)

  • Mud

    King

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • Strange Wilderness

    Bill Calhoun

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • The 50 Greatest Television Dramas

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • The Dukes of Hazzard

    Governor Jim Applewhite

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade

    Self (archive footage)

    actor

    actors
    2004
  • The Commission

    Rep. Hale Boggs

    actor

    actors
    2003
  • Joe Dirt

    Don, Brandy's Dad (uncredited)

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Vegas, City of Dreams

    Dylan Garrett

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Inside The Living Daylights

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • Inside 'The Living Daylights'

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • Poodle Springs

    P.J. Parker

    actor

    actors
    1998
  • Tomorrow Never Dies

    Wade

    actor

    actors
    1997
  • To Dance with Olivia

    Horace

    actor

    actors
    1997
  • Mars Attacks!

    Glenn Norris

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • Felony

    Donovan

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • GoldenEye

    Jack Wade

    actor

    actors
    1995
  • Congo

    R.B. Travis

    actor

    actors
    1995
  • Panther

    Brimmer

    actor

    actors
    1995
  • The Underneath

    Clay Hinkle

    actor

    actors
    1995
  • Ring of Steel

    Man in Black

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • Reality Bites

    Tom Pierce

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • Complex of Fear

    Det. Frank Farrel

    actor

    actors
    1993
  • The Distinguished Gentleman

    Olaf Andersen

    actor

    actors
    1992
  • Citizen Cohn

    Sen. Joseph McCarthy

    actor

    actors
    1992
  • Cape Fear

    Claude Kersek

    actor

    actors
    1991
  • The Children

    Cliffe Wheater

    actor

    actors
    1990
  • Criminal Law

    Detective Mesel

    actor

    actors
    1989
  • Defrosting the Fridge

    Hunter McCall

    actor

    actors
    1989
  • Leonard Part 6

    Snyderburn

    actor

    actors
    1987
  • The Killing Time

    Carl Cunningham

    actor

    actors
    1987
  • The Living Daylights

    Brad Whitaker

    actor

    actors
    1987
  • The Abduction of Kari Swenson

    Sheriff Onstad

    actor

    actors
    1987
  • Getting Even

    King R. Kenderson

    actor

    actors
    1986
  • Fletch

    Chief Jerry Karlin

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • Final Justice

    Deputy Sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo III

    actor

    actors
    1984
  • The Natural

    The Whammer

    actor

    actors
    1984
  • Joysticks

    Joseph Rutter

    actor

    actors
    1983
  • Wacko

    Dick Harbinger

    actor

    actors
    1982
  • To Kill a Cop

    Chief Earl M. Eischied

    actor

    actors
    1978
  • The Pack

    Jerry

    actor

    actors
    1977
  • Speedtrap

    Pete Novick

    actor

    actors
    1977
  • The Shadow of Chikara

    Wishbone Cutter

    actor

    actors
    1977
  • Checkered Flag or Crash

    Walkaway Madden

    actor

    actors
    1977
  • Mitchell

    Mitchell

    actor

    actors
    1975
  • Framed

    Ron Lewis

    actor

    actors
    1975
  • Golden Needles

    Dan Mason

    actor

    actors
    1974
  • The Outfit

    Jack Cody

    actor

    actors
    1973
  • Charley Varrick

    Molly

    actor

    actors
    1973
  • Walking Tall

    Buford Pusser

    actor

    actors
    1973
  • That Certain Summer

    Phil Bonner

    actor

    actors
    1972
  • Junior Bonner

    Curly Bonner

    actor

    actors
    1972
  • The Valachi Papers

    Irish member of Valachi gang (uncredited)

    actor

    actors
    1972
  • Welcome Home, Soldier Boys

    Danny

    actor

    actors
    1971
  • Mongo's Back in Town

    Mongo Nash

    actor

    actors
    1971
  • Wild Rovers

    Paul Buckman

    actor

    actors
    1971
  • Adam at Six A.M.

    Harvey Gavin

    actor

    actors
    1970
  • Guns of the Magnificent Seven

    Slater

    actor

    actors
    1969
  • Cool Hand Luke

    Fixer

    actor

    actors
    1967
  • Ironside

    - Camera...Action...Murder! (1972) ... actor actors
    1967
  • The High Chaparral

    - The Hostage (1971) ... Yuma actor actors
    1967
  • Mission: Impossible

    - The Miracle (1971) ... Frank Kearney actor actors
    1966
  • The F.B.I.

    - Summer Terror (1970) ... Alex Drake actor actors
    1965
  • The Big Valley

    - Lightfoot (1969) ... Tom Lightfoot actor actors
    1965
  • Bonanza

    - The Real People of Muddy Creek (1968) ... Luke Harper actor actors
    1959
  • Gunsmoke

    - Prime of Life (1966) ... Woody Stoner actor actors
    1955