History Creator / JoeDonBaker

A tall, broad shouldered character actor with Texan drawl, he first appeared in support in several Western vehicles both on TV and the cinema in the mid 1960s. He got himself noticed playing Creator/SteveMcQueen's younger brother in ''Film/JuniorBonner'' (1972), and then scored the lead role of Buford Pusser (!) in the unexpected hit ''Film/{{Walking Tall|1973}}'' (1973), an allegedly true tale about a Southern sheriff confronting corruption and 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 drama ''Film/CharleyVarrick'' (1973). Joe Don Baker's next few films were rather forgettable until he landed the role of police detective Earl Eischied in ''Film/ToKillACop'' (1978), which led him into reprising the same character in the short lived TV series ''Series/{{Eischied}}'' (1979). For the latter, Baker reportedly became the first television star to earn a million dollar salary.

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* ''Film/TheDukesOfHazzard'' (2003) as Governor Jim Applewhite
* ''Film/StrangeWilderness'' (2018) as Bill Calhoun

Despite a long, successful and often acclaimed career, Baker gained unwelcome notoriety when two of his lesser-known films, ''Film/{{Mitchell}}'' (1975) and ''Film/FinalJustice'' (1985) appeared on the movie-mocking show ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000''. A longstanding UrbanLegend insists that Baker hated [=MST3K=]'s treatment of his films so much that he threatened to kill the crew. According to Creator/JoelHodgson, Baker's actual reaction was less extreme: he objected to the show aiming its jokes at him rather than the characters he played, but harbored no serious grudge against them.

A tall, broad shouldered character actor with Texan drawl, he first appeared in support in several Western vehicles both on TV and the cinema in the mid 1960s. He got himself noticed playing Creator/SteveMcQueen's younger brother in ''Film/JuniorBonner'' (1972), and then scored the lead role of Buford Pusser (!) in the unexpected hit ''Film/WalkingTall1973'', an allegedly true tale about a Southern sheriff confronting corruption and 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 drama ''Film/CharleyVarrick'' (1973). Joe Don Baker's next few films were rather forgettable until he landed the role of police detective Earl Eischied in ''Film/ToKillACop'' (1978), which led him into reprising the same character in the short lived TV series ''Series/{{Eischied}}'' (1979). For the latter, Baker reportedly became the first television star to earn a million dollar salary.

* ''Film/WalkingTall1973'' as Buford Pusser

Despite a long, successful and often acclaimed career, Baker gained unwelcome notoriety when two of his lesser-known films, ''Film/{{Mitchell}}'' (1975) and ''Film/FinalJustice'' (1985) appeared on the movie-mocking show ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000''. A longstanding PopCultureUrbanLegend insists that Baker hated [=MST3K=]'s treatment of his films so much that he threatened to kill the crew. According to Creator/JoelHodgson, Baker's actual reaction was less extreme: he objected to the show aiming its jokes at him rather than the characters he played, but harbored no serious grudge against them.

A tall, broad shouldered character actor with Texan drawl, he first appeared in support in several Western vehicles both on TV and the cinema in the mid 1960s. He got himself noticed playing Creator/SteveMcQueen's younger brother in ''Film/JuniorBonner'' (1972), and then scored the lead role of Buford Pusser (!) in the unexpected hit ''Film/WalkingTall1973'', an allegedly true tale about a Southern sheriff confronting corruption and 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 drama ''Film/CharleyVarrick'' (1973). Joe Don Baker's next few films were rather forgettable until he landed the role of police detective Earl Eischied in ''Film/ToKillACop'' (1978), which led him into reprising the same character in the short lived TV series ''Series/{{Eischied}}'' (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 in ''Film/{{Fletch}}'' (1985) and as a redneck father in ''Film/MarsAttacks'' (1996). He also had [[YouLookFamiliar two different roles]] in the Film/JamesBond films -- a megalomanical ArmsDealer in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'' (1987) and a CIA operative in ''Film/GoldenEye'' (1995) and ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' (1997).

A tall, broad shouldered character actor with Texan drawl, he first appeared in support in several Western vehicles both on TV and the cinema in the mid 1960s. Got himself noticed playing Creator/SteveMcQueen's younger brother in ''Film/JuniorBonner'' (1972), and then scored the lead role of Buford Pusser (!) in the unexpected hit ''Film/WalkingTall1973'', an allegedly true tale about a Southern sheriff confronting corruption and 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 drama ''Film/CharleyVarrick'' (1973). Joe Don Baker's next few films were rather forgettable until he landed the role of police detective Earl Eischied in ''Film/ToKillACop'' (1978)....which led him into reprising the same character in the short lived TV series ''Series/{{Eischied}}'' (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 in ''Film/{{Fletch}}'' (1985) and as a redneck father in ''Film/MarsAttacks'' (1996). He also had [[YouLookFamiliar two different roles]] in the Film/JamesBond films -- a megalomanical ArmsDealer in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'' (1987) and a CIA operative in ''Film/GoldenEye'' (1995) and ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' (1997).

Joe Don Baker (born February 12, 1936 in Groesbeck, Texas) is a 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 Creator/SteveMcQueen's younger brother in ''Film/JuniorBonner'' (1972), and then scored the lead role of Buford Pusser (!) in the unexpected hit ''Film/WalkingTall1973'', an allegedly true tale about a Southern sheriff confronting corruption and 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 drama ''Film/CharleyVarrick'' (1973). Joe Don Baker's next few films were rather forgettable until he landed the role of police detective Earl Eischied in ''Film/ToKillACop'' (1978)....which led him into reprising the same character in the short lived TV series ''Series/{{Eischied}}'' (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 in ''Film/{{Fletch}}'' (1985) and as a redneck father in ''Film/MarsAttacks'' (1996). He also had [[YouLookFamiliar two different roles]] in the Film/JamesBond films -- a megalomanical ArmsDealer in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'' (1987) and a CIA operative in ''Film/GoldenEye'' (1995) and ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' (1997).

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 Creator/SteveMcQueen's younger brother in ''Film/JuniorBonner'' (1972), and then scored the lead role of Buford Pusser (!) in the unexpected hit ''Film/WalkingTall1973'', an allegedly true tale about a Southern sheriff confronting corruption and 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 drama ''Film/CharleyVarrick'' (1973). Joe Don Baker's next few films were rather forgettable until he landed the role of police detective Earl Eischied in ''Film/ToKillACop'' (1978)....which led him into reprising the same character in the short lived TV series ''Series/{{Eischied}}'' (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 in ''Film/{{Fletch}}'' (1985) and as a redneck father in ''Film/MarsAttacks'' (1996). He also had [[YouLookFamiliar two different roles]] in the Film/JamesBond films -- a megalomanical ArmsDealer in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'' (1987) and a CIA operative in ''Film/GoldenEye'' (1995) and ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' (1997).

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 Creator/SteveMcQueen's younger brother in ''Film/JuniorBonner'' (1972), and then scored the lead role of Buford Pusser (!) in the unexpected hit ''Film/WalkingTall1973'', an allegedly true tale about a Southern sheriff confronting corruption and 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 drama ''Film/CharleyVarrick'' (1973). Joe Don Baker's next few films were rather forgettable until he landed the role of police detective Earl Eischied in ''Film/ToKillACop'' (1978)....which led him into reprising the same character in the short lived TV series ''Series/{{Eischied}}'' (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 in ''Film/{{Fletch}}'' (1985) and as a redneck father in ''Film/MarsAttacks'' (1996). He also had [[YouLookFamiliar two different roles]] in the Film/JamesBond films -- a megalomanical ArmsDealer in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'' (1987) and a CIA operative Jack in ''Film/GoldenEye'' (1995) and ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' (1997).

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 Creator/SteveMcQueen's younger brother in ''Film/JuniorBonner'' (1972), and then scored the lead role of Buford Pusser (!) in the unexpected hit ''Film/WalkingTall1973'', an allegedly true tale about a Southern sheriff confronting corruption and 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 drama ''Film/CharleyVarrick'' (1973). Joe Don Baker's next few films were rather forgettable until he landed the role of police detective Earl Eischied in ''Film/ToKillACop'' (1978)....which led him into reprising the same character in the short lived TV series ''Series/{{Eischied}}'' (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 in ''Film/{{Fletch}}'' (1985), a meglomanical general in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'' (1987), as a redneck father in ''Film/MarsAttacks'' (1996), and as intelligence operative Jack Wade in the 007 films ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' (1997) and ''Film/GoldenEye'' (1995).

* ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'' (1987) as General Brad Whittaker

* ''Film/GoldenEye'' (1995) as Jack Wade

* ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' (1997) as Jack Wade

!!Film

!!Television

!!Video Games

* ''Film/StrangeWilderness'' (208) as Bill Calhoun

* ''ViseoGame/DisneysAnimatedStorybook: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree'' (1995) as as Owl (voice)

* ''WalkingTall1973'' as Buford Pusser

* ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' (1997) as Jack Wade

* ''Film/LeonardPart6'' (1987) as Nick Snyderburn

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 Creator/SteveMcQueen's younger brother in ''Film/JuniorBonner'' (1972), and then scored the lead role of Buford Pusser (!) in the unexpected hit ''Film/WalkingTall'' (1973), an allegedly true tale about a Southern sheriff confronting corruption and 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 drama ''Film/CharleyVarrick'' (1973). Joe Don Baker's next few films were rather forgettable until he landed the role of police detective Earl Eischied in ''Film/ToKillACop'' (1978)....which led him into reprising the same character in the short lived TV series ''Series/{{Eischied}}'' (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 in ''Film/{{Fletch}}'' (1985), a meglomanical general in ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'' (1987), as a redneck father in ''Film/MarsAttacks'' (1996), and as intelligence operative Jack Wade in the 007 films ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' (1997) and ''Film/GoldenEye'' (1995).

* ''Film/TheValachiPapers'' (1972) as Irish member of Valachi gang (uncredited)