Joe Don Baker, best known for his roles in the James Bond franchise and Walking Tall, died May 7 at age 89. His family confirmed the news in a statement.
Baker appeared in three Bond films, debuting as villain Brad Whitaker in 1987's The Living Daylights. He later played CIA agent Jack Wade in GoldenEye (1995) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).
READ MORE: Princess Kate Marks Daughter's Birthday with New Photograph
"His intellectual curiosity made him a voracious reader, inspiring a great love of nature and animals, particularly cats," his family said. "Throughout his life, Joe Don touched many lives with his warmth and compassion, leaving an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know him."
They added, "As we say goodbye to Joe Don, we hold onto the memories and the love he shared with us. Though he may no longer be with us in body, his spirit will always remain, a guiding light in the lives he touched. Rest in peace, Joe Don. You will be dearly missed but never forgotten."
Follow OMG! on Facebook, Instagram and X (formally Twitter)
Baker rose to fame in 1973's Walking Tall, playing real-life sheriff Buford Pusser. In a 1990s interview, he said: "In those days in the early '70s, I think a lot of people wanted to take a stick to (Richard) Nixon and all those Watergate guys. (The film) touched a vigilante nerve in everybody who would like to do in the bad guys but don't have the power…"
His credits also include Edge of Darkness (1985), Cape Fear, Fletch, and Mars Attacks.
Baker had no children and was married to Maria Dolores Rivero-Torres from 1969 to 1980. He is survived by relatives in Groesbeck, Texas.
Have you got an OMG! story to sell? Email: hello@omg-news.com – we pay for your pictures, videos and tip-offs!
