Hollywood Reporter
Joe Don Baker, the broad-shouldered Texas tough guy who portrayed characters on both sides of the law, most notably Sheriff Buford Pusser in the unexpected box-office hit Walking Tall, died May 7, his family announced. He was 89.
Baker first attracted mainstream attention in 1972 when he starred as the younger, business-minded brother of an aging Arizona rodeo rider (Steve McQueen) in Sam Peckinpah’s Junior Bonner (1972), then portrayed a sadistic mob hitman named Molly in Don Siegel’s Charley Varrick (1973), starring Walter Matthau. More
Between Joe Don Baker and Sam Peckinpah it would be hard to tell who had the highest number of gun shots in Hollywood or shots of Tequila, Jim Beam and Pepto-Bismol, but they sure made some great flix!
RIP Sir!
RIP Joe Don.
great villain in Charley Varrick
A character of a character actor.
Remember that bar chick? Schwiing!
RIP
Enjoyed his work.
Godspeed, Joe Don Baker. He was a very watchable actor.
I remember him fondly in one of my favorite movies as “The Whammer”.