Joe Don Baker (born February 12, 1936 in Groesbeck, Texas) is an American film actor perhaps best known for his three appearances in the James Bond series. Baker got his start in acting as an uncredited character in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, but his real beginnings came when he scored the role of Steve McQueen's younger brother in the film Junior Bonner. He would later star as the main character in the 1973 film Walking Tall, a film that was remade in 2004 starring The Rock. Joe Don Baker appeared in a couple of films that were eventually lampooned on the Mystery Science Theater 3000 television series: Mitchell and Final Justice. Baker was reportedly incensed by his portrayal as an ignorant redneck in these episodes, allegedly at one point threatening to assault the writers of the show.
Baker appeared on television in 1980 in the short lived police drama series Eischeid where he played Chief Earl Eischeid.In 1985 he portrayed the corrupt key villain Chief Jerry Karlin in the Chevy Chase hit Fletch.
While actor Carroll O'Connor was undergoing heart bypass surgery, Baker took his place on the television series In the Heat of the Night. Baker appeared as Captain Tom Duggan, a retired police captain who filled in while O'Connor's character was away at a police convention.
Walking Tall (2004)
