According to his relatives, Hollywood movie star Joe Don Baker passed away on May 7 at the age of 89.

The actor portrayed both a villain and a decent man in three different James Bond flicks.

The actor starred in Golden Eye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), and The Living Daylights (1987).

“As we say goodbye to Joe Don, we hold onto the memories and the love he shared with us,” his family’s statement began.

“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,” his obituary read.

Baker was born in Groesbeck, Texas, on February 12, 1936. He played football for North Texas State College and joined the Army for two years after graduation in 1959.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
He relocated to New York City to pursue acting at the renowned Actor’s Studio after leaving the Army.

Baker played the antagonist Brad Whitaker in The Living Daylights, which starred Timothy Dalton in the title role, and appeared in three other Bond films.

He later shifted to the side of the good guys, costarring with Pierce Brosnan as Bond in GoldenEye as CIA agent Jack Wade.

After that, Brosnan returned to the role of the stylish spy in Tomorrow Never Dies.

Only three actors, including Baker, have played both a villain and a Bond ally.

He made his Broadway debut in Marathon ’33 in 1963 and Blues For Mister Charlie in 1964.

After relocating to Los Angeles, Baker began a career in television and movies, making appearances in shows including Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, and The Streets of San Francisco.

Cool Hand Luke is one of the early movie roles.

His most well-known part, despite playing three Bond characters, is that of the sheriff in Walking Tall (1973).

His career was the main topic of his obituary.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Joe Don, a noted member of the Performing Arts Community, who left us on 5/7/2025 at the age of 89.”

“Born on February 12, 1936, Joe Don was a beacon of kindness and generosity. His intellectual curiosity made him a voracious reader, inspiring a great love of nature and animals, particularly cats. Throughout his life, Joe Don touched many lives with his warmth and compassion, leaving an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know him.”

“Joe Don spent his early years in Groesbeck, Texas, where he attended Groesbeck High School and excelled in Football and Basketball. His athletic skills led him to secure a scholarship at North Texas State College, where he joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and graduated in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. In 1994 he received the Distinguished Alumni award from his College, now renamed University of North Texas.”

After serving in the U.S. Army for two years, Joe Don relocated to New York City and became a life member of the Actor’s Studio, where he studied.

During this time, he gained valuable acting experience performing in the lively NY Theater scene. Eventually, he moved to Los Angeles, where his acting career gradually took off. Starting with small television parts, he eventually progressed to major acting roles as leading man and later in life as a character actor. During his long career, until his retirement in 2012 he performed in 57 movies, starring in “Walking Tall”, “Mitchell” and more. Additionally, he landed co-starring roles and supporting parts in other mayor projects, including “Charlie Varrick” and three “Bond” films.

Among his cinematic acting achievements are nominations for the miniseries “George Wallace” and the Robert Altman Award he received for his performance in “Mud.”

He appeared in a number of television shows, including as the hit series “Eischied” and the critically praised British television series “Edge of Darkness,” for which he received a nomination for Best Actor from the British Academy of Television.

“Joe Don’s 11 year marriage produced no offspring. He is survived by relations in his native Groesbeck, who will forever cherish his memory. He is mourned by a small but very close circle of friends who will miss him eternally.”

Joe Don’s life will be honoured with a funeral service on May 20, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Utter McKinley Mortuary in Mission Hills, California.

“Friends and family are invited to gather and share memories, celebrating the extraordinary life he led,” the obit said.