Hollywood actor Joe Don Baker, best known for his roles in three James Bond films and the cult classic Walking Tall, died on May 7, 2025, at age 89, according to his family.
Baker played both villain and ally in the Bond franchise—portraying arms dealer Brad Whitaker in The Living Daylights (1987) and CIA agent Jack Wade in GoldenEye (1995) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). He was one of only three actors to play both friend and foe in the Bond universe.
Born in Groesbeck, Texas, on February 12, 1936, Baker was a college football player before serving in the Army and pursuing acting in New York at the Actor’s Studio. He made his Broadway debut in the 1960s and later appeared in TV series such as Gunsmoke and Mission: Impossible.