Joe Don Baker, a broad Texas Tough Guy, portrays the character on both sides of the law, most notably Sheriff Buford Pusser Walk highHis family announced that he died on May 7. He is 89 years old.

Baker first attracted mainstream attention in 1972, when he starred in Sam Peckinpah Bona (1972), then in Don Siegel Charley Varrick (1973), starring Walter Matthau.

Baker, 6-foot-3, in James Bond's movie The living sunlight (1987), starring Timothy Dalton 007, then back as a good guy, CIA agent Jack Wade opposite Pierce Brosnan in 1995 and '97 films Goldeneye and Never die tomorrowrespectively.

As a former professional wrestler Pussive Wrestler Pusser (based on real-life sheriff who cleaned up crimes in Tennessee town, Baker survived. Representing himself in court; being elected sheriff; seeing his wife murdered; waving club carved from oak trees, beating vicious gamblers and moon madmen Walk high (1973).

"In those days of the early 1970s, I thought a lot of people wanted to stick with Nixon and all of these Watergate families," Baker said in an interview in the mid-1990s. "Everyone who wants to do it among the bad guys but has no strength touches a vigilant nerve if (they) encounter strength. But Buford can make it happen."

A standalone version of Bing Crosby Productions, Walk high Distributed by Cinerama Distribution Company and has achieved great financial success, with an estimated box office of $40 million ($622 million today) and a budget of about $500,000 ($3.6 million today).

Walk high Director Phil Karlson was interviewed in 1974 The New York Timessaid his super violent films performed well because it made "there was a big, powerful, and one could look up to the movie that had a man deeply longing for."

The real guy agrees to star in the show Walk high The sequel, but a few hours later, was killed in a traffic accident in August 1974. BoSvenson then led the way in the big screen follow-up released in 1975 and 77 (later in NBC performances), while Baker and Carlson played on another vigil in Tennessee, Tennessee, while Baker and Carlson replayed. frame (1975).

The actor then again portrays a violent policeman Mitchellalso released in 1975.

Baker was born on February 12, 1936 in Groesbeck, Texas. His mother, Edna, died at the age of 12, and he was raised by his aunt. His hero is the defender of Groesbeck High School, Doak Walker, who was a central defender at Southern Methodist University and won the Heisman Trophy in 1948.

Baker served as a senior at North Texas State College in Denton. After earning a business degree in 1958 and serving in the U.S. Army for two years, he moved to New York and was accepted into Actors Studio.

In 1963 and 64, Baker appeared in Broadway's actor studio work Marathon '33 Julie Harris opposite, Mr. Charlie's Brucewritten by James Baldwin and directed by Burgess Meredith.

He came to Los Angeles, arrived at the screen, and found a job Dear West,,,,, Blind and Gunsmoke In the movie Cool hand Luke (1967) and The huge seven guns (1969).

Baker and Tom Skerritt play Karl Malden on Blake Edwards barbarian (1971) With Robert Duvall and Karen Black clothing (1973).

In 1985, Baker starred in Crack Cia Man Darius Jedburgh in the BBC's six-hour miniseries The edge of darknessdirected by Martin Campbell. “I think I can do this all my life, or at least have been happy for years,” he said.

He was nominated for the BAFTA Award but lost to his co-star Ben Peck in the Best Actor contest. Ten years later Campbell turns to Baker again Goldeneye.

The actor also starred in the Southern Sheriff’s turn into NYPD detective in the 1978-79 NBC series Eggplay a curved policeman fletch (1985) and intervened in Carroll O'Connor, then was eliminated after heart surgery as NBC police chief The heat in the night 1989.

Baker waved another big stick, shaking like Bebe Ruth nature (1984), and appeared in other movies Leonard Part 6 (1987), Cloak fear (1991), Reality bite (1994), Grass harp (1995), Mars Attack! (1996), Joe Dirt (2001), Duke Hazard (2005) and mud (2012).

From the divorce from 1969 to 1980, he married Maria Dolores Rivero-Torres and survived his relatives in Groesbeck. A funeral to mark his life will be held Tuesday in Mission Hills, California.