Joe Don Baker

Joe Don Baker (born February 12, 1936 in Groesbeck, Texas) is an American film actor 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.

James Bond series

In 1987, Baker got the role of the villain Brad Whitaker in the Bond film The Living Daylights, starring Timothy Dalton as James Bond. In 1995 and 1997 Baker returned to the series, this time playing a different character, Jack Wade, in GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies with Pierce Brosnan as Bond. He is one of six actors to have played two separate roles in the official James Bond cinema series, preceded by Charles Gray, Walter Gotell, Jeremy Bulloch, Maud Adams, and Robert Brown. The character of Wade is similar to that of CIA agent Darius Jedburgh, played by Baker in the critically acclaimed 1985 BBC Television serial Edge of Darkness. This serial was directed by Martin Campbell, who also cast Baker as Wade in GoldenEye.

Related Topics:
1987 - The Living Daylights - Timothy Dalton - 1995 - 1997 - Jack Wade - GoldenEye - Tomorrow Never Dies - Pierce Brosnan - Charles Gray - Walter Gotell - Jeremy Bulloch - Maud Adams - Robert Brown - 1985 - BBC Television - Edge of Darkness - Martin Campbell

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