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Joe Don Baker
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Biography from Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia:
One of the most pleasant surprises in Martin Scorsese's 1991 Cape Fear was Joe Don Baker, likable and convincing as a seasoned, nononsense private investigator; his perfectly wrought characterization reminded both critics and audiences that he was capable of stellar performances-something that, alas, most of us had forgotten. As a tall, rugged leading man, Baker enjoyed his greatest popularity in the mid 1970s, following his star-making performance as two-fisted sheriff Buford Pusser in Walking Tall (1973). By that time he'd already been in movies for several years, typed in "bubba" roles by his physical appearance and Texas drawl. His star shone brightly for a short while, in escapist action fare such as Golden Needles (1974), Framed and Mitchell (both 1975), but as he got older and put on weight he slid into character parts, often playing heavies. Other credits include The Natural (1984, as the Babe Ruth-inspired character The Whammer, an inspired piece of casting), Fletch (1985), and The Living Daylights (1987). He has appeared in many madefor-TV movies. His latter-day films include Criminal Law (1988), The Children (1990), the telefilm Citizen Cohn (1992, as Sen. Joseph McCarthy), and The Distinguished Gentleman (also 1992). |  |
