RIP Joe Don Baker

Posted by Sampo, on May 15th, 2025

Joe Don Baker, the leading man turned character actor who broke out playing Sheriff Buford Pusser in the 1973 movie “Walking Tall,” died May 7. He was 89.

MSTies know that he played the title role in the movie in episode 512- MITCHELL and Deputy Sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo III in the movie in episode 1008- FINAL JUSTICE. He was also who was mentioned in a host segment in episode 522- TEENAGE CRIME WAVE.

The L.A. Times has the story.

Thanks to Tim for the heads up.

12 Replies to “RIP Joe Don Baker”

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Terry the Sensitive Knight says:

May 15, 2025 at 5:01 pm

RIP Mitchell, Geronimo, and Jack Wade.

“The sun is blotted out as Joe Don Baker approaches!”
I sure hope Heaven is ready for him to “go ahead on” through those Pearly Gates.

14 likes

goalieboy82 says:

May 15, 2025 at 5:48 pm

The Pearly Gates of Heaven are blotted out as Joe Don Baker approaches….

10 likes

Pemmican says:

May 15, 2025 at 7:02 pm

No one will believe me, but last week I was suddenly struck by the urge to watch “Mitchell” for the 4,234th time. Now I know why!

Beyond his shining MST3K career, he was apparently in some other films, one even with Pierce Brosnan!

But seriously, look up his bio, and he was a decent human being who took his profession seriously… even if the finished products didn’t reflect that. RIP, Joe Don.

21 likes

Thad Boyd says:

May 15, 2025 at 7:55 pm

Pemmican:
Beyond his shining MST3K career, he was apparently in some other films, one even with Pierce Brosnan!

Two!

12 likes

Johnny Longbow says:

May 15, 2025 at 10:15 pm

I haven’t posted here since Gerry Ford was in the White House.
But I had to say something.
The best movie you’ve never seen is “Adam at 6 AM.”
Forgotten for almost fifty years, finally released on DVD in 2019.
As close to a perfect “little movie” as you’ll ever find. (As a bonus, if you’re in the KC metro area, the exteriors were shot in Excelsior Springs and Cameron.)
No point in talking plot or production values. Check it out on Amazon Prime if you’re interested.
It was early in Joe Don Baker’s career, and his performance as the second male lead will not only shock and amaze you, it might just get you a little ticked off. WHERE DID THIS GUY GO? He takes what could have been a stereotypical iggerant-goober part and turns it into a genuinely affecting buddy picture for his considerable time on screen with Michael Douglas.
And somehow within three years, Baker had turned into the lump of cold fried cornmeal mush that was Buford Pusser. My GOD what a wrong turn.
Rest in Peace, fo’ sure, Joe Don. Baby oil to ya for all eternity.

13 likes

Ray Dunakin says:

May 16, 2025 at 12:49 am

Johnny Longbow:
I haven’t posted here since Gerry Ford was in the White House.
But I had to say something.
The best movie you’ve never seen is “Adam at 6 AM.”
Forgotten for almost fifty years, finally released on DVD in 2019.
As close to a perfect “little movie” as you’ll ever find. (As a bonus, if you’re in the KC metro area, the exteriors were shot in Excelsior Springs and Cameron.)
No point in talking plot or production values. Check it out on Amazon Prime if you’re interested.
It was early in Joe Don Baker’s career, and his performance as the second male lead will not only shock and amaze you, it might just get you a little ticked off. WHERE DID THIS GUY GO? He takes what could have been a stereotypical iggerant-goober part and turns it into a genuinely affecting buddy picture for his considerable time on screen with Michael Douglas.
And somehow within three years, Baker had turned into the lump of cold fried cornmeal mush that was Buford Pusser. My GOD what a wrong turn.
Rest in Peace, fo’ sure, Joe Don. Baby oil to ya for all eternity.

Dana Elcar is in it too. He’s known to MSTies as the bald hippie-hater in “San Francisco International Airport.”

7 likes

The KTMA Riff of Castle of Fu Manchu says:

May 16, 2025 at 1:31 am

Haven’t posted here in a minute but have to pay tribute. Is there a bigger mascot of MST3K movie heroes than Joe Don Baker? Two incredible episodes, one placed in each host’s final stretch of shows.

Baker was never going to be an A-list movie star, but he was a great actor and brought energy and strong character development to just about every role he played, even the stupid ones. “Cape Fear” is one of my favorite films, and Joe Don is always a treat to see in that. This is to say nothing of his role in “Edge of Darkness” – which Trace shouted out several times as a great JDB performance – or his part in the James Bond movies, “Fletch” or more recently the acclaimed “Mud”. He may not have been the most versatile chameleon, but I enjoy him in just about everything I see him in.

And come on… is there a better piece of MST3K urban legend than JDB allegedly threatening to “kick their asses”? I always loved how often that story got brought up, and the way that it was never confirmed to be true or false.

15 likes