Joe Don Baker has died at the age of 89, his family has announced.
The actor died on May 7, as confirmed in a statement. He played two characters in the James Bond franchise, which is a rare achievement.
In the 1987 flick The Living Daylights he appeared as villain Brad Whitaker, who was a crazed arms dealer. He later played a good guy opposite Pierce Brosnan’s Bond , CIA agent Jack Wade, in the movies GoldenEye (1995) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).
In the family statement, they paid tribute to him as “a beacon of kindness and generosity”.
It went on: “His intellectual curiosity made him a voracious reader, inspiring a great love of nature and animals, particularly cats.
(Image: The Legacy Collection / Avalon)
“Throughout his life, Joe Don touched many lives with his warmth and compassion, leaving an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know him.”
After taking a look at Joe Don’s early life and career, the statement finished: “As we say goodbye to Joe Don, we hold onto the memories and the love he shared with us.
“Though he may no longer be with us in body, his spirit will always remain, a guiding light in the lives he touched.
(Image: Getty Images)
“Rest in peace, Joe Don. You will be dearly missed but never forgotten.”
He is survived by relatives in his native Groesbeck, in Texas, but never had any children. He was married to Maria Dolores Rivero-Torres from 1969 to 1980.
Aside from James Bond, Joe Don had a number of other roles, and was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award for the 1985 BBC series Edge Of Darkness.
(Image: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
His career spanned almost 50 years, starting in 1965 with the TV show Honey West. His final acting credit was for the 2012 film Mud.
According to the online tribute, his funeral will be held later this month in California.
It says: “Friends and family are invited to gather and share memories, celebrating the extraordinary life he led.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
