James Bond star Joe Don Baker dies aged 89
15 May 2025, 16:39
Joe Don Baker, who starred in James Bond and a string of other Hollywood movies, has died aged 89.
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Tributes have flooded in for the actor, who is best known for playing two different roles in the Bond franchise.
In a heartbreaking statement, his family said: "Throughout his life, Joe Don touched many lives with his warmth and compassion, leaving an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know him.
"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."
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They also described him as a "beacon of kindness and generosity", adding that "his intellectual curiosity made him a voracious reader, inspiring a great love of nature and animals, particularly cats."
The Texan actor featured in three different Bond films as both a bad and a good guy.
He played the villain Brad Whitaker in 1987's The Living Daylights.
CIA agent Jack Wade became his next Bond character in both 1995's GoldenEye and 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies.
He is one of only three actors to portray both a Bond ally and a villain.
Tim Burton's 1996 sci-fi classic Mars Attacks saw him again play a good guy, appearing alongside Bond star Pierce Brosnan.
Don Baker got his start break in 1972 in Sam Peckinpah’s Junior Bonner, which also featured the legendary actor Steve McQueen.
