|
Joe Don Baker (born February 12, 1936) is an American character actor and a life member of the Actors Studio, known for iconic roles as a Mafia hitman in ''Charley Varrick'', deputy sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo III in ''Final Justice'', real-life Tennessee Sheriff Buford Pusser in ''Walking Tall'', brute-force-with-a-badge detective Mitchell in ''Mitchell'', James Bond villain Brad Whitaker in ''The Living Daylights'', CIA Agent Jack Wade in the James Bond films ''GoldenEye'' and ''Tomorrow Never Dies'', NYPD Chief of Detectives Earl Eischied in the television police drama ''Eischied'', and his BAFTA-nominated performance in ''Edge of Darkness''. ==Life and career== Baker was born in Groesbeck, Texas, the son of Edna (née McDonald) and Doyle Charles Baker.〔(Joe Don Baker Biography (1936-) )〕 He attended the University of North Texas. Baker served a tour in the United States Army. In 1964 he appeared on stage in ''Marathon '33'' at the ANTA Theatre in New York City. His career had its roots in television, though he did appear in several movies, including a part in the 1967 film ''Cool Hand Luke''. He appeared in many television series, graduating to featured guest roles in such series as ''The Big Valley'' (in which he played a Harvard-educated Native American with a penchant for fighting) and ''Mod Squad'' (where he appeared as an illiterate vending machine robber). He was the title character in the 1971 TV movie ''Mongo's Back in Town'', starring Telly Savalas. Physically impressive at nearly 6'3" tall (189 cm.), he was a natural for Westerns, both on the big and little screens. While working regularly on television on top shows like ''Bonanza'' and ''Gunsmoke'', he appeared in supporting roles in such films ''Guns of the Magnificent Seven'' (1969) and Blake Edwards' ''Wild Rovers'', but his film career didn't start to quicken until he scored the role of Steve McQueen's younger brother in Sam Peckinpah's ''Junior Bonner'', a film about a contemporary rodeo cowboy, which was released in late 1972. His breakthrough came with the 1973 film ''Walking Tall'', directed by Phil Karlson. (He would also star in the filmmaker's final work, ''Framed'', two years later.) Released in February as a regional exploitation picture, ''Walking Tall'' clicked with audiences and became an unexpected hit, picked up for national distribution with a new TV ad campaign using the slogan, "When was the last time you stood up and applauded a movie?" The film eventually racked up $23 million at the box office〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070895/business )〕 (equivalent to approximately $ million adjusted for inflation). Baker's performance was praised by influential film critic Pauline Kael, but he turned down the sequel. Later that year, his work in ''Charley Varrick'' helped solidify Baker's reputation. He was praised for a courageous and offbeat portrait of the sadistic hitman Molly. Baker was offered a cameo in the remake, but declined the offer. He starred in the 1974 adventure film ''Golden Needles''. Baker has given many outstanding performances in a career spanning four decades. In 1980, he became the first actor to receive $1 million to star in a television series, the short-lived ''Eischeid'' (known as "Chief Of Detectives" in the UK). He was "The Whammer," a baseball player modeled after Babe Ruth, in the 1984 baseball drama ''The Natural'' that starred Robert Redford. In a scene, the Whammer takes three swings at pitches from the young Roy Hobbs to try to impress a mysterious woman they have met on a train. In 1985, he portrayed the corrupt Chief Jerry Karlin in ''Fletch''. In the UK, he played CIA agent Darius Jedburgh in the BBC Television drama serial ''Edge of Darkness''. He was nominated for "Best Actor" by the British Academy Television Awards, losing to his co-star Bob Peck. Martin Scorsese directed him as a private detective in 1991's ''Cape Fear'', hired by a man (Nick Nolte) whose family is being threatened by a psychopathic ex-convict (Robert De Niro). While actor Carroll O'Connor was undergoing heart bypass surgery, Baker took his place on the television series ''In the Heat of the Night''. Baker appeared as Captain Tom Dugan, a retired police captain who filled in while O'Connor's character was away at a police convention. More recently, he has had appearances in ''Joe Dirt'', ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' and ''Strange Wilderness''. Baker played "King" in 2012's ''Mud'' with Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon and Sam Shepard. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Joe Don Baker」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|