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"Sonny Boy, you and me are just not communicating...."
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Shame to lose JD. Absolutely superb as mafia hunter-killer Molly in Charley Varrick above (with endless great lines of dialogue). Also hard-as-nails at Robert Duvall's buddy in The Outfit. First noticed him as one-armed sharpshooter in Guns of the magnificent seven. Also he carried the Chief of Detectives series (Eischied) well over its two seasons.
The original Walking Tall as well.
Shame that some will only know him as a dodgy Bond villain.
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Another great exchange from Varrick with Baker as Molly the hit man.
Jana: [Molly arrives at the whore house] "These are the goodies. He says his name is Sally"
Molly: "...Molly."
Jana: "Sally, Molly, if you got a bell, honey, we'll find a way to ring it." [the prostitues laugh]
Molly: "...I didn't travel ...six hundred miles ...for the amusement of morons. Is that clear, ladies?"
Taxi driver (throwing at dartboard): "Now just a darn minute there..."
Molly: "...You just keep throwing your feathers, mister, before I put you in the hospital."
Taxi driver: "Yes, sir."
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Joe Don Baker’s next film was also with George Kennedy, as Kennedy took over the role of "Chris Adams" in 1969's GUNS OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. “Chris” had been played by Yul Brynner in the original film and its first sequel.
In 19th-century Mexico, Federales capture “Quintero” (Fernando Rey), the revolutionary who has attempted to rally the many disorganized groups opposing the dictatorship of President Díaz. Before going to prison, Quintero gives his lieutenant, “Maximiliano O'Leary” (Reni Santoni), $600 with which to continue the cause. Bandit chief “Carlos Lobero” (Frank Silvera) demands that the money be used for guns and ammunition, but Max instead seeks the help of the legendary Chris, an American renowned for his bravery and cunning.
Chris agrees to attempt a rescue of Quintero, and uses $500 of Max's money to recruit five highly trained combatants: “Keno” (Monte Markham), a horse thief and hand-to-hand combat expert (whom Chris saved from hanging); “Cassie” (Bernie Casey), a brawny but intelligent former slave, who can handle dynamite; “Slater” (Joe Don Baker), a one-armed, sideshow sharp-shootist; "P.J." (Scott Thomas), a tubercular wrangler, and “Levi Morgan” (James Whitmore), an aging family man who is doubtful of his worth, despite his incredible knife-throwing skills.
The cast of GUNS OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (l. to r.):
James Whitmore, Joe Don Baker, Bernie Casey, George Kennedy, Reni Santoni, Scott Thomas, and Monte Markham
Paul Wendkos directed this installment of the series. Following the July 1969 release of GUNS OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, a news item in the 20 August 1969 Variety suggested that the first two pictures employed “essentially the same Elmer Bernstein score,” although United Artists claimed that original scores were composed for both. The company admitted, however, that the score for GUNS included elements from those of its two predecessors, with little new material. Regardless, Bernstein was paid for his work on each of the individual films. Elmer Bernstein's score for GUNS was released by Film Score Monthly in its 2007 box set "The Unforgiven: Classic Western Scores From United Artists," and made its most recent appearance in Quartet’s 2022 “Magnificent Seven Collection” set.
George Kennedy and Joe Don Baker in GUNS OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
GUNS OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN did poorly at the box office, grossing just $1.6 million. That compared unfavorably to the original film, which grossed $6.4 million, and the first sequel, which grossed $3.2 million.
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The WILD ROVERS are aging cowboy “Ross Bodine” (William Holden) and the younger “Frank Post” (Ryan O’Neal), who work on the Montana ranch of cattleman “Walt Buckman” (Karl Malden). Ross has a dream of riding off to Mexico to retire from the hard work of the range, but he does not have much money saved up. Frank suggests they rob a bank and head for Mexico together.
During the robbery, the pair get away with $36,000. A posse is formed that includes Buckman's two sons, hot-tempered “John” (Tom Skerritt) and easy-going “Paul” (Joe Don Baker), told by their father that no cowhand of his is going to get away with breaking the law.
Joe Don Baker and Ted Gehring in WILD ROVERS
Writer-director Blake Edwards considered the original 130-minute cut of WILD ROVERS to be one of his finest films, and he prepared it for roadshow engagements. But the notorious head of MGM at the time, James T. Aubrey, took his scissors to the film, and it was shorn of 24 minutes of footage and put into general release. (The video version has since been restored.) The film had average grosses of $5.5 million at the U.S. box office.
Jerry Goldsmith’s score for the 1971 film was re-recorded for an MGM LP. The LP was re-issued on CD by Memoir Records in 1990 and again in 2000 by Chapter III. Film Score Monthly released the complete original tracks in 2003.
MGM's assumption was that the film would receive an [R] rating, and the studio printed its advance posters accordingly.
However, after the film was submitted to the MPAA, it was rated [GP]. MGM hastily sent out stickers to paste over the rating on the original posters until a new batch could be printed up.
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Posted: |
Jun 4, 2025 - 12:18 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Joe Don Baker had his first lead role in a feature film in WELCOME HOME, SOLDIER BOYS, a tale about disaffected veterans returning home. Fresh from combat in Vietnam, four Green Beret soldiers—“Danny” (Baker), “Fatback” (Elliott Street), “The Kid” (Alan Vint), and “Shooter” (Paul Koslo)—arrive at Fort Hunter Ligget, a Separation Center in Arkansas. Single and unsure about the future, the men decide to pool their savings and head for Napa Valley, California, where Kid owns 300 acres of land.
Joe Don Baker, Alan Vint, Elliott Street, Jennifer Billingsley, and Paul Koslo in WELCOME HOME, SOLDIER BOYS
Richard Compton directed the 1971 drama. The film had no original score. Ken Wannberg was the music supervisor for singer-composer Ronee Blakley and bluegrass group The Country Gazette, who performed several pieces on the film’s soundtrack. The film had only a limited release.
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Posted: |
Jun 5, 2025 - 12:01 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Aging rodeo star JUNIOR BONNER (Steve McQueen) decides to return to his hometown of Prescott, Arizona to enter the town's annual Frontier Days rodeo. Hurt from being thrown by a bull in his last rodeo, the affable but broke Junior, whom most people call "JR," borrows money from friends to pay his entrance fee to some of the events, including a wild-cow-milking contest, which he hopes to win with the help of his father, “Ace” (Robert Preston).
Junior’s mother "Ellie" (Ida Lupino) tells JR that because Ace was hurt in a car accident while driving drunk, she is looking after his dog while he is in the hospital. Ellie also reveals that JR's brother “Curly” (Joe Don Baker), a successful real estate developer who bought Ace's ranch for a below-market price, wants her to sell her house and collection of antiques to move out to a mobile home park he is developing called Reate Rancheroes.
Joe Don Baker in JUNIOR BONNER
Gene Hackman was originally going to play Curley, but Steve McQueen, who produced the film through his Solar Productions, wouldn't agree to his salary demands and vetoed the casting. Sam Peckinpah directed the 1972 film, a noted change of pace from his more recent, more violent films.
Joe Don Baker and Sam Peckinpah reportedly did not get along while filming. Baker said, "I didn't care for Peckinpah at all. He was one of those little guys who tries to bully big guys, and he almost got his ass whipped for trying to do it to me. Every time I was going to throttle Peckinpah, Steve McQueen would come over and calm me down like a brother would."
Jerry Fielding’s score has not had a release. The $3.2 million production was only an average performer at the U.S. box office, grossing $5.6 million.
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THAT CERTAIN SUMMER was an acclaimed drama in which television addressed homosexuality sympathetically for one of the first times. In the film, teenager “Nick Salter” (Scott Jacoby) visits his divorced father “Doug” (Hal Holbrook) and meets Dad's new friend “Gary McLain” (Martin Sheen). When Nick sees that Doug enjoys Gary's company more than the company of women, Nick must learn to deal with his father’s homosexuality. Joe Don Baker had a small role as Gary’s brother-in-law, “Phil Bonner.”
Lamont Johnson won a Directors Guild of America Award for the film, which aired on ABC on 1 November 1972. The film won a Golden Globe Award as “Best Movie Made for TV,” and was nominated for seven Emmy Awards. The unreleased score was by Gil Mellé.
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