When you hear "Walking Tall," your brain probably jumps straight to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson swinging a massive 4x4 cedar post like a baseball bat. It’s a classic image. But honestly, the rabbit hole of the cast of Walking Tall goes way deeper than a 2004 action flick.
There is this whole legacy of gritty, Southern justice that started back in the 70s. You've got the original 1973 powerhouse, a short-lived TV series from the 80s, and even some direct-to-video sequels that people totally forget exist. If you’re trying to track down who actually carried the big stick, you’re looking at a list that spans decades of Hollywood history.
The Man Who Started It All: Joe Don Baker
Before the glitz of the modern remake, there was Joe Don Baker. In 1973, he played the real-life Sheriff Buford Pusser. This wasn't some polished, superhero version of a lawman. Baker’s Pusser was raw. He was a retired professional wrestler who came home to McNairy County, Tennessee, only to find the "State Line Mob" had turned his town into a den of vice.
Baker’s performance is the reason the franchise exists. He was towering, but he felt like a guy you’d actually see at a hardware store. Alongside him was Elizabeth Hartman, who played his wife, Pauline. Her role is heartbreaking because, in real life and the film, she becomes the tragic casualty of Pusser’s war.
- Gene Evans as Sheriff Al Thurman
- Noah Beery Jr. as Carl Pusser (Buford's dad)
- Bruce Glover as Deputy Grady Coker
Interesting side note: Bruce Glover is actually Crispin Glover’s father. You can see the resemblance if you look closely enough. The 1973 film was a massive hit, but Joe Don Baker didn't actually return for the sequels. That’s where things got a bit weird with the casting.
Bo Svenson: The "Other" Buford Pusser
A lot of people think the original guy just kept making the movies. Nope. Bo Svenson stepped into the boots for Walking Tall Part 2 (1975) and Final Chapter: Walking Tall (1977). Svenson was a big guy—literally a former Marine—so he fit the physical profile, but he had a different vibe than Baker.
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He even took the role to the small screen in 1981 for a Walking Tall TV series. It only lasted seven episodes. It’s kind of a "lost" piece of media for many fans. The cast for that show included:
- Jeff Lester as Deputy Sean Murphy
- Harold Sylvester as Deputy Aaron Wright
- Heather McAdam as Dwana Pusser
It basically tried to turn the brutal revenge story into a weekly procedural. It didn't really stick.
The 2004 Reinvention: Dwayne Johnson and Johnny Knoxville
Then we get to the version everyone knows. The 2004 Walking Tall was less of a biography and more of a "inspired by" scenario. They changed the name of the main character to Chris Vaughn.
Dwayne Johnson was still in his transition phase from "The Rock" to "Movie Star" here. He had that massive charisma, but the movie really sang because of Johnny Knoxville. Knoxville played Ray Templeton, the sidekick. Honestly, their chemistry is the best part of the movie. Knoxville wasn't just doing Jackass stunts; he actually brought a lot of heart to the role of the drug-addicted friend turned deputy.
The Villains and Family
You can’t have a vigilante movie without a great punchable face. Neal McDonough as Jay Hamilton was perfect. He has those icy blue eyes that just scream "corrupt casino owner."
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The rest of the 2004 crew:
- Kevin Durand as Booth (The massive guy Chris Vaughn beats up in the casino)
- Ashley Scott as Deni
- John Beasley as Chris Vaughn Sr.
- Kristen Wilson as Michelle Vaughn
- Khleo Thomas as Pete (You might remember him as Zero from Holes)
The 2004 version felt much more like a modern Western. It moved the setting from Tennessee to Washington State (though they filmed it in British Columbia), which changed the aesthetic completely.
The Forgotten Sequels: The Kevin Sorbo Era
Here is where most people lose the thread. After the 2004 movie, they didn't stop. They just stopped putting them in theaters.
In 2007, we got two direct-to-video sequels: Walking Tall: The Payback and Walking Tall: Lone Justice. These didn't feature Dwayne Johnson. Instead, Kevin Sorbo (of Hercules fame) took over the lead. He played Nick Prescott, the son of a sheriff who—you guessed it—returns home to find things have gone south.
The cast for these sequels included Yvette Nipar and A.J. Buckley. While they aren't cinematic masterpieces, they kept the "guy with a stick" trope alive for a whole new generation of DVD bargain bin hunters.
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The Real-Life Controversy and Casting
One thing that often gets buried when talking about the cast of Walking Tall is the real Buford Pusser. He was actually supposed to play himself in the 1975 sequel. He had signed the contract and everything. Tragically, he died in a car accident before filming started, which is why Bo Svenson was cast.
Recently, there’s been a lot of renewed interest in the "true story" aspect. Some investigators have questioned the legendary status of Pusser, suggesting the "hero" narrative was a bit more complicated—and potentially darker—than the movies let on. It makes re-watching the Joe Don Baker version a lot more intense when you think about the man behind the myth.
What to Watch Next
If you're a fan of this specific type of "one man against the world" action, you've got options.
Start with the 1973 original. It’s much more violent and depressing than the Rock's version, but it’s a better film. Then, move to the 2004 remake for the pure fun of Johnson and Knoxville. If you're a completist, track down the Bo Svenson sequels. They feel very "70s grindhouse" in a way that’s actually pretty cool.
To really dig into this, look for documentaries on the real Buford Pusser. Seeing the actual photos of the "big stick" (it was a piece of hickory) puts the performances of Baker and Johnson into a much weirder, more grounded perspective. Check out your local streaming libraries or even physical media archives; the 1981 TV episodes are notoriously hard to find but pop up on collector sites occasionally.
Next Steps:
If you want to see the evolution of the genre, compare the courtroom scene in the 1973 film with the one in the 2004 remake. It shows exactly how Hollywood’s idea of "justice" changed over thirty years. You can usually find both on major rental platforms like Amazon or Apple TV.