<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $500,000 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $23 million </Td> </Tr> <P> Walking Tall is a 1973 American action semi-biopic film of Sheriff Buford Pusser, a professional wrestler - turned - lawman in McNairy County, Tennessee . It starred Joe Don Baker as Pusser . The film was directed by Phil Karlson . Based on Pusser's life, it was a combination of very loosely based fact and Hollywood revisionism . It has since become a well known cult classic with two direct sequels of its own, a TV movie, a brief TV series and a remake that had its own two sequels . </P> <P> Two actresses associated with this film went on to commit suicide: Brenda Benet, who was married to Bill Bixby from 1971 - 1979, took her life in April 1982; Elizabeth Hartman jumped from the 5th floor of a Pittsburgh apartment building in June 1987 . </P>

Who was the original actor in walking tall