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Joe Purcell
	Joe Purcell
Acting Governor of Arkansas
	In office; January 3, 1979 – January 9, 1979
Lieutenant	N/A
Preceded by	David Pryor
Succeeded by	Bill Clinton
	Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
	In office; 1975 – 1981
Governor	David Pryor; Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Bob C. Riley
Succeeded by	Winston Bryant
	Arkansas Attorney General
	In office; 1967 – 1971
Preceded by	Bruce Bennett
Succeeded by	Ray Thornton
Born	June 29, 1923; Warren, Arkansas
Died	March 1987 (aged 64); Benton, Arkansas
Political party	Democratic
Profession	Attorney
	Served unexpired term of David Pryor, following Pryor's ascent to the United States Senate

Joseph Edward Purcell (July 29, 1923 – March 1987) was the Democratic acting Governor of Arkansas for six days in 1979 as well as Arkansas Attorney General from 1967-1971 and its Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas from 1975-1981.

Purcell was born in Warren, the seat of Bradley County, in southern Arkansas. He graduated from Little Rock Junior College and served in the United States Army during World War II. He graduated from the University of Arkansas Law School in 1952 and practiced law in Benton, Arkansas.

From 1955-1959 he served as a city attorney in Benton. He was municipal judge from 1959 until 1966, when he was elected attorney general. He defeated the Republican Jerry Thomasson in 1966 and again in 1968. As attorney general, Purcell instituted a number of reforms and innovations, including a pro-active consumer protection office which sided with ratepayers and borrowers against public utilities and banks and which strictly enforced election laws to ensure honest balloting.^{[citation needed]}

Purcell developed a reputation for integrity^{[citation needed]} which led many to encourage him to run for governor in 1970. In that race, he placed third, behind former Governor Orval Eugene Faubus and Dale Leon Bumpers, a 45-year old Charleston lawyer whose boiling, telegenic appeal edged out Purcell's laconic, almost wooden speaking style. Bumpers went on to defeat Faubus in the runoff and then Republican Governor Winthrop Rockefeller in the general election. Purcell ran again in 1982 and secured a runoff berth, but he lost the nomination to former Governor Bill Clinton. U.S. Representative Jim Guy Tucker, State Senator Kim Hendren of Benton County in northwestern Arkansas, and Monroe Schwarzlose of Cleveland County, ran in that same primary but finished in third, fourth, and fifth place, respectively. Clinton then toppled incumbent Republican Governor Frank D. White in November, who had unseated Clinton in 1980.

Purcell was elected lieutenant governor in 1974. He handily defeated the Rockefeller Republican Leona Troxell of Rose Bud in White County. He was reelected to the post in 1976 and 1978. He served as Acting Governor for six days in 1979, having filled the unexpired term of then senator-elect David Hampton Pryor of Camden.^{[original research?]}

Purcell resided in Benton until his death at the age of sixty-three.^{[citation needed]}

Purcell married the former Helen Hale, and the couple had two daughters, Lynelle and Ede.

Purcell has three grandchildren: Brian Hogue, David Hogue, and Erin Hogue.

Political offices
Preceded by David Pryor	Governor of Arkansas (acting) January 1979	Succeeded by Bill Clinton
Preceded by Bob C. Riley	Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas 1975–1981	Succeeded by Winston Bryant
Legal offices
Preceded by Bruce Bennett	Arkansas Attorney General 1967–1971	Succeeded by Ray Thornton