Ralph Durwood Baker Jr. (February 3, 1945 – July 16, 2008) was an American broadcaster and actor. He was known for being a co-host of ''The Group and Chapman'' and ''
Sump'n Else
''Sump'n Else'' was an American live teen dance television show that aired from 1965 to 1968 on Channel8 WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas, formatted similarly to ''American Bandstand''.
Hosts
The show featuring a youthful host, Ron Chapman, who went ...
'' shows on
WFAA-TV
WFAA (channel 8) is a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex as an affiliate of ABC. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside Decatur-licensed Estrella TV affiliate KMPX (channel 29) ...
. He was known for being a DJ and announcer at
KLIF-AM, one of the first
Top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...
radio stations. Ralph was a "Teen Idol" broadcaster in the 1960s and was heard and seen in many television and radio commercials as well. In the mid-1960s he became known as "The Sanger-Harris Man" and was an official model for the
Sanger-Harris department store. He starred in ''
Night Fright
''Night Fright'' is a 1967 American science-fiction horror film directed by James A. Sullivan that was shot near Dallas, Texas.
In the early 1980s, the film was re-titled in the United Kingdom for VHS release as ''E.T.N.: The Extraterrestrial Nas ...
'', a 1967 American science-fiction film that was shot near Dallas, Texas.
Personal life
Ralph Durwood Baker Jr. was born on February 3, 1945, in
Dallas, Texas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County w ...
, to his parents Ralph Baker Sr, and Marjorie Baker. He grew up in the Highland Park neighborhood of Dallas. As a teenager he attended
Highland Park High School. He graduated high school in 1963.
In the summer of 1965 Ralph was visiting a Dallas hotel where he met a young woman named
Calleen Anderegg. She told him that she had just moved to Dallas from
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
, and that she hoped to become an actress and television personality. Baker told her that he was producing a program at
WFAA-TV
WFAA (channel 8) is a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex as an affiliate of ABC. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside Decatur-licensed Estrella TV affiliate KMPX (channel 29) ...
and had her audition for the producers of the show. She would become a regular member of The Group as well. Ralph and Calleen were often seen together on air.
Though Ralph was once always seen with Calleen Anderegg, he had grown up with a girl by the name of Elizabeth McCord and always loved her. He married her in July 1995 and she later gave birth to his daughter Bailey Margaret Baker on January 16, 1996.
Broadcasting career
In 1963 Ralph was hired by
WFAA-TV
WFAA (channel 8) is a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex as an affiliate of ABC. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside Decatur-licensed Estrella TV affiliate KMPX (channel 29) ...
to help produce and star in a local bandstand program called ''The Group and Harrigan'' with popular
KLIF DJ
Ron Chapman
KVIL (103.7 FM broadcasting, FM, ''Alt 103.7'') is a commercial Radio broadcasting, radio station city of license, dual-licensed to Highland Park, Texas, Highland Park and Dallas, Dallas, Texas. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and it serves the Dalla ...
who was known to D/FW as Irving Harrigan. Ron was already co-host of the ''Charlie and Harrigan Show'' on KLIF. They were told that they could not use the "Irving Harrigan" name because it belonged to the production team at KLIF. The program on WFAA became known as ''The Group and Chapman''. Ralph's position in this program was to perform and lip-synch to top 40 hits of the time. The audience and performers would dance to the songs that were chosen.
Joan Prather
Joan Prather is an American actress, best known for her role as Janet McArthur Bradford (wife of David) in ''Eight Is Enough''.
Early life
Prather was born in Dallas, Texas. Prather first began acting in grade-school stage productions, and wa ...
also joined the show around the same time. The show was broadcast every Saturday after the national ABC program ''
The Hollywood Palace
''The Hollywood Palace'' was an hour-long American television variety show that was broadcast weekly Saturday nights (except September 1967 to January 1968, when it was seen Monday nights) on ABC from January 4, 1964, to February 7, 1970. Title ...
''.
Ralph would become popular with promotion and also as a commercial announcer on D/FW television and radio.
The Sanger-Harris Man
Ralph took a position as a model for the
Sanger-Harris department store and was seen in the department stores catalogs and storefront displays. He also would advertise and sell their products. He hosted the
Sanger-Harris fashion segment on ''Sump'n Else'' since the store was a sponsor of the program.
KLIF announcer
Ralph took a position at KLIF as a late night announcer. He would be heard with the famous KLIF PAMS Jingles and play the top 40 hits of the time. He was now a broadcaster on the 50,000
watt
The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wa ...
AM Top 40 powerhouse. Ralph would continue to be a KLIF announcer and also announce commercials and promotions on the station while co hosting the ''
Sump'n Else
''Sump'n Else'' was an American live teen dance television show that aired from 1965 to 1968 on Channel8 WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas, formatted similarly to ''American Bandstand''.
Hosts
The show featuring a youthful host, Ron Chapman, who went ...
'' show at WFAA-TV.
Now Ralph had many different positions on DFW television and radio. He was one of the most seen and heard DFW broadcasters on different television and radio stations. This gave him more attention than many others since he had so many different positions.
In November 1967, Ralph teamed up with
KBOX
KBOX (104.1 FM, "Pirate Radio 104.1") is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Lompoc, California and serves the Santa Maria—Lompoc area. The station is owned by American General Media and broadcasts an adult hits format. It is pro ...
and
KVIL-FM DJ and Announcer
Frank Jolley and
John Agar
John George Agar Jr. (January 31, 1921 – April 7, 2002) was an American film and television actor. He is best known for starring alongside John Wayne in the films ''Sands of Iwo Jima'', '' Fort Apache'', and ''She Wore a Yellow Ribbon''. In hi ...
, former husband of Shirley Temple, to film a space science horror film called ''Night Fright''. Other local talents got the parts as the co-stars of this film.
''Sump'n Else'' changes
Some people came and went from the ''Sump'n Else'' show. Calleen Anderegg left for college in September 1967 but came back in January 1968. The ''Sump'n Else'' "Psychedelic Light Show" episode broadcast on
WFAA-TV
WFAA (channel 8) is a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex as an affiliate of ABC. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside Decatur-licensed Estrella TV affiliate KMPX (channel 29) ...
on January 26, 1968. Calleen Anderegg was back with Ralph for this episode. The set was re-designed with lights and props that could light up and change with the music they were performing to. A rotating light globe and mirror reflecting the back of the set were used for this episode. This was the last episode of ''Sump'n Else''. The afternoon ''
Dialing For Dollars'' program broadcast on
WFAA-TV
WFAA (channel 8) is a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex as an affiliate of ABC. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside Decatur-licensed Estrella TV affiliate KMPX (channel 29) ...
in the afternoons and afterwards the afternoon movie broadcast. Ron Chapman had joined the team of
KVIL-FM in 1968. Calleen Anderegg also worked with Ron at the production team for a brief time.
Even after ''Sump'n Else'' ended, Ralph was still heard as a commercial announcer on KLIF and a commercial announcer on WFAA-TV. He continued to be The Sanger-Harris Man and his commercials were seen and heard all over Dallas Fort-Worth television and radio.
In 1970 Ralph left Dallas/Fort Worth to become a national model and actor. He was seen in many national television series.
He returned to Dallas in the 1980s and reunited with the ''Sump'n Else'' cast for the 20th Anniversary Episode on September 7, 1985.
Back home
In 1992 Ralph returned to Dallas and became a
KRLD-AM news anchor and traffic reporter. The audience that grew up with him on WFAA-TV's ''Sump'n Else'' and KLIF Top 40 radio programs was now grown up. He was once again established and all over the D/FW broadcast airwaves.
In the mid- to late-2000s Ralph anchored
KTEN-TV News.
When he was not on air or making appearances, Ralph and Elizabeth were busy raising their daughter.
Later life
Ralph and his family settled back in Dallas after returning from KTEN. On July 16, 2008, Ralph suffered a heart attack and was taken to Presbyterian Hospital Of Dallas by wife Elizabeth. He died at the age of 63. He is succeeded by his wife Elizabeth and daughter Bailey, as well as Chase, Cash and Parris Paschal, his step-children from Elizabeth whom he loved as his own.
His daughter, Bailey Baker, is now 19 years old (as of 2015) and is an international Pop singer.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Ralph Jr.
1945 births
2008 deaths
American broadcasters
Radio personalities from Dallas
Television personalities from Texas