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Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934) is an English actor and writer. He is well known for his portrayal of the
fourth incarnation of
the Doctor in the science fiction television series ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' from 1974 to 1981.
[Scott, Danny. (17 December 2006)]
"A Life in the Day: Tom Baker"
''The Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...
''.
Later in his career, Baker performed in the television series ''
Medics
A medic is a person involved in medicine such as a medical doctor, medical student, paramedic or an emergency medical responder.
Among physicians in the UK, the term "medic" indicates someone who has followed a "medical" career path in postgrad ...
'' (1992–1995), ''
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)'' (2000–2001) and ''
Monarch of the Glen'' (2004–2005). He also provided narration for the television comedy series ''
Little Britain'' (2003–2006) and ''
Little Britain USA
''Little Britain USA'' is an American spin-off-continuation of British sketch show, ''Little Britain'', produced by and aired on HBO.
As in the British series, Matt Lucas and David Walliams play the majority of the characters: originals such a ...
'' (2008).
His voice, which has been described as "sonorous", was voted the fourth-most recognisable in the UK in 2006.
Early life
Thomas Stewart Baker was born on
Scotland Road
Scotland Road, known locally as Scottie Road, is the section of the A59 road situated near the docks in the Vauxhall district of north Liverpool, England.
History
Scotland Road was created in the 1770s as a turnpike road to Preston, Lancashir ...
in the
Vauxhall
Vauxhall ( ) is a district in South West London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. Vauxhall was part of Surrey until 1889 when the County of London was created. Named after a medieval manor, "Fox Hall", it became well known for ...
area of
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
on 20 January 1934. His mother, Mary Jane (''née'' Fleming), was a cleaner and devout
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. His father, John Stewart Baker, was a seaman and largely absent from the family due to being away at sea.
Baker attended
Cheswardine Hall Boarding School in
Shropshire
Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...
. At age 15, he became a novice religious brother with the Brothers of Ploermel (Brothers of Christian Instruction) in
Jersey
Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label=Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependencies, Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west F ...
and later in
Shropshire
Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...
.
He left the monastery six years later after losing his faith.
[New Humanist website, ibid](_blank)
Newhumanist.org.uk. In his autobiography, he said he realised he wanted to break each of the
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments (Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...
in order and thought he should get out before he did something serious.
He undertook his
national service
National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939.
The l ...
in the
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...
, serving from 1955 until 1957. Upon leaving the army, he served in the
Merchant Navy.
He took up acting around 1956, joining the
Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama
Rose Bruford College (formerly Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance) is a drama school in the south London suburb of Sidcup. The college has degree programmes in acting, actor musicianship, directing, theatre arts and various discipli ...
in
Sidcup
Sidcup is an area of south-east London, England, primarily in the London Borough of Bexley. It is south-east of Charing Cross, bordering the London Boroughs of Bromley and Greenwich. Before the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was in the ...
. He became a professional actor in the late 1960s.
Career
Early work
Baker was in his thirties when his professional acting career began and worked in provincial
rep theatre
A repertory theatre is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation.
United Kingdom
Annie Horniman founded the first modern repertory theatre in Manchester after withdrawing ...
. He had his first break whilst performing in a late-night pub revue for the 1968 York Festival. His performance was seen by someone with the
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. I ...
who encouraged him to audition for the company, then headed by
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the Theatre of the U ...
.
Baker did so and was offered a contract. From 1968 to 1971, he was given small parts and understudied, one of his bigger roles being the horse Rosinante in ''Don Quixote''.
[
Baker's stage work led to work on television where he gained small parts in series such as '']Dixon of Dock Green
''Dixon of Dock Green'' was a BBC police procedural television series about daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. It ran from 19 ...
'', ''Z-Cars
''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by the BBC, it debuted ...
'', ''Market in Honey Lane
''Market in Honey Lane'' was an ATV British television weekly series, which switched to a twice weekly soap opera format (shown at varying times around the ITV regions) after the first year. It was broadcast between April 1967 and March 1969. ...
'' and '' Softly, Softly''.[ His first major film role was as ]Grigori Rasputin
Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin (; rus, links=no, Григорий Ефимович Распутин ; – ) was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man who befriended the family of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, thus g ...
in the film ''Nicholas and Alexandra
''Nicholas and Alexandra'' is a 1971 British epic film, epic historical drama film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, from a screenplay written by James Goldman and Edward Bond, based on Robert K. Massie's 1967 Nicholas and Alexandra (book), boo ...
'' (1971) after Olivier had recommended him for the part. He was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
for his performance, one for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and another for Best Newcomer. Baker appeared as Moore, an artist whose paintings are imbued with voodoo power, in '' The Vault of Horror'' (1973) and as Koura, the villainous sorcerer, in Ray Harryhausen's ''The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
''The Golden Voyage of Sinbad'' is a 1973 fantasy film, fantasy adventure film directed by Gordon Hessler and featuring stop motion effects by Ray Harryhausen. Based on the ''Arabian Nights'' tales of Sinbad the Sailor, it is the second of thre ...
'' (1973).
Baker also appeared in Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini (; 5 March 1922 – 2 November 1975) was an Italian poet, filmmaker, writer and intellectual who also distinguished himself as a journalist, novelist, translator, playwright, visual artist and actor. He is considered one of ...
's 1972 version of Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer (; – 25 October 1400) was an English poet, author, and civil servant best known for ''The Canterbury Tales''. He has been called the "father of English literature", or, alternatively, the "father of English poetry". He wa ...
's ''The Canterbury Tales
''The Canterbury Tales'' ( enm, Tales of Caunterbury) is a collection of twenty-four stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. It is widely regarded as Chaucer's ''Masterpiece, ...
'' as the younger husband of the Wife of Bath.
''Doctor Who''
In 1974, Baker took over the role of the Doctor from Jon Pertwee
John Devon Roland "Jon" Pertwee (; 7 July 1919 – 20 May 1996) was an English actor, comedian, entertainer, cabaret performer and TV presenter. Born into a theatrical family, he served in the Royal Navy and the Naval Intelligence Division during ...
to become the Fourth Doctor
The Fourth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Tom Baker.
Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time Lord from the ...
in the BBC TV series. He was recommended to producer Barry Letts
Barry Leopold Letts (26 March 1925 – 9 October 2009) was an English actor, television director, writer and producer, best known for being the producer of '' Doctor Who'' from 1969 to 1974.
Born in Leicester, he worked as an actor in theatre ...
by the BBC's Head of Serials, Bill Slater, who had directed Baker in a ''Play of the Month
''Play of the Month'' is a BBC television anthology series, which ran from 1965 to 1983 featuring productions of classic and contemporary stage plays (or adaptations) which were usually broadcast on BBC1. Each production featured a different wor ...
'' production of Shaw's play ''The Millionairess
''The Millionairess'' is a 1960 British romantic comedy film directed by Anthony Asquith, and starring Sophia Loren and Peter Sellers. Set in London, it is a loose adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's 1936 play of the same name.
Plot
By the t ...
''. Impressed by Baker upon meeting him, Letts then became convinced he was right for the part after seeing his performance in ''The Golden Voyage of Sinbad''.[
] Baker was working on a construction site at the time, as acting jobs were scarce. Initially, he was dubbed "Boiler Suit Tom" by the media because he had been supplied for a press conference with some old studio set clothes to replace his modest garments. Letts left the series after producing Baker's debut story, ''Robot
A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be c ...
'' (1974–75), and was replaced by Philip Hinchcliffe
Philip Michael Hinchcliffe (born October 1944) is a retired English television producer, screenwriter and script editor. After graduating from Cambridge University, he began his career as a writer and script editor at Associated Television befo ...
. Under Hinchcliffe and script editor Robert Holmes the series gained a "Gothic tone" influenced by Hammer Film Productions
Hammer Film Productions Ltd. is a British film production company based in London. Founded in 1934, the company is best known for a series of Gothic horror and fantasy films made from the mid-1950s until the 1970s. Many of these involve clas ...
and, according to Hinchcliffe, was aimed "a bit more to the adults in the audience".
Baker quickly made the part his own, viewing figures for his first few years returning to a level not seen since the height of 'Dalek
The Daleks ( ) are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. They were conceived by writer Terry Nation and first appeared in the 1963 ''Doctor Who'' ...
mania' a decade earlier. His eccentric style of dress and quirky personality (particularly his trademark look
Trademark look or signature look is the characteristic clothes or other distinguishing signs used by a certain character or performer, making the person more recognizable by the audience. Politicians may also have trademark signs, such as the suit ...
of wearing a long scarf and having a fondness for jelly babies
Jelly Babies are a type of soft sugar jelly sweets in the shape of plump babies, sold in a variety of colours. They were first manufactured in Lancashire, England, in the nineteenth century. Their popularity waned before being revived by Basset ...
), as well as his voice, made him an immediately recognisable figure and he quickly caught the viewing public's imagination. Baker suggested many aspects of his Doctor's personality and became known for making "frequent and often comedic scripting suggestions and ad-libs
In music and other performing arts, the phrase (; from Latin for 'at one's pleasure' or 'as you desire'), often shortened to "ad lib" (as an adjective or adverb) or "ad-lib" (as a verb or noun), refers to various forms of improvisation.
The r ...
", but the scarf was created by accident. James Acheson
James Acheson (born 13 March 1946) is a British costume designer. He was educated at Colchester Royal Grammar School and studied at Wimbledon School of Art. He has designed costumes and sets for television, theatre, opera, ballet and film, work ...
, the costume designer assigned to his first story, had provided far more wool than was necessary to the knitter, Begonia Pope, intending for her to choose a suitable colour. However, due to miscommunication Pope knitted all the wool she was given.
During his period as the star of ''Doctor Who'', the original series received its highest viewing figures. Baker played the Doctor for seven consecutive seasons, making him the longest-serving actor in the part, and his incarnation is often regarded as the most popular of the Doctors. According to BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadca ...
in 2006, in polls conducted by ''Doctor Who Magazine
''Doctor Who Magazine'' (abbreviated as ''DWM'') is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Launched in 1979 as ''Doctor Who Weekly'', the magazine became a monthly publication the followi ...
'', Baker had only lost the "Best Doctor" category to Sylvester McCoy
Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith (born 20 August 1943), known professionally as Sylvester McCoy, is a Scottish actor. Gaining prominence as a physical comedian, he became best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the lon ...
in 1990 and to David Tennant
David John Tennant (''né'' McDonald; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He rose to fame for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor (2005–2010 and 2013) in the BBC science-fiction TV show '' Doctor Who'', reprising the rol ...
in 2006. In a 2010 interview, Baker said that he had not watched Tennant's performance as the Doctor but thought his ''Hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'' was excellent. Many of the stories from his early period are considered to be classics of the series, including ''The Ark in Space
''The Ark in Space'' is the second serial of the 12th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 25 January to 15 February 1975.
The serial is set more tha ...
'' (1975), ''Genesis of the Daleks
''Genesis of the Daleks'' is the fourth serial of the twelfth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was written by Terry Nation and directed by David Maloney, and originally broadcast in six weekly parts from ...
'' (1975), ''The Brain of Morbius
''The Brain of Morbius'' is the fifth serial of the 13th season of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 3 to 24 January 1976. The screenwriter credit is given ...
'' (1976), ''The Deadly Assassin
''The Deadly Assassin'' is the third serial of the 14th season of the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 30 October to 20 November 1976. It is the first seri ...
'' (1976) and ''The Robots of Death
''The Robots of Death'' is the fifth serial of the 14th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 29 January to 19 February 1977.
In the serial, the Four ...
'' (1977). However, the violent tone of the stories produced by Philip Hinchcliffe saw the series come under heavy criticism from morality campaigner Mary Whitehouse. Concerns over violence during this early period led to a lightening of the tone and an "erratic decline" in both the popularity and quality of the series. In a 2014 interview, Baker described Hinchcliffe as "amazing" and identified that as his favourite period of his time on the series. He described Hinchcliffe's successor, Graham Williams, as "absolutely devoted" but lacking his predecessor's flair and "let me get away with murder". He acknowledged that his final producer on the series, John Nathan-Turner
John Nathan-Turner (''né'' Turner; 12 August 1947 – 1 May 2002) was an English television producer. He was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series ''Doctor Who''. He was also the final producer of the series' first ...
, made changes he did not agree with and they "did not see eye-to-eye really about very much"; however, according to Baker, the two became good friends afterwards and forgot their disagreements. Baker additionally criticised season 18, his last on the show and Nathan-Turner's first as producer, for an increase in the regular cast, which resulted in what Baker saw as stories that were excessively reliant on the Doctor (rather than other principal characters) to drive the plot forward. Baker ultimately suggested that he may have stayed in the role for one series too many, stating in hindsight that he felt it would have been better for him to have left with Williams and let Nathan-Turner recast the role of the Doctor for season 18.
According to Baker in 2017, "When I was doing ''Doctor Who'', it was the realisation of all my childhood fantasies... so I took to it like a duck to water, and I still do. ''Doctor Who'' was more important than life to me—I used to dread the end of rehearsal... that's why I can't stay away from it." Although Baker declined to appear in the 20th anniversary ''Doctor Who'' episode ''The Five Doctors
''The Five Doctors'' is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', produced in celebration of the programme's 20th anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago ...
'' (1983) because it wasn't long since he'd left and he "didn't want to play 20 per cent of the part" and be "a feed for other Doctors", he briefly returned to the role of the Doctor for the 30th anniversary charity special ''Dimensions in Time
''Dimensions in Time'' is a charity special crossover between the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and the soap opera ''EastEnders'' that ran in two parts on 26 and 27 November 1993. It was filmed on location at Greenwich ...
'' (1993) and also recorded the audio for the PC video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
'' Doctor Who: Destiny of the Doctors'' (1997). Baker continues to be associated with the Doctor, appearing on documentaries such as the 40th anniversary BBC television retrospective ''The Story of Doctor Who'' (2003) and giving other interviews about his time on the programme, including for documentaries on the extras of ''Doctor Who'' DVD releases from his era as the Doctor, and he has recorded DVD commentaries for many of the stories.
Baker has been involved in the reading of old Target novelisations in the BBC Audio range of talking books, "''Doctor Who'' (Classic Novels)". ''Doctor Who and the Giant Robot
A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be c ...
'' was the first release in the range read by Baker, released on 5 November 2007, followed by Baker reading ''Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius'' (released 4 February 2008), ''Doctor Who and the Creature from the Pit
''The Creature from the Pit'' is the third serial of the 17th season of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 27 October to 17 November 1979. It was the first se ...
'' (released on 7 April 2008) and ''Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars
''Pyramids of Mars'' is the third serial of the 13th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Written by Robert Holmes and Lewis Greifer under the pseudonym of "Stephen Harris" and directed by Paddy Russell, the ...
'' (released 14 August 2008). In October 2009, Baker was interviewed for BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
's ''Last Word'' to pay tribute to deceased former ''Doctor Who'' producer Barry Letts
Barry Leopold Letts (26 March 1925 – 9 October 2009) was an English actor, television director, writer and producer, best known for being the producer of '' Doctor Who'' from 1969 to 1974.
Born in Leicester, he worked as an actor in theatre ...
. He described Letts, who originally cast him in the role, as "the big link in changing my entire life".
On 20 November 2013, Baker revealed that he would appear in the 50th-anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
", stating, "I am in the special. I'm not supposed to tell you that, but I tell you that very willingly and specifically; the BBC told me not to tell anybody but I'm telling you straight away." The episode saw Baker in the role of a mysterious curator in the National Gallery
The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director o ...
who openly discusses his resemblance to the Fourth Doctor with the Eleventh Doctor
The Eleventh Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. He is played by Matt Smith in three series as well as five specials. As with previous incarnations of the Docto ...
.
Baker also filmed inserts in 1992 for a video release of the unfinished Douglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author and screenwriter, best known for ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Originally a 1978 BBC radio comedy, ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' developed into a " ...
''Doctor Who'' serial '' Shada'', originally begun in 1979 but abandoned due to strike action, and presented the video release ''The Tom Baker Years'' (1992), which was a look back at his time on the series with Baker watching short clips from his episodes. In November 2017, Baker returned to the Doctor role by completing ''Shada''. Animation was added to complete the original story. He also filmed one new scene for inclusion in the final episode.
''Doctor Who'' audio dramas
While Peter Davison
Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor with many credits in television dramas and sitcoms. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan ...
, Colin Baker
Colin Baker (born 8 June 1943) is an English actor who played Paul Merroney in the BBC drama series '' The Brothers'' from 1974 to 1976 and the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series '' Doctor ...
, Sylvester McCoy
Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith (born 20 August 1943), known professionally as Sylvester McCoy, is a Scottish actor. Gaining prominence as a physical comedian, he became best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the lon ...
and Paul McGann
Paul John McGann (; born 14 November 1959) is an English actor. He came to prominence for portraying Percy Toplis in the television serial '' The Monocled Mutineer'' (1986), then starred in the dark comedy '' Withnail and I'' (1987), which wa ...
have all reprised their roles for audio adventures produced by Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays (released straight to compact disc and for download in MP3 and m4b format) based, primarily, on cult science fiction properties. These include ''Doctor Who'', the ...
(and sometimes the BBC) since the 1990s, Baker declined to voice the Doctor until 2009, saying that he had not seen a script he liked. In July 2009, the BBC announced that Baker would return to the role for a series of five audio dramas, co-starring Richard Franklin as Captain Mike Yates, which would begin release in September. The five audios comprise a single linked story under the banner title ''Hornets' Nest
''Hornets’ Nest'' is a 1970 Italian-American war film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Rock Hudson, Sylva Koscina, and Sergio Fantoni. The plot focuses on a group of boys aged 7–14 who survive a massacre in their village in Northern It ...
'', written by author Paul Magrs
Paul Magrs (pronounced "Mars"; born 12 November 1969) is a writer and lecturer. He was born in Jarrow, England, and now lives in Manchester with his partner, author and lecturer Jeremy Hoad.
Early life
Magrs was born in Jarrow, Tyne & Wear, on ...
. He returned with a sequel to ''Hornets' Nest'' called ''Demon Quest
''Demon Quest'' is an audio play in five episodes based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It is written by Paul Magrs, and stars Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor and Richard Franklin as Captain Mike Ya ...
''.
In March 2011, it was announced that Baker would be returning as the Fourth Doctor initially for two series of plays for Big Finish Productions, starring alongside former companions Leela (Louise Jameson
Louise Jameson (born 20 April 1951) is an English actress with a wide variety of television and theatre credits. Her roles on television have included playing Leela in ''Doctor Who'' (1977–1978), Anne Reynolds in ''The Omega Factor'' (1979), ...
) and Romana I (Mary Tamm
Mary Tamm (22 March 1950 – 26 July 2012) was a British actress, who appeared in many British TV drama series and serials, and is best known for her role as Romana I in the BBC's science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', starrin ...
). The first series of six audios were released starting in January 2012. Big Finish had also arranged for Baker to record a series of stories reuniting him with Elisabeth Sladen
Elisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen (1 February 1946 – 19 April 2011) was an English actress. She became best known as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series ''Doctor Who'', appearing as a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside ...
's character Sarah Jane Smith
Sarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running BBC Television science fiction series ''Doctor Who'' and two of its spin-offs. Sarah Jane is a dogged investigative journalist who first encounters alien t ...
(for which special permission was obtained from the producers of ''The Sarah Jane Adventures
''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' is a British science fiction television programme that was produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies, and starring Elisabeth Sladen. The programme is a spin-off of the long-running BBC sc ...
'' TV series), but Sladen died in April 2011 before any stories could be recorded. Baker recently recorded several Big Finish audio stories with Matthew Waterhouse
Matthew Waterhouse (born 19 December 1961) is an English actor and writer. From 1980 to 1982 he played the role of Adric in the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''.
Early life
Waterhouse was born in Hertford, but brought up ...
, who played Adric
Adric is a fictional character played by Matthew Waterhouse in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was a young native of the planet Alzarius, which exists in the parallel universe of E-Space. A compan ...
, and Lalla Ward
Sarah Jill "Lalla" Ward (born 28 June 1951) is an English actress, voice artist and author. She is best known for playing the role of Romana II in the BBC television series ''Doctor Who'' from 1979 to 1981.
Career
Early career
Ward's stage na ...
, who played Romana II
Romana may refer to:
People
* Romana (name), a feminine given name, including a list of people with the name
* Romana (singer) (Romana Panić, born 1975), a Serbian pop singer
* Romaña, a Spanish-language surname, including a list of people wi ...
(though Ward recorded her sections separately).
It was reported in April 2020 that Baker had recorded "Return of the Cybermen" for Big Finish, an alternative version of the story ''Revenge of the Cybermen
''Revenge of the Cybermen'' is the fifth and final serial of the 12th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 19 April to 10 May 1975. It was the first ...
'' (1975), with Sadie Miller
Sadie Isabelle Amy Miller (born 25 February 1985) is an English actress and author. She is known for her portrayal of Natalie Redfern in the ''Sarah Jane Smith'' audio drama series by Big Finish, her novel, ''Moon Blink'', from Candy Jar Books ...
, Elisabeth Sladen's daughter, taking over the role of Sarah Jane Smith from her mother. The story was released in March 2021.
Baker also returned to the role of the Curator for Big Finish, joining the casts of '' The Eighth Doctor Adventures'' and '' UNIT: The New Series''.
Later film and television work
In 1982, Baker portrayed Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
in a four-part BBC1 miniseries version of ''The Hound of the Baskervilles
''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' is the third of the four crime novels by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally serialised in ''The Strand Magazine'' from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set i ...
''; in the US, this production was telecast on A&E. He also made an appearance in ''Blackadder II
''Blackadder II'' is the second series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986. The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558– ...
'', in the episode "Potato", as the sea captain "Redbeard Rum". He played Puddleglum
Puddleglum is a fictional character in the children's fantasy series ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' by C. S. Lewis. Puddleglum appears as a principal character in ''The Silver Chair'', and is mentioned briefly at the end of '' The Last Battle''. Pud ...
, a "marsh-wiggle", in the 1990 BBC adaptation of C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Oxford University (Magdalen College, 1925–1954) and Cambridge Univers ...
' ''The Silver Chair
''The Silver Chair'' is a children's fantasy novel by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1953. It was the fourth published of seven novels in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' (1950–1956); it is volume six in recent editions, which are seq ...
''.
For the third series of the British game show ''Cluedo
''Cluedo'' (), known as ''Clue'' in North America, is a murder mystery game for three to six players (depending on editions) that was devised in 1943 by British board game designer Anthony E. Pratt. The game was first manufactured by Wadding ...
'', Baker was cast as Professor Plum
This is a list of people in the game of ''Cluedo'' (UK) / ''Clue'' (US).
Dr. Black / Mr. Boddy
Dr. Black (UK) / Mr. Boddy (US), a stock character and generic victim, is the owner of Tudor Close (later known as Tudor Manor, Tudor Hall, and Boddy ...
, a "man with a degree in suspicion". He was also cast in the 2004 series ''Strange
Strange may refer to:
Fiction
* Strange (comic book), a comic book limited series by Marvel Comics
* Strange (Marvel Comics), one of a pair of Marvel Comics characters known as The Strangers
* Adam Strange, a DC Comics superhero
* The title char ...
'', as a blind priest who possessed knowledge of the Devil. In addition, he played the part of Donald MacDonald in the BBC series '' Monarch of the Glen'', from 2004 until 2005. Previously, he had appeared as a guest on the quiz show '' Have I Got News For You'' and was subsequently described by presenter Angus Deayton
Gordon Angus Deayton (; born 6 January 1956) is an English actor, writer, musician, comedian, and broadcaster. He was the original presenter of the satirical panel game '' Have I Got News for You,'' the host of British panel show '' Would I Lie ...
as the funniest guest in the series' history. A particular highlight was when Baker gave an anecdotal account of how, while entering a recording studio in Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
, he was accosted by a member of the public who told Baker: "I will never forgive you, nor will my wife, for what you did to our grammar schools." Baker responded with: "What are you talking about, you daft bugger?" to which the stranger replied: "I'm so sorry. For a moment I thought you were Shirley Williams
Shirley Vivian Teresa Brittain Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby, (' Catlin; 27 July 1930 – 12 April 2021) was a British politician and academic. Originally a Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP), she served in the Labour cabinet from ...
."
Baker later returned to ''Have I Got News For You'' as a guest host in 2008. Baker played the role of the Captain in the Challenge version of '' Fort Boyard'', and has also hosted the children's literature series, ''The Book Tower''. He recorded a special called, ''Tom Baker – In Confidence'' that was shown in April 2010.
In the late 1990s, it was reported that Baker was a candidate for the role of Gandalf
Gandalf is a protagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. He is a Wizards (Middle-earth), wizard, one of the ''Istari'' order, and the leader of the Fellowship of the Ring (characters), Fellowship of t ...
in the ''Lord of the Rings
''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's boo ...
'' films. Baker has since stated that he was only approached for "a role" in the film, and turned down the offer when told that it would mean spending months away in New Zealand. He appeared as Halvarth, the Elven healer, in ''Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical Studies Rules ...
'' (2000).
''Little Britain''
After his work on ''Lionel Nimrod's Inexplicable World
''Lionel Nimrod's Inexplicable World'' was a BBC Radio 4 comedy series starring Stewart Lee and Richard Herring (the comedy duo Lee and Herring), and narrated by Tom Baker as the title character Lionel Nimrod, an over-the-top parody of Leonard Ni ...
'', Baker was cast as a similar narrator of '' Little Britain'' on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
and remained in the role when it transferred to television. He has suggested that he was chosen for the part in ''Little Britain'' due to his popularity with creators Matt Lucas
Matthew Richard Lucas (born 5 March 1974) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and television presenter. He is best known for his work with David Walliams on the BBC sketch comedy series ''Little Britain'' (2003–2006, 2020) and '' Come Fl ...
and David Walliams
David Edward Williams (born 20 August 1971), known professionally as David Walliams, is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television personality. He is best known for his work with Matt Lucas on the BBC sketch comedy series '' Little B ...
, part of the generation for whom he is the favourite Doctor. "I am now being employed by the children who grew up watching me", he stated in a DVD commentary. Another trademark of ''Little Britain''s narration is the deadpan quotation of old rap lyrics, usually in the opening credit sequence. On 17 November 2005, to mark the start of the third series of ''Little Britain'', Baker read the continuity announcements on BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
from 7 pm to 9:30 pm GMT
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, counted from midnight. At different times in the past, it has been calculated in different ways, including being calculated from noon; as a cons ...
. The scripts were written by Lucas and Walliams; Baker assumed his ''Little Britain'' persona. He used lines such as:
Voice acting
Baker has appeared in various radio productions, including a role as "Britain's most celebrated criminal barrister", Sir Edward Marshall-Hall
Sir Edward Marshall Hall, (16 September 1858 – 24 February 1927) was an English barrister who had a formidable reputation as an orator. He successfully defended many people accused of notorious murders and became known as "The Great Defende ...
in ''John Mortimer Presents the Trials of Marshall Hall'' (1996), " Josiah Bounderby" in Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
' '' Hard Times'' (1998) and a part in the 2001 BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
version of '' The Thirty-Nine Steps'' as Sir Walter Bullivant. He guest starred in ''The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
''The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'' is a series of radio dramas based on Arthur Conan Doyle's detective Sherlock Holmes. Written by Bert Coules as a pastiche of Doyle's work, the series was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2002, 2004, 2008 ...
'' (a pastiche series written by Bert Coules
Bert Coules is an English writer, mainly for the BBC, who has produced a number of adaptations and original works. He works mainly in radio drama but also writes for TV and the stage.
Early years
Bert Coules worked in radio drama for ten years, ...
) in the 2002 episode " The Saviour of Cripplegate Square". From 2000 to 2005 Baker voiced the character Max Bear in the Channel 4 (UK) Max Bear Productions animated series. He also voiced the role of the villain ZeeBad
Zibad ( fa, زيبَد, also Romanized as Zībad) is a village in Zibad Rural District, Kakhk District, Gonabad County, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 4243, in 1701 families.
Zibad, which means beautiful i ...
in the 2005 computer-animated film version of ''The Magic Roundabout
''The Magic Roundabout'' is an English-language children's television programme that ran from 1965 to 1977. It used the footage of the French stop motion animation show ''Le Manège enchanté'' but with completely different scripts and characte ...
''. In 2007 he voiced the character of Robert Baron in the BBC animated series ''The Secret Show''.
Baker narrates the children's computer-animated series ''The Beeps
''The Beeps'' is a CGI animated pre-school children's television series of 65 x 11-minute episodes. The show was initially broadcast in the UK on Channel 5 Milkshake! segment. Subsequently transmitted worldwide.
The series details the cheerf ...
'' which is shown on Channel 5's ''Milkshake!
''Milkshake!'' (stylised as milkshake!) is a British children's television programming block on Channel 5 and is currently aimed at children aged 3–7.
History
The block debuted on Channel 5's first full day on air, at 7.30am on 31 March 19 ...
'' as well as narrating ''Tales of Aesop'' on BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, a television series based on
Aesop's Fables
Aesop's Fables, or the Aesopica, is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. Of diverse origins, the stories associated with his name have descended to ...
with beautiful puppet animation. Most recently, Baker has returned to the role of the Fourth Doctor, first in three series of audio adventures for
BBC Audiobooks #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
: ''Hornet's Nest'', ''Demon Quest'' and ''Serpents' Crest''; and now in a new series of ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' audio adventures for
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays (released straight to compact disc and for download in MP3 and m4b format) based, primarily, on cult science fiction properties. These include ''Doctor Who'', the ...
also starring
Louise Jameson
Louise Jameson (born 20 April 1951) is an English actress with a wide variety of television and theatre credits. Her roles on television have included playing Leela in ''Doctor Who'' (1977–1978), Anne Reynolds in ''The Omega Factor'' (1979), ...
as "
Leela". There were seven releases in 2013 with
Mary Tamm
Mary Tamm (22 March 1950 – 26 July 2012) was a British actress, who appeared in many British TV drama series and serials, and is best known for her role as Romana I in the BBC's science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', starrin ...
as
Romana: (''
The Auntie Matter
''The Auntie Matter'' is an audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. This audio drama was produced by Big Finish Productions.
Plot
The Doctor and Romana are hiding from the Black Guardia ...
'', ''The Sands of Life'', ''War Against the Laan'', ''The Justice of Jalxar'', ''Phantoms of the Deep'', ''The Dalek Contract'' and ''The Final Phase''). Subsequent series also feature Baker alongside
John Leeson
John Francis Christopher Ducker (born 16 March 1943), known professionally as John Leeson, is an English actor, voice artist and freelance wine educator. He is known for portraying Bungle in ''Rainbow'' and voicing K9 in ''Doctor Who'' and s ...
as
K9, Lalla Ward as the second incarnation of Romana and
Matthew Waterhouse
Matthew Waterhouse (born 19 December 1961) is an English actor and writer. From 1980 to 1982 he played the role of Adric in the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''.
Early life
Waterhouse was born in Hertford, but brought up ...
as
Adric
Adric is a fictional character played by Matthew Waterhouse in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was a young native of the planet Alzarius, which exists in the parallel universe of E-Space. A compan ...
, all reprising their television roles.
In the third season of the animated series ''
Star Wars Rebels
''Star Wars Rebels'' is an American 3D animation, 3D animated science fiction on television, science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation and set in the ''Star Wars'' universe. It takes place over a decade after ''Episode ...
'', Baker provided the voice of Bendu, a powerful
Force
In physics, a force is an influence that can change the motion of an object. A force can cause an object with mass to change its velocity (e.g. moving from a state of rest), i.e., to accelerate. Force can also be described intuitively as a p ...
-sensitive being.
Video games
Baker starred as the Fourth Doctor in the 1997 video game ''
Destiny of the Doctors
''Doctor Who: Destiny of the Doctors'' is an action video game based on the BBC British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. It was released on 5 December 1997 by BBC Multimedia.
Overview
A collaboration between BBC Multimedia ...
'' where he provided the voice. His voice has also been featured in ''
Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future'' (2000),
''
Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior'' (2003), "
Sudeki" (2004), ''
Cold Winter
''Cold Winter'' is a 2005 first-person shooter video game developed by Swordfish Studios and published by Vivendi Universal Games for the PlayStation 2. Its story was written by Warren Ellis.
Plot
Andrew Sterling is a former British SAS sold ...
'' (2005), ''
: Resurrection'', ''
Hostile Waters: Antaeus Rising'', and ''
Little Britain: The Video Game'' (2007).
Narration
Baker is a prolific voiceover artist and his voice was voted as the fourth most recognisable in the UK in 2006 after
the Queen
In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to:
* Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death
The Queen may also refer to:
* Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...
,
Tony Blair
Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...
and
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...
.
In 1992 and 1993, Baker narrated BBC radio comedy series ''
Lionel Nimrod's Inexplicable World
''Lionel Nimrod's Inexplicable World'' was a BBC Radio 4 comedy series starring Stewart Lee and Richard Herring (the comedy duo Lee and Herring), and narrated by Tom Baker as the title character Lionel Nimrod, an over-the-top parody of Leonard Ni ...
''. In 1994 he provided the narration for
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
's ''
Equinox
A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun crosses the Earth's equator, which is to say, appears directly above the equator, rather than north or south of the equator. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise "due east" and se ...
''
rave
A rave (from the verb: '' to rave'') is a dance party at a warehouse, club, or other public or private venue, typically featuring performances by DJs playing electronic dance music. The style is most associated with the early 1990s dance mus ...
documentary ''Rave New World''. In 2002 he had a speaking role in the critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful ''
Hostile Waters'' as the Narrator.
He voiced both the narrator and the god "Tetsu" in the role-playing game ''
Sudeki'', but was uncredited. During the first three months of 2006, his voice was used by
BT for spoken delivery of
text messages
Text messaging, or texting, is the act of composing and sending electronic messages, typically consisting of alphabetic and numeric characters, between two or more users of mobile devices, desktops/ laptops, or another type of compatible comput ...
to landline phones. He recorded 11,593 phrases, containing every sound in the English language, for use by the text-to-speech service. The BT text message service returned from 1 December 2006 until 8 January 2007, with two pence from each text going to the charity
Shelter
Shelter is a small building giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger.
Shelter may also refer to:
Places
* Port Shelter, Hong Kong
* Shelter Bay (disambiguation), various locations
* Shelter Cove (disambiguation), various locatio ...
. Also, a single "sung" by Baker's text voice, "
You Really Got Me
"You Really Got Me" is a song written by Ray Davies for English rock band the Kinks. The song, originally performed in a more blues-oriented style, was inspired by artists such as Lead Belly and Big Bill Broonzy. Two versions of the song wer ...
" by
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm ...
, was released on 18 December 2006 with proceeds going to the charity. The creator of the song was Mark Murphy, designer of the site.
Baker's voice may be heard at London's
Natural History Museum
A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleontology, climatology, and more. ...
narrating commentary to some of the exhibits that demonstrate
Darwin's theory of
natural selection
Natural selection is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype. It is a key mechanism of evolution, the change in the heritable traits characteristic of a population over generations. Charle ...
. He has made three other brief forays into the world of music: he provides the monologue to the track "Witness to a Murder (Part Two)" on the album ''
Six
6 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
6 or six may also refer to:
* AD 6, the sixth year of the AD era
* 6 BC, the sixth year before the AD era
* The month of June
Science
* Carbon, the element with atomic number 6
* 6 Hebe, an asteroid
People ...
'' by
Mansun
Mansun were an English alternative rock band, formed in Chester in 1995. The band comprised vocalist/rhythm guitarist Paul Draper, bassist Stove King, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Dominic Chad, and drummer Andie Rathbone.
It was announc ...
; he appears on Technocat's single "Only Human" in 1995, and in 2002 he recorded the monologue to the track "Megamorphosis" on the album ''Andabrek'' by Stephen James, although the album was not released until 2009. Baker provides narrative at two British tourist attractions: the
Nemesis roller coaster
Nemesis is an inverted roller coaster located at the Alton Towers theme park in England. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride was designed by Werner Stengel in collaboration with attraction developer John Wardley. It opened in the ...
at
Alton Towers
Alton Towers Resort ( ) (often referred to as Alton Towers) is a theme park and resort complex in Staffordshire, England, near the village of Alton. The park is operated by Merlin Entertainments Group and incorporates a theme park, water park, ...
, Staffordshire; and the
London Dungeon
The London Dungeon is a tourist attraction along London's South Bank, England, which recreates various gory and macabre historical events in a gallows humour style. It uses a mixture of live actors, special effects and rides.
History
The L ...
, a museum depicting gory and macabre events in the capital, narrating the events leading up to and comprising
the Great Fire of London.
Baker voiced the character "Max Bear", a series of animated stories broadcast on Channel 4 (UK Terrestrial) from 2000 to 2005. He narrated Australian cartoonist
Bruce Petty
Bruce Leslie Petty, born 23 November 1929 at Doncaster, a suburb of Melbourne, is one of Australia's best known political satirists and cartoonists.[Nemesis (roller coaster)
Nemesis is an inverted roller coaster located at the Alton Towers theme park in England. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride was designed by Werner Stengel in collaboration with attraction developer John Wardley. It opened in the ...](_ ...<br></span></div>'s 2006 film about world politics, ''Global Haywire''.
Baker lent his voice to the 1994 rollercoaster, <div class=)
at
Alton Towers
Alton Towers Resort ( ) (often referred to as Alton Towers) is a theme park and resort complex in Staffordshire, England, near the village of Alton. The park is operated by Merlin Entertainments Group and incorporates a theme park, water park, ...
Books
Baker's autobiography, ''Who on Earth is Tom Baker?'' was published in 1997 and made available on
Kindle devices in September 2013.
Baker has also written a short fairytale-style novel called ''
The Boy Who Kicked Pigs
''The Boy Who Kicked Pigs'' is a short novel by actor Tom Baker. The novel is subtitled, "A grotesque masterpiece", and is illustrated with line drawings by David Roberts.
Plot
The novel begins by announcing that today will be the day that a ...
''. In 1981 he edited a collection of poems for children: ''Never Wear Your Wellies in the House and Other Poems to Make You Laugh''.
In 2019 Baker released a Doctor Who novel called ''Scratchman.'' Co-written with
James Goss, the novel is based on a script Tom Baker and Ian Marter wrote for a Doctor Who film in the 1970s. The plot involves the Fourth Doctor meeting Scratchman who may be the devil.
Theatre
In 1966 Baker became a member of
Frank Dunlop’s Pop Theatre Company production of
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
’s ''
The Winter's Tale
''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some criti ...
'', which was performed at that year's
Edinburgh International Festival
The Edinburgh International Festival is an annual arts festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, spread over the final three weeks in August. Notable figures from the international world of music (especially classical music) and the performing arts are i ...
and in the
Cambridge Theatre
The Cambridge Theatre is a West End theatre, on a corner site in Earlham Street facing Seven Dials, in the London Borough of Camden, built in 1929–30 for Bertie Meyer on an "irregular triangular site".
Design and construction
It was des ...
, London. Other cast members included
“Carry On...” stalwart
Jim Dale
Jim Dale (born James Smith; 15 August 1935) is an English actor, composer, director, narrator, singer and songwriter. In the United Kingdom he is known as a pop singer of the 1950s who became a leading actor at the National Theatre. In Britis ...
and up-and-coming actress
Jane Asher
Jane Asher (born 5 April 1946)The International Who's Who of Women, 3rd edition, ed. Elizabeth Sleeman, Europa Publications, 2002, p. 29 is an English actress and author. She achieved early fame as a child actress and has worked extensively in f ...
: Baker played several small roles within the play, including the infamous “bear”.
Baker joined the National Theatre in 1968 as an understudy for ''
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'' is an absurdist, existential tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, first staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's ''Hamle ...
'' followed by small parts in ''
The National Health'' by
Peter Nichols (directed by
Michael Blakemore
Michael Howell Blakemore OBE, AO (born 18 June 1928) is an Australian actor, writer and theatre director who has also made a handful of films. A former Associate Director of the National Theatre, in 2000 he became the only individual to win T ...
).
After playing the horse in ''The Travails of Sancho Panza'' (directed by
Joan Plowright
Joan Ann Olivier, Baroness Olivier, (née Plowright; born 28 October 1929), professionally known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English retired actress whose career has spanned over seven decades. She has won two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony ...
),
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the Theatre of the U ...
subsequently cast him as the
Prince of Morocco in ''
The Merchant of Venice
''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock.
Although classified as ...
''. The play was directed by
Jonathan Miller
Sir Jonathan Wolfe Miller CBE (21 July 1934 – 27 November 2019) was an English theatre and opera director, actor, author, television presenter, humourist and physician. After training in medicine and specialising in neurology in the late 19 ...
, with Baker appearing alongside Olivier as
Shylock
Shylock is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's play ''The Merchant of Venice'' (c. 1600). A Venetian Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the play's principal antagonist. His defeat and conversion to Christianity form the climax of the ...
. Still under contract at the National, Baker also played a Russian in ''
The Idiot
''The Idiot'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Идиот, Idiót) is a novel by the 19th-century Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. It was first published serially in the journal ''The Russian Messenger'' in 1868–69.
The title is an ...
'', Sir Frances Acton in ''A Woman Killed With Kindness'', opposite
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...
, and
Filippo
Filippo is an Italian male given name, which is the equivalent of the English name Philip, from the Greek ''Philippos'', meaning "amante dei cavalli".''Behind the Name''"Given Name Philip" Retrieved on 23 January 2016. The female variant is Fil ...
in ''
The Rules of the Game
''The Rules of the Game'' (original French title: ''La règle du jeu'') is a 1939 French Satire, satirical comedy-drama film directed by Jean Renoir. The ensemble cast includes Nora Gregor, Paulette Dubost, Mila Parély, Marcel Dalio, Julien ...
''.
After leaving the role of
The Doctor in 1981, Baker returned to theatre to play
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...
in ''Feasting with Panthers'' at the
Chichester Festival Theatre
Chichester Festival Theatre is a theatre and Grade II* listed building situated in Oaklands Park in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. Designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya
John Hidalgo Moya (5 May 1920 – 3 August 1994), ...
. The following year, he played
Judge Brack
''Hedda Gabler'' () is a play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. The world premiere was staged on 31 January 1891 at the Residenztheater in Munich. Ibsen himself was in attendance, although he remained back-stage. The play has been ca ...
in ''
Hedda Gabler
''Hedda Gabler'' () is a play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. The world premiere was staged on 31 January 1891 at the Residenztheater in Munich. Ibsen himself was in attendance, although he remained back-stage. The play has been can ...
'', with
Susannah York
Susannah Yolande Fletcher (9 January 1939 – 15 January 2011), known professionally as Susannah York, was an English actress. Her appearances in various films of the 1960s, including '' Tom Jones'' (1963) and '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' ...
as Hedda, in the West End. Also in 1982, Baker played Dr. Frank Bryant in a
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...
production of ''
Educating Rita
''Educating Rita'' is a stage comedy by British playwright Willy Russell. It is a play for two actors set entirely in the office of an Open University tutor.
Commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, ''Educating Rita'' premièred at The Wa ...
'', alongside Kate Fitzgerald as Rita.
He returned to the National Theatre in 1984 to play Mr Hardcastle in ''
She Stoops to Conquer
''She Stoops to Conquer'' is a comedy by Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays from the 18t ...
'' in the
Olivier Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. In ...
and on a later tour. The following year he played both
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
and
Moriarty in ''The Mask of Moriarty'' by
Hugh Leonard
Hugh Leonard (9 November 1926 – 12 February 2009) was an Irish dramatist, television writer, and essayist. In a career that spanned 50 years, Leonard wrote nearly 30 full-length plays, 10 one-act plays, three volumes of essay, two autobiograph ...
at the
Gate Theatre
The Gate Theatre is a Theater (structure), theatre on Cavendish Row in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1928.
History Beginnings
The Gate Theatre was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir with Daisy Bannard Cogley and Ge ...
in Dublin.
In 1987 Baker played
Inspector Goole in a revival production of ''
An Inspector Calls
''An Inspector Calls'' is a play written by English dramatist J. B. Priestley, first performed in the Soviet Union in 1945 and at the New Theatre in London the following year. It is one of Priestley's best-known works for the stage and is con ...
'' directed by
Peter Dews.
Music
In 1998, Baker provided narration on the track Witness to a Murder (Part 2) on the album ''
Six
6 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
6 or six may also refer to:
* AD 6, the sixth year of the AD era
* 6 BC, the sixth year before the AD era
* The month of June
Science
* Carbon, the element with atomic number 6
* 6 Hebe, an asteroid
People ...
'' by the English alternative rockband
Mansun
Mansun were an English alternative rock band, formed in Chester in 1995. The band comprised vocalist/rhythm guitarist Paul Draper, bassist Stove King, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Dominic Chad, and drummer Andie Rathbone.
It was announc ...
.
On 13 May 2020, Dutch producer and songwriter
Arjen Anthony Lucassen
Arjen Anthony Lucassen (born 3 April 1960) is a Dutch singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist musician and record producer best known for his long-running progressive metal/rock opera project Ayreon. Lucassen started his career in 1980 as the ...
announced that Baker would provide spoken vocals for the character of "The Storyteller" on
Ayreon
Ayreon is a musical project by Dutch songwriter, singer, musician and record producer Arjen Anthony Lucassen. Ayreon's music is described as progressive rock, progressive metal and power metal sometimes combined with genres such as folk, electro ...
's album, ''
Transitus
In Western Christianity, the Transitus (''translation'' from Ecclesiastical Latin: crossing) refers to "the time of passage through death to life".
The Christian theologian German Martinez writes that:
Observance
With reference to various C ...
''.
Personal life
Baker's first marriage was in 1961, to Anna Wheatcroft, niece of rose grower
Harry Wheatcroft
Harry Wheatcroft (1898–1977) was a famous English rose grower. He did a great deal to popularise roses among British gardeners. He was known for his flamboyant appearance and opinions.
Early life
Wheatcroft was born at 23 Handel Street, ...
; they had met and started dating in acting school. They had two sons, Daniel and Piers, and divorced in 1966. Baker lost contact with his sons until a chance meeting with Piers in a New Zealand pub allowed them to renew their relationship.
[Helen Weathers, "Who's got views for you", ''Daily Mirror'', 30 December 1998] In December 1980, he married
Lalla Ward
Sarah Jill "Lalla" Ward (born 28 June 1951) is an English actress, voice artist and author. She is best known for playing the role of Romana II in the BBC television series ''Doctor Who'' from 1979 to 1981.
Career
Early career
Ward's stage na ...
, who had co-starred in ''Doctor Who'' as his character's companion
Romana. They divorced in April 1982.
Baker married for a third time on 1 April 1986, to Sue Jerrard, who had been an assistant editor on ''Doctor Who''. They moved to the Bell House, a converted school in
Boughton Malherbe,
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
, where they kept several cats before moving to France in January 2003. They sold the property to Jim Moir ('
Vic Reeves
James Roderick Moir (born 24 January 1959), better known by his stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, artist, surrealist, musician, actor and television presenter, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer as Reeves & Mortimer. ...
') shortly after Baker had worked with him on the BBC revival of ''
Randall and Hopkirk''. In November 2006, Baker bought a house in
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in Kent, England, southeast of central London. It lies close to the border with East Sussex on the northern edge of the High Weald, whose sandstone geology is exemplified by the rock formation High Rocks. ...
, Kent, before later moving to
Rye, East Sussex
is a small town and civil parish in the Rother district of East Sussex, England, two miles from the sea at the confluence of three rivers: the Rother, the Tillingham and the Brede. An important member of the mediaeval Cinque Ports confederatio ...
.
Baker is cynical of religion and describes himself as irreligious, or occasionally as
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
, but not anti-religious.
[Mark Smith]
"From Gallifrey to Glenbogle"
''The Herald'', 17 September 2004 Politically, Baker has expressed disdain for the
Conservative Party
The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right.
Political parties called The Conservative P ...
and
New Labour
New Labour was a period in the history of the British Labour Party from the mid to late 1990s until 2010 under the leadership of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. The name dates from a conference slogan first used by the party in 1994, later seen ...
, saying in 1998, "when the Conservatives were in I cannot tell you how much I hated them, but I realise how shallow I am because I now hate the Labour Party as much."
Popular culture
* English
synthpop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
band
the Human League
The Human League are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their third album ''Dare' ...
recorded a track entitled "Tom Baker".
In 1981 it was released as the B-side to their "
Boys and Girls" single.
The instrumental track was re-released on some CD versions of their ''
Travelogue
Travelogue may refer to:
Genres
* Travel literature, a record of the experiences of an author travelling
* Travel documentary
A travel documentary is a documentary film, television program, or online series that describes travel in general or ...
'' album.
The song was inspired by the incidental music of ''Doctor Who''.
* A cartoon of Tom Baker, as the Fourth Doctor, appeared in as one of the "esteemed representatives of television" in ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
'' episodes"
Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming
"Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming" is the ninth episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 26, 1995. In this episode, Sideshow Bob ...
", "
Treehouse of Horror X
"Treehouse of Horror X" is the fourth episode of the eleventh season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'', and the tenth annual ''Treehouse of Horror'' episode, consisting of three self-contained segments. It first aired on ...
", and "
Mayored to the Mob
"Mayored to the Mob" is the ninth episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 20, 1998. After Homer prevents Mayor Quimby and Mar ...
". A fan of ''Doctor Who'' since childhood, ''Simpsons'' creator
Matt Groening
Matthew Abram Groening ( ; born February 15, 1954) is an American cartoonist, writer, producer, and animator. He is the creator of the comic strip ''Life in Hell'' (1977–2012) and the television series ''The Simpsons'' (1989–present), ''Fut ...
favours Tom Baker’s Doctor.
[Hauge, Ron. (2008). Commentary for "Treehouse of Horror X", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season'' VD 20th Century Fox.] ''Simpsons'' writer
Ron Hauge
Ron Hauge is an American television writer and executive producer.
Early in his career, Hauge was a contributor to '' National Lampoon''. In 1989 he created a graphic for ''Spy Magazine'' captioned "The World Championship," with wars between c ...
said, "There are several ''Doctor Who'' actors but Tom Baker is the one we always go with."
* Impressionist
Jon Culshaw regularly impersonates Baker in the comedy series ''
Dead Ringers''. On one episode of ''Dead Ringers'', Culshaw called Baker himself using his impersonation, introducing himself as the Doctor. An amused Baker replied, "No, there must be a mistake. ''I'm'' the Doctor!"
* A fictional version of Baker appears in the Kevin Sampson novel ''
Awaydays
''Awaydays'' is a 2009 British crime drama film directed by Pat Holden and starring Nicky Bell, Liam Boyle and Stephen Graham. It is based on the novel of the same name by Kevin Sampson that was published in 1998.
The film follows Paul Cart ...
''. In this story, he is attending the seventh International ''Doctor Who'' Convention in Halifax in December 1979, where the chief protagonists of the novel (a group of
Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. The team compete in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1884 as Belmont Football Club, they ado ...
hooligans) accidentally gatecrash. They befriend him and try to persuade him to tour the country as the Doctor sets fire to his farts. This scene was not included in the film version of the novel. In the DVD of the film the producer wanted to include extras with scenes of Baker in ''Doctor Who'' in it from the time but the BBC was not forthcoming because of the violent nature of the film.
Filmography
Film
Television
Video games
Radio
Audio dramas
Publications
Discography
References
External links
*
*
*
Tom Baker Biography – British Film InstituteTom Baker as Doctor Who in Denis Allen Print Birthday Cards circa 1978at Doctor Who Appreciation Society Online Archive
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Tom
1934 births
Living people
Military personnel from Liverpool
20th-century British Army personnel
20th-century English male actors
21st-century English male actors
Alumni of Rose Bruford College
Audiobook narrators
Converts to Buddhism from Roman Catholicism
English Buddhists
English humanists
English male film actors
English male radio actors
English male stage actors
English male television actors
English male voice actors
English people of Irish descent
English people of Scottish descent
Little Britain
Male actors from Liverpool
People from Boughton Malherbe
People from Rye, East Sussex
People from Vauxhall, Liverpool
Royal Army Medical Corps soldiers