Tom Baker: Difference between revisions

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{{real world}}
{{real world}}
{{Infobox Person
|image          = Tom Baker 2.jpg
|birth date    = [[20 January (people)|20 January]] [[1934 (people)|1934]]
|aka            = Thomas Stewart Baker
|role          = [[Fourth Doctor]], [[the Curator]]
|job title      = [[Actor]]
|time          = 1974-81, 2009-present
|non dwu        = ''[[Z-Cars]]'', ''[[Dixon of Dock Green]]'', ''Nicholas and Alexandra'', ''Jackanory'', ''The Golden Voyage of Sinbad'', ''The Hound of the Baskervilles'', ''Black-Adder II'', ''Tales of Aesop'', ''The Silver Chair'', ''Medics'', ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', ''Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)'', ''Little Britain'', ''Monarch of the Glen'', ''The Wind in the Willows'', ''[[Treasure Island]]'', ''[[Star Wars|Star Wars Rebels]]'', ''[[Baker's End (audio series)|Baker's End]]''
|clip          = Doctor Who Robots of Death Event - Tom Baker on being Doctor Who
|clip2          = Exclusive -- Tom Baker talks regeneration - Doctor Who - BBC
|clip3          = Tom Baker - Afternoon Plus - Interview
|official site  = www.tombakerofficial.com/
|imdb          = 0048982
|story          = [[#Credits|See credits section]]
}}{{dab page|Tom Baker (disambiguation)}}
'''Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker''' (born [[20 January (people)|20 January]] [[1934 (people)|1934]] in [[Liverpool]]<ref>[https://www.tombakerofficial.com/biography/ Tom Baker Official Website]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/entries/ffc278d2-c196-3304-ab1f-d6a44d3a5024|title=Tom Baker at 80|author=The Doctor Who Team|website name=Doctor Who website|date of source=20 January 2014|accessdate=13 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho/status/689749265929879552|title=Happy birthday to the mighty Tom Baker!|author=Doctor Who Official|website name=Twitter|date of source=20 January 2016|accessdate=13 December 2016}}</ref>) played the [[Fourth Doctor]] from 1974 to 1981, beginning with an uncredited appearance at the conclusion of ''[[Planet of the Spiders (TV story)|Planet of the Spiders]]'', continuing from ''[[Robot (TV story)|Robot]]'' to ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]''.


[[Image:Tom Baker.jpg|left|200px|Tom Baker in a 1992 agency publicity photo]]
He later reprised the role in the thirtieth-anniversary [[Children in Need]] special, ''[[Dimensions in Time (TV story)|Dimensions in Time]]'', and in audio for both [[BBC Audio]] and [[Big Finish Productions]], most notably in his own series, the ''[[Fourth Doctor Adventures (audio series)|Fourth Doctor Adventures]]''. It is the role with which he remains most associated. Baker would return to the television series as [[the Curator]], a possible future version of the Doctor, in the 50th anniversary special ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]'', which he would reprise in Big Finish's ''[[Stranded (audio series)|Stranded]]'' and ''[[UNIT: The New Series]]'' audio adventures.
'''Thomas Stewart Baker''' (born [[20th January|20]] [[January]], [[1934]]) played the [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]] of [[the Doctor]] from [[1974]] to [[1981]], beginning with an uncredited appearance at the conclusion of "[[Planet of the Spiders]], continuing from "[[Robot (TV story)|Robot]]" to "[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]." He later reprised the role in the thirtieth anniversary Children in Need special, "[[Dimensions in Time]]." It is the role with which he remains most associated.


==Early life and career==
In 2019, Baker's runtime in Big Finish audio stories reached and began to exceed the runtime of his original era on television.<ref>''[[The Big Finish Podcast]]'' (2019-02-03).</ref>
Baker was born in [[Liverpool]]. His father, Thomas, was a sailor who was rarely at home, resulting in Tom being raised largely by his mother, Mary Jane, in her Roman Catholic faith. He left school at 15 to become a novice monk and remained in the monastic life for six years, but left and went into the Merchant Navy, at the same time taking up acting, at first as a hobby. In [[1971]], he got his first big break with the role of [[Rasputin]] in the film ''Nicholas and Alexandra'' (which also starred [[Michael Jayston]], who later played the [[Valeyard]]).  Other early roles for Baker included Lynch in ''The Mutations'', Jenkin in "The Miller's Tale" segment of ''The Canterbury Tales'', and Dr. Ahmed el Kabir in a [[BBC]] telelvision version of ''The Millionairess'', co-starring Maggie Smith.


==Baker in Doctor Who==
== Early life and career ==
In [[1974]], Baker took on the role of the Doctor from [[Jon Pertwee]]. He was cast largely because of his performance as the evil sorcerer Koura in ''The Golden Voyage of Sinbad''. Baker was working as a brick hauler on a construction site at the time, as acting jobs were scarce. Initially he was dubbed "Boiler Suit Tom" by the media, as he had been supplied for a press conference with some old studio set clothes to replace his modest garments.  
Baker was born in [[Liverpool]]. His father, John Stewart Baker, was a sailor who was rarely at home, resulting in Tom being raised largely by his mother, Mary Jane, in her Roman Catholic faith. He left school at fifteen to become a novice monk and remained in the monastic life for six years. He left to go into the [[Merchant Navy]], at the same time taking up acting, at first as a hobby. In 1971, he got his first big break, playing Rasputin in the film ''Nicholas and Alexandra'' (which also starred [[Michael Jayston]], who later played [[the Valeyard]]). Other early roles for Baker included Lynch in ''The Mutations'', Jenkin in "The Miller's Tale" segment of ''The Canterbury Tales'', and Dr Ahmed el Kabir in a [[BBC]] television version of ''The Millionairess'', co-starring Maggie Smith.


He quickly made the part his own. As the Doctor, his eccentric style of dress and speech &mdash; particularly his trademark long [[scarf]] and fondness for [[jelly baby|jelly babies]] &mdash; made him an immediately recognisable figure, and he quickly caught the viewing public's imagination. His decision to move on in [[1981]] was regretted by many of the programme's fans, and his incarnation is generally regarded as the most popular of the Doctors. Baker played the Doctor for seven consecutive seasons over a seven-year period, making him the longest-serving actor in the part on-screen.  
== Tom Baker in ''Doctor Who'' ==
In 1974, Baker took on the role of the Doctor from [[Jon Pertwee]]. He was cast largely because of his performance as the evil sorcerer Koura in ''The Golden Voyage of Sinbad''. Baker was working as a brick hauler on a construction site at the time, as acting jobs were scarce. Initially he was dubbed "Boiler Suit Tom" by the media, as he had been supplied with old studio set clothes to replace his modest garments at a press conference.


In 1981 he married [[Lalla Ward]] who had co-starred in ''Doctor Who'' (playing his assistant [[Romana II|Romana]]) with him for two years - their marriage lasted only 16 months. In [[1985]], Baker married [[Sue Jerrard]], who had been an [[assistant editor]] on ''Doctor Who''. They moved to a converted school in [[Maidstone]], [[Kent]] where they kept lots of [[cat]]s before emigrating to [[France]] in [[2002]].
He quickly made the part his own. As the Doctor, his eccentric style of dress and speech — particularly his trademark long scarf and fondness for [[jelly baby|jelly babies]] — made him an immediately recognisable figure, and he quickly caught the viewing public's imagination. His decision to move on in 1981 was regretted by many of the programme's fans, and his incarnation is generally regarded as the most popular of the Doctors (his nearest rival not arriving until [[David Tennant]] in the 2000s). Baker played the Doctor for seven consecutive seasons over a seven-year period, making him the longest-serving actor in the part.


==Post Doctor Who career==
In ''[[The Hand of Fear (TV story)|The Hand of Fear]]'' part four, [[Bob Baker]] and [[Dave Martin]] intentionally left the departure of [[Sarah Jane Smith]] untouched. Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen wrote Sarah's departure scene themselves.
Baker has played character parts on [[television]] (including Captain Redbeard Rum in the second series ''Blackadder'' episode "Potato" and Puddleglum in the [[BBC]]'s production of ''The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair'') and radio (including ''John Mortimer Presents the Trials of Marshall Hall'' in which Baker plays Britain's most celebrated criminal barrister, Sir Edward Marshall Hall). He also had a significant role in ''The Life and Loves of a She-Devil''.


The popularity of ''Doctor Who'' in the [[US]] in the mid-[[1980s]] led to some work on American television, including the roles of Sir Guy de Gisbourne in ''The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood'', with George Segal and Morgan Fairchild, and a renegade Interpol agent in an episode of ''Remington Steele''.
In ''[[The Armageddon Factor (TV story)|The Armageddon Factor]]'', Baker got into arguments with producers over how he should play the Doctor, and was furious with producers over their scripts, yet he got along very well with director [[Michael Hayes]]. Baker also got along well with [[Valentine Dyall]], who played [[Black Guardian|the Black Guardian]], and [[John Woodvine]], who played [[Marshal of Atrios|the Marshal]]. He usually got along well with the regular cast and guest cast, but got angry at the crew sometimes. Baker, along with the cast and crew, disliked [[Alan Bromly]], who directed ''[[Nightmare of Eden (TV story)|Nightmare of Eden]]''.
[[File:Doctor_Who_experience_open.jpg|thumb|left|Tom Baker ''(centre)'' poses with wax sculptures of the Fourth Doctor ''(left)'' and Meglos ''(right)'', made by Madame Tussauds. Baker was the first person ever to be portrayed twice at the famous London wax museum. ([[DWM 48]])]]
When [[John Nathan-Turner]] became producer of ''Doctor Who'' in 1980, Baker, [[Lalla Ward]] and [[Christopher H. Bidmead]] all angrily protested Nathan-Turner's decisions to take ''Doctor Who'' in a different direction. Tom Baker also disliked [[Matthew Waterhouse]] and [[Janet Fielding]], although the three became friends years later.


He has also hosted the children's literature show ''The Book Tower''. He became mostly known, however, for doing advertising voiceovers. Baker's distinctive voice has become a gift for impressionists, and he is regularly impersonated in the popular comedy series ''Dead Ringers''.
In 1980 he married Lalla Ward who had co-starred in ''Doctor Who'' (playing his assistant [[Romana II]]) with him for two years — their marriage lasted only sixteen months. In 1986, Baker married [[Sue Jerrard]], who had been an uncredited [[assistant editor]] on the ''Doctor Who'' television story ''[[Horror of Fang Rock (TV story)|Horror of Fang Rock]]''. ([[DWM 501]]) They moved to a converted school in [[Maidstone]], [[Kent]] where they kept lots of [[cat]]s before emigrating to [[France]] in 2002.


In the [[1990s]], he played Professor Geoffrey Hoyt in ''Medics'' and had a recurring role in the Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer revival of ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)''. (Reeves later bought Baker's school house when he moved to France.) He also had a part in the [[2001]] BBC Radio 4 version of ''The Thirty-Nine Steps'' as Sir Walter Bullivant and narrated the BBC radio comedy series ''Lionel Nimrod's Inexplicable World'' and later ''Little Britain''. He continues to narrate the television series of the same name.  
== Post-''Doctor Who'' career ==
Baker has played various character parts on [[television]] since leaving ''Doctor Who'', such as Captain Redbeard Rum in the second series ''Blackadder'' episode ''Potato'' (1986) and {{iw|Narnia|Puddleglum}} in the [[BBC]]'s production of ''The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair'' (1990). He also had a significant role in one episode of ''The Life and Loves of a She-Devil'' (1986) as Father Ferguson. In 1982 he played Sherlock Holmes in the BBCs four part TV adaptation of ''The Hound of The Baskervilles'', with Terence Rigby as Dr Watson, and he also appeared in an episode of ITV's ''Jemima Shore Investigates'', namely ''Dr Zeigler's Casebook'' as Dr Norman Zeigler in 1983.


Also in the early 2000s, it was reported that Baker was a candidate for the role of Gandalf in the ''Lord of the Rings'' films, after playing a minor role as a wise elf in the Dungeons & Dragons film.  
Baker has also appeared in radio shows, such as ''John Mortimer Presents the Trials of Marshall Hall'' (1996) in which he played Britain's most celebrated criminal barrister, Sir Edward Marshall Hall.


In [[2002]] he also had a speaking role in the critically-acclaimed but commercial flop ''Hostile Waters'' as the Narrator.  
The popularity of ''Doctor Who'' in the [[US]] in the mid-1980s led to some work on American television, including the roles of Sir Guy de Gisbourne in ''The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood'', with George Segal and Morgan Fairchild, and a renegade Interpol agent in an episode of ''Remington Steele''.


In [[2004]], Baker completed filming a season of ''Monarch of the Glen'', a BBC drama series. He plays Donald McDonald, an eccentric former race car champion who, having been away since early childhood, returns home after hearing of the death of his brother Hector (who was played by [[Richard Briers]] until his departure at the end of the previous season). More recently, he voiced the role of the villain ZeeBadDee in the computer-animated film version of ''The Magic Roundabout'', and played the role of the Captain in the Challenge TV version of ''Fort Boyard''.
Baker continued some involvement with ''Doctor Who'' in the early 1980s, recording audio book versions of several novelisations, including ''[[Doctor Who and the State of Decay (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the State of Decay]]'' and ''[[Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius]]''.


He continues to be associated with the Doctor, appearing on documentaries like ''[[The Story of Doctor Who]]'' and ''[[Doctor Who Confidential]]'' and giving interviews about his time on the programme. Although he reappeared as the Doctor for the [[1993]] charity special ''[[Dimensions in Time]]'', he has, to date, declined to follow his successors and reprise the role for any of the audio dramas based upon the series.  Baker had somewhat notoriously rejected reprising the role in the [[1983]] twentieth-anniversary special, "[[The Five Doctors]]," a decision he later said he regretted.  
Prior to leaving ''Doctor Who'' he had also hosted the ITV children's literature show ''The Book Tower'' (1979/80). He became mostly known, however, for doing advertising voiceovers. Baker's distinctive voice has become a gift for impressionists, and he was regularly impersonated as the Doctor by Jon Culshaw in the comedy series ''Dead Ringers''.


In a [[2005]] interview regarding the series revival, Baker suggested that he be cast as [[the Master]], an in-joke referring to his role in the original series. However, he was most likely joking.
In the 1990s, Baker played series regular Professor Geoffrey Hoyt in ITVs ''Medics'' and had a recurring role in the Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer revival of ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' for the BBC. He also had a part in the 2001 BBC Radio 4 version of ''The Thirty-Nine Steps'' as Sir Walter Bullivant and narrated the BBC radio comedy series ''Lionel Nimrod's Inexplicable World''. In the 2000s, he narrated both the radio and television versions of ''Little Britain'', created by and starring [[David Walliams]] and [[Matt Lucas]].


==Miscellaneous==
Also in the early 2000s, it was reported that Baker was a candidate for the role of [[Gandalf]] in the ''Lord of the Rings'' films, after playing a minor role as a wise elf in the Dungeons & Dragons film.
Baker's autobiography entitled ''Who on Earth is Tom Baker?'' (ISBN 000638854X) was published in [[1997]]. He has also written a short fairytale-style novel titled ''The Boy Who Kicked Pigs'' (ISBN 057119771X), which has been described as "A Grotesque Masterpiece". His first book for children, ''The Boy Who Forgot to Grow Down'', (ISBN 0099349108), was published in [[1984]].


Several reference books published in the late [[1980s]] erroneously reported that Baker died of a drug overdose in [[1982]]. Baker does have a reputation, acknowledged in his autobiography, of being a heavy drinker like fellow Doctor actor [[William Hartnell]], and sometimes makes humorous reference to it. In response to the numerous enquiries he gets about his time as the Doctor he often replies, "You will have to excuse me but I was drunk at the time."  The confusion over the 1982 date of death arises from the death of an American actor named Tom Baker who died of a drug overdose that year.  (''That'' Tom Baker was the friend of another famous drinker, Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors.)
In 2002, he had a speaking role in the critically-acclaimed but commercial flop ''Hostile Waters'' as the Narrator.


Baker had a brief foray into the world of music, providing the monologue to the track ''Witness to a Murder (Part Two)'' on the album ''Six'' by Mansun. He has also done voice work for the video games ''Perfect Dark'' ([[2000]]) and ''Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future'' (2000).
In 2004, Baker completed filming a season of ''Monarch of the Glen'', a BBC drama series. He played Donald McDonald, an eccentric former race car champion who, having been away since early childhood, returns home after hearing of the death of his brother Hector (who was played by [[Richard Briers]] until his departure at the end of the previous season). In 2005, he voiced the role of the villain ZeeBad in the computer-animated film version of ''The Magic Roundabout'', and played the role of the Captain in the Challenge TV version of ''Fort Boyard''.


In [[1972]] he appeared in an edition of the American talk variety programme ''The Tonight Show'' with Johnny Carson.
He continues to be associated with the Doctor, appearing on documentaries like ''[[The Story of Doctor Who]]'' and ''[[Doctor Who Confidential]]'', giving interviews about his time on the programme. He has also participated in numerous DVD releases of his stories, recording commentaries with his co-stars and on-camera interviews. On the DVD release of his final stories, ''[[New Beginnings]]'', Baker is notably candid about his behaviour in the final months of his tenure, and the reasons for his departure from the series.


Tom Baker is not directly related to [[Colin Baker]], who played the [[Sixth Doctor]] in ''Doctor Who''.  According to a magazine special published by [[Radio Times]] magazine in 1983 to honor ''Doctor Who'''s twentieth anniversary, [[Jackie Lane]], who played [[Dodo Chaplet]] on the series in the [[1960s]], was Tom Baker's agent for a time.
Baker would later be cast in the animated series {{wi|Star Wars Rebels}} as {{iw|starwars|Bendu}}, an ancient Force wielder who is neither Jedi nor Sith but describes himself as "the one in the middle".


In [[1981]], the new wave pop group Human League released a tribute song to the actor entitled "Tom Baker", found on their ''Travelogue'' album.
In late 2019, Baker narrated a trailer promoting the release of the classic series of ''Doctor Who'' to [[BritBox]], which began hosting the series from [[Boxing Day]].<ref>https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MhM7m9IKWbM</ref>


In a poll published by BBC Homes and Antiques magazine in January 2006, Baker was voted the fourth most eccentric star, being beaten by Bjork, Chris Eubank, and David Icke.
== Returning to the role ==
Although Baker reappeared as the Doctor for the 1993 charity special ''[[Dimensions in Time (TV story)|Dimensions in Time]]'', he had, for many years, declined to follow his successors and reprise the role for any of the audio dramas based upon the series and produced by [[Big Finish Productions]].
 
Between 2009 and 2011, Baker reprised his role as the Fourth Doctor for three series of audio dramas for [[BBC Audio]] under the umbrella titles of ''[[Hornets' Nest]]'', ''[[Demon Quest]]'' and ''[[Serpent Crest]]''. Discounting his one-off cameo in 1993's ''Dimensions in Time'' and his voice role in the 1997 video game ''[[Destiny of the Doctors (video game)|Destiny of the Doctors]]'', ''Hornets' Nest'' marked Baker's first serious performance of the role since ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]''. In October 2011, Baker appeared in ''[[The Fourth Doctor Box Set]]'', an audio anthology from Big Finish's ''[[The Lost Stories]]'' series which consisted of audio adaptations of the unmade television stories ''[[The Foe from the Future (audio story)|The Foe from the Future]]'' and ''[[The Valley of Death (audio story)|The Valley of Death]]''. Starting from January 2012, Big Finish began releasing a series of Fourth Doctor audio plays starring Baker called ''[[The Fourth Doctor Adventures]]'' in parallel with their [[Main Range|monthly ''Doctor Who'' audio series]].
 
In November 2013, Baker returned to televised ''Doctor Who'' for the show's 50th anniversary episode ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]'', in which he played the cameo role of [[the Curator]], an elderly incarnation of the Doctor who informed the [[Eleventh Doctor]] that [[Gallifrey]] was lost in another universe. This makes Tom Baker the first actor who was the main actor for ''two incarnations'' of the Doctor before David Tennant also returned to the role as the [[Fourteenth Doctor]] in 2022 (when [[Sylvester McCoy]] briefly played the [[Sixth Doctor]] for the his regeneration scene, he was merely standing in for [[Colin Baker]] who declined to be filmed for it).
 
He also played the Fourth Doctor in the ''Doctor Who'' 50th anniversary audio drama ''[[The Light at the End (audio story)|The Light at the End]]''. As he continued to perform for Big Finish over the next decade, he was also part of the 60th anniversary audio drama event ''[[Once and Future]]''.
 
[[File:Radio Times 60th shoot - Tom Baker.jpg|thumb|right|Baker dressed as in the Fourth Doctor attire in 2023]]
In September 2014, Baker starred alongside [[Louise Jameson]] as [[Leela]] in a one-off box set called ''[[Philip Hinchcliffe Presents (audio anthology)|Philip Hinchcliffe Presents]]'' consisting of stories by 1970s producer [[Philip Hinchcliffe]] adapted by [[Marc Platt]]. In 2015, Baker starred with Lalla Ward in a series of audio adaptations of Fourth Doctor and Romana II novels, starting with adaptations of ''[[The Romance of Crime (audio story)|The Romance of Crime]]'' and ''[[The English Way of Death (audio story)|The English Way of Death]]'' from the [[Virgin Missing Adventures]] range in January.
 
For the 60th anniversary, Baker again dressed in his Fourth Doctor attire for a photoshoot with the ''Radio Times''.
 
Despite having been away from the role between 1981 and 2009, during this absence, the image of Baker as the Doctor continued to serve as a form of visual shorthand when American productions attempted to reference ''Doctor Who''. An animated version of Baker was used in several episodes of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' that referenced ''Doctor Who''; when Paris Hilton participated in a science fiction-related skit on ''Saturday Night Live'', she donned the Fourth Doctor's hat and scarf in a reference to the series; and in the 2007 {{wi|Family Guy}} episode {{wi|Blue Harvest}}, a ''[[Star Wars]]'' parody, the opening credits of Tom Baker's era (along with an image of Tom as the Doctor) was used as part of a joke involving jumping to hyperspace.
 
== In the DWU ==
In ''[[Bafflement and Devotion (short story)|Bafflement and Devotion]]'', an overtly meta-fictional story, [[Paul Magrs (in-universe)|Paul Magrs]] mentioned that the [[Fourth Doctor]] "was" [[Tom Baker (in-universe)|Tom Baker]]. It should be noted that [[Iris Wildthyme]] (one of the main characters in the story) was also described as "being" an actor, but not in the sense of ''actually'' being said character, but a lookalike. In [[The Story of Fester Cat (novel)|another story]] featuring Paul Magrs, it was mentioned that Tom Baker was Paul's favourite Doctor, and Paul was extremely happy to work with the actor when the [[script]]s he wrote were produced into [[Doctor Who CDs (The Story of Fester Cat)|CDs]].
 
Tom Baker was also the titular protagonist of the audio series ''[[Baker's End (audio series)|Baker's End]]'', which was a short audio series that had several legal links to the DWU, including being the continuation of ''[[The Nest Cottage Chronicles]]'', however it was determined in the [[Thread:207278|inclusion debate for ''Gobbleknoll Hall'']] that the series wasn't supposed to be set in the DWU.
 
[[File:Tom BAker.jpg|thumb|Tom Baker in [[COMIC]]: ''[[TV Action! (comic story)|TV Action!]]'']]
In the ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' comic strip ''[[TV Action!]]'', a villain named [[Beep the Meep]] takes the [[Eighth Doctor]] and his companion, [[Izzy Sinclair]] on a chase into an alternate universe where they end up at the [[BBC Television Centre]] where Tom Baker is taping an episode of ''Doctor Who''. Beep mistakes Baker for the "real" Fourth Doctor and is distracted, first by terror and then by anguish from Baker's babble (all lines from real interviews with Tom Baker). Thanks to this, Beep's plans are foiled.
 
== Miscellaneous ==
Baker's autobiography entitled ''Who on Earth is Tom Baker?'' (ISBN 000638854X) was published in 1997. He has also written a short fairytale-style novel titled ''The Boy Who Kicked Pigs'' (ISBN 057119771X), which has been described as "A Grotesque Masterpiece". His first book for children, ''The Boy Who Forgot to Grow Down'' (ISBN 0099349108), was published in 1984. Another was ''Never Wear Your Wellies In the House''.
 
Several reference books published in the late 1980s erroneously reported that Baker died of a drug overdose in 1982. Baker does have a reputation, acknowledged in his autobiography, of being a heavy drinker like fellow Doctor actor [[William Hartnell]], and sometimes makes humorous reference to it. In response to the numerous inquiries he gets about his time as the Doctor he often replies, "You will have to excuse me but I was drunk at the time." The confusion over the 1982 date of death arises from the death of an American named Tom Baker who died of a drug overdose that year. (''That'' Tom Baker was the friend of another famous drinker, Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors.)
 
In 1983, the BBC made a 90 minute ''Doctor Who'' special entitled ''The Five Doctors''. Baker declined to return to play the Fourth Doctor as he felt it was too soon to return to the programme. (His absence from the special inadvertently lent credence to the mistaken reports of his death.)
 
Baker had a brief foray into the world of music, providing the monologue to the track ''Witness to a Murder (Part Two)'' on the album ''Six'' by Mansun. He has also done voice work for the video games ''Perfect Dark'' (2000) and ''Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future'' (2000).
 
In 1972 he appeared in an edition of the American talk variety programme ''The Tonight Show'' with Johnny Carson. This predated his ''Doctor Who'' involvement; he appeared in regards to his recent appearance in ''Nicholas and Alexandra''. His appearance marked the first time one of the Doctor actors made a major appearance on an American TV programme.
 
Tom Baker is not directly related to [[Colin Baker]], who played the [[Sixth Doctor]] in ''Doctor Who''. According to a magazine special published by ''[[Radio Times]]'' magazine in 1983 to honour ''Doctor Who''{{'}}s twentieth anniversary, [[Jackie Lane]], who played [[Dodo Chaplet]] on the series in the 1960s, was Tom Baker's agent for a time, and has been credited with getting Baker the audition for ''Doctor Who''.
 
In 1981, the new wave pop group Human League released a tribute song to the actor entitled "Tom Baker", found on their ''Travelogue'' album.
 
In a poll published by BBC Homes and Antiques magazine in January 2006, Baker was voted the fourth most eccentric star, being beaten by quirky Icelandic singer Bjork, UK boxer Chris Eubank, and alien-conspiracy theorist David Icke.
 
When former ''Doctor Who'' producer [[Barry Letts]] (the man who cast Baker in the role he's most famous for) passed away, Baker gave a eulogy at the funeral.
 
The 2010 DVD release of ''[[Underworld (TV story)|Underworld]]'' includes several minutes of raw studio footage. Included in this footage is a candid moment where Baker is heard talking to [[Louise Jameson]] and another actor about his wish that he had been born in the late 1800s so he could have taken part in the silent film era; he also expresses a particular fondness for [[Buster Keaton]].
 
== Credits ==
=== Appearances as the [[Fourth Doctor]] ===
==== Television ====
===== ''Doctor Who'' =====
* ''[[Planet of the Spiders (TV story)|Planet of the Spiders]]'' (uncredited)
* ''[[Robot (TV story)|Robot]]''
* ''[[The Ark in Space (TV story)|The Ark in Space]]''
* ''[[The Sontaran Experiment (TV story)|The Sontaran Experiment]]''
* ''[[Genesis of the Daleks (TV story)|Genesis of the Daleks]]''
* ''[[Revenge of the Cybermen (TV story)|Revenge of the Cybermen]]''
* ''[[Terror of the Zygons (TV story)|Terror of the Zygons]]''
* ''[[Planet of Evil (TV story)|Planet of Evil]]''
* ''[[Pyramids of Mars (TV story)|Pyramids of Mars]]''
* ''[[The Android Invasion (TV story)|The Android Invasion]]''
* ''[[The Brain of Morbius (TV story)|The Brain of Morbius]]''
* ''[[The Seeds of Doom (TV story)|The Seeds of Doom]]''
* ''[[The Masque of Mandragora (TV story)|The Masque of Mandragora]]''
* ''[[The Hand of Fear (TV story)|The Hand of Fear]]''
* ''[[The Deadly Assassin (TV story)|The Deadly Assassin]]''
* ''[[The Face of Evil (TV story)|The Face of Evil]]''
* ''[[The Robots of Death (TV story)|The Robots of Death]]''
* ''[[The Talons of Weng-Chiang (TV story)|The Talons of Weng-Chiang]]''
* ''[[Horror of Fang Rock (TV story)|Horror of Fang Rock]]''
* ''[[The Invisible Enemy (TV story)|The Invisible Enemy]]''
* ''[[Image of the Fendahl (TV story)|Image of the Fendahl]]''
* ''[[The Sun Makers (TV story)|The Sun Makers]]''
* ''[[Underworld (TV story)|Underworld]]''
* ''[[The Invasion of Time (TV story)|The Invasion of Time]]''
* ''[[The Ribos Operation (TV story)|The Ribos Operation]]''
* ''[[The Pirate Planet (TV story)|The Pirate Planet]]''
* ''[[The Stones of Blood (TV story)|The Stones of Blood]]''
* ''[[The Androids of Tara (TV story)|The Androids of Tara]]''
* ''[[The Power of Kroll (TV story)|The Power of Kroll]]''
* ''[[The Armageddon Factor (TV story)|The Armageddon Factor]]''
* ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]''
* ''[[City of Death (TV story)|City of Death]]''
* ''[[The Creature from the Pit (TV story)|The Creature from the Pit]]''
* ''[[Nightmare of Eden (TV story)|Nightmare of Eden]]''
* ''[[The Horns of Nimon (TV story)|The Horns of Nimon]]''
* ''[[Shada (TV story)|Shada]]''
* ''[[The Leisure Hive (TV story)|The Leisure Hive]]''
* ''[[Meglos (TV story)|Meglos]]''
* ''[[Full Circle (TV story)|Full Circle]]''
* ''[[State of Decay (TV story)|State of Decay]]''
* ''[[Warriors' Gate (TV story)|Warriors' Gate]]''
* ''[[The Keeper of Traken (TV story)|The Keeper of Traken]]''
* ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]''
* ''[[Castrovalva (TV story)|Castrovalva]]'' (uncredited)
 
===== Mini-episodes =====
* ''[[Dr. Who For Keep Australia Beautiful (TV story)|Dr. Who For Keep Australia Beautiful]]''
* ''[[Dimensions in Time (TV story)|Dimensions in Time]]''
 
==== Direct-to-video ====
* ''[[Shada (TV story)|Shada]]'': VHS release
* ''[[Shada (TV story)|Shada]]'': DVD release
 
==== Webcasts ====
===== ''The Collection'' =====
* ''[[Home Assistant (webcast)|Home Assistant]]'' - Narrator
* ''[[Risen (webcast)|Risen]]'' - Narrator
 
==== Video Games ====
* ''[[Destiny of the Doctors (video game)|Destiny of the Doctors]]''
 
==== Audio ====
===== BBC Audio =====
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Pescatons (audio story)|Doctor Who and the Pescatons]]''
* ''[[Exploration Earth (audio story)|Exploration Earth: The Time Machine]]''
 
===== ''The Nest Cottage Chronicles'' =====
As the [[Fourth Doctor]], an identity of the [[Master (The Stuff of Nightmares)|Master of Nest Cottage]].
* ''[[Hornets' Nest]]''
** ''[[The Stuff of Nightmares (BBC audio story)|The Stuff of Nightmares]]''
** ''[[The Dead Shoes (audio story)|The Dead Shoes]]''
** ''[[The Circus of Doom (audio story)|The Circus of Doom]]''
** ''[[A Sting in the Tale (audio story)|A Sting in the Tale]]''
** ''[[Hive of Horror (audio story)|Hive of Horror]]''
* ''[[Demon Quest]]''
** ''[[The Relics of Time (audio story)|The Relics of Time]]''
** ''[[The Demon of Paris (audio story)|The Demon of Paris]]''
** ''[[A Shard of Ice (audio story)|A Shard of Ice]]''
** ''[[Starfall (audio story)|Starfall]]''
** ''[[Sepulchre (audio story)|Sepulchre]]''
* ''[[Serpent Crest]]''
** ''[[Tsar Wars (audio story)|Tsar Wars]]''
** ''[[The Broken Crown (audio story)|The Broken Crown]]''
** ''[[Aladdin Time (audio story)|Aladdin Time]]''
** ''[[The Hexford Invasion (audio story)|The Hexford Invasion]]''
** ''[[Survivors in Space (audio story)|Survivors in Space]]''
 
===== Special Releases =====
* ''[[Night of the Stormcrow (audio story)|Night of the Stormcrow]]''
* ''[[The Light at the End (audio story)|The Light at the End]]''
* ''[[The Legacy of Time (audio anthology)|The Legacy of Time]]''
** ''[[Prequel (The Legacy of Time)|Prequel]]''
** ''[[Collision Course (audio story)|Collision Course]]''
 
===== ''The Fourth Doctor Adventures'' =====
* ''[[Destination: Nerva (audio story)|Destination: Nerva]]''
* ''[[The Renaissance Man (audio story)|The Renaissance Man]]''
* ''[[The Wrath of the Iceni (audio story)|The Wrath of the Iceni]]''
* ''[[Energy of the Daleks (audio story)|Energy of the Daleks]]''
* ''[[Trail of the White Worm (audio story)|Trail of the White Worm]]'' / ''[[The Oseidon Adventure (audio story)|The Oseidon Adventure]]''
* ''[[The Auntie Matter (audio story)|The Auntie Matter]]''
* ''[[The Sands of Life (audio story)|The Sands of Life]]'' / ''[[War Against the Laan (audio story)|War Against the Laan]]''
* ''[[The Justice of Jalxar (audio story)|The Justice of Jalxar]]''
* ''[[Phantoms of the Deep (audio story)|Phantoms of the Deep]]''
* ''[[The Dalek Contract (audio story)|The Dalek Contract]]'' / ''[[The Final Phase (audio story)|The Final Phase]]''
* ''[[The King of Sontar (audio story)|The King of Sontar]]''
* ''[[White Ghosts (audio story)|White Ghosts]]''
* ''[[The Crooked Man (audio story)|The Crooked Man]]''
* ''[[The Evil One (audio story)|The Evil One]]''
* ''[[Last of the Colophon (audio story)|Last of the Colophon]]''
* ''[[Destroy the Infinite (audio story)|Destroy the Infinite]]''
* ''[[The Abandoned (audio story)|The Abandoned]]''
* ''[[Zygon Hunt (audio story)|Zygon Hunt]]''
* ''[[The Exxilons (audio story)|The Exxilons]]''
* ''[[The Darkness of Glass (audio story)|The Darkness of Glass]]''
* ''[[Requiem for the Rocket Men (audio story)|Requiem for the Rocket Men]]''
* ''[[Death Match (audio story)|Death Match]]''
* ''[[Suburban Hell (audio story)|Suburban Hell]]''
* ''[[The Cloisters of Terror (audio story)|The Cloisters of Terror]]''
* ''[[The Fate of Krelos (audio story)|The Fate of Krelos]]'' / ''[[Return to Telos (audio story)|Return to Telos]]''
* ''[[Wave of Destruction (audio story)|Wave of Destruction]]''
* ''[[The Labyrinth of Buda Castle (audio story)|The Labyrinth of Buda Castle]]''
* ''[[The Paradox Planet (audio story)|The Paradox Planet]]'' / ''[[Legacy of Death (audio story)|Legacy of Death]]''
* ''[[Gallery of Ghouls (audio story)|Gallery of Ghouls]]''
* ''[[The Trouble with Drax (audio story)|The Trouble with Drax]]''
* ''[[The Pursuit of History (audio story)|The Pursuit of History]]'' / ''[[Casualties of Time (audio story)|Casualties of Time]]''
* ''[[The Beast of Kravenos (audio story)|The Beast of Kravenos]]''
* ''[[The Eternal Battle (audio story)|The Eternal Battle]]''
* ''[[The Silent Scream (audio story)|The Silent Scream]]''
* ''[[Dethras (audio story)|Dethras]]''
* ''[[The Haunting of Malkin Place (audio story)|The Haunting of Malkin Place]]''
* ''[[Subterranea (audio story)|Subterranea]]''
* ''[[The Movellan Grave (audio story)|The Movellan Grave]]''
* ''[[The Skin of the Sleek (audio story)|The Skin of the Sleek]]'' / ''[[The Thief Who Stole Time (audio story)|The Thief Who Stole Time]]''
* ''[[The Sons of Kaldor (audio story)|The Sons of Kaldor]]''
* ''[[The Crowmarsh Experiment (audio story)|The Crowmarsh Experiment]]''
* ''[[The Mind Runners (audio story)|The Mind Runners]]'' / ''[[The Demon Rises (audio story)|The Demon Rises]]''
* ''[[The Shadow of London (audio story)|The Shadow of London]]''
* ''[[The Bad Penny (audio story)|The Bad Penny]]''
* ''[[Kill the Doctor! (audio story)|Kill the Doctor!]]'' / ''[[The Age of Sutekh (audio story)|The Age of Sutekh]]''
* ''[[The Sinestran Kill (audio story)|The Sinestran Kill]]''
* ''[[Planet of the Drashigs (audio story)|Planet of the Drashigs]]''
* ''[[The Enchantress of Numbers (audio story)|The Enchantress of Numbers]]''
* ''[[The False Guardian (audio story)|The False Guardian]]'' / ''[[Time's Assassin (audio story)|Time's Assassin]]''
* ''[[Fever Island (audio story)|Fever Island]]''
* ''[[The Perfect Prisoners (audio story)|The Perfect Prisoners]]''
* ''[[Purgatory 12 (audio story)|Purgatory 12]]''
* ''[[Chase the Night (audio story)|Chase the Night]]''
* ''[[The Planet of Witches (audio story)|The Planet of Witches]]''
* ''[[The Quest of the Engineer (audio story)|The Quest of the Engineer]]''
* ''[[Shadow of the Sun (audio story)|Shadow of the Sun]]''
* ''[[The World Traders (audio story)|The World Traders]]''
* ''[[The Day of the Comet (audio story)|The Day of the Comet]]''
* ''[[The Tribulations of Thadeus Nook (audio story)|The Tribulations of Thadeus Nook]]''
* ''[[The Primeval Design (audio story)|The Primeval Design]]''
* ''[[Blood of the Time Lords (audio story)|Blood of the Time Lords]]''
* ''[[The Ravencliff Witch (audio story)|The Ravencliff Witch]]''
* ''[[The Dreams of Avarice (audio story)|The Dreams of Avarice]]''
* ''[[Shellshock (audio story)|Shellshock]]''
* ''[[Peake Season (audio story)|Peake Season]]''
* ''[[Ice Heist! (audio story)|Ice Heist!]]''
* ''[[Antillia the Lost (audio story)|Antillia the Lost]]''
* ''[[The Wizard of Time (audio story)|The Wizard of Time]]''
* ''[[The Friendly Invasion (audio story)|The Friendly Invasion]]''
* ''[[Stone Cold (audio story)|Stone Cold]]''
* ''[[The Ghost of Margaret (audio story)|The Ghost of Margaret]]''
* ''[[Storm of the Sea Devils (audio story)|Storm of the Sea Devils]]''
* ''[[Worlds Beyond (audio story)|Worlds Beyond]]''
* ''[[Matryoshka (audio story)|Matryoshka]]''
* ''[[The Caged Assassin (audio story)|The Caged Assassin]]''
* ''[[Metamorphosis (audio story)|Metamorphosis]]''
* ''[[The Face in the Storm (audio story)|The Face in the Storm]]''
* ''[[Dominant Species (audio story)|Dominant Species]]''
 
===== ''The Lost Stories'' =====
* ''[[The Fourth Doctor Box Set]]''
** ''[[The Foe from the Future (audio story)|The Foe from the Future]]''
** ''[[The Valley of Death (audio story)|The Valley of Death]]''
* ''[[Return of the Cybermen (audio story)|Return of the Cybermen]]''
* ''[[The Doomsday Contract (audio story)|The Doomsday Contract]]''
* ''[[Daleks! Genesis of Terror (audio story)|Daleks! Genesis of Terror]]''
* ''[[The Ark (audio story)|The Ark]]''
 
===== Philip Hinchcliffe Presents =====
* ''[[The Ghosts of Gralstead (audio story)|The Ghosts of Gralstead]]''
* ''[[The Devil's Armada (audio story)|The Devil's Armada]]''
* ''[[The Genesis Chamber (audio story)|The Genesis Chamber]]''
* ''[[The Helm of Awe (audio story)|The Helm of Awe]]''
* ''[[The God of Phantoms (audio story)|The God of Phantoms]]''
 
===== Novel Adaptations =====
* ''[[The Romance of Crime (audio story)|The Romance of Crime]]''
* ''[[The English Way of Death (audio story)|The English Way of Death]]''
* ''[[The Well-Mannered War (audio story)|The Well-Mannered War]]''
 
===== ''Classic Doctors, New Monsters'' =====
* ''[[Night of the Vashta Nerada (audio story)|Night of the Vashta Nerada]]''
* ''[[The Tivolian Who Knew Too Much (audio story)|The Tivolian Who Knew Too Much]]''
 
===== The Comic Strip Adaptations =====
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Iron Legion (audio story)|Doctor Who and the Iron Legion]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Star Beast (audio story)|Doctor Who and the Star Beast]]''
 
===== ''Time Lord Victorious'' =====
* ''[[Genetics of the Daleks (audio story)|Genetics of the Daleks]]''
 
===== ''Once and Future'' =====
* ''[[Past Lives (audio story)|Past Lives]]''
* ''[[The Union (audio story)|The Union]]''
 
===== ''Out of Time'' =====
* ''[[Out of Time (audio story)|Out of Time]]''
 
===== ''Dalek Universe'' =====
* ''[[The Dalek Protocol (audio story)|The Dalek Protocol]]''
 
===== ''The Diary of River Song'' =====
* ''[[Someone I Once Knew (audio story)|Someone I Once Knew]]''
 
===== ''The Eighth of March'' =====
* ''[[A Ghost of Alchemy (audio story)|A Ghost of Alchemy]]''
 
=== Appearances as [[the Curator]] ===
==== Television ====
===== ''Doctor Who'' =====
* ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]''
 
==== Audio ====
===== ''Stranded'' =====
* ''[[Lost Property (audio story)|Lost Property]]''
* ''[[The Long Way Round (audio story)|The Long Way Round]]''
 
===== UNIT: Nemesis =====
* ''[[The Curator's Gambit (audio story)|The Curator's Gambit]]''
 
=== Other DWU appearance ===
==== Television ====
===== ''Doctor Who'' =====
* ''[[The Android Invasion (TV story)|The Android Invasion]]'' - [[Android|Android Doctor]]
* ''[[The Face of Evil (TV story)|The Face of Evil]]'' - Voice of [[Xoanon]]
* ''[[The Creature from the Pit (TV story)|The Creature from the Pit]]'' - Voice of [[Erato]], uncredited
* ''[[Meglos (TV story)|Meglos]]'' - [[Meglos]], uncredited
 
==== Audio ====
===== ''The Nest Cottage Chronicles'' =====
* ''[[Tsar Wars (audio story)|Tsar Wars]]'' - [[Gregory (Tsar Wars)|Father Gregory]]
 
===== ''Doctor Who Unbound'' =====
* ''[[Dust Devil (audio story)|Dust Devil]]'' - [[Fourth Doctor (The Warrior's universe)|Fourth Doctor]]
 
=== Audiobook readings ===
==== Target Novelisations ====
* ''[[State of Decay (audio story)|State of Decay]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Giant Robot (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Giant Robot]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Creature from the Pit (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Creature from the Pit]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars]]''
 
==== BBC Novelisations ====
* ''[[Scratchman (novelisation)|Scratchman]]''
 
==== ''Time Lord Fairy Tales'' ====
* ''[[Jak and the Wormhole (short story)|Jak and the Wormhole]]''
 
=== Documentary ===
* ''Doctor Who's Who's Who''
* ''[[MM VHS 17|Myth Makers: Tom Baker]]''
* ''[[Who on Earth is Tom Baker (home video)|Who on Earth is Tom Baker]]''
* ''[[The Tom Baker Years (VHS box set)|The Tom Baker Years]]''
* ''[[Adventures in Space and Time]]''
* ''[[The Story of Doctor Who]]''
* ''[[A New Beginning (documentary)|A New Beginning]]''
* ''[[Bringing Back the Doctor (CON episode)|Bringing Back the Doctor]]''
* ''[[Aliens: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly (CON episode)|Aliens: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly]]''
* ''[[I Get a Side-Kick Out of You (CON episode)|I Get a Side-Kick Out of You]]''
* ''[[The Dark Side (CON episode)|The Dark Side]]''
* ''[[Special Effects (CON episode)|Special Effects]]''
* ''[[Weird Science (CON episode)|Weird Science]]''
* ''[[The World of Who (CON episode)|The World of Who]]''
* ''[[Genesis of a Classic (documentary)|Genesis of a Classic]]''
* ''[[Changing Time: Living and Leaving Doctor Who (documentary)|Changing Time]]''
* ''[[The Crowded TARDIS (documentary)|The Crowded TARDIS]]''
* ''[[A New Body at Last (documentary)|A New Body at Last]]''
* ''[[A Matter of Time (documentary)|A Matter of Time]]''
* ''[[Planetary Performance: Acting in Doctor Who (documentary)|Planetary Performance]]''
* ''[[A Darker Side (documentary)|A Darker Side]]''
* ''[[The Rise and Fall of Gallifrey (documentary)|The Rise and Fall of Gallifrey]]''
* ''[[The Matrix Revisited (documentary)|The Matrix Revisited]]''
* ''[[The Last Hurrah (documentary)|The Last Hurrah]]''
* ''[[On Target: Ian Marter (documentary)|On Target: Ian Marter]]''
* ''[[The Sandmine Murders (documentary)|The Sandmine Murders]]''
* ''[[The Doctors Revisited - The Fourth Doctor (documentary)|The Doctors Revisited - The Fourth Doctor]]''
* ''[[Doctor Who Live: The Afterparty]]''
* ''[[Like Nothing on Earth (documentary)|Like Nothing on Earth]]''
* ''[[The Tin Men and the Witch (documentary)|The Tin Men and the Witch]]'' (Blu-ray version only)
* ''[[Return to Skaro (documentary)|Return to Skaro]]''
 
=== Audio commentary ===
 
* ''[[Planet of Evil (TV story)|Planet of Evil]]''
 
''to be completed''
 
=== Other ===
* ''[[Disney Time (TV story)|Disney Time]]''
* ''[[Mind your step! (TV story)|Blackpool Exhibition advertisement]]''
* ''[[Merry Christmas Doctor Who (TV story)|Merry Christmas Doctor Who]]''
* ''Keep Australia Beautiful advertisement''
* ''[[Season 17 (trailer)]]''
* ''Animal Magic 1979''
* ''[[Prime Computer advertisement]]''
* ''[[Superannuation advertisement]]''
* ''[[Introduction to the Night (TV story)|Introduction to the Night]]''
* ''[[Who on Horror idents]]''
 
== Writer Credits ==
=== BBC Books novelisations ===
* ''[[Scratchman (novelisation)|Scratchman]]'' (with [[James Goss]])


== External links ==
== External links ==
{{imdb name|id=0048982}}
{{official website|www.tombakerofficial.com/}}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4594602.stm BBC Online News Item 9th January 2006 concerning the vote for most eccentric star]
== Footnotes ==
{{reflist}}
{{NameSort}}


* [http://www.tombaker.tv/ The Official Tom Baker Website]
* {{imdb name|id=0048982|name = Tom Baker}}
* [http://www.thomas-stewart-baker.com/ thomas-stewart-baker.com - a fan site]
* [http://www.lunaestas.com/doctorwho/ The One And Only Doctor Number Four - a fan site]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4594602.stm BBC Online News Item 9th January 2006 concerning the vote for most eccentric star]


{{Wikipedia|Tom_Baker}}


[[cy:Tom Baker]]
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[[Category:Doctor Who regular cast|Baker, Tom]]
[[Category:Articles that were originally Wikipedia forks]]
[[Category:Actors who portrayed the Doctor|Baker, Tom]]
[[Category:Doctor Who regular cast]]
[[Category:Video game actors]]
[[Category:AudioGo voice actors]]
[[Category:Actors who have voiced for the Doctor]]
[[Category:Pre-2005 Doctor Who cast reprising their roles at Big Finish]]
[[Category:BBC Audio audiobook readers]]
[[Category:Golden Globe Award nominees]]
[[Category:Doctor Who actors that exist in the DWU]]
[[Category:Doctor Who Pinball archive voice actors]]
[[Category:Doctor Who television writers]]
[[Category:Bafflegab Productions voice actors]]
[[Category:Actors who had speaking roles in adlibbed stories]]
[[Category:Actors interviewed on Doctor Who Confidential]]
[[Category:Classic Doctors, New Monsters voice actors]]
[[Category:Novel Adaptations voice actors]]
[[Category:Philip Hinchcliffe Presents voice actors]]
[[Category:Bonus Releases voice actors]]
[[Category:The Lost Stories voice actors]]
[[Category:Fourth Doctor Adventures voice actors]]
[[Category:Special Releases voice actors]]
[[Category:Big Finish regular cast]]
[[Category:Doctor Who cast reprising their roles at BBC Radio]]
[[Category:The Diary of River Song voice actors]]
[[Category:Actors who portrayed the Fourth Doctor]]
[[Category:Doctor Who novelisation writers]]
[[Category:The Comic Strip Adaptations voice actors]]
[[Category:Doctor Who webcast actors]]
[[Category:The Legacy of Time voice actors]]
[[Category:Stranded voice actors]]
[[Category:Actors who appeared in 1963 and 2005 versions of Doctor Who]]
[[Category:Post-2005 Doctor Who cast reprising their roles at Big Finish]]
[[Category:Tenth Doctor Adventures voice actors]]
[[Category:Big Finish Time Lord Victorious voice actors]]
[[Category:Actors paid not to appear in Doctor Who]]
[[Category:Dalek Universe voice actors]]
[[Category:UNIT: The New Series voice actors]]
[[Category:Actors interviewed on Swap Shop]]
[[Category:Big Finish Doctor Who Unbound voice actors]]
[[Category:The Eighth of March voice actors]]
[[Category:Once and Future voice actors]]
[[Category:Actors who portrayed multiple incarnations of the Doctor]]
[[Category:The Paternoster Gang voice actors]]
[[Category:Dark Gallifrey voice actors]]

Latest revision as of 20:19, 3 November 2024

RealWorld.png

You may wish to consult Tom Baker (disambiguation) for other, similarly-named pages.

Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker (born 20 January 1934 in Liverpool[1][2][3]) played the Fourth Doctor from 1974 to 1981, beginning with an uncredited appearance at the conclusion of Planet of the Spiders, continuing from Robot to Logopolis.

He later reprised the role in the thirtieth-anniversary Children in Need special, Dimensions in Time, and in audio for both BBC Audio and Big Finish Productions, most notably in his own series, the Fourth Doctor Adventures. It is the role with which he remains most associated. Baker would return to the television series as the Curator, a possible future version of the Doctor, in the 50th anniversary special The Day of the Doctor, which he would reprise in Big Finish's Stranded and UNIT: The New Series audio adventures.

In 2019, Baker's runtime in Big Finish audio stories reached and began to exceed the runtime of his original era on television.[4]

Early life and career[[edit] | [edit source]]

Baker was born in Liverpool. His father, John Stewart Baker, was a sailor who was rarely at home, resulting in Tom being raised largely by his mother, Mary Jane, in her Roman Catholic faith. He left school at fifteen to become a novice monk and remained in the monastic life for six years. He left to go into the Merchant Navy, at the same time taking up acting, at first as a hobby. In 1971, he got his first big break, playing Rasputin in the film Nicholas and Alexandra (which also starred Michael Jayston, who later played the Valeyard). Other early roles for Baker included Lynch in The Mutations, Jenkin in "The Miller's Tale" segment of The Canterbury Tales, and Dr Ahmed el Kabir in a BBC television version of The Millionairess, co-starring Maggie Smith.

Tom Baker in Doctor Who[[edit] | [edit source]]

In 1974, Baker took on the role of the Doctor from Jon Pertwee. He was cast largely because of his performance as the evil sorcerer Koura in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. Baker was working as a brick hauler on a construction site at the time, as acting jobs were scarce. Initially he was dubbed "Boiler Suit Tom" by the media, as he had been supplied with old studio set clothes to replace his modest garments at a press conference.

He quickly made the part his own. As the Doctor, his eccentric style of dress and speech — particularly his trademark long scarf and fondness for jelly babies — made him an immediately recognisable figure, and he quickly caught the viewing public's imagination. His decision to move on in 1981 was regretted by many of the programme's fans, and his incarnation is generally regarded as the most popular of the Doctors (his nearest rival not arriving until David Tennant in the 2000s). Baker played the Doctor for seven consecutive seasons over a seven-year period, making him the longest-serving actor in the part.

In The Hand of Fear part four, Bob Baker and Dave Martin intentionally left the departure of Sarah Jane Smith untouched. Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen wrote Sarah's departure scene themselves.

In The Armageddon Factor, Baker got into arguments with producers over how he should play the Doctor, and was furious with producers over their scripts, yet he got along very well with director Michael Hayes. Baker also got along well with Valentine Dyall, who played the Black Guardian, and John Woodvine, who played the Marshal. He usually got along well with the regular cast and guest cast, but got angry at the crew sometimes. Baker, along with the cast and crew, disliked Alan Bromly, who directed Nightmare of Eden.

Tom Baker (centre) poses with wax sculptures of the Fourth Doctor (left) and Meglos (right), made by Madame Tussauds. Baker was the first person ever to be portrayed twice at the famous London wax museum. (DWM 48)

When John Nathan-Turner became producer of Doctor Who in 1980, Baker, Lalla Ward and Christopher H. Bidmead all angrily protested Nathan-Turner's decisions to take Doctor Who in a different direction. Tom Baker also disliked Matthew Waterhouse and Janet Fielding, although the three became friends years later.

In 1980 he married Lalla Ward who had co-starred in Doctor Who (playing his assistant Romana II) with him for two years — their marriage lasted only sixteen months. In 1986, Baker married Sue Jerrard, who had been an uncredited assistant editor on the Doctor Who television story Horror of Fang Rock. (DWM 501) They moved to a converted school in Maidstone, Kent where they kept lots of cats before emigrating to France in 2002.

Post-Doctor Who career[[edit] | [edit source]]

Baker has played various character parts on television since leaving Doctor Who, such as Captain Redbeard Rum in the second series Blackadder episode Potato (1986) and Puddleglum in the BBC's production of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair (1990). He also had a significant role in one episode of The Life and Loves of a She-Devil (1986) as Father Ferguson. In 1982 he played Sherlock Holmes in the BBCs four part TV adaptation of The Hound of The Baskervilles, with Terence Rigby as Dr Watson, and he also appeared in an episode of ITV's Jemima Shore Investigates, namely Dr Zeigler's Casebook as Dr Norman Zeigler in 1983.

Baker has also appeared in radio shows, such as John Mortimer Presents the Trials of Marshall Hall (1996) in which he played Britain's most celebrated criminal barrister, Sir Edward Marshall Hall.

The popularity of Doctor Who in the US in the mid-1980s led to some work on American television, including the roles of Sir Guy de Gisbourne in The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood, with George Segal and Morgan Fairchild, and a renegade Interpol agent in an episode of Remington Steele.

Baker continued some involvement with Doctor Who in the early 1980s, recording audio book versions of several novelisations, including Doctor Who and the State of Decay and Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius.

Prior to leaving Doctor Who he had also hosted the ITV children's literature show The Book Tower (1979/80). He became mostly known, however, for doing advertising voiceovers. Baker's distinctive voice has become a gift for impressionists, and he was regularly impersonated as the Doctor by Jon Culshaw in the comedy series Dead Ringers.

In the 1990s, Baker played series regular Professor Geoffrey Hoyt in ITVs Medics and had a recurring role in the Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer revival of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) for the BBC. He also had a part in the 2001 BBC Radio 4 version of The Thirty-Nine Steps as Sir Walter Bullivant and narrated the BBC radio comedy series Lionel Nimrod's Inexplicable World. In the 2000s, he narrated both the radio and television versions of Little Britain, created by and starring David Walliams and Matt Lucas.

Also in the early 2000s, it was reported that Baker was a candidate for the role of Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings films, after playing a minor role as a wise elf in the Dungeons & Dragons film.

In 2002, he had a speaking role in the critically-acclaimed but commercial flop Hostile Waters as the Narrator.

In 2004, Baker completed filming a season of Monarch of the Glen, a BBC drama series. He played Donald McDonald, an eccentric former race car champion who, having been away since early childhood, returns home after hearing of the death of his brother Hector (who was played by Richard Briers until his departure at the end of the previous season). In 2005, he voiced the role of the villain ZeeBad in the computer-animated film version of The Magic Roundabout, and played the role of the Captain in the Challenge TV version of Fort Boyard.

He continues to be associated with the Doctor, appearing on documentaries like The Story of Doctor Who and Doctor Who Confidential, giving interviews about his time on the programme. He has also participated in numerous DVD releases of his stories, recording commentaries with his co-stars and on-camera interviews. On the DVD release of his final stories, New Beginnings, Baker is notably candid about his behaviour in the final months of his tenure, and the reasons for his departure from the series.

Baker would later be cast in the animated series Star Wars Rebels as Bendu, an ancient Force wielder who is neither Jedi nor Sith but describes himself as "the one in the middle".

In late 2019, Baker narrated a trailer promoting the release of the classic series of Doctor Who to BritBox, which began hosting the series from Boxing Day.[5]

Returning to the role[[edit] | [edit source]]

Although Baker reappeared as the Doctor for the 1993 charity special Dimensions in Time, he had, for many years, declined to follow his successors and reprise the role for any of the audio dramas based upon the series and produced by Big Finish Productions.

Between 2009 and 2011, Baker reprised his role as the Fourth Doctor for three series of audio dramas for BBC Audio under the umbrella titles of Hornets' Nest, Demon Quest and Serpent Crest. Discounting his one-off cameo in 1993's Dimensions in Time and his voice role in the 1997 video game Destiny of the Doctors, Hornets' Nest marked Baker's first serious performance of the role since Logopolis. In October 2011, Baker appeared in The Fourth Doctor Box Set, an audio anthology from Big Finish's The Lost Stories series which consisted of audio adaptations of the unmade television stories The Foe from the Future and The Valley of Death. Starting from January 2012, Big Finish began releasing a series of Fourth Doctor audio plays starring Baker called The Fourth Doctor Adventures in parallel with their monthly Doctor Who audio series.

In November 2013, Baker returned to televised Doctor Who for the show's 50th anniversary episode The Day of the Doctor, in which he played the cameo role of the Curator, an elderly incarnation of the Doctor who informed the Eleventh Doctor that Gallifrey was lost in another universe. This makes Tom Baker the first actor who was the main actor for two incarnations of the Doctor before David Tennant also returned to the role as the Fourteenth Doctor in 2022 (when Sylvester McCoy briefly played the Sixth Doctor for the his regeneration scene, he was merely standing in for Colin Baker who declined to be filmed for it).

He also played the Fourth Doctor in the Doctor Who 50th anniversary audio drama The Light at the End. As he continued to perform for Big Finish over the next decade, he was also part of the 60th anniversary audio drama event Once and Future.

Baker dressed as in the Fourth Doctor attire in 2023

In September 2014, Baker starred alongside Louise Jameson as Leela in a one-off box set called Philip Hinchcliffe Presents consisting of stories by 1970s producer Philip Hinchcliffe adapted by Marc Platt. In 2015, Baker starred with Lalla Ward in a series of audio adaptations of Fourth Doctor and Romana II novels, starting with adaptations of The Romance of Crime and The English Way of Death from the Virgin Missing Adventures range in January.

For the 60th anniversary, Baker again dressed in his Fourth Doctor attire for a photoshoot with the Radio Times.

Despite having been away from the role between 1981 and 2009, during this absence, the image of Baker as the Doctor continued to serve as a form of visual shorthand when American productions attempted to reference Doctor Who. An animated version of Baker was used in several episodes of The Simpsons that referenced Doctor Who; when Paris Hilton participated in a science fiction-related skit on Saturday Night Live, she donned the Fourth Doctor's hat and scarf in a reference to the series; and in the 2007 Family Guy episode Blue Harvest, a Star Wars parody, the opening credits of Tom Baker's era (along with an image of Tom as the Doctor) was used as part of a joke involving jumping to hyperspace.

In the DWU[[edit] | [edit source]]

In Bafflement and Devotion, an overtly meta-fictional story, Paul Magrs mentioned that the Fourth Doctor "was" Tom Baker. It should be noted that Iris Wildthyme (one of the main characters in the story) was also described as "being" an actor, but not in the sense of actually being said character, but a lookalike. In another story featuring Paul Magrs, it was mentioned that Tom Baker was Paul's favourite Doctor, and Paul was extremely happy to work with the actor when the scripts he wrote were produced into CDs.

Tom Baker was also the titular protagonist of the audio series Baker's End, which was a short audio series that had several legal links to the DWU, including being the continuation of The Nest Cottage Chronicles, however it was determined in the inclusion debate for Gobbleknoll Hall that the series wasn't supposed to be set in the DWU.

Tom Baker in COMIC: TV Action!

In the Doctor Who Magazine comic strip TV Action!, a villain named Beep the Meep takes the Eighth Doctor and his companion, Izzy Sinclair on a chase into an alternate universe where they end up at the BBC Television Centre where Tom Baker is taping an episode of Doctor Who. Beep mistakes Baker for the "real" Fourth Doctor and is distracted, first by terror and then by anguish from Baker's babble (all lines from real interviews with Tom Baker). Thanks to this, Beep's plans are foiled.

Miscellaneous[[edit] | [edit source]]

Baker's autobiography entitled Who on Earth is Tom Baker? (ISBN 000638854X) was published in 1997. He has also written a short fairytale-style novel titled The Boy Who Kicked Pigs (ISBN 057119771X), which has been described as "A Grotesque Masterpiece". His first book for children, The Boy Who Forgot to Grow Down (ISBN 0099349108), was published in 1984. Another was Never Wear Your Wellies In the House.

Several reference books published in the late 1980s erroneously reported that Baker died of a drug overdose in 1982. Baker does have a reputation, acknowledged in his autobiography, of being a heavy drinker like fellow Doctor actor William Hartnell, and sometimes makes humorous reference to it. In response to the numerous inquiries he gets about his time as the Doctor he often replies, "You will have to excuse me but I was drunk at the time." The confusion over the 1982 date of death arises from the death of an American named Tom Baker who died of a drug overdose that year. (That Tom Baker was the friend of another famous drinker, Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors.)

In 1983, the BBC made a 90 minute Doctor Who special entitled The Five Doctors. Baker declined to return to play the Fourth Doctor as he felt it was too soon to return to the programme. (His absence from the special inadvertently lent credence to the mistaken reports of his death.)

Baker had a brief foray into the world of music, providing the monologue to the track Witness to a Murder (Part Two) on the album Six by Mansun. He has also done voice work for the video games Perfect Dark (2000) and Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (2000).

In 1972 he appeared in an edition of the American talk variety programme The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. This predated his Doctor Who involvement; he appeared in regards to his recent appearance in Nicholas and Alexandra. His appearance marked the first time one of the Doctor actors made a major appearance on an American TV programme.

Tom Baker is not directly related to Colin Baker, who played the Sixth Doctor in Doctor Who. According to a magazine special published by Radio Times magazine in 1983 to honour Doctor Who's twentieth anniversary, Jackie Lane, who played Dodo Chaplet on the series in the 1960s, was Tom Baker's agent for a time, and has been credited with getting Baker the audition for Doctor Who.

In 1981, the new wave pop group Human League released a tribute song to the actor entitled "Tom Baker", found on their Travelogue album.

In a poll published by BBC Homes and Antiques magazine in January 2006, Baker was voted the fourth most eccentric star, being beaten by quirky Icelandic singer Bjork, UK boxer Chris Eubank, and alien-conspiracy theorist David Icke.

When former Doctor Who producer Barry Letts (the man who cast Baker in the role he's most famous for) passed away, Baker gave a eulogy at the funeral.

The 2010 DVD release of Underworld includes several minutes of raw studio footage. Included in this footage is a candid moment where Baker is heard talking to Louise Jameson and another actor about his wish that he had been born in the late 1800s so he could have taken part in the silent film era; he also expresses a particular fondness for Buster Keaton.

Credits[[edit] | [edit source]]

Appearances as the Fourth Doctor[[edit] | [edit source]]

Television[[edit] | [edit source]]

Doctor Who[[edit] | [edit source]]
Mini-episodes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Direct-to-video[[edit] | [edit source]]

Webcasts[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Collection[[edit] | [edit source]]

Video Games[[edit] | [edit source]]

Audio[[edit] | [edit source]]

BBC Audio[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Nest Cottage Chronicles[[edit] | [edit source]]

As the Fourth Doctor, an identity of the Master of Nest Cottage.

Special Releases[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Fourth Doctor Adventures[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Lost Stories[[edit] | [edit source]]
Philip Hinchcliffe Presents[[edit] | [edit source]]
Novel Adaptations[[edit] | [edit source]]
Classic Doctors, New Monsters[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Comic Strip Adaptations[[edit] | [edit source]]
Time Lord Victorious[[edit] | [edit source]]
Once and Future[[edit] | [edit source]]
Out of Time[[edit] | [edit source]]
Dalek Universe[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Diary of River Song[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Eighth of March[[edit] | [edit source]]

Appearances as the Curator[[edit] | [edit source]]

Television[[edit] | [edit source]]

Doctor Who[[edit] | [edit source]]

Audio[[edit] | [edit source]]

Stranded[[edit] | [edit source]]
UNIT: Nemesis[[edit] | [edit source]]

Other DWU appearance[[edit] | [edit source]]

Television[[edit] | [edit source]]

Doctor Who[[edit] | [edit source]]

Audio[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Nest Cottage Chronicles[[edit] | [edit source]]
Doctor Who Unbound[[edit] | [edit source]]

Audiobook readings[[edit] | [edit source]]

Target Novelisations[[edit] | [edit source]]

BBC Novelisations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Time Lord Fairy Tales[[edit] | [edit source]]

Documentary[[edit] | [edit source]]

Audio commentary[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be completed

Other[[edit] | [edit source]]

Writer Credits[[edit] | [edit source]]

BBC Books novelisations[[edit] | [edit source]]

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ Tom Baker Official Website
  2. ↑ The Doctor Who Team (20 January 2014). Tom Baker at 80. Doctor Who website. Retrieved on 13 December 2016.
  3. ↑ Doctor Who Official (20 January 2016). Happy birthday to the mighty Tom Baker!. Twitter. Retrieved on 13 December 2016.
  4. ↑ The Big Finish Podcast (2019-02-03).
  5. ↑ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MhM7m9IKWbM
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