Tom Baker: Summary

Recent Role:: Narrator on Little Britain USA

Gender:: Male

Birthday:: 1-20-1934

Birthplace:: Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Birth Name:: Thomas Stewart Baker

AKA:: Thomas Baker

Tom Baker, best known for portraying the 4th Doctor in the long running children's tv series Doctor Who, was born in Liverpool, England in 1934. When he was fifteen he left school to train as a novice Catholic Monk, but six years later decided that his faith was not strong enough to continue and he left the order, enrolling in the Royal Medical Corp. It was during this time in the Corp, he took up acting as a hobby.

In 1961 he married Anna Wheatcroft and had two sons Daniel and Piers. The marriage only lasted until 1966 when the couple were divorced. He remarried twice, once to Doctor Who co-star Lalla Ward, which ended in divorce sixteen months later and then in 1986 married Sue Gerrard, another former colleague on the Production of Doctor Who.

Tom got his first big break in acting in 1971 playing Rasputin in the film Nicholas and Alexander, the story of the mystic who had a role in the fates of the Russian royal family. In 1974, he took over the role of the Doctor from the popular Jon Pertwee. Tom's doctor was much younger than his predecessors, but was just as eccentric. His performance is characterised by his curly hair, big smile and eccentric (and often improvised) manner of speaking.

After leaving the series in 1981, Tom refused to appear in the Five Doctors (1983) an anniversary special commemorating the series twenty year anniversary. He also declined to appear in the BBC's radio adventures. His next appearance as the Doctor was in the short two-parter, Dimensions in Time which was made for charity and is largely regarded as the worst Doctor Who adventure ever made.

Tom also made an appearance in the series The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair as Puddleglum.

Recently he has appeared in the series Monarch of the Glen as another eccentric character, Donald McDonald. Tom is currently appearing as the Narrator in the comedy series Little Britain. Tom Baker, best known for portraying the 4th Doctor in the long running children's tv series Doctor Who, was born in Liverpool, England in 1934. When he was fifteen he left school to train as a novice Catholic Monk, but six years later decided that his faith was not strong enough to continue and he left the order, enrolling in the Royal Medical Corp. It was during this time in...

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How tall is Doctor Who?
- 11/13/09 8:55 AM
- 1 comments

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DoctorWho44
member since: Apr 11, 2007
Tom Baker is the famous actor who portrayed the 4th incarnaiton of The Doctor from 1974-1981. He played the Doctor for 7 years. When Jon Pertwee left the series in 1974, his Doctor died. Sarah grieved for the Doctor. Then Pertwee left the show after a ...Continue »
desputed with producers about his salary. So Pertwee's Doctor died, and regenerated into Tom Baker. Pertwee played the Doctor for 5 years, and then chose to leave as did Barry Letts. Pertwee regenerated into Tom Baker, and Doctor Who became the highest rated TV show in history. Baker's Doctor was different. He was tired of chasing the Brigageir, and he resigned from U.N.I.T., and traveled in Time and Space with Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen). Baker continued in the role for 7 years. He regenerated into Peter Davison, who became the Fifth Doctor. Baker guest starred on Remington Steele as Inspecto Anatole Blalock. Baker was the bad guy in that episode. Baker is married to his currtent wife, Sue (1986-Present.) Baker has children. Tom Baker declined to take part in Doctor Who: The Five Doctors in 1983. To date, Baker refuses to play the Doctor on Doctor Who audio adventures as well.
06/10/07 06:20pm | report abuse
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AccentCompanies
member since: Jun 9, 2006
Perhaps because he was the first Dr Who I experienced, I have always compare the others to Tom Baker. I enjoyed his three predecessors and a couple of those who followed but only Tom Baker's Dr Who became "must see TV" for me. ...Continue »
Tom Baker's approach to the Doctor was both refreshing and intriguing. His cavalier approach to ominous situations kept Dr Who from becoming an oppressively technical science fiction story and yet did not slip into slapstick. I suppose that psychologically he maintained his casual demeanor in order no to panic his companions but regardless of the reason it was effective.

I eagerly watched Tom Baker’s “Dr Who” on PBS and have found his narration of “Little Britain” to be rollicking good fun and his appearance in “Black Adder” to be incredibly entertaining. Sadly he has not been as visible since leaving Dr Who as I might have liked.
06/08/06 06:33pm | report abuse
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4smdavis
member since: Oct 9, 2005
The best Doctor Who ever was Tom Baker. I find myself comparing all others to him. I would love to one day own all the episodes in which he starred as the good Doctor. ...Continue »
Tom Baker is by far the best Doctor Who ever. I may be a bit bias because he was the first one that I was introduced to as Doctor Who. I have went so far as to look into purchasing the episodes that have him as the good Doctor but for now the price range is a little out of my range. It is most definitely on my one day to be purchased list. I don't know what he did before or what he has done since but to me he was the greatest.
05/22/06 11:12am | report abuse