Colin Baker
Encyclopedia
Colin Baker is a British
actor
who is known for playing Paul Merroney in The Brothers from 1974 to 1976 and as the sixth incarnation
of the Doctor
in the long-running science fiction television
series Doctor Who
, from 1984 to 1986.
with his family early in his life. He was educated at St Bede's College, Manchester
and originally studied to become a solicitor
. At the age of 23, Baker changed professions and enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
(LAMDA), where he studied alongside David Suchet
. His mother is of Irish ancestry.
adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre
's trilogy The Roads to Freedom
. In 1972, Colin Baker played Anatole Kuragin in a BBC serial adaptation of War and Peace
. His most prominent role in the 1970s was as the villainous Paul Merroney in The Brothers, a role that he played from 1974 to 1976. In the final episode of Fall of Eagles
, Baker appeared as Crown Prince Willy of the German Empire
. Baker also guest starred as Bayban the Butcher in a 1980 episode of Blake's 7
. In 1983, he acted in a BBC production of A.J. Cronin's The Citadel.
(1983). Producer John Nathan-Turner
described Baker's performance as being "quite arch" and a little sassy. Maxil was one of the few characters actually to shoot the Doctor, then played by Peter Davison
.
At the time of Baker’s casting as Davison's successor, he became the only "Doctor" actor to have appeared in the television series as another character prior to taking on the leading role. When Baker was cast to replace Davison, many fans cited that shooting scene in Arc of Infinity
, prompting Baker to say jokingly that he got the part of the Doctor by killing the incumbent. Colin is no relation to Tom Baker
, who played the Fourth Doctor
in Doctor Who for seven years.
Baker's first appearance as the Doctor occurred at the final minutes of The Caves of Androzani
, where he delivered his first few lines. The closing title sequence for episode four features Baker's face instead of Peter Davison, and credits him as the Doctor before Davison's own credit. This was the first (and, to date, only) time that the new lead received top billing in the final story of an outgoing Doctor. Baker then made his first full story debut the following week in The Twin Dilemma
. It was the first time since 1966, and only the second time in the series' history, that a new leading actor's debut story was shown before the conclusion of the previous lead's season.
Baker's era was interrupted by a long 18 month hiatus
which was announced in February 1985, mid-way through transmission of his first full season. One new Doctor Who story, Slipback
, was made on radio
during the hiatus. The Controller of BBC One
at the time, Michael Grade
, criticised Doctor Who
, saying that, the programme had become overly violent, with farcical storylines during season 22 in 1985. After the 18-month hiatus, the programme returned for its 23rd season in the autumn of 1986. Season 23 featured a reduction of episodes produced, and the 14 episode long serial The Trial of a Time Lord
. This serial was a meta-textual reference to the fact that the series itself was "on trial" at this time.
In 1986, Baker told an interviewer, "Tom Baker
did it for seven years. ... There's a part of me which likes to have a tilt at records. I would like to think that maybe I'd still be doing it in eight years' time." However, later that year Baker was dismissed from the part at the insistence of BBC
management, who wanted to refresh the show. BBC1 Controller Michael Grade
allegedly disliked Baker's performance and BBC Head of Series Jonathan Powell has since said that the BBC was looking for "one last chance saloon, for an actor who would take off with the public." He was removed from the part after starring in only eleven stories and just short of three years in the part, including the hiatus, making his tenure as the Doctor the fewest number of years at that point.
Despite Baker's time in the role being punctuated with numerous personal and professional problems; the death of his son Jack shortly after Baker accepted the role, the 18-month hiatus which followed his first full season and finally his high-profile sacking, Baker remains enthusiastic about his time as the Doctor and is a regular at conventions and fan events.
, taking over from original lead Jon Pertwee
who had fallen ill.
In 1992, Colin Baker became the first (and so far only) Doctor to write a published Doctor Who story, The Deal, as part of Doctor Who Magazine
s Brief Encounters series. He wrote a second Brief Encounter the following year. Both featured the Sixth Doctor and Mel. In 1994 Baker wrote a comic strip, The Age of Chaos featuring the Sixth Doctor and Frobisher
, and in 2001 contributed a story entitled "The Wings of A Butterfly" to a charity short story anthology based on Doctor Who, "Missing Pieces".
Baker reprised the role on television only once since his official run ended, in the 1993 Children In Need
charity special Dimensions In Time
alongside Jon Pertwee
, Tom Baker
, Peter Davison
and Sylvester McCoy
.
In 1997 Baker provided audio dialogue for the BBC video game Doctor Who: Destiny of the Doctors
.
1999 saw Baker voice his first Doctor Who audio adventure for Big Finish Productions
, The Sirens of Time
. As of August 2011 Baker has recorded 63 Sixth Doctor audio plays with more planned for future release. These audio plays are generally well received by fans and in a poll conducted by Doctor Who Magazine, Baker was voted the "greatest" of the Doctors in this format.
In recent years, Baker has appeared on a number of DVD releases of his episodes, featuring in either making of documentaries or commentaries. The documentary Trials and Tribulations, included in the 2008 DVD release of The Trial of a Time Lord
examines his turbulent three years on the show.
' Privates On Parade
, Ira Levine's Deathtrap
, Ray Cooney
's Run for Your Wife and Ariel Dorfman
's Death and the Maiden
. For many years he has been a pantomime
stalwart. In 2000 he appeared in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
alongside actress Louise Jameson
who had previously played the Fourth Doctor
's companion Leela
. In 2003 he starred in the Carl Rosa Opera Company
's production of operetta
H.M.S. Pinafore
, directed by Timothy West
. In 2008, he toured with ex-wife Liza Goddard
in She Stoops To Conquer
. More recent theatre appearances have seen Baker tackle the role of Inspector Morse
in House of Ghosts and a UK tour of The Woman in White
.
In 1991 Baker played a Doctor-like character in the BBV
video series The Stranger
. This character appeared in six video adventures as well four audio stories. Another standalone BBV drama entitled The Airzone Solution
appeared in 1993 and featured former Doctor Who actors, Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison and Sylvester McCoy.
Television work during the 1990s included guest appearances in the BBC's medical drama Casualty
, The Knock
, Dangerfield
, the first episode of Jonathan Creek
, Channel 4
's adaptation of A Dance to the Music of Time
and as himself as the resident celebrity in 'Dictionary Corner' on the daytime quiz show Countdown
, also on Channel 4.
In 2003 Baker appeared on Top Gear, participating on a one-lap run on the Top Gear track in a Honda Civic hatchback. Baker competed against a Klingon
, a Cyberman
, a Dalek
, Darth Vader
and Ming the Merciless
. Baker came in 4th position, with the Cyberman coming 1st. A 2005 guest appearance in comedy sketch show Little Britain
was never transmitted but can be seen in the deleted scenes special feature on the Little Britain series 3 DVD. More recent television appearances have seen Baker appear in Kingdom
, Hustle
and Doctors.
Away from his Doctor Who work for Big Finish Productions (see above), Baker appeared in the audio dramas Sapphire and Steel: The Mystery of the Missing Hour
and the 3 part Earthsearch Mindwarp
. The latter, based on a James Follett
novel, was broadcast on the digital radio
station BBC 7
in 2006.
In 2010 Baker narrated and provided additional voices for Candy Jar Books' comedy sci-fi audiobook Kangazang, written by Terry Cooper.
Baker's film work over the years has been sporadic but includes The Harpist
(1999), The Asylum (2000) and D'Artagnan et les trois mousquetaires (2005). In 2010 he filmed scenes for an independent feature film, Shadows of a Stranger. In 2011 he appeared in Back2Hell which also featured his Doctor Who successor Sylvester McCoy.
Since 1995 Baker has written a regular weekly column for local newspaper Bucks Free Press
. A compilation of over 100 of his most entertaining articles from 1995 to 2009 were published in the book, Look Who's Talking.
Baker's first wife was actress Liza Goddard
. Their marriage ended in divorce.
His second wife is actress Marion Wyatt and the couple reside in Buckinghamshire with their four daughters and many animals.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who is known for playing Paul Merroney in The Brothers from 1974 to 1976 and as the sixth incarnation
Sixth Doctor
The Sixth Doctor is the sixth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by Colin Baker...
of the Doctor
Doctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
in the long-running science fiction television
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, from 1984 to 1986.
Background
Colin Baker was born in London, but moved north to RochdaleRochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
with his family early in his life. He was educated at St Bede's College, Manchester
St Bede's College, Manchester
St Bede's College, Manchester is an independent Roman Catholic day school situated on Alexandra Road South in the Whalley Range area of the city, and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
and originally studied to become a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
. At the age of 23, Baker changed professions and enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art is a leading British drama school in west London. LAMDA's president is Timothy West and its new principal is Joanna Read, who recently succeeded Peter James...
(LAMDA), where he studied alongside David Suchet
David Suchet
David Suchet, CBE, is an English actor, known for his work on British television. He is recognised for his RTS- and BPG award-winning performance as Augustus Melmotte in the 2001 British TV mini-drama The Way We Live Now, alongside Matthew Macfadyen and Paloma Baeza, and a 1991 British Academy...
. His mother is of Irish ancestry.
Early work in television
One of Baker's first acting jobs, in 1970, was a supporting role in a BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy, particularly Marxism, and was one of the key figures in literary...
's trilogy The Roads to Freedom
The Roads to Freedom
The Roads to Freedom is a series of novels by Jean-Paul Sartre. Intended as a tetralogy, it was left incomplete with only three of the planned four volumes published....
. In 1972, Colin Baker played Anatole Kuragin in a BBC serial adaptation of War and Peace
War and Peace (TV series)
War and Peace is a television dramatization of the Leo Tolstoy novel of War and Peace. This 20 episode series began on September 28, 1972.The BBC dramatisation of Tolstoy's epic story of love and loss set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars...
. His most prominent role in the 1970s was as the villainous Paul Merroney in The Brothers, a role that he played from 1974 to 1976. In the final episode of Fall of Eagles
Fall of Eagles
Fall of Eagles is a 13-part British television drama aired by the BBC in 1974. The series was created by John Elliot and produced by Stuart Burge....
, Baker appeared as Crown Prince Willy of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. Baker also guest starred as Bayban the Butcher in a 1980 episode of Blake's 7
Blake's 7
Blake's 7 is a British science fiction television series produced by the BBC for its BBC1 channel. The series was created by Terry Nation, a prolific television writer and creator of the Daleks for the television series Doctor Who. Four series of Blake's 7 were produced and broadcast between 1978...
. In 1983, he acted in a BBC production of A.J. Cronin's The Citadel.
Doctor Who (1984 -1986)
Baker made his first appearance in Doctor Who as Commander Maxil in the story Arc of InfinityArc of Infinity
Arc of Infinity is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 3 January to 12 January 1983...
(1983). Producer John Nathan-Turner
John Nathan-Turner
John Nathan-Turner was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, from 1980 until it was effectively cancelled in 1989...
described Baker's performance as being "quite arch" and a little sassy. Maxil was one of the few characters actually to shoot the Doctor, then played by Peter Davison
Peter Davison
Peter Davison is a British actor, best known for his roles as Tristan Farnon in the television version of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small and the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, which he played from 1982 to 1984.-Early life:Davison was born Peter Moffett in Streatham,...
.
At the time of Baker’s casting as Davison's successor, he became the only "Doctor" actor to have appeared in the television series as another character prior to taking on the leading role. When Baker was cast to replace Davison, many fans cited that shooting scene in Arc of Infinity
Arc of Infinity
Arc of Infinity is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 3 January to 12 January 1983...
, prompting Baker to say jokingly that he got the part of the Doctor by killing the incumbent. Colin is no relation to Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
, who played the Fourth Doctor
Fourth Doctor
The Fourth Doctor is the fourth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC British television science-fiction series Doctor Who....
in Doctor Who for seven years.
Baker's first appearance as the Doctor occurred at the final minutes of The Caves of Androzani
The Caves of Androzani
The Caves of Androzani is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 8–16 March 1984. It was Peter Davison's last regular appearance as the Doctor, and marks the first appearance of Colin Baker in the role...
, where he delivered his first few lines. The closing title sequence for episode four features Baker's face instead of Peter Davison, and credits him as the Doctor before Davison's own credit. This was the first (and, to date, only) time that the new lead received top billing in the final story of an outgoing Doctor. Baker then made his first full story debut the following week in The Twin Dilemma
The Twin Dilemma
The Twin Dilemma is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 22 March to 30 March 1984, the first to star Colin Baker in the title role.-Synopsis:...
. It was the first time since 1966, and only the second time in the series' history, that a new leading actor's debut story was shown before the conclusion of the previous lead's season.
Baker's era was interrupted by a long 18 month hiatus
Hiatus (television)
In television scheduling, a hiatus refers to a break of at least several weeks in the normal schedule of a broadcast programming. It can occur during a season of a television program, or can be between television seasons .- Planned hiatus :Many times television stations will implement a hiatus...
which was announced in February 1985, mid-way through transmission of his first full season. One new Doctor Who story, Slipback
Slipback
Slipback is a radio audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced by the BBC and first broadcast in six episodes on BBC Radio 4 from 25 July to 8 August 1985, as part of a children's magazine show called Pirate Radio Four...
, was made on radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
during the hiatus. The Controller of BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
at the time, Michael Grade
Michael Grade
Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth CBE is a British broadcast executive and businessman. He was BBC chairman from 2004 to 2006 and executive chairman of ITV plc from 2007 to 2009.-Early life:...
, criticised Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, saying that, the programme had become overly violent, with farcical storylines during season 22 in 1985. After the 18-month hiatus, the programme returned for its 23rd season in the autumn of 1986. Season 23 featured a reduction of episodes produced, and the 14 episode long serial The Trial of a Time Lord
The Trial of a Time Lord
The Trial of a Time Lord is a fourteen-part British science fiction serial of the long running BBC series Doctor Who. The serial, produced as the twenty-third season of the Doctor Who television series, aired in weekly episodes from 6 September to 6 December 1986...
. This serial was a meta-textual reference to the fact that the series itself was "on trial" at this time.
In 1986, Baker told an interviewer, "Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
did it for seven years. ... There's a part of me which likes to have a tilt at records. I would like to think that maybe I'd still be doing it in eight years' time." However, later that year Baker was dismissed from the part at the insistence of BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
management, who wanted to refresh the show. BBC1 Controller Michael Grade
Michael Grade
Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth CBE is a British broadcast executive and businessman. He was BBC chairman from 2004 to 2006 and executive chairman of ITV plc from 2007 to 2009.-Early life:...
allegedly disliked Baker's performance and BBC Head of Series Jonathan Powell has since said that the BBC was looking for "one last chance saloon, for an actor who would take off with the public." He was removed from the part after starring in only eleven stories and just short of three years in the part, including the hiatus, making his tenure as the Doctor the fewest number of years at that point.
Despite Baker's time in the role being punctuated with numerous personal and professional problems; the death of his son Jack shortly after Baker accepted the role, the 18-month hiatus which followed his first full season and finally his high-profile sacking, Baker remains enthusiastic about his time as the Doctor and is a regular at conventions and fan events.
Doctor Who appearances in other media
From the 5th June to 19th August 1989 Baker agreed to appear as the Doctor once more, in the stage play Doctor Who - The Ultimate AdventureDoctor Who - The Ultimate Adventure
Doctor Who – The Ultimate Adventure was a 1989 stage play, written by Terrance Dicks based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
, taking over from original lead Jon Pertwee
Jon Pertwee
John Devon Roland Pertwee , was an English actor. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge...
who had fallen ill.
In 1992, Colin Baker became the first (and so far only) Doctor to write a published Doctor Who story, The Deal, as part of Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
s Brief Encounters series. He wrote a second Brief Encounter the following year. Both featured the Sixth Doctor and Mel. In 1994 Baker wrote a comic strip, The Age of Chaos featuring the Sixth Doctor and Frobisher
Frobisher (Doctor Who)
Frobisher is a fictional character who appeared in the Doctor Who Magazine comic strip based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who in the 1980s. He was a companion of the Sixth and Seventh Doctors...
, and in 2001 contributed a story entitled "The Wings of A Butterfly" to a charity short story anthology based on Doctor Who, "Missing Pieces".
Baker reprised the role on television only once since his official run ended, in the 1993 Children In Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
charity special Dimensions In Time
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 the EastEnders Albert Square set, and features several of the stars of that programme...
alongside Jon Pertwee
Jon Pertwee
John Devon Roland Pertwee , was an English actor. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge...
, Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
, Peter Davison
Peter Davison
Peter Davison is a British actor, best known for his roles as Tristan Farnon in the television version of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small and the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, which he played from 1982 to 1984.-Early life:Davison was born Peter Moffett in Streatham,...
and Sylvester McCoy
Sylvester McCoy
Sylvester McCoy is a Scottish actor. As a comic act and busker he appeared regularly on stage and on BBC Children's television in the 1970s and 80s, but is best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who from 1987 to...
.
In 1997 Baker provided audio dialogue for the BBC video game Doctor Who: Destiny of the Doctors
Destiny of the Doctors
Doctor Who: Destiny of the Doctors is a PC computer game based on the British science fiction television series Doctor Who; released on 5 December 1997 by BBC Multimedia.- Overview :...
.
1999 saw Baker voice his first Doctor Who audio adventure for Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
, The Sirens of Time
The Sirens of Time
The Sirens of Time is the first Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The story was written by Nicholas Briggs and stars Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy...
. As of August 2011 Baker has recorded 63 Sixth Doctor audio plays with more planned for future release. These audio plays are generally well received by fans and in a poll conducted by Doctor Who Magazine, Baker was voted the "greatest" of the Doctors in this format.
In recent years, Baker has appeared on a number of DVD releases of his episodes, featuring in either making of documentaries or commentaries. The documentary Trials and Tribulations, included in the 2008 DVD release of The Trial of a Time Lord
The Trial of a Time Lord
The Trial of a Time Lord is a fourteen-part British science fiction serial of the long running BBC series Doctor Who. The serial, produced as the twenty-third season of the Doctor Who television series, aired in weekly episodes from 6 September to 6 December 1986...
examines his turbulent three years on the show.
After Doctor Who
Since leaving Doctor Who Baker has spent much of his time on the stage with appearances throughout the country in plays as diverse as Peter NicholsPeter Nichols
Peter Nichols FRSL is an English writer of stage plays, film and television.Born in Bristol, England, he was educated at Bristol Grammar School, and served his compulsory National Service as a clerk in Calcutta and later in the Combined Services Entertainments Unit in Singapore where he...
' Privates On Parade
Privates on Parade
Privates on Parade: A Play with Songs in Two Acts is a 1977 farce by English playwright Peter Nichols , with music by Denis King.-Plot:...
, Ira Levine's Deathtrap
Deathtrap (play)
Deathtrap is a play by Ira Levin in 1978 which encompasses many plot twists and is essentially a play within a play. It is a play in two acts with one set and five characters. It holds the record for the longest running comedy-thriller on Broadway and was also nominated for the Tony Award for Best...
, Ray Cooney
Ray Cooney
Raymond George Alfred Cooney, OBE is an English playwright and actor. His biggest success, Run for Your Wife, lasted nine years in London's West End and is its longest-running comedy. He has had 17 of his plays performed there....
's Run for Your Wife and Ariel Dorfman
Ariel Dorfman
Vladimiro Ariel Dorfman is an Argentine-Chilean novelist, playwright, essayist, academic, and human rights activist. A citizen of the United States since 2004, he has been a professor of literature and Latin American Studies at Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina since 1985.-Personal...
's Death and the Maiden
Death and the Maiden (play)
Death and the Maiden is a 1990 play by Chilean playwright Ariel Dorfman. The world premiere was staged at the Royal Court Theatre in London on 9 July 1991, directed by Lindsay Posner...
. For many years he has been a pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
stalwart. In 2000 he appeared in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Snow White
"Snow White" is a fairy tale known from many countries in Europe, the best known version being the German one collected by the Brothers Grimm...
alongside actress Louise Jameson
Louise Jameson
Louise Jameson is an English actress, best known for playing Leela, the leather-clad barbarian warrior companion of the fourth Doctor in Doctor Who. Jameson has also appeared on Emmerdale , The Omega Factor Louise Jameson (born 20 April 1951 in Wanstead, London) is an English actress, best known...
who had previously played the Fourth Doctor
Fourth Doctor
The Fourth Doctor is the fourth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC British television science-fiction series Doctor Who....
's companion Leela
Leela (Doctor Who)
Leela is a fictional character played by Louise Jameson in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Leela was a companion of the Fourth Doctor and a regular in the programme from 1977 to 1978...
. In 2003 he starred in the Carl Rosa Opera Company
Carl Rosa Opera Company
The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl August Nicholas Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company survived Rosa's death in 1889, and continued to present opera in English on tour until 1960, when it was...
's production of operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
H.M.S. Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, England, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which was the second-longest run of any musical...
, directed by Timothy West
Timothy West
Timothy Lancaster West, CBE is an English film, stage and television actor.-Career:West's craggy looks ensured a career as a character actor rather than a leading man. He began his career as an Assistant Stage Manager at the Wimbledon Theatre in 1956, and followed this with several seasons of...
. In 2008, he toured with ex-wife Liza Goddard
Liza Goddard
Liza Goddard is an English television and stage actress best known for her work in the 1970s and 1980s.-Early life:Goddard was born in Smethwick, West Midlands, England...
in She Stoops To Conquer
She Stoops to Conquer
She Stoops to Conquer is a comedy by the Irish author Oliver Goldsmith, son of an Anglo-Irish vicar, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a great favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in Britain and the United States. It is one of the few plays from the 18th...
. More recent theatre appearances have seen Baker tackle the role of Inspector Morse
Inspector Morse
Inspector Morse is a fictional character in the eponymous series of detective novels by British author Colin Dexter, as well as the 33-episode 1987–2000 television adaptation of the same name, in which the character was portrayed by John Thaw. Morse is a senior CID officer with the Thames Valley...
in House of Ghosts and a UK tour of The Woman in White
The Woman in White
The Woman in White can refer to:*The Woman in White , an 1859 novel written by Wilkie Collins*The Woman in White , a 2004 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical based on the novel...
.
In 1991 Baker played a Doctor-like character in the BBV
BBV
BBV is a video and audio production company specialising in science fiction drama, known for its links with the British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
video series The Stranger
The Stranger (video series)
The Stranger is a series of direct-to-video science-fiction dramas produced by BBV and starring Colin Baker. They are now available on DVD.The series began in 1991 with Summoned by Shadows, co-produced with the BBC Film Club...
. This character appeared in six video adventures as well four audio stories. Another standalone BBV drama entitled The Airzone Solution
The Airzone Solution
The Airzone Solution is a 1993 British science-fiction film, produced and released direct-to-video by BBV...
appeared in 1993 and featured former Doctor Who actors, Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison and Sylvester McCoy.
Television work during the 1990s included guest appearances in the BBC's medical drama Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
, The Knock
The Knock
The Knock was a primetime UK drama series, created by Anita Bronson and broadcast on ITV from 1994 to 2000, which portrayed the activities of customs officers from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise....
, Dangerfield
Dangerfield (TV series)
Dangerfield is a British drama series about a small town doctor / police surgeon, which ran for 6 series, between 1995 and 1999. Originally Nigel Le Vaillant played the central role , but this character later left the series, the focus switching to his replacement, played by Nigel Havers.The BBC...
, the first episode of Jonathan Creek
Jonathan Creek
Jonathan Creek is a British mystery series produced by the BBC and written by David Renwick. Primarily a crime drama, the show is also peppered with broadly comic touches...
, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's adaptation of A Dance to the Music of Time
A Dance to the Music of Time
A Dance to the Music of Time is a twelve-volume cycle of novels by Anthony Powell, inspired by the painting of the same name by Nicolas Poussin. One of the longest works of fiction in literature, it was published between 1951 and 1975 to critical acclaim...
and as himself as the resident celebrity in 'Dictionary Corner' on the daytime quiz show Countdown
Countdown (game show)
Countdown is a British game show involving word and number puzzles. It is produced by ITV Studios and broadcast on Channel 4. It is presented by Jeff Stelling, assisted by Rachel Riley, with regular lexicographer Susie Dent. It was the first programme to be aired on Channel 4, and over sixty-five...
, also on Channel 4.
In 2003 Baker appeared on Top Gear, participating on a one-lap run on the Top Gear track in a Honda Civic hatchback. Baker competed against a Klingon
Klingon
Klingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
, a Cyberman
Cyberman
The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs who are amongst the most persistent enemies of the Doctor in the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. Cybermen were originally a wholly organic species of humanoids originating on Earth's twin planet Mondas that began to implant more...
, a Dalek
Dalek
The Daleks are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Within the series, Daleks are cyborgs from the planet Skaro, created by the scientist Davros during the final years of a thousand-year war against the Thals...
, Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
and Ming the Merciless
Ming the Merciless
Ming the Merciless is a fictional character who first appeared in the Flash Gordon comic strip in 1934. He has since been the main villain of the strip and its related movie serials, TV shows and film adaptation.- First appearance :...
. Baker came in 4th position, with the Cyberman coming 1st. A 2005 guest appearance in comedy sketch show Little Britain
Little Britain
Little Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
was never transmitted but can be seen in the deleted scenes special feature on the Little Britain series 3 DVD. More recent television appearances have seen Baker appear in Kingdom
Kingdom (TV series)
Kingdom is a British television series produced by Parallel Film and Television Productions for the ITV network. It was created by Simon Wheeler and stars Stephen Fry as Peter Kingdom, a Norfolk solicitor who is coping with family, colleagues, and the strange locals who come to him for legal...
, Hustle
Hustle (TV series)
Hustle is a British television drama series made by Kudos Film and Television for BBC One in the United Kingdom. Created by Tony Jordan and first broadcast in 2004, the series follows a group of con artists who specialise in "long cons" – extended deceptions which require greater commitment, but...
and Doctors.
Away from his Doctor Who work for Big Finish Productions (see above), Baker appeared in the audio dramas Sapphire and Steel: The Mystery of the Missing Hour
The Mystery of the Missing Hour
The Mystery of the Missing Hour is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the popular British science fiction television series Sapphire & Steel.-Cast:*Steel — David Warner*Sapphire — Susannah Harker*Narrator — Colin Baker...
and the 3 part Earthsearch Mindwarp
Earthsearch Mindwarp
Earthsearch: Mindwarp is a 3 part radio series based on the Mindwarp novel by James Follett. This new series was first broadcast on BBC7 in 2006, beginning on April 2, and the episodes were 45 minutes long....
. The latter, based on a James Follett
James Follett
James Follett is an author and screenwriter, born in 1939 in Tolworth, England.Follett became a full-time fiction writer in 1976, after resigning from contract work as a technical writer for the British Ministry of Defence. He has since written over 20 novels, several television plays, and many...
novel, was broadcast on the digital radio
Digital radio
Digital radio has several meanings:1. Today the most common meaning is digital radio broadcasting technologies, such as the digital audio broadcasting system, also known as Eureka 147. In these systems, the analog audio signal is digitized into zeros and ones, compressed using formats such as...
station BBC 7
BBC 7
BBC Radio 4 Extra, formerly known as BBC 7 and BBC Radio 7, is a British digital radio station broadcasting comedy, drama, and children's programming nationally 24 hours a day. It is the principal broadcasting outlet for the BBC's archive of spoken-word entertainment...
in 2006.
In 2010 Baker narrated and provided additional voices for Candy Jar Books' comedy sci-fi audiobook Kangazang, written by Terry Cooper.
Baker's film work over the years has been sporadic but includes The Harpist
The Harpist (film)
The Harpist is a 1999 British-German drama film directed by Hansjörg Thurn and starring Geraldine O'Rawe, Christien Anholt and Stephen McGann. A young German travels to Hamburg to see an Irish harpist who he has become obsessed with...
(1999), The Asylum (2000) and D'Artagnan et les trois mousquetaires (2005). In 2010 he filmed scenes for an independent feature film, Shadows of a Stranger. In 2011 he appeared in Back2Hell which also featured his Doctor Who successor Sylvester McCoy.
Since 1995 Baker has written a regular weekly column for local newspaper Bucks Free Press
Bucks Free Press
The Bucks Free Press is a weekly local newspaper, published every Friday and covering the area surrounding High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. It was first published on 19 December 1856. Despite its title, it covers local news for the High Wycombe region only.The paper covers local news,...
. A compilation of over 100 of his most entertaining articles from 1995 to 2009 were published in the book, Look Who's Talking.
Personal Life
After the death of his son Jack in 1984, Baker became active in fighting Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. He raised funds for the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths and was a Trustee from 1989 and their Chairman between 1997 and 2005.Baker's first wife was actress Liza Goddard
Liza Goddard
Liza Goddard is an English television and stage actress best known for her work in the 1970s and 1980s.-Early life:Goddard was born in Smethwick, West Midlands, England...
. Their marriage ended in divorce.
His second wife is actress Marion Wyatt and the couple reside in Buckinghamshire with their four daughters and many animals.
Book
- Look Who's Talking (Hirst Books), First Published December 2009. First reprint February 2010 ISBN# 978-0-9557149-2-4
- Second Thoughts (Hirst Books), First Published September 2010 ISBN# 978-0-9566417-6-2