Tom Baker is an English actor with a prolific career across stage, film, television and radio. His professional acting debut was as the bear in The Winter’s Tale in 1966. His film debut came the following year in that play's film adaptation. Baker joined the National Theatre company in 1968, appearing in stage productions such as The Travails of Sancho Panza, The Merchant of Venice, The National Health and A Woman Killed with Kindness. His National Theatre contract ended in 1971.

His first major film role was as Grigori Rasputin in Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), for which he was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture and Most Promising Newcomer. He appeared in the BBC’s 1972 Play of the Month production of The Millionairess. He continued to work in theatre, with a role in The Novelist at Hampstead and as the lead in Macbeth at the Shaw Theatre, London.

Baker took supporting parts in fantasy genre films, such as The Canterbury Tales (1972), The Vault of Horror (1973), Frankenstein: The True Story (1973), The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) and The Mutations (1974). His film career stagnated when three film projects collapsed due to lack of funding, and he started working part-time on a building site. His performance in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad impressed producer Barry Letts, who cast Baker in February 1974 as the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction series Doctor Who (1974–1981). Baker's performance is considered among the best and most popular of the many actors who played the character. He stayed with the series for seven consecutive seasons.

Baker withdrew to the theatre after leaving Doctor Who. He played Oscar Wilde on stage in Feasting with Panthers at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 1981, and the following year played Judge Brack in Hedda Gabler in the West End and Dr. Bryant in Educating Rita for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He returned to television, portraying Sherlock Holmes in the serial The Hound of the Baskervilles (1982) and Redbeard Rum in Blackadder II (1986). His first long-running role since playing the Doctor was as Dr. Hoyt in the medical drama series Medics (1992–1995). He later appeared in the series Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) (2000–2001) and Monarch of the Glen (2004–2005).

Baker moved into voice acting in the early 2000s. He narrated the comedy series Little Britain (2003–2006, 2019) and Little Britain USA (2008). In 2006 he was voted the fourth-most recognisable voice in the United Kingdom. He had voice roles in animated programmes such as Tales of Aesop (1990), The Secret Show (2006), The Beeps (2007–2008) and Star Wars Rebels (2016). He has also provided vocals for musical artists such as alternative rock band Mansun (on the 1998 album Six) and progressive rock project Ayreon (on the 2020 album Transitus). Since 2011, Baker has regularly reprised his role as the Fourth Doctor in licensed audio dramas by Big Finish Productions.

Film YearTitleRoleNotes1967The Winter's TaleUncredited; film debut1971Nicholas and AlexandraGrigori RasputinNominated for the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture and Most Promising Newcomer1972The Canterbury TalesJenkin1973Dear ParentsKarl1973The Vault of HorrorMoore1973Frankenstein: The True StorySea captain1973The Golden Voyage of SinbadKoura1974LutherPope Leo XDoes not appear in some versions of the film1974The MutationsLynch1980The Curse of King Tut's TombHasan1983/4The Passionate PilgrimSir TomShort film1984The Zany Adventures of Robin HoodSir Guy de Gisbourne1985Enemy MineNarrator1989The Wolves of Willoughby Chase1998BacktimeSarge2000Dungeons & DragonsHalvarth2005The Magic RoundaboutZeebadVoice; Redubbed for US release2006Global HaywireNarratorDocumentary2010The Genie in the BottleShort film2013Break Glass in Case Of...MonicaVoiceSaving SantaSantaVoice; UK dub2019Wonder ParkBoomer

Television YearTitleRoleNotes1968Dixon of Dock GreenThe manEpisode: "The Attack"Market in Honey LaneDoormanEpisode: "The Matchmakers"George and the DragonPorterEpisode: "The 10:15 Train"Z-CarsHarry RussellEpisode: "Hudson's Way"Dixon of Dock GreenForemanEpisode: "Number 13"1969Thirty-Minute TheatreCorporal SchabeEpisode: "The Victims: Frontier"1970Softly, SoftlySite foremanEpisode: "Like Any Other Friday"1972Play of the MonthDr. Ahmed el KabirEpisode: "The Millionairess"1973Arthur of the BritonsBrandreth / GavronEpisode: "Go Warily"1974–1981Doctor WhoFourth Doctor172 episodes (excluding Planet of the Spiders and Shada)1975Jim'll Fix It1 episodeDisney Time1976Piccadilly CircusMark Ambient1977Nouvelles de Henry James1978Late Night StoryHost4 episodes1979–1981The Book TowerPresenter21 episodes1982The Hound of the BaskervillesSherlock Holmes4 episodes (mini series)1983Jemima Shore InvestigatesDr. Norman ZieglerEpisode: "Dr. Ziegler's Casebook"Doctor WhoFourth DoctorEpisode: "The Five Doctors" (via untransmitted archive footage from Shada)1984Remington SteeleAnatole BlaylockEpisode: "Hounded Steele"1985JackanoryStorytellerEpisode: "The Iron Man"1986The Life and Loves of a She-DevilFather FergusonEpisode 4Redwall FriarHugo(voice)Blackadder IICaptain Redbeard RumEpisode: "Potato"The Kenny Everett Television ShowPatient/John Thompson/Blu-Tac/TomSeries 4, Episode 11990The Silver ChairPuddleglumTales of AesopNarratorHyperlandTom"Fantasy documentary" created by Douglas AdamsBOOM!Co-presenter1991Selling HitlerManfred Fischer4 episodes1992CluedoProfessor Plum6 episodesScreen TwoSir Lionel SweetingEpisode: "The Law Lord"Doctor Who: The Tom Baker YearsPresenterVideo1992–1995MedicsProfessor Geoffrey Hoyt34 episodes1993Doctor WhoFourth DoctorCharity special Dimensions in Time1994The Imaginatively Titled Punt & Dennis ShowActor in supermarketCameoEquinoxNarratorEpisode: "Rave New World"1998Have I Got News for YouHimself2000This Is Your LifeThe Canterbury TalesSimpkinVoice only. Episode: "The Journey Back"Max BearMax BearVoice only2000–2001Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)Professor Wyvern10 episodes2001Fun at the Funeral ParlourQuimbyEpisode: "The Jaws of Doom"2003Swiss ToniDerek AsquithEpisode: "Cars Don't Make You Fat"2DTVFourth DoctorVoice only. Series 4, Episode 1StrangeFather BernardEpisode: "Asmoth"Fort Boyard (UK)Captain Baker20 episodes2003–2005, 2019Little BritainNarrator21 episodes2004The Little ReindeerSanta ClausVoice2004–2005Monarch of the GlenDonald MacDonald12 episodes2005, 2007, 2015, 2016Comic Relief Does Little BritainNarrator5 episodes2006The Secret ShowRobert BaronVoice only. Episode: "The Secret Room"Little Britain: AbroadNarrator2 episodes2007Agatha Christie's MarpleFrederick TrevesEpisode: "Towards Zero"2007–2008The BeepsNarrator45 episodes2008Little Britain USA6 episodesHave I Got News for YouHimselfGuest host2010In ConfidenceSeries 1 Episode 5. Interviewed by Laurie Taylor Series 1, episode 5.2013Doctor WhoThe CuratorEpisode: "The Day of the Doctor"2016–2017Star Wars RebelsBenduVoice2017Doctor WhoFourth DoctorShada: Voice for animation and new live action scene2020The Big Night InNarratorLittle Britain specialHimselfThe Doctors Say Thank You

Theatre +YearTitleRoleNotes1966The Winter's TaleThe Bear, Rogero, Autolycus, a gentleman, two dancersAssembly Hall, Edinburgh; Cambridge Theatre, London; Teatro La Fenice, Venice1967Shop in the High StreetEdinburgh Festival FringeStand Still and Retreat OnwardsApple a DayDial M for MurderHenley-on-ThamesThe Reluctant DebutanteRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are DeadT/O ExtraThe Old Vic1968Hay FeverThe Library Theatre, ScarboroughThe StrongboxArden of FavershamA Bout in the Backyard1969–70The National Health or Nurse Norton’s AffairExtraThe Old VicThe Travails of Sancho PanzaRozinante the horse1970The Merchant of VenicePrince of Monaco1969–70The National Theatre1970The IdiotParfyon Rogozhin1970–1Mrs. Warren's Profession1971A Woman Killed With KindnessSir Francis ActonThe Old VicThe Rules of the GameFilippoNew Theatre and Theatre Royal1972Troilus and CressidaBristol Old VicDon JuanThe White Devil1973MacbethMacbeth, King of ScotlandShaw Theatre1974The Trials of Oscar WildeOscar WildeOxford Festival1981Treasure IslandLong John SilverMermaid TheatreFeasting with PanthersOscar WildeChichester Festival Theatre1982–3Hedda GablerJudge BrackBristol Hippodrome and Cambridge Theatre, LondonEducating RitaFrankUK Tour1984–5She Stoops to ConquerMr HardcastleNational Theatre – Lyttelton, National TheatreTheatre Royal1985The Mask of MoriartySherlock Holmes/Professor MoriartyGate Theatre1987An Inspector CallsInspector GooleWestminster Theatre, London1988The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940Ken de la MaizeGreenwich Theatre, London1994Arsenic and Old LaceJonathan BrewsterTheatre Royal, Alhambra Theatre and other locations2024A Christmas CarolJacob Marley (prerecorded segment)Crime and Comedy Theatre Company

Video games YearTitleRoleNotes1995Little Red Riding HoodNarratorVoice1997Destiny of the DoctorsFourth DoctorVoice and likeness2000Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the FutureNarratorVoice2001Hostile Waters: Antaeus Rising2003Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior2004Sudeki2005Heretic Kingdoms: The Inquisition: ResurrectionGrim Reaper2006Cold WinterJohn Gray2007Little Britain: The Video GameNarrator2015Lego DimensionsFourth DoctorVoice; archive soundNelly Cootalot: The Fowl FleetSebastian J. CootVoice2018Shadows: AwakeningKrenze

Audio drama

YearTitleRoleNotes1976Doctor Who and the PescatonsFourth DoctorExploration EarthEpisode: "The Time Machine"1992–1993Lionel Nimrod's Inexplicable WorldLionel Nimrod1994The Russia HouseBarley BlairLost EmpiresNick Ollanton1995BomberNarrator1999Nicholas NicklebyVincent Crummles2003Tom's DinerTom Plum4 episodes2009Doctor Who: Hornets' NestFourth Doctor5 episodes2010Doctor Who: Demon Quest5 episodes2011Doctor Who: Serpent Crest5 episodes2012Hard TimesJosiah Bounderby2012–presentDoctor Who: The Audio AdventuresFourth Doctor125 episodes2020–2021The Curator3 episodes2013Treasure IslandLong John Silver / Captain FlintProduced by Big Finish Productions2015Sky AdvertsHimself2018The Diary of River SongFourth DoctorEpisode: "Someone I Once Knew"2019Little BrexitNarrator2026Sherlock Holmes

Music YearArtistAlbumNotes1982The Conversation FoundationSerafina - the Story of a WhaleBaker plays Adamus Plato; produced for EMI's Music for Pleasure1995TechnocatSpoken vocals on the track "Only Human"1998MansunSixNarrator on track "Witness to a Murder (Part 2)"2009Stephen JamesAndabrekRecorded monologue for the track "Megamorphosis" in 20022020AyreonTransitusBaker plays the character "The Storyteller"

Web YearTitleRoleNotes2020The Doctors Say Thank YouHimself

References

Citations

Bibliography