Lesley Baker (born 20 January 1944) is an Australian actress, singer, dancer and comedian. She is best known internationally for her small screen roles in cult series Prisoner and her recurring role in Neighbours.

Career Baker started her career, participating in a comedy revue in 1963, which in turn lead to a starring role in a production of the musical comedy How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying when she was 19. She then appeared on Australian variety television show In Melbourne Tonight with Graham Kennedy, for a year, performing comedy sketches, hosting and singing.

She played several lead stage roles including Fanny Brice in a Sydney season of Funny Girl, and Madame Rose in the first ever Australian production of Gypsy. Further musical stage comedies, and television variety work followed.

In 1971 Baker secured her own television morning show, The Incredible Lesley Baker Show. However, this proved to be short-lived, as internal politics prevented the show from continuing, so she took a short hiatus from acting, to travel and work as a secretary in London. She returned to Australia in 1973 to resume her acting career.

Baker segued into drama roles, predominantly in Crawford Productions series. She is best known for her TV soap opera roles including that of hulking husband basher, Monica Ferguson, in early episodes of Prisoner in 1979. She left the show after eight months, to care for her young son, however, in 1982, she returned to the series, playing the character of 'Tinker' Bell Peters.

Baker began playing the itinerant role of Angie Rebecchi in Neighbours in January 1995. Baker received a call from casting director Jan Russ offering her the guest role of Angie for an initial three week period. Stonefish Rebecchi (Anthony Engelman) had been in the series since 1994 and they wanted to build a family unit around his character. The producers loved her appearance and she proved popular with viewers, so Angie was written back into Neighbours as a regular ongoing role, alongside her husband "Big Kev" (Don Bridges), eldest son Shane Rebecchi (Greg O'Mera), and youngest son Toadie Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney).

In 1996, Angie was written out of Neighbours, however, she has continued to appear on the series. Baker was one of over twenty actors who reprised their roles for the serial's then-final episode in 2022, and the first few episodes of the 2023 continuation with her return being a surprise for viewers.

Baker has guest-starred in numerous other Australian television dramas and television variety shows. Her feature film credits include Eliza Frazer (1976) and Spotswood (1991).

Personal life When Baker returned to Australia in 1973, she married teacher and part-time actor Graham Haines. She gave birth to their first child, a son, in 1977. Their son suffered brain damage at birth and was later diagnosed with psychomotor retardation. Baker and Haines separated and she had to put a stop to her acting career in order to care for her son. She later suffered an emotional breakdown. Baker revealed in a 2003 interview that she remains the sole-carer to her son, which means she cannot have a full-time job.

Filmography

Television Year Title Role Notes 1970 The Long Arm - The Nurse - Const. Brenda Davis 2 episodes: "The Big Circle" (#1.8), "The Christmas Break"(#1.13) 1974 Rush Episode: "They Faced all the Dangers, Those Bold Bushrangers" (#1.3) 1969–76 Homicide Various 8 episodes 1970–75 Division 4 Various 8 episodes 1971–76Matlock Police Various 9 episodes 1973 The Paul Hogan Show Guest 1975 The Last of the Australians Ms. Ferguson Episode: "Ashes to Ashes" (#2.4) 1976 Solo One Mrs. Pickett Episode: "My Bonnie" (#1.7)Bellbird Cheryl Turner #2 Episode: "Coming Home" (#1520) Alvin Purple Myrtle Episode: "Ciao Alvin" (#1.13) 1977Bluey Leslie Stewart Episode: "Emma" (#1.15) 1978–81 Cop Shop Various 5 episodes 1979 Skyways Gladys Skinner (as Leslie Baker) Episode: "Donny's Father" (#1.142) PrisonerMonica Ferguson 36 episodes: 15–18, 29–60 1980 Water Under the Bridge Nurse Vickers Miniseries, 3 episodes 1981 I Can Jump Puddles Matron Miniseries, 2 episodes Holiday Island Gladys Episode: "Hang Glider - Part 2" (#1.44) 1983Prisoner Belle 'Tinker' Peters 3 episodes: 390–392 1984 Carson's Law Nurse Episode: "Fallen into Darkness" Special Squad Chamber Maid Episode: "Counterfeit Lady" (#1.5) 1986 Whose Baby? Marge Miniseries 1986, 1988–89 The Flying Doctors - Mrs. Jackson - Lucy Somers 5 episodes: "Sins of the Fathers" (#1.8), "Don't Tell Anyone" (#3.24), "Breaking the Drought (#4.8), "All You Need is Luck" (#4.11), "Rising Sundown (#5.6) 1988The Bartons Mrs. Davis 2 episodes: "Half Time" (#1.3), "The Great Billycart Aid Rave" (#1.6)1990SkirtsDoris1990 Col’n Carpenter Irene Episode: "Pop the Question" (#2.10) 1992Bony Boarding House Lady Episode: "Looks Can Kill" (#1.2) 1993 Phoenix Woman Farmer (as Leslie Baker) Episode: "In on the Joke" (#2.8) 1994 Wedlocked 1994, 1997, 2001, 2004Blue Heelers Various 5 episodes 1995–962002–06,2008, 2013, 20152017–19, 2022–23 Neighbours Angie Rebecchi TV series, 176 episodes 1997, 1998 Good Guys, Bad Guys - Rose - Ms. Pinney 2 episodes: "Angel'’ (#1.11), "Naughty Bits (#2.5) 1999 Stingers Maggie Robardi Episode: "Just Acting" (#2.13) 2000SeaChange Mrs. Chatham Episode: "Pipeline" (#3.5) Something in the Air Female Caller 2001 Shock Jock Rita 3 episodes: "Exposure" (#1.3), "Mein Diary" (#1.5), "One for the Road" (#1.6) 2008–09 City Homicide Miriam Toffler 2 episodes: "Taniwha" (#2.4), "In Wolf’s Clothing" (#3.17) 2009 The Librarians Christine's Nan Episode: "Romeos and Juliets" (#2.4) 2017 Neighbours: Summer Stories Angie Rebecchi TV series, 2 episodes

Source:

Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1976 Eliza Frazer Feature film 1987Slate, Wyn & Me Molly Feature film 1992Spotswood(aka The Efficiency Expert) Gwen Feature film (as Leslie Baker) 1993Body Melt Mack Feature film 1995 Angel Baby Rose Feature film 2008 Tea and Physics Granny Short film 2009 Inanimate Objects Sam Graham Film

Other appearances +YearTitleRoleNotes1965Graham Kennedy's Channel 9 ShowGuest (singing with Graham Kennedy)TV series, 1 episode1969–70In Melbourne TonightComedian, co-host, singerTV series1971The Incredible Lesley Baker ShowHostTV series, 6 episodes

Theatre YearTitleRoleNotes 1963 The Maids Solange University of Melbourne with The Marlowe Society 1963 Where Do We Go From Here? St Martins Theatre, Melbourne 1963 How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Smitty Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide with J. C. Williamson 1966 Funny Girl Fanny Brice Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Theatre Royal Sydney, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide 1967 Gypsy Madame Rose Menzies Theatre Restaurant, Sydney 1968 Oh, What a Lovely War! The Pierrots Comedy Theatre, Melbourne with J. C. Williamson & St Martins Youth Arts Centre 1969 Annie Get Your Gun Dolly Tate (understudy) Lido Theatre Restaurant, Melbourne 1969 Invitation to a March Deedee Grogan St Martins Theatre, Melbourne 1970 Promises, Promises Sylvia Gilhooley Theatre Royal Sydney with J. C. Williamson 1971 Caroline Mrs Winthrop St Martins Theatre, Melbourne, Playhouse, Canberra 1975 Gypsy Madame Rose Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney with J. C. Williamson 1976 Halfway at Easter Clare Kew Community Theatre, Melbourne with Original Theatrical Enterprises Red, White n Boogie Theatre Restaurant 1980 The Bull 'n' Bush Theatre Restaurant The Gold Diggers Room, Warrandyte with Red Riding Hood Productions 1981 Bull 'n' Bush Burlesque The Gold Diggers Room, Warrandyte with Terry Gill Productions The Naughty Nineties Theatre Restaurant Terry Gill Productions

References

External links

Interview on Neighbours the Perfect Blend