Colin Baker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Colin Baker
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Baker in 2008
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| Born | 8 June 1943 |
| Education | St Bede's College, Manchester |
| Alma mater | London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Known for | Sixth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 5 (1 deceased) |
Colin Charles Baker (born 8 June 1943) is an English actor. He is best known for playing the sixth version of the Doctor in the popular science fiction TV show Doctor Who. He was the Doctor from 1984 to 1986. Before that, he played Paul Merroney in the BBC drama series The Brothers from 1974 to 1976.
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Early Life
Colin Baker was born in Waterloo, London, England. When he was three years old, his family moved north to Rochdale. He went to St Bede's College, Manchester. There, he earned high grades in French, Latin, and Greek. He was especially good at Latin and Greek.
After school, Baker studied law in London. He even trained to become a lawyer. But at 23, he decided to follow his passion for acting. He joined the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).
Career
Early TV Roles
In the early 1970s, Colin Baker appeared in many TV shows. He had a role in a BBC show called The Roads to Freedom in 1970. The next year, he played Count Steinbock in Cousin Bette. In 1972, he acted alongside Anthony Hopkins in War and Peace.
His biggest role at the time came in 1974. He played Paul Merroney, a tough banker, in the BBC series The Brothers. Colin joined the show partway through. His character became one of the main ones for over three years.
After The Brothers, Colin often worked in theatre. His TV appearances became less frequent. However, he did guest star in an episode of Blake's 7 in 1980. He also appeared in a BBC show called The Citadel in 1983.
The Doctor in Doctor Who (1984–1986)
Colin Baker first appeared in Doctor Who as Commander Maxil in 1983. This was in the story Arc of Infinity, when Peter Davison was the Doctor. Later, Colin was chosen to be the Sixth Doctor. He was the second actor picked by producer John Nathan-Turner.
Colin's first moment as the Doctor was at the end of The Caves of Androzani in 1984. His first full story as the Doctor was The Twin Dilemma. This story and Colin's portrayal of the Doctor caused some debate among viewers.
His time as the Doctor was interrupted by a long break. This break was announced in February 1985. The head of BBC1, Michael Grade, said Doctor Who had become too violent. The show returned in September 1986 for its 23rd season. This season was one long story called The Trial of a Time Lord.
Colin Baker hoped to play the Doctor for many years. But later that year, the BBC decided to replace him. They wanted a new actor to make the show more popular. Colin was the Doctor for only eleven stories. This made his time as the Doctor the shortest at that point. He was offered a chance to film his character's final scene, but he declined. Instead, his replacement, Sylvester McCoy, played the injured Sixth Doctor during the regeneration scene. In 2019, Colin said he regretted not returning for that scene.
On September 4, 2011, Colin Baker became the president of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society. This group is for fans of Doctor Who. He was chosen by fans in an online vote.
Other Doctor Who Appearances
Colin Baker has played the Doctor again in other ways. From June to August 1989, he starred in the stage play Doctor Who – The Ultimate Adventure. He took over the role from Jon Pertwee, who was ill.
In 1992, Colin became the first Doctor to write a Doctor Who story. It was called The Deal for Doctor Who Magazine. He wrote another story the next year. He also wrote a comic strip in 1994.
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He has returned to TV as the Doctor twice since his main run ended. He appeared in the 1993 charity special Dimensions in Time. He also had a cameo in the 2022 special "The Power of the Doctor". He also reprised the role in Tales of the TARDIS.
In 1997, Colin provided his voice for the video game Doctor Who: Destiny of the Doctors. Since 1999, he has voiced the Sixth Doctor in many audio plays for Big Finish Productions. Fans really enjoy these audio stories. In a poll, he was voted the "greatest" Doctor in this audio format.
In November 2013, Colin Baker was in a comedy special. It was called The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot. This show celebrated Doctor Who's 50th anniversary.
After Doctor Who
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After leaving Doctor Who, Colin Baker has spent a lot of time acting on stage. He has performed in many plays across the country. He has also been in many pantomimes, which are fun, musical plays. In 2000, he was in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
He also appeared in a video series called The Stranger in 1991. In this series, he played a character similar to the Doctor.
His TV work in the 1990s included guest roles in shows like Casualty and Jonathan Creek. He also appeared as a celebrity guest on the quiz show Countdown.
In 2003, Colin Baker was on Top Gear. He drove a car around their famous track. He competed against characters like a Cyberman and a Dalek. He finished in 4th place.
In 2012, Colin Baker took part in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. This is a reality show where celebrities live in the jungle. He finished in 8th place.
Since 1995, Colin Baker has written a weekly column for his local newspaper, Bucks Free Press. A collection of his articles was published in a book called Look Who's Talking.
Personal Life
Colin Baker's first wife was actress Liza Goddard. She had acted with him in The Brothers. Their marriage lasted 18 months. He later married Marion Wyatt in 1982. They have four daughters: Lucy, Bindy, Lalla, and Rosie. They also had a son, Jack, who sadly passed away from sudden infant death syndrome. His wife and daughters appeared as themselves in The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.
Colin Baker is a friend of the American writer Stephen R. Donaldson. Donaldson even dedicated one of his books to Colin.
Colin Baker is against fox hunting. In 2015, he was one of many famous people who signed a letter. The letter asked politicians to oppose changes to the law against fox hunting.
Images for kids
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Baker in 2008
See also
In Spanish: Colin Baker para niños
