Art Baker
(1898 - 1966)Those of us who grew up in the beginning of the television era remember Art Baker from the TV series "You Asked For It" yet he was already an established character actor by the time he took that job. Distinguishable by his tall, slim frame, a mane of snow white hair, a silky smooth slightly nasal voice and a genial nature. His voice was his fortune. In films he was generally cast as a business tycoon, doctor, senator or other professional type as well numerous Announcers of all types. He was born Arthur Shank in New York City, New York on January 7, 1898 the son of a woman who ran a settlement house for the poor on New York's Bowery. After growing up in New York he became a traveling evangelist in the 1920s for a period of time and ended up in California. He later sold refrigerators with little success and then got a job as tour guide and lecturer at Hollywood's famed Forest Lawn cemetery. This led to a job in radio as the first host of "People Are Funny" and other shows and eventually films and television. His film debut was in "Stand-In" (1937) uncredited as Director of Photography. His other films include: "Artists and Models" (1937) uncredites as Second Announcer; "Torchy Blane in Panama" (1938) uncredited as Assistant Bank Manager; "Prairie Moon" (1938) uncredited as Judge Arthur Dean; "Trade Winds" (1938) uncredited as Voice of Police Announcer; "Slightly Honorable" (1940) uncredited as Radio Announcer; "The North Star" (1943) as Radio Voice; "Roaring Guns" (1944) as Narrator; "Wells Fargo Days" (1944) as Narrator; "Once Upon a Time" (1944) with Cary Grant, as Gabriel Heatter; "Trial by Trigger" (1944) as Narrator; "Spellbound" (1945) as Lt. Cooley; "Abie's Irish Rose" (1946) as Rabbi Samuels; "Daisy Kenyon" (1947) as Lucille's Attorney; "The Beginning or the End" (1947) as Pres. Truman; "Dark Delusion" (1947) as Dr. Sanford Burson; "The Farmer's Daughter" (1947) with Loretta Young, as Anders Finley, one of his best roles; "The Walls of Jericho" (1948) as Peddigrew; "Walk a Crooked Mile" (1948) as Dr. Frederick Townsend; "State of the Union" (1948) as Radio Announcer; "Massacre River" (1948) as Col. James Reid; "Homecoming" (1948) uncredited as Williams, Reporter on Transport Ship; "A Southern Yankee" (1948) as Col. Clifford Baker; "Silver River" (1948) uncreditted as Maj. Wilson; "The Decision of Christopher Blake" (1948) as Mr. Kurlick; "It's Your Health" (1949) as Dr. Hendricks; "Cover-Up" (1949) as Stu Weatherby; "Impact" (1949) as Eldridge, D.A.; "Night Unto Night" (1949) as Dr. Poole; "Take One False Step" (1949) as Dr. Henry Pritchard; "Massacre River" (1949) as Col. James Reid; "Any Number Can Play" (1949) as Mr. Reardon; "Task Force" (1949) as Sen. Vincent; "Easy Living" (1949) as Howard Vollmer; "The Underworld Story" (1950) as Lt. Tilton State Trooper; "Hot Rod" (1950) as Judge Langham; "The Du Pont Story" (1950) as Chemical Director; "Belle Le Grand" (1951) uncredited as Defense Attorney; "Cause for Alarm" (1951) as Superintendent; "Only the Valiant" (1951) as Capt. Jennings; "Here Comes the Groom" (1951) as Radio Announcer; "Living It Up" (1954) uncredited as Radio Announcer; "Twelve Hours to Kill" (1960) as Capt. Johns; "Swingin' Along" (1961) as Television Announcer; "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (1961) as U.N. Commentator; "Young Dillinger" (1965) as Warden; "The Wild Angels" (1966) as Thomas, Undertaker, his last film role. On TV he was host of "You Asked for It" (1950-58) and "The End of the Rainbow" (1958) as Emcee. He also appeared in many TV commercials. He and his wife, Geraldine, had a daughter, Diane and two stepsons Milton and Bill Larsen. He died of a heart attack on August 26, 1966 in Los Angeles, California at age 68.
From Great Character Actors, Page 7.
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