A while ago we passed the 90th anniversary of the birth of George Baker and more recently the 10th anniversary of his passing. Ian Fleming originally wanted him for James Bond, but he had other commitments, before Connery was cast. However he appeared in three Bond films - uncredited as a NASA engineer in You Only Live Twice 1967, Sir Hilary Bray in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service 1969 and Captain Benson in The Spy Who Loved Me 1977. Born in Varna, Bulgaria he initially grew up there as his father was a British consul and mother was in the Irish Red Cross there to fight cholera, and he was later educated at Lancing College, Sussex. He had a long and distinguished career, particularly on television and amassed 144 screen credits. He started in repertory at Deal in Kent and acted with the Old Vic 1959-61 and toured the Soviet Union. In 1965 he ran his own repertory company at Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk and toured productions started from there as Candida Plays Company, but he also acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company both in Stratford-upon-Avon and in the West End. He became more widely known as Flt.Lt Maltby in The Dam Busters 1955 and playing an heroic soldier in A Hill in Korea 1956. He appeared in so many TV series and plays, but memorably was in Z-Cars 1970-76 and Mr Bowler in the Fenn Street Gang 1972 and thence his own series as Bowler 1973. His portrayal as Tiberius in I, Claudius 1986 was the inspiration for Stannis Baratheon in Game of Thrones according to George R R Martin, but he was also Login in four episodes of Doctor Who 1980. However his most remembered role was as Detective Chief Inspector Reg Wexford in the Ruth Rendell Mysteries 1987-2000. As well as acting he wrote scripts – his play Fatal Spring 1980 on the WW1 poets won him a United Nations peace award - and enjoyed fine wine and food and did a book of recipes. He was an MBE for local youth club fund-raising where he lived many years in West Lavington, Wiltshire where he ended his days and did lots of corporate training films and being so admired, he was able to encourage many top actors to also take part. We believe he is more than worthy of a match in his honour and hope you accept – if the numbers or ratings do not suit, then please make contact.
Equaliser769
Swift_Defeat
