Posted on 01/20/2024 12:23:37 PM PST by Borges
As Doctor Who legend Tom Baker celebrates his 90th birthday, we had to mark the occasion in style – with some rare and newly released photos of the man himself.
Last year, Baker, who famously played the Fourth Doctor, celebrated Doctor Who's 60th anniversary with Radio Times magazine, opening up in an interview and posing for photos.
Now, we can exclusively share five more portraits from that shoot, which show Baker suited up and draped in a replica of his iconic Fourth Doctor scarf.
To date, Baker remains the longest-serving Doctor, playing the Time Lord from 1974 to 1981. His incarnation is instantly recognisable, with fans still deeply invested in his Doctor and characters from his era.
Just recently, Louise Jameson starred in a short written and directed by Pete McTighe, which saw her character Leela leaving the battlefield of the Time War and returning to the TARDIS to reunite with Baker's Fourth Doctor.
Speaking to Radio Times a few months before his 90th birthday, Baker said: "Nobody failed as Doctor Who, did they?" adding: "Well, we mustn't be ungenerous to anyone. But certainly I didn't."
As for anything he thought the new Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, should know? "Knowing anything is a bit dangerous when you play Doctor Who," he said.
It's better to know nothing. And to be good-natured. The trick is to respond generously to other actors, which halves your task because you don't have to be driving it all the time."
However, he made it clear that a reunion with his fellow Doctors wouldn't be on the cards, saying: "I avoid them, you know. Not with any malice. A degree of contempt, perhaps. But mildly. Mildly contemptuous."
Baker was good, but I actually think Michael Aldridge was the best Rasputin.
“The greater the sin, the greater the forgiveness.”
https://youtu.be/BPp-muVm8SQ?list=PLeeHYMdsfWkL2lEk8hHYoO9WHNfP_9fe2&t=2925
He simply IS Dr. Who.
I always had a crush on Leela
But I seem to always want the hot/crazy ones.
Probably I would have done Servalan too.
I've seen quite a few, going back to when all three of the Barrymores were doing the whole Russian thing ( RASPUTIN AND THE EMPRESS, 1932 ), but don't know if I've seen the one you've linked to. I'll let you know.
Well, he never was a looker, and now he looks like an old lady. I liked him as the Doctor, though. I’ve liked them all, until they made him a woman; that’s just absurd.
I got to tell her in person that she was my favorite.
Truth be told, I had a schoolboy crush on her too. But was too shy back then to say so.
I liked Romana II as well.
Nope, never saw that one, but now that I have, I still like Baker’s Rasputin the best.
never saw the first three, but you know an actor owns a role when you hear him in character as you read the quotes in the story. that’s certainly the case for me with Tom. God continue to bless him.
I remember him in the low budget Doctor Who’s of the early 80s with their poor lighting and ridiculous rubber monsters.
Maybe it’s time for a new doctor.
—
Yes, played by a gay black guy. Well, at least the Doctor is male again. Coming in a few months. End of the female doctor, a bit of another doctor, and entrance of the new doctor:
Doctor Who S14 E00 The Power of The Doctor
https://new-gomovies.live/watch-tv-show/doctor-who-season-14/OiSpFZdB/ReA5Wu4v/4D9kaLBz-online-free.html
I liked Perry.
He did Puddleglum?? I did not know! Which version?
Time Lords can ONLY regenerate 12 times ( which has now been exceed by what...2? ) and when The Master tried for a thirteenth ( though they did bring him back for the new series and THAT didn't work at ALL! ), he begins to crumble, after a bit, a la Dorian Grey, at the end of that book and film...turning into dust!
For all of you Tom Baker as Dr. Who fans out there, might want to look into getting a copy of The Scratchman. Tom Baker is the author and narrator: https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Who-Scratchman-audiobook/dp/B07L5WJQLW/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3OGGLAOJGQNWI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.-zO4QvhcYGZhKbM-MOjNbXd6KCKqYwbumXDqCcYSojUsOnqY9fUnweQMGVHWQGEZE4Lvd69rbn55Jk3gh2H9JYd1TasaemV3dlRdch2JGMwgE3AwAo1UH5FAgnEHz5DKCtsYP61xF6uj6AkEFCYRPl6aVSlHcdDmQ1BIPtbsvk5821dMINV8v0LFP8MaHsOQ9k20bYFjq7VP39XJ2MCBTKxG4iit1qV6mPmmGvqlggA.rp-aYn2taH-BeM5g_q6uQzwJWc5O-b7CkZWA_3z2Fxw&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+scratchman&qid=1705786336&sprefix=the+scratchman%2Caps%2C118&sr=8-5
What makes the novel special is that it was originally conceived by Baker and Ian Marter who played the companion Harry Sullivan in the late 1970s. The two came up with the story but were unable to complete it before Marter’s untimely death at age 42. I’m not claiming The Scratchman is the greatest novel ever written but it was good to hear Tom Baker narrate the book.
If you listen to the last chapter (at 23:53) here Baker has an interesting P.S. to the book - as the The Doctor.
A reason to use my Audible subscription.
I didn’t know about this and thank you.
I have to admit hat I liked Romana better than Leela. I always thought the story of what happened when Mary Tamm passed away was particularly sad. Just hours after her funeral in 2012, she died of cancer, her husband of 34 years, Marcus Ringrose, died of a heart attack. Their 33 year old daughter lost both of her parents in about 12 days.
Pertwee was my first Doctor. I liked Baker and McCoy even though he was plagued with poor scripts during his tenure. I didn’t particularly like Davison, but
he probably had the best writing of any of the classic Doctors.
I have a LOT of DOCTOR WHO books ( about the shows, the Doctors, the episodes, etc. ) but NONE of the stories nor this one.
Ugh! The link to The Scratchman’s somewhat 4th wall breaking P.S. didn’t show up in my post about it. Here it is: (23:53): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFCVI6ejF2A&list=PLSnEN_6D_uEVy8H7UHZm0P2BOrrkk6XSr&index=11
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