Mark Baker (actor)

Mark Baker (October 2, 1946 – August 13, 2018; aged 71) was an American stage and film actor. He was best known for the title role in Harold Prince's revival of Candide, for which he received a Tony nomination, and his portrayal of Otto Kringelein in the international tour of Grand Hotel.

Biography

Mark Baker was born in Cumberland, Maryland on October 2, 1946, to parents Francis Tweedie and Aretta Sue Swayne. Baker graduated from Allegany High School before attending Carnegie Mellon University and Wittenberg University.[1] He trained for the stage at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City.In 1969 Baker married actress and designer Patricia Britton, fellow cast member in "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown". Though the marriage did not last, they became friends for life. [2]

Baker died August 13, 2018 in Cumberland. He devoted the last twenty years of his life to restoring and operating that city's Embassy Theatre.[1][3]

Theatrical career

Baker made his professional acting debut portraying Linus in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown in the 1968/69 Washington DC. National Company.This cast was chosen to do a Command Performative at the Lyndon Johnson White House. In November 1971, Baker appeared at the Mercer-O'Casey Theatre playing the Boy in Love Me, Love My Children. Baker made his Broadway theatre debut in November 1972 playing Cook in Via Galactica,[2] a musical which, having lost nearly $1 million,[4] is considered one of the worst flops in Broadway history.[5][6][7] Baker appeared on Broadway again in 1974 in the title role of Candide, a performance which earned him a Theatre World Award[8] and a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.[9]

From 1990-91, Baker appeared as Otto Kringelein in the Broadway international tour of Grand Hotel at venues throughout America, Canada and Japan, and received a Helen Hayes Award for his performance at the Kennedy Center.[10] Other venues at which Baker has performed include The Public Theater and what was then referred to as the Martin Beck Theatre.[2] More recently he appeared on a studio recording of George Gershwin's Tip-Toes in 2001.

Film career

In 1976, Mark Baker appeared in the romantic adventure film Swashbuckler. The following year, he supplied the voice acting for Raggedy Andy in the animated film Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure.[11] Baker served as assistant director to Ken Russell in the 1977 film Valentino.[2]

Year Title Role Notes
1976SwashbucklerLute Player
1977Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical AdventureRaggedy AndyVoice
1977ValentinoDirectorUncredited

Notes
  1. "Actor Mark Baker dies at 71". Cumberland Times-News. August 14, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  2. Herbert, Ian, ed. (1981). "BAKER, Mark". Who's Who in the Theatre. 1. Gale Research Company. p. 37. ISBN 978-0810302358.
  3. Hetrick, Adam (August 15, 2018). "Tony-Nominated Actor Mark Baker Dies at 71". Playbill.
  4. Calta, Louis (November 30, 1972). "Loss to Space-Age Musical at Uris Put Near $1-Million". The New York Times., available at
  5. Bloom, Ken; Vlastnik, Frank; Orbach, Jerry. Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time. Black Dog Publisher. p. 151. ISBN 978-1579123130.
  6. Kenrick, John (2004). "The 1970s: Part I - Rock Musicals". History of The Musical Stage. Musicals101. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
  7. Resnick, Mike; Sawyer, Robert J. Resnick at Large. Wildside Press. p. 17. ISBN 978-1592241606.
  8. "Theatre World Awards Recipients". Theatre World Awards. 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
  9. "1974 Tony Award Winners". Broadwayworld.com. 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
  10. "Helen Hayes Award Recipients". TheatreWashington.
  11. Mark Baker on IMDb
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