Mark Baker (actor)
Encyclopedia
Mark Baker is an American stage and film actor
. He made his Broadway debut in the original production of Via Galactica
, one of the most expensive flops in Broadway history.
on October 2, 1946, to parents Francis Tweedie and Aretta Sue Swayne. Baker attended Carnegie Mellon University
and Wittenberg University
. He trained for the stage at the Neighborhood Playhouse
in New York City
. Baker married actress and designer Patricia Britton, though the marriage ended in divorce.
in a 1970 off-Broadway
production. 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
, a musical which, having lost nearly $1 million, is considered one of the worst flops
in Broadway history. Baker appeared on Broadway again in 1974 in the title role of Candide
, a performance which earned him a Theatre World Award
and a nomination for the Tony Award
for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. Other venues at which Baker has performed include The Public Theatre and what was then referred to as the Martin Beck Theatre. More recently he appeared on a studio recording of George Gershwin's Tip-Toes
in 2001.
. The following year, he supplied the voice acting for Raggedy Andy in the animated film Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure
. Baker served as assistant director to Ken Russell
in the 1977 film Valentino.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He made his Broadway debut in the original production of Via Galactica
Via Galactica
Via Galactica is a rock musical with a book by Christopher Gore and Judith Ross, lyrics by Gore, and music by Galt MacDermot. It marked the Broadway debut of actor Mark Baker....
, one of the most expensive flops in Broadway history.
Biography
Mark Baker was born in Cumberland, MarylandCumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
on October 2, 1946, to parents Francis Tweedie and Aretta Sue Swayne. Baker attended Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
and Wittenberg University
Wittenberg University
Wittenberg University is a private four-year liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio serving 2,000 full-time students representing 37 states and approximately 30 foreign countries...
. He trained for the stage at the Neighborhood Playhouse
Neighborhood Playhouse
The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre is an actor training school at 340 East 54th Street in New York City, generally associated with the Meisner technique of Sanford Meisner.-History:...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Baker married actress and designer Patricia Britton, though the marriage ended in divorce.
Theatrical career
Mark Baker made his professional acting debut portraying Linus in You're a Good Man, Charlie BrownYou're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a 1967 musical comedy with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner, based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip Peanuts...
in a 1970 off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
production. 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
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in November 1972 playing Cook in Via Galactica
Via Galactica
Via Galactica is a rock musical with a book by Christopher Gore and Judith Ross, lyrics by Gore, and music by Galt MacDermot. It marked the Broadway debut of actor Mark Baker....
, a musical which, having lost nearly $1 million, is considered one of the worst flops
FLOPS
In computing, FLOPS is a measure of a computer's performance, especially in fields of scientific calculations that make heavy use of floating-point calculations, similar to the older, simpler, instructions per second...
in Broadway history. Baker appeared on Broadway again in 1974 in the title role of Candide
Candide
Candide, ou l'Optimisme is a French satire first published in 1759 by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. The novella has been widely translated, with English versions titled Candide: or, All for the Best ; Candide: or, The Optimist ; and Candide: or, Optimism...
, a performance which earned him a Theatre World Award
Theatre World Award
The Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway.-History:...
and a nomination for the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. Other venues at which Baker has performed include The Public Theatre and what was then referred to as the Martin Beck Theatre. More recently he appeared on a studio recording of George Gershwin's Tip-Toes
Tip-Toes
Tip-Toes is a musical with a book by Guy Bolton and Fred Thompson , lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. It centers on a vaudeville act known as the Three Kayes - composed of Al, Uncle Hen, and Tip-Toes - who try to pass themselves off as aristocrats in the upper class community of...
in 2001.
Film career
In 1976, Mark Baker appeared in the romantic adventure film SwashbucklerSwashbuckler (film)
Swashbuckler is a romantic adventure film produced in the U.S. by Universal Studios and released in 1976. It is a story that takes place in Jamaica in 1718 about a band of buccaneer pirates, led by Captain “Red” Ned Lynch, pitted against a greedy overlord, evil Lord Durant...
. The following year, he supplied the voice acting for Raggedy Andy in the animated film Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure
Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure
Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure is a 1977 American animated film directed by Richard Williams. It was produced by the Bobbs-Merrill Company, and released by 20th Century Fox...
. Baker served as assistant director to Ken Russell
Ken Russell
Henry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell was an English film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. He attracted criticism as being obsessed with sexuality and the church...
in the 1977 film Valentino.