By Robbie Jones
Most people have a childhood hero. Someone who is so amazing and extraordinary, that it dazzles the mind of a child. It’s someone they can look up to. Someone who gives out the right message or takes them away on wonderful adventures that make them forget the real world. For a lot of people, that childhood hero was The Doctor. And I guarantee, if you went out and asked people on the street which Doctor they remember most, the grand majority will say Tom Baker.
Most people have a childhood hero. Someone who is so amazing and extraordinary, that it dazzles the mind of a child. It’s someone they can look up to. Someone who gives out the right message or takes them away on wonderful adventures that make them forget the real world. For a lot of people, that childhood hero was The Doctor. And I guarantee, if you went out and asked people on the street which Doctor they remember most, the grand majority will say Tom Baker.
Celebrating his 80th birthday today, Tom Baker started his career in the 1960s as part of the National Theatre Company, as headed by Laurence Olivier at the time. His first film appearance was in Nicholas and Alexandra, for which he was nominated for 2 Golden Globes. But 1974 was the year everyone discovered Baker’s name as he took over from Jon Pertwee in the acclaimed BBC Sci-Fi series Doctor Who, following the adventures of a time traveller who defends the universe from evil aliens with help from his companions, and of course his trusty time machine, the Tardis. Baker was the fourth incarnation of the character, and it wasn’t long before he struck a chord with audiences everywhere. The Fourth Doctor’s zany, childlike imagination, coupled with his eccentric outfit (Including the ever so famous stripy scarf) and sometimes dark turns, he completely made the role his own, and soon he became well loved amongst fans of the show. Not only that, but he travelled with some of the Doctor’s most famous companions, such as Sarah-Jane Smith (The late Elizabeth Sladen) and his trusty canine...Um...K-9, as well as facing his most fearsome adversaries, namely the Cybermen, The Master, and of course The Daleks.
Baker left Doctor Who in 1981, at the turn of John Nathan Turner’s run as head writer, and he was replaced with Peter Davison. But even after departing, Tom never stopped being the Doctor. He has topped many polls regarding the best Doctor and is still most commonly associated with the show. On top of that, he recorded a series of Big Finish audio stories, and even made a short cameo in the 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor.
I think it’s fair to say that Tom Baker isn’t just a legendary figure in British TV, but a legendary figure in Sci-Fi full stop. Thank you Mr. Baker for your years of contribution to Doctor Who, and for being the hero to many children of the 70s.
Happy Birthday Tom. Now, would anyone like a jelly baby?
Baker left Doctor Who in 1981, at the turn of John Nathan Turner’s run as head writer, and he was replaced with Peter Davison. But even after departing, Tom never stopped being the Doctor. He has topped many polls regarding the best Doctor and is still most commonly associated with the show. On top of that, he recorded a series of Big Finish audio stories, and even made a short cameo in the 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor.
I think it’s fair to say that Tom Baker isn’t just a legendary figure in British TV, but a legendary figure in Sci-Fi full stop. Thank you Mr. Baker for your years of contribution to Doctor Who, and for being the hero to many children of the 70s.
Happy Birthday Tom. Now, would anyone like a jelly baby?
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