Watch Tom Baker Videos

Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934) is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981. Baker was born in Scotland Road, Liverpool, the son of Mary Jane (née Fleming), a cleaner and John Stewart Baker, a sailor who was rarely at home. His parents were working class Liverpudlians. Baker left school at 15 to become a Roman Catholic monk and remained in the monastic life for six years, but left after losing his faith, and did his National Service in the Royal... MORE

Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934) is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981. Baker was born in Scotland Road, Liverpool, the son of Mary Jane (née Fleming), a cleaner and John Stewart Baker, a sailor who was rarely at home. His parents were working class Liverpudlians. Baker left school at 15 to become a Roman Catholic monk and remained in the monastic life for six years, but left after losing his faith, and did his National Service in the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving for two years from 1955 until 1957. At the same time he took up acting, at first as a hobby and finally turning professional towards the end of the 1960s. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Baker was part of Laurence Olivier's National Theatre company, and had his first big film break in 1971 with the role of Rasputin in the film Nicholas and Alexandra after Olivier recommended him for the part. He also appeared in Pier Paolo Pasolini's version of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, released in 1972, as a younger husband of the Wife of Bath. In 1974, Baker took on the role of LESS