Who was Stanley Baker? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In February

Also Known As: William Stanley Baker

Died At Age: 48

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Ellen Martin (m. 1950 – his death. 1976)

Actors T V & Movie Producers

Height: 5'11" (180 cm), 5'11" Males

Died on: June 28, 1976

place of death: Málaga, Spain

Grouping of People: Cigarette And Cigar Smoker, Smoker

Diseases & Disabilities: Lung Cancer

Cause of Death: Pneumonia

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Childhood & Early Life

William Stanley Baker was born on 28 February 1928 in Ferndale, Glamorgan, Wales, as the youngest of three siblings. His father was a coal miner. He had a happy childhood.

Baker’s artistic ability was discovered by his teacher Glynne Morse who encouraged him to pursue acting. At the age of 14, he was spotted by a casting director who recommended him a role in the 1943 war film ‘Undercover’. He caught the acting bug and decided to become a professional actor.

At one point, he also worked as an electrician. In 1944, he enrolled at Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

From 1946 to 1948, he worked as a sergeant in the Royal Army Service Corps and later resumed his acting career.

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Career

In 1949, Stanley Baker was cast in a minor role in Terence Rattigan's play ‘Adventure Story’. This was followed by small roles in the films ‘All Over the Town’, ‘Lilli Marlene’, ‘The Rossiter Case’ and ‘Whispering Smith Hits London’.

He attracted attention when cast in the British-American war film ‘Captain Horatio Hornblower’. Released in 1951, it was the ninth most successful flick at the English box office that year.

In 1953, the actor had a small role in ‘The Red Beret’, another big hit in Britain. He was eventually cast as the main villain in the murder mystery ‘Hell Below Zero’ in 1954.

Baker got another break when he was approached to play Sir Mordred in the epic film ‘Knights of the Round Table’ which also featured Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Mel Ferrer, Anne Crawford and Felix Aylmer.

He did the TV movie ‘The Creature’ which was followed by ‘Jane Eyre’ and ‘A Death in the Family’ in the mid-1950s.

In 1956, he had his first leading role in a feature flick when he played Stephen Lorimer in Cy Endfield’s ‘Child in the House’, a story of a girl who tries to cope with her uncaring relatives. That year, he also played the villain in the racing car drama ‘Checkpoint’.

In the ensuing years, Baker appeared in a number of films including ‘Hell Drivers’, ‘Violent Playground,’ ‘Sea Fury,’ ‘The Angry Hills,’ and ‘Blind Date.’

He, alongside Cy Endfield, formed their own production company called Diamond Films. Their first project was ‘Zulu’ (1964) in which Baker played Lieutenant John Chard VC, one of his best-remembered roles. He later produced a TV movie titled ‘Who Has Seen the Wind?’ which was released in 1965.

He formed another production company named Oakhurst Productions alongside Michael Deeley. Their first collaborative big screen project was ‘Robbery’ in 1967.

Towards the end of his life, the actor took roles in television programs including BBC's Play of the Month series: ‘Robinson Crusoe’ and ‘The Changeling.’ His last acting role was in the miniseries ‘Orzowei, il figlio della savana’.

Major Works

In the early 1950s, Baker read Nicholas Monsarrat’s novel ‘The Cruel Sea’ while in New York. Attracted to the idea of portraying the cowardly and unpleasant Bennett, he lobbied for the role in the 1953 screen version. The resulting film was the most successful film at the box office that year, bringing much recognition to the actor.

His biggest role in a purely English film was as a boxer named Mike Morgan in ‘The Good Die Young’. Released in 1954, the noir crime thriller movie was directed by Lewis Gilbert.

Family & Personal Life

In 1950, Stanley Baker married actress Ellen Martin. The marriage produced four kids: twins Martin and Sally, Glyn, and Adam, and lasted until his death.

In an interview right before his death, the actor admitted to being a gambler all his life. He also claimed that he always had enough to look after his family.

After being diagnosed with lung cancer in February 1976 and undergoing a surgery for the same, Baker died from pneumonia in Spain on 28 June 1976.

A rugby club in South Wales called Ferndale RFC established a tribute to him in the form of its "Sir Stanley Baker Lounge".

Stanley Baker Biography