Information AboutStanley Baker |
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Baker was born in Ferndale , Rhondda Valley , Wales , United Kingdom . He was an Actor and Film Producer who came to prominence in the 1950s ; although he made his film debut in 1943 as a teenager in the film " Undercover ", his first role as an adult was in " All Over The Moon " ( 1949 ). At first Baker was usually cast as a villain --- tough, gritty and fiery. These were qualities that he played admirably. In private life, he was a close friend and drinking companion of another Welsh Actor , Richard Burton . However he was not always a villain and did have a few more endearing roles, especially after Laurence Olivier selected him to play Henry Tudor in his 1955 movie " Richard III ". Perhaps one of Baker's most memorable roles was as Lieutenant John Chard VC in " Zulu " alongside newcomer Michael Caine . He was also impressive opposite Patrick McGoohan in "Hell Drivers", as a lorry driver who wouldn't toe the line. He formed his own production company in the 1960s and produced films that included " Robbery " (1967) and " The Italian Job " (1969). Along with his production and film career Stanley Baker also appeared on the small screen including the dramas " The Changeling " (1974), " Robinson Crusoe " (1974), and also in a BBC adaptation of " How Green Was My Valley " (1975). Stanley Baker came from rugged Welsh mining stock in the Rhondda Valley , but moved to London with his parents in the mid-1930s. In 1976 he was granted a knighthood, although he never lived to officially receive the honour. His busy life was cut short that same year, when he died from Lung Cancer in Màlaga, Spain , aged forty-nine. EXTERNAL LINKS
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