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The Actor - Tom Baker

"It was the best job I ever had"

The man who brought the Fourth Doctor to life! Very dedicated to the character, so much so that he basically lived the role.
"I began to get into the part and then the part began to get into me... I was the Doctor and the Doctor was me... for more than six years I left myself and floated about as a hero." - Tom Baker
He refused to be seen smoking (he later quit) or drinking by children at the time so as to not dispel the 'perfect hero' image.

He would send out lots of birthday cards to children and even made personal phone calls to them (and subsequently have to send proof that he called them so that their friends would believe them!). And possibly made many kids feel special by asking them for their autograph when asked for his own (which he kept in a book).

His enthusiasm for the role also had him go beyond reading lines and get involved with the creative process. In an interview with Peter Miles (who was in Genesis of the Daleks) he mentions Tom Baker's attentiveness and suggestions regarding the script due to his eagerness in wanting "it all to work" and "getting everything right".
The full interview can be found at: KaldorCity

As a result certain scenes are of his making, most notably the well-received "Deadly Jelly Baby"scene from The Face of Evil and (or at least it seems he was involved in making this scene according to the commentary) the funny "Cringing cur" scene from The Ribos Operation.

It is also said that both Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen created Sarah Jane Smith's leaving scene, so it seems he was also involved with this touching moment.

He was always very conscious about making the character seem "alien" and would therefore try to react to things differently than the average human would. Mostly through mannerisms and method of speech, often by taking the opposite route (e.g. sounding excited when most would be upset). This seemed to work as many people seem to comment on the Fourth Doctor having a very "alien" quality to him.

His method of working meant that he only read his own scenes and lines within the script and not the parts of others (which he still seems to do today). This is because he felt that in reality the character would not know about scenes that they are not involved with and so by reading them he would have an unfair advantage. It also allowed him to be more genuine with his reactions which he felt was important and I believe it hasn't gone unnoticed.

His humour which came through into the role also appealed to a wide audience. I know one person who was not a Doctor Who fan at the time (especially as they weren't keen on science fiction) but couldn't help but be entertained by this witty and fun presence of the Fourth Doctor.

Many also seem to comment that he has a certain charisma and presence about him that attracts your attention in a scene.

His Favourite Companion: Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen)

His Favourite Story: Possibly The Brain of Morbius amongst a few others (such as Seeds of Doom and The Ark In Space etc.)

Tom Baker Quotes >>

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