【Move to another page】
Quote
https://ift.tt/2LiWvD2
Jimmie Baker (television producer)
Ghmyrtle: ←Created page with ''''James Hollan Baker''' (March 16, 1920 – February 3, 2003) was an American television producer and director, most noted for his work on jazz document...'
'''James Hollan Baker''' (March 16, 1920 – February 3, 2003) was an American television producer and director, most noted for his work on [[jazz]] documentaries in the 1950s and 1960s.
==Biography==
Born in [[Muskogee, Oklahoma]], Baker appeared aged 15 as a [[tap dancer]] on [[CBS Radio]]'s ''[[Major Bowes' Amateur Hour]]'' in [[New York City]], winning a spot in a [[vaudeville]] touring company. He graduated from [[Central High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma)|Central High School]] in [[Tulsa]], and studied at [[Oklahoma State University]], where he formed an eight-piece band, named by ''[[Down Beat]]'' magazine as the best college dance band in the U.S. During [[World War II]], he led an Air Force band, Men of the Air, and prepared shows to entertain the troops,<ref name=oklahoman>[https://ift.tt/2YR3DOI "Oklahoman entertainer Baker dies", ''The Oklahoman'', February 21, 2003]. Retrieved May 10, 2020</ref><ref name=variety>[https://ift.tt/3fw17DH "James H. 'Jimmie' Baker: Television producer and director", ''Variety'', April 3, 2003]. Retrieved May 10, 2020</ref><ref name=hof>[https://ift.tt/2SN3iJi "Baker, James (Jimmie) Hollan", ''Oklahoma Hall of Fame'']. Retrieved 8 May 2020</ref><ref name=latimes/> at one time working with [[Veronica Lake]].<ref>[https://ift.tt/3dwwI69 Terry Rowan, ''World War II Goes to the Movies & Television Guide Volume II L-Z'', ''Lulu.com'', p.9]</ref>
Following the war, he graduated from university, worked for some time as a high school teacher, and assembled a touring band, the Collegians. After the band split up, Baker moved to [[Hollywood]], and found work with [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. He initially worked in radio production, but by 1950 had started working in television. In 1956, he developed and produced the innovative show ''[[Stars of Jazz]]'' which won a local [[Emmy]] award, and in 1962 produced [[Steve Allen]]'s ''[[Jazz Scene USA]]''.<ref name=harrod>[https://ift.tt/35KMrMu James A. Harrod, ''Stars of Jazz: A Complete History of the Innovative Television Series, 1956-1958'', McFarland, 2020, pp.1-7]</ref> His other productions included a 1962 documentary profile, ''The [[Duke Ellington]] Story'', narrated by [[Raymond Burr]], as well as other jazz documentaries; a jazz series, ''Music Is My Beat'';<ref>[https://ift.tt/2SPO0Uc ''Metronome'', Volume 78, 1961, p.58]</ref> a regular talk show in the late 1960s hosted by football star [[Roosevelt Grier]];<ref name=variety/> a documentary on [[Errol Flynn]]; the pilot for ''[[Laugh-In]]''; and work on ''[[That's Entertainment!]]''.<ref name=latimes/><ref name=hof/> He won five [[Emmys]], an [[ACE Award]] for his work in [[cable television]], and several Angel Awards "for television production advancing high ethical principles and constructive behavior."<ref name=oklahoman/>
Baker co-founded the [[Hollywood Motion Picture and Television Museum]]. In 1978, he was elected to the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame. He was active in charitable foundations, both in California and Oklahoma, and volunteered as producer of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for ten years.<ref name=oklahoman>[https://ift.tt/2YR3DOI "Oklahoman entertainer Baker dies", ''The Oklahoman'', February 21, 2003]. Retrieved May 10, 2020</ref>
In 2003 he died in hospital in [[Santa Monica]], aged 82, from a [[heart attack]] following two earlier [[stroke]]s.<ref name=variety/><ref name=latimes>[https://ift.tt/3fBhpLk "J. Baker, 82; Got Emmys for Work in Local TV", ''LA Times'', February 15, 2003]. Retrieved May 10, 2020</ref>
==References==
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Muskogee, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:American television producers]]
==Biography==
Born in [[Muskogee, Oklahoma]], Baker appeared aged 15 as a [[tap dancer]] on [[CBS Radio]]'s ''[[Major Bowes' Amateur Hour]]'' in [[New York City]], winning a spot in a [[vaudeville]] touring company. He graduated from [[Central High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma)|Central High School]] in [[Tulsa]], and studied at [[Oklahoma State University]], where he formed an eight-piece band, named by ''[[Down Beat]]'' magazine as the best college dance band in the U.S. During [[World War II]], he led an Air Force band, Men of the Air, and prepared shows to entertain the troops,<ref name=oklahoman>[https://ift.tt/2YR3DOI "Oklahoman entertainer Baker dies", ''The Oklahoman'', February 21, 2003]. Retrieved May 10, 2020</ref><ref name=variety>[https://ift.tt/3fw17DH "James H. 'Jimmie' Baker: Television producer and director", ''Variety'', April 3, 2003]. Retrieved May 10, 2020</ref><ref name=hof>[https://ift.tt/2SN3iJi "Baker, James (Jimmie) Hollan", ''Oklahoma Hall of Fame'']. Retrieved 8 May 2020</ref><ref name=latimes/> at one time working with [[Veronica Lake]].<ref>[https://ift.tt/3dwwI69 Terry Rowan, ''World War II Goes to the Movies & Television Guide Volume II L-Z'', ''Lulu.com'', p.9]</ref>
Following the war, he graduated from university, worked for some time as a high school teacher, and assembled a touring band, the Collegians. After the band split up, Baker moved to [[Hollywood]], and found work with [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. He initially worked in radio production, but by 1950 had started working in television. In 1956, he developed and produced the innovative show ''[[Stars of Jazz]]'' which won a local [[Emmy]] award, and in 1962 produced [[Steve Allen]]'s ''[[Jazz Scene USA]]''.<ref name=harrod>[https://ift.tt/35KMrMu James A. Harrod, ''Stars of Jazz: A Complete History of the Innovative Television Series, 1956-1958'', McFarland, 2020, pp.1-7]</ref> His other productions included a 1962 documentary profile, ''The [[Duke Ellington]] Story'', narrated by [[Raymond Burr]], as well as other jazz documentaries; a jazz series, ''Music Is My Beat'';<ref>[https://ift.tt/2SPO0Uc ''Metronome'', Volume 78, 1961, p.58]</ref> a regular talk show in the late 1960s hosted by football star [[Roosevelt Grier]];<ref name=variety/> a documentary on [[Errol Flynn]]; the pilot for ''[[Laugh-In]]''; and work on ''[[That's Entertainment!]]''.<ref name=latimes/><ref name=hof/> He won five [[Emmys]], an [[ACE Award]] for his work in [[cable television]], and several Angel Awards "for television production advancing high ethical principles and constructive behavior."<ref name=oklahoman/>
Baker co-founded the [[Hollywood Motion Picture and Television Museum]]. In 1978, he was elected to the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame. He was active in charitable foundations, both in California and Oklahoma, and volunteered as producer of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for ten years.<ref name=oklahoman>[https://ift.tt/2YR3DOI "Oklahoman entertainer Baker dies", ''The Oklahoman'', February 21, 2003]. Retrieved May 10, 2020</ref>
In 2003 he died in hospital in [[Santa Monica]], aged 82, from a [[heart attack]] following two earlier [[stroke]]s.<ref name=variety/><ref name=latimes>[https://ift.tt/3fBhpLk "J. Baker, 82; Got Emmys for Work in Local TV", ''LA Times'', February 15, 2003]. Retrieved May 10, 2020</ref>
==References==
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Muskogee, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:American television producers]]
May 11, 2020 at 05:58AM
