---
name: "George Baker"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/george-baker"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "1 April 1931"
died: "7 October 2011"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-09-18T11:18:35.751170+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# George Baker

Actor. Born 1 April 1931 in Varna, Bulgaria. Died 7 October 2011.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 1 April 1931, Varna, Bulgaria
- **Died:** 7 October 2011
- **Active:** 1967–1977
- **Also known as:** George Morris Baker
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 6: 5 acting, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Albert R. Broccoli](https://film.one/person/albert-r-broccoli.md), [Richard Maibaum](https://film.one/person/richard-maibaum.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 82, as actor, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 76 (3), 1970s 82 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 84 to 82 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Action 2, Adventure 2, Drama 2, Thriller 2, Comedy 1, Mystery 1
- **Screen time:** 4 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $267m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Baker_(British_actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1506941, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0048468/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10173

## Fi1m on George Baker

> George Baker had the bearing and the voice of the officer class, and spent a career lending them out: to a Bond who could not speak, to a Roman emperor, and for thirteen years to a country policeman who was allowed to be wrong.

Halfway through *On Her Majesty's Secret Service* (1969), George Lazenby's Bond goes undercover as Sir Hilary Bray, a genealogist, and when he opens his mouth George Baker's voice comes out. Baker plays the real Bray for a scene or two; then he plays Bond for twenty minutes from the dubbing booth. We found it stranger than the film intended. The face is the star's and the sound is a character actor's, and for a stretch Bond is more interesting to listen to than Lazenby ever made him. It is the most Baker did in a Bond film, and he did it unseen.

That was the shape of his career. He came out of Lancing College and repertory theatre with the height and the vowels of a man who gives orders, and 1950s British cinema put them straight to work: a debut in *The Intruder* (1953), then Flight Lieutenant Maltby in *The Dam Busters* (1955), the film that made him. For a few years he was a leading man. Then the kitchen sink came in, and an actor built to stand in a well-cut uniform had nowhere much to stand. The film stardom the mid-1950s seemed to promise never arrived.

Television took him and, we think, suited him better. There is the New Number Two in *The Prisoner* (1967). There is Tiberius in *I, Claudius* (1976), the BBC's Rome, where the authority he had lent to airmen and captains was put to darker use. And from 1987 to 2000 there is Reg Wexford in *The Ruth Rendell Mysteries*, a provincial inspector with a West Country burr who is allowed to be wrong, with Louie Ramsay as his wife twenty-three times over. Our two Bond reviews are the only ones we have published, and they catch him at the edge of the frame: Bray for a few minutes, Captain Benson in *The Spy Who Loved Me* (1977) for fewer.

What he could do, and did for half a century, was make command look ordinary. He did not perform authority; he assumed people would do as he said and got on with the scene. That is rarer than it sounds, and it is why a film with no faith in its star reached for his voice. What he was seldom asked to do was be the story. He was the man the story reported to.

The Bray stretch of *On Her Majesty's Secret Service* is the place to test how far the voice alone can carry: a minute with the eyes shut, then a minute with them open. The measure of what Baker was doing is how much is missed when Lazenby gets his own back.

## Biography

George Baker (born George Morris Baker) was an English actor and writer. He appeared in numerous films and television series from the 1950s to the 2000s, including an uncredited role as a NASA engineer in *You Only Live Twice* (1967).

He played Sir Hilary Bray, a heraldry expert, in *On Her Majesty's Secret Service* (1969) and Captain Benson in *The Spy Who Loved Me* (1977). Baker was also known for portraying Tiberius in the BBC series *I, Claudius* (1976) and Detective Chief Inspector Reg Wexford in *The Ruth Rendell Mysteries* (1987–2000). He had a stage career that included work with the Old Vic company.

Ian Fleming reportedly considered Baker for the role of James Bond, though the part went to Sean Connery. Baker received an MBE and was active until 2007.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (6)

### Performed in (5) — the average rests on these

- *The Spy Who Loved Me* (1977), Fi1m 77, as Captain Benson — [page](https://film.one/film/the-spy-who-loved-me.md)
- *I, Claudius* (1976), Fi1m 90, as Tiberius — [page](https://film.one/tv/i-claudius.md)
- *Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em* (1973), Fi1m 78, Actor — [page](https://film.one/tv/some-mothers-do-ave-em.md)
- *On Her Majesty's Secret Service* (1969), Fi1m 83, as Sir Hilary Bray — [page](https://film.one/film/on-her-majestys-secret-service.md)
- *The Prisoner* (1967), Fi1m 84, as The New Number Two — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-prisoner.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *You Only Live Twice* (1967), Fi1m 62, as NASA Engineer (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/you-only-live-twice.md)

## Complete filmography (112)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Chorabali* (2016), as Dr. Dasgupta
- *The Funny Blokes of British Comedy* (2005), as Mr. Lewis (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *New Tricks* (2004), series, Acting
- *Spooks* (2002), series, as Hugo Ross — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/spooks.md)
- *Back to the Secret Garden* (2000), as Will Weatherstaff
- *Inside 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'* (2000), Acting
- *Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)* (2000), series, Acting
- *Midsomer Murders* (1997), series, as Charlie
- *Johnny and the Dead* (1995), series, as Alderman
- *Little Lord Fauntleroy* (1995), series, as The Earl of Dorincourt
- *Heartbeat* (1992), series, as Maurice Dodson
- *From Doon with Death* (1991), Writer
- *No Job for a Lady* (1990), series, as Godfrey Eagan
- *For Queen & Country* (1988), as Kilcoyne
- *Journey's End* (1988), as Colonel
- *The Charmer* (1987), series, Acting
- *The Ruth Rendell Mysteries* (1987), series, Det. Chief Insp. Reg Wexford, Writer
- *Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel* (1987), series, as Chief Inspector Fred Davy
- *Coast to Coast* (1987), as Greaves
- *The Canterville Ghost* (1986), as Uncle Hesketh
- *Room at the Bottom* (1986), series, Acting
- *Time After Time* (1986), as Valentine Swift
- *Dead Head* (1986), series, as Eldridge
- *We'll Support You Evermore* (1985), as Colonel
- *Bird Fancier* (1985), as Albert Seers
- *Screen Two* (1985), series, as Greaves
- *A Woman of Substance* (1985), series, as Bruce McGill
- *Robin of Sherwood* (1984), series, as Sir Richard of Leaford
- *Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime* (1983), series, as Whittington
- *The Secret Adversary* (1983), as Whittington
- *Imaginary Friends* (1982), Writer
- *Q.E.D.* (1982), series, as Sir Harold Metcalfe
- *Bergerac* (1981), series, as Higgins
- *The Member for Chelsea* (1981), series, as Mr. Chamberlain
- *The Chinese Detective* (1981), series, Acting
- *Triangle* (1981), series, as David West
- *Doctor Who: Full Circle* (1980), as Login
- *Hopscotch* (1980), as Westlake
- *Lady Killers* (1980), series, as Sir Terence O'Connor, Q.C.
- *North Sea Hijack* (1980), as Fletcher
- *Minder* (1979), series, as Altman, Cooper
- *Hart to Hart* (1979), series, Acting
- *Print-Out* (1979), as Robert Ballard
- *The Thirty Nine Steps* (1978), as Sir Walter Bullivant
- *The Spy Who Loved Me* (1977), as Captain Benson — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/the-spy-who-loved-me.md)
- *Three Piece Suite* (1977), series, as Brad Hunter
- *Three Piece Suite* (1977), as Brad Hunter
- *I, Claudius* (1976), series, as Tiberius — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/i-claudius.md)
- *Intimate Games* (1976), as Prof. Gottlieb
- *Three for All* (1975), as Eddie Boyes
- *Survivors* (1975), series, as Arthur Wormley
- *Chameli Memsaab* (1975), as Berkeley
- *Sea Area Forties* (1975), as Narrator
- *Dial M for Murder* (1974), series, as Martin Willis
- *Zodiac* (1974), series, as Mark Braun
- *The Firefighters* (1974), as Station Officer Harrison
- *Bowler* (1973), series, as Bowler
- *Bowler* (1973), series, Acting
- *A Warm December* (1973), as Dr. Henry Barlow
- *Between the Wars* (1973), series, as Walter Jeffries
- *Because of the Cats* (1973), as Boersma
- *Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em* (1973), series, Acting — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/some-mothers-do-ave-em.md)
- *The Protectors* (1972), series, as George Dixon
- *New Scotland Yard* (1972), series, as John Randall
- *The Persuaders!* (1971), series, as Britten
- *The Goodies* (1970), series, Acting
- *The Executioner* (1970), as Philip Crawford
- *Doomwatch* (1970), series, as John Mitchell
- *On Her Majesty's Secret Service* (1969), as Sir Hilary Bray — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/on-her-majestys-secret-service.md)
- *Goodbye, Mr. Chips* (1969), as Lord Sutterwick
- *Up Pompeii!* (1969), series, as Jamus Bondus
- *Justine* (1969), as British Ambassador David Mountolive
- *The Main Chance* (1969), series, as Major Donovan
- *The Sex Game* (1968), series, as Edwin
- *The Bone Grinder* (1968), as George King
- *Mrs. Capper's Birthday* (1968), as Kenny Blake
- *The Prisoner* (1967), series, as The New Number Two — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-prisoner.md)
- *ITV Playhouse* (1967), series, as George King
- *Love Life* (1967), as Theodore Quill
- *You Only Live Twice* (1967), as NASA Engineer (uncredited) — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/you-only-live-twice.md)
- *Half Hour Story* (1967), series, as Tim Johnson
- *Mister Ten Per Cent* (1967), as Lord Edward
- *Days in the Trees* (1967), as Jacques
- *BBC Play of the Month* (1965), series, as Rev. Morell
- *Alice* (1965), as Rev. Charles Dodgson
- *Thirty-Minute Theatre* (1965), series, as Ernest Whipple
- *Londoners* (1965), series, as Bruce
- *Curse of the Fly* (1965), as Martin Delambre
- *Gideon's Way* (1965), series, as Bailey
- *Curtain of Fear* (1964), series, as Stewart Caxton
- *Thursday Theatre* (1964), series, as Geoffrey Harrison
- *The Wednesday Play* (1964), series, as Rev Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, Louie Summers, Vera, Jacques
- *The Finest Hours* (1964), as Lord Randolph (voice)
- *Theatre 625* (1964), series, as Edward Jackson, Matthew Hobhouse
- *Rupert of Hentzau* (1964), series, as Rudolf Rassendyll
- *Doctor Who* (1963), series, as Login — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/doctor-who.md)
- *Sword of Lancelot* (1963), as Sir Gawaine
- *Zero One* (1962), series, Acting
- *Drama 61-67* (1961), series, as Peter Evett
- *Maigret* (1960), series, Acting
- *Tread Softly Stranger* (1958), as Johnny Mansell
- *The Moonraker* (1958), as Anthony, Earl of Dawlish/The Moonraker
- *No Time for Tears* (1957), as Dr. Nigel Barnes
- *These Dangerous Years* (1957), as Padre
- *A Hill in Korea* (1956), as Lt. Butler
- *Armchair Theatre* (1956), series, as Mike, Pierre, Dr. Stephen Monks, Theodore Quill, Kenny Blake
- *The Feminine Touch* (1956), as Dr Jim Alcott
- *The Extra Day* (1956), as Steven Marlow
- *The Woman for Joe* (1955), as Joe Harrop
- *The Dam Busters* (1955), as Flight Lieutenant D. J. H. Maltby, D.S.O., D.F.C.
- *The Ship That Died of Shame* (1955), as Bill Randall
- *The Intruder* (1953), as Adjutant

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/george-baker