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Sam Baker (actor)

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Sam Baker
Sam Baker as Hugo in The Lost City (1935)
Born(1907-05-07)7 May 1907
Taylor, Indiana, United States
Died8 May 1982(1982-05-08) (aged 75)
Abilene, Kansas, United States
OccupationActor

Sam Baker (Taylor, Indiana; 7 May 1907– Abilene, Kansas; 8 May 1982), born Samuel D. Baker, was an American actor who usually performed with Rudolph Valentino, Ramon Novarro, Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin.[1]

This Indiana-born actor played the Link in the film The Missing Link (1927), whose imposing presence made him a natural for early jungle flicks.[2] His most easily recalled role may have been Hugo in Sherman S. Krellberg's notorious serial The Lost City (1935).[2] His most memorable role was Queequeg in The Sea Beast (1926).[2]

Baker's filmography is brief, as the sound era saw him move quickly from featured roles as African chieftains to bits as black convicts.[2] His first screen appearance was in a genre project: he was the sworder in Douglas Fairbanks' The Thief of Bagdad (1924).[3] In John Barrymore's The Sea Beast, a silent Moby Dick, he played Queequeg. In the sound remake of The Island of Lost Ships (1929), he played himself and received the smallest mention.[2]

He died in Abilene, Kansas, in early May 1982.[2]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1924 The Thief of Bagdad Sworder Uncredited
1926 The Sea Beast Queequeeq
1926 The Road to Mandalay Minor Role Uncredited
1927 The Missing Link The Missing Link
1929 The Far Call Tubal
1929 The Isle of Lost Ships Native Tribeman
1931 Women of All Nations Chief Eunuch Uncredited
1932 Jungle Mystery Zungu Serial
1933 King of the Jungle Gwana
1934 Drums O' Voodoo
1935 Under Pressure Iron Man Uncredited
1935 The Lost City Hugo Serial
1935 Les Misérables Black Convict Uncredited
1935 Public Hero ﹟1 Mose Jones
1935 Steamboat Round the Bend Minor Role Uncredited, (final film role)

References

  1. ^ Bogle, Donald (19 February 2009). Bright Boulevards, Bold Dreams: The Story of Black Hollywood. Random House Publishing Group. p. 66. ISBN 9780307514936.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Soister, Nicolella & Joyce 2013, p. 399.
  3. ^ Soister, Nicolella & Joyce 2013, p. 559.

Bibliography