Joseph N. "Joby" Baker (born March 26, 1934) is a Canadian actor and painter, long based in the United States.[1]
Career
Baker was born in Montreal, Quebec. An early role in his career was in a 1958 episode of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, "Ronnie Makes A Record", where he was cast as a recording studio vocalist. In the early 1960s he made guest appearances on many television series. In 1962, he appeared on Perry Mason as Kenneth Carter in "The Case of the Bogus Books". He appeared as a semi-regular in the first season of the WWII TV series Combat! as Pvt. Kelly.
In 1967, Baker was cast as a travelling magician, Dr. William Davis, in the episode "The Saga of Dr. Davis" on the syndicated series Death Valley Days, hosted by Robert Taylor.[3]Judi Meredith played his wife, Jenny, whose death leads him to take an adopted son, Tad, on his remaining westward journeys.
Baker was first married to Joan Blackman, whom he met in drama school. In 1984, he married lyricist and songwriter Dory Previn.[7] He illustrated The Dory Previn Songbook,[8] published in 1995. He has exhibited as an abstract painter in major Los Angeles art galleries.[citation needed]