Georgia Madelon Baker[1] (1910 or 1911 – February 26, 1999)[2][3] was a record producer, music publisher, actress and singer, known for her role in launching singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb's career, and her work with Gospel, R&B and doo wop artists such as Cassietta George, Ron Kenoly and the Paradons. As an actress, she performed in the world premiere of the John Cage/Kenneth Patchen radio play The City Wears a Slouch Hat, and had substantial roles in both the short-lived Gasoline Alley film series and the much-ballyhooed 1955 short subject, The Great Adventure, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Rotary International.
Early life
A native of Marion, Illinois, Baker was the youngest of five daughters born to Fannie Elizabeth Bateman and George Christie Baker,[4][5] a coal miner who died in 1924 at age 54.[6] Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Highland Park, Michigan and Baker began modeling.[7][8] She later attended Wayne State University before transferring to Northwestern.[4]
Baker was fashion coordinator for Marshall Field's in Chicago from 1942 to 1944,[4] at which point she and Mitchel moved to Los Angeles.[24] From 1944 through 1951, she was employed in varying capacities at Les Mitchel Productions; she served variously as producer,[4] secretary-treasurer (as G. Madelon Mitchel)[25][26] and, on at least one occasion, performer.[27]
In 1955, Baker—as Madelon Mitchell—co-starred with Edward Arnold, Jim Backus, Lyle Talbot, and Sujata Rubener in The Great Adventure, a 29-minute docu-drama commemorating the 50th anniversary of Rotary International, which had its world premiere simultaneously in 80 countries on February 23.[28][29] Debuting on December 1st of that year and continuing for at least three months, Baker, still billed as Mitchell, hosted a cooking show entitled Camera Kitchen on KHJ-TV in Los Angeles.[30][31] Among her guests were Barbara Ellen Davenport (wife of college football star Bob Davenport),[32][33] pioneer TV cook Monty Margetts,[34][35] and fashion consultant Caroline Leonetti.[36]
In 1959, Baker, together with her husband Jackson Baker, began Audio Arts Inc.,[4] a recording studio specializing in R&B and Gospel, performed by artists such as Cassietta George[3][37] and Ron Kenoly.[38] One notable exception was their much-heralded discovery, singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb,[21][3][39][40] whose first single they recorded and released,[41] and approximately 50 of whose songs—including "Didn't We," "Where's the Playground Susie" and "Galveston"[42]—were published by the Bakers' company, Ja-Ma Music.[43][44][8] Another Audio Arts coup was its discovery of the Paradons, resulting in the studio's first hit record (which proved to be the band's only hit), "Diamonds and Pearls".[45]
Personal life and death
Baker was married at least three times. The first two marriages ended in divorce: with violinist/vocalist Carl Graub (aka Grayson) from 1933 to 1940,[46][19][47][20] and with producer Lester Mandiville "Les" Mitchel from 1942 to 1952.[1][48][49] By contrast, Baker's final marriage, to her Audio Arts partner/co-founder—and partial namesake—Jackson Correll Baker, lasted from 1956 until his death in 1975.[4][50][51]
On February 26, 1999, Baker died of a stroke in Laguna Hills, California.[3]
^Oddly enough, Baker was just one of two Madelon Bakers performing with big bands during this period; moreover, both resided within the Detroit urban area. Baker's namesake/neighbor—full name Madelon Cressence Baker—resided in Detroit proper and, unlike her Illinois-born counterpart, had done so her entire life; notable credits include gigs with Johnny DiCicco, Bob Chester and her husband, saxophonist/bandleader Bob Carney.[10][11][12][13][14] Also helping to distinguish between the two is the fact that during her career, Madelon C. Baker is consistently referred to in Detroit newspapers as "blond Madelon Baker," an assertion corroborated by a good number of images also found in those papers,[15][16][17] all of which clearly differentiate her from her red-haired, Illinois-born contemporary.[18][19][9][20][21]
^ ab"Unique Event in Motion Picture History". The Times of India. February 23, 1955. p. 14. ProQuest609655855. A scene from the Rotary film, 'The Great Adventure,' in which Dr. Grayson and his wife (Madelon Mitchell) are seen entertaining a group of Rotary foundation fellows from six different different countries, including India.
^Hendrick, Kimmis (May 21, 1970). "Two Gold Discs—the studio 'dances'". The Christian Science Monitor. p. 15. ProQuest511100427. Jimmy Webb came into the studio one day to accompany another chap who wanted to record something. [...] Finally he stuck his head in the door of her office and said, 'Honey, you want to hear some of my songs?'
^"Marriages". The Billboard. June 24, 1933. p. 52. ProQuest1032028954. GRAYSON-BAKER—Carl Grayson, of Clayton, O., violinist and soloist with Johnny Hamp's orchestra, was married June 3 in the Blue Ribbon Casino at the Chicago World's Fair to Madelon Baker, of Detroit. Ben Bernie's band played the wedding march. Johnny Hamp was best man. Grayson's name in private life is Carl Graub.
^"Behind the Mike". Broadcasting. October 19, 1942. p. 35. ProQuest1014949613. LES MITCHELL [sic], producer of WBBM, Chicago, and Madelon Grayson, radio actress, were married Oct. 10 by Dr. Preston Bradley, radio preacher. O. J. Neuwerth, WBBM producer, was best man.
^"California, County Marriages, 1850-1953", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K86K-C18 : Thu Oct 19 16:45:46 UTC 2023), Entry for Jackson Correll Baker and Georgia Madelon Mitchel, 28 Apr 1956.
^"California Death Index, 1940-1997," , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPHG-R32 : 26 November 2014), Jackson C Baker, 28 Oct 1975; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.