Classic Movie and TV Star Dead at 92: RIP to Joby Baker

Joby Baker, a Canadian-born actor, recently passed away at age 92.

Deadline reported earlier this month that Baker died of natural causes on June 22 while in New York. His family confirmed the news.

He began his on-screen acting career in the ’50s, first on The Red Skeleton Hour, then Studio One. Baker’s often remembered for his role as a radio disc jockey on the popular CBS sitcom Good Morning World. He played the lead role of David Lewis and starred alongside Ronnie Schell in the series that aired 26 episodes. Schell also passed away, just ten days prior to Baker. Joining the two in Good Morning World were Billy De Wolfe and Goldie Hawn. Rob Reiner was one of the show’s executive producers.

Other TV roles included appearances on The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Combat – a popular World War II drama – The Dick Van Dyke Show, Dragnet, and Quincy, M.E. among other roles. His appearances on The Dick Van Dyke Show played a major role in his landing the lead for Good Morning World, which was created by behind the scenes staff on Van Dyke’s show.

Baker didn’t appear exclusively on the small screen. He also had a number of major roles in film. One such movie was 1965’s Girl Happy, a musical rom-com that starred Elvis Presley. The movie was based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and centered around a band having to delay their spring brand plans because of an extended work schedule. Baker played the role of Wilbur, a drummer in Presley’s band.

Among the more than a dozen other movies Baker appeared in were Gidget, Gidget Goes Hawaiian, Gidget Goes to Rome, The Wackiest Ship in the Army, Superdad, and Avalanche.

By the mid-’80s, Baker had stepped away from acting and transitioned into painting. He married four times, most recently to Megan Moore whom he wed in 2014. He’s survived by Megan, his three children, two step-children and six grandchildren.