Solo Men
Chris Baker Dates Unknown
A singer of tongue twister songs
Chris Baker was on the halls prior to 1909 up to 1924 where the trail runs cold. His chief researcher is his son Leslie.
He toured with three major circuits: MacNaghten and Broadhead; Moss Empires and the London Syndicate Halls as well as engagements abroad.
Married to Olive Aubrey, a soubrette, they had a daughter, Zena, in 1914 and who died in 1965.
In 1919 they had a son Leslie, who, I am pleased to say, is still going strong.
In the 1920’s they separated after which she married another comedian with the stage name Bobbie Graham.
Although a 'wines and spirits' comedian, he appeared on the bills with many famous names such as Gertie Gitana, Vesta Tilley, Jack Pleasants, Florrie Forde, Harry Champion, Harry Fragson, Harry Tate, Ada Reeve. George Formby (Senior), Fred Kitchen, Harry Randall and Houdini. He also did a stint with Fred Karno's "Mumming Birds"
Chris Baker was probably involved in the Music Hall Strike of 1907 although there is no providence for that assumption. What is provable is his association (in some part) with the VAF (Variety Artists Federation). A letter from Peter Honri, a well known authority in this subject, to Leslie Baker says:
‘… I have found a reference to your father re: "Loans to Artists" during and after the Music Hall War. On 7th Feb 1909, Chris Baker had a loan from the VAF of £3. 0. 6.
He was a candidate for the VAF Executive Committee in 1914 but was not elected – however, at the 1917 E.C. elections, he was up for re-election! Perhaps he had been a "co-optee" during 1916. There are no records of his nominees nor how he polled.’Peter Honri October 1998
In 1912 he was at the Canterbury Music Hall with Mark Sheridan, Sam Mayo and Cinquevali.
Duncan Gray joined him as an assistant in 1910 "...singing and playing graduated bottles in a song 'Doh Ray Me' and other songs until 1914"
From 'The Performer Who's Who in Variety(1950)
Michael Kilgarriff opines that if Duncan Gray thought it important enough to mention on his CV, some thirty six years later, then Chris Baker must have been well remembered and respected within the profession.
From a private letter to Leslie Baker.
He was a comedian who specialised in the tongue-twister type of song. A number of them were published and are attributed to him as the singer. Some were recorded 1913 on the Edison Bell 'Winner' and 'Favourite' labels notably:
I was looking back to see"
"I sent my sister to assist 'er"
"Doh, ray, Me"
"Why did the fly-fly fly?"
"What sort of a noise annoys an oyster?"
"TheWoking waker of working men"
"They can all come to my house at Ryehouse"
"The copper they copped in the copper"
Chris Baker was in a revue "All Aboad" produced by Ventom Swift in 1917, which ran for ten years. It later transpired that he was replaced in this revue by Randolph Sutton.
The last recorded appearance found to date was January, 1924 when he appeared in a Ventom Swift production of the pantomime "Mother Goose" at the Palace Theatre, Newcastle and the following week at the Tivoli, Hull.
Condensed From an article in Call Boy vol. 32 No. 4 by Leslie Baker
Leslie Baker, who provided the material for this page, has been seeking details of his father's life for many years and would be pleased to receive any information. He is particularly interested in obtaining taped copies of his father's records - or the records themselves but expects that they are a too valuable part of any collection to be sold. Frederick Denny