Stanley Baker (1928-1976)
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Sir Stanley Baker (28th February 1928 - 28th June 1976) was a Welsh actor and film producer.
He was born William Stanley Baker in Ferndale, Rhondda Valley, Wales. He served in the Royal Army Service Corps from 1946-1948, and came to prominence in the 1950s; although he made his film debut in the Ealing Studios 1943 film ‘Undercover’. Laurence Olivier selected him to play Henry Tudor in his 1955 movie ‘Richard III’. Baker's most memorable role was as Lieutenant John Chard VC in ‘Zulu’. In 1976 he was awarded a knighthood although he did not live to be invested in person at Buckingham Palace. A lifelong heavy smoker, he died that same year from pneumonia following surgery for lung cancer in Málaga, Spain, aged 48. He was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium, but his ashes were scattered from the top of Llanwonno, over his beloved Ferndale, Mid Glamorgan, Wales.
He was born William Stanley Baker in Ferndale, Rhondda Valley, Wales. He served in the Royal Army Service Corps from 1946-1948, and came to prominence in the 1950s; although he made his film debut in the Ealing Studios 1943 film ‘Undercover’. Laurence Olivier selected him to play Henry Tudor in his 1955 movie ‘Richard III’. Baker's most memorable role was as Lieutenant John Chard VC in ‘Zulu’. In 1976 he was awarded a knighthood although he did not live to be invested in person at Buckingham Palace. A lifelong heavy smoker, he died that same year from pneumonia following surgery for lung cancer in Málaga, Spain, aged 48. He was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium, but his ashes were scattered from the top of Llanwonno, over his beloved Ferndale, Mid Glamorgan, Wales.