I'm amazed he remained as polite as he did with those interviewers, he remained rather charming throughout. People always give Tom this bad reputation and accuse him of being a big egoist. Having read his biography I know that can't be further from the truth. He's a wonderful person and deserves much more credit than he is ever due.
He's the only actor who plays the doctor that is still dedicated to do doctor who roles in one why or another and doing story's. I guess now he has took a break from it all due to his age but most of his life was being doctor who and doing it all for the fans he needs a to have a Sir in front of his name if he hasn't been knighted yet. So many people get knighted for no good real reason in my opinion but he's been missed out big time
I met Tom on the underground recently. All I said was Mr Baker, whilst doffing my cap to the man. He looked at me and boomed out a laugh that may me smile and piiss myself laughing because no-one had the balls to recognise this great Man.
I like how he gets up to leave as soon as they're done talking. He doesn't linger at all to shake hands or anything. It's just "okay I'm done. Let's go."
Tom Baker is so awesome, such good value in every interview! But I must admit it's quite a shock to see him without all his lovely hair! (And yes, I know that is a terribly superficial thing to say...)
I suspect he went for the shorn look to shut the door on his Doctor Who success and to seek new ventures, avoiding the typecast trap. Alas he now remembered for the Doctor under the mass of curls.
Anne Diamond: Simply because they're dealing with a lady they will open the door even if they don't like the woman, or give up their seat. Tom Baker: Well, they're boneheads, aren't they? Classic.
@Peterdalek Bravo...you could see him about an inch away from telling them to stuff it firmly and roast it for 4 hours. An incredible wit and a performance champion in anything he plays. Long live TB!
I think that's an unfair comment, it's so simplified. When you really get into reading about him you realize how complex he is. He was brought up all the first years of his life, to believe he was worthless and that the only gloryfing thing he could do was to die. How could he not end up feeling completly lost and depresed and suicidal. If anything I think he should be admired for having been able to survive, get out of that terrible frame of mind, and become so lovely and charming a person.
In 3 years he looks so much older, what happened to his hair? If he had came back for 'The Five Doctors' it wouldn't of been the same. He's also put a bit of beef on too, truth be told i thought you had wrote the date wrong, meaning '1994' but was surprised it find it wasn't. Tom is a legend.
Actually the 5 Doctors was done in 1983 when he still had the curly hair and Tom's hair isn't what truly made him a phenomenal and iconic Doctor. It is his amazing talent and great charisma. Tom would have been simply superb in it (but I understand his reason for not being ready yet to come back). Plus Tom was still pretty skinny here period and looked in very good shape. Watch him in "The Life and Times of A She Devil" from 1986. He 's got some bedroom scenes in it and let's just say he don't look bad at all!
Anne and Nick, they were still presenting the bbc morning show when i was a kid in the early 90's, it's especially jarring to watch this and the recent richard and judy interview with baker back to back, they really do seem to be the most talentless nonentities.
Yeah, very stupid and condescending questions, especially the loaded political correctness, but Tom handles everything with dignity and his usual class.
Was this the entire interview because I remember him having a go at these two idiots, if I remember rightly Tom Baker accused Nick of making a cheap joke and was very angry or was this a different interview on the same show at a later date?
Thanks for your reply, I am glad someone remembers. Poor ole Tom being confronted with D84 in the form of Anne Diamond, at least D84 could talk, whereas Anne is just Dumb.
Watch the clock in the bottom right hand corner...that interview went on for over an hour and a half! By the way, who's the old biddy who appears sitting next to Tom?
I know right! Tom had already had success on stage, in T.V. (including a guest star role in "Remington Steele") and major voice over work between Doctor Who and this interview. Didn't these interviewers do any research about Tom or simply turn on there T.V. to see the other roles he was doing? Idiots!
Why was the comment 'He's a bit full of himself' negative voted off the page? He IS full of himself. It's not a insult or a criticism, it's a fact. McCoy and Colin Baker are up themselves as well, though Colin does it with much more panache. A lot of actors are bigheads. As if we fans don't all love them immensely at the end of the day, anyway, conceited or not....
Colin comes off a little more full of himself then Tom. I do agree most actors have to have a little bit of ego. I think Tom has a little more of a self mocking, blue collar feel about him inside......which makes sense given he grew up in fairly poor circumstances. Not trying to diss Colin.
@EmtyThe1st probably tired of it in that fashion for 7 straight years. Or perhaps he trimmed to be harder to recognize...people probably bother him hourly with intrusions for autographs.
