This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, James Baker, 91, born on January 3, 1925 and passed away on June 15, 2016. We will remember him forever.
James Franklin Baker, 91, died peacefully June 15, 2016 at Marin Terrace in Mill Valley, California.
He was born January 1, 1925, in Santa Rita, New Mexico of parents Martin E. Hubbard of Kansas and Ruby Lavonia Whelchel of New Mexico. He Served 4 years in the US Navy during World War II.
He grew up in Santa Rita, New Mexico, which may no longer be on the map. His father worked in the mines there at that time. His stepfather W.O. Baker was a locomotive engineer. He had a sister Oween. But James was always an avid reader and wanted to take another direction. with his life
He was always interested in theatre and began it in an abandoned garage at the age of eleven. His friend, “Betty Lou Boup (then 9 years old) wrote the productions, and he produced and directed them. They were a smash in the Great Depression. “Just like alfalfa and Mickey Rooney, door charge 3cents,coke was 5 cents a bottle, life was good…. still is”. He went to Wilmington High School in California and majored in Dramatic arts at Compton.
Mr. Bakers College education was interrupted by four years of Navel Service. Upon graduation from Compton, he started his professional career in 1947. He started his professional career as an actor-director-producer with a traveling tent show. In late 1947 Baker became a member of the Dennis Psychodrama tic Theater In New York. A year later he returned to LA to become a lighting technician for the Bard Playhouse. In 1948 Mr. Baker joined the staff of KLAC-TV in Los Angeles as assistant stage manager. Mr. Baker was then successfully promoted to stage manager, then assistant director. During this period Mr. Baker directed such well-known shows as “The Al Jarvis Show”, “Bill Anson Show”, and others.
He left in in 1947 for opportunities in rapidly growing TV field. He was elevated to full directorship in 1951,taking over the direction of baseball, news, sports, and large studio productions. During this time, Mr. Baker was also Assistant Director for the closed circuit kinescope experiments production of the Mike Steiney and Arch Obler programs. Early in 1952, Mr. Baker moved to the American Broadcasting Company owned KGO-TV in San Francisco as a director, a position he held until he retired in 1989. He remained active in the American Contemporary Theater in San Francisco as the organizations “outside” director.
He served in the creation, direction, and production of programs. those with emphasis on sports and musical- variety, moonlighting writing commercials and doing voice over work. He enjoyed working with talent in their development of personality and direction.
He won many awards and honors, including those from the 1982-, 85 Clio Awards, the Houston International Film Festival, the National Academy of Television arts and sciences, the International film and TV Festival of New York, and many others.
He was married in 1948 and had two children.. He married again in 1963 to Julie Ketting, (whom this memorial is also dedicated to). Who are Daughter of Ogden Ketting, and Rosemarie Ames, who was a movie actress in the1930’s,one of them as playing the part of Shirley Temple"s mother.
They had one child Adam Baker, and raised him together with his stepdaughter; Sandra Higbie nicknamed “Shash “ by him, or Sha Sha Higby who also was also mentored in the arts by James. In the 1990s they moved from San Francisco to Bonita Springs, and Orlando Florida to be near their son but missed the San Francisco Bay Area so much that they a moved back to San Francisco in 2002. His wife Julie Ketting Baker preceded Jim in death in 2008.
He is survived by three children and three grandchildren: a daughter from his first marriage: Kimberley; and a son from his second marriage Adam Baker, an entrepreneur in Cost Rico, who has three children, and a stepdaughter from his second marriage: Sandra “Sha Sha” Higby, an artist in Bolinas, CA;
In lieu of flowers if you would like to donate to a charity, please give to San Francisco Film Society
http://www.documentary.org/donate .