Where is Tom Baker?

[drwhofan1]

Something that has been bugging me is the fact that there has been no audio adventures with the 4th Doctor. Has Tom Baker ever been approached to do one or to team up with the others for a special? As far as I know he is the only Doctor that is still available for to do a BIG Finish Story.

With the exception of Ian Marter, all of the actors/actresses are still alive to team up with him for stories.

Does anyone have any idea or heard that he has flat out refused, ie. Janet Fielding (who has only recently agreed to do an audio but only one), to do an audio story?

[Dominic Smith]

I believe it comes down to the fact that Tom doesn't really want to play the Doctor anymore. He's not distancing himself from the programme all together but he doesn't really want to return to the role.
I think he has been approached by Big Finish but he's just not interested, which is a shame as it'd be wonderful to hear him in an audio play.

Hope that helps,

Dominic

[brendanmoody]

Here is Gary Russell's comment on why Tom Baker won't work for Big Finish, from a pinned thread at Outpost Gallifrey:

Tom doesn't want to play Doctor Who. On audio. For Big Finish. That's his choice and indeed, there's no point in trying to convince him otherwise. We've asked and asked and asked. He's said no and no and no. We asked again and so on.

*I* feel (note feel, this is not fact) that he isn't comnfident he could recreate the role as he did it back in the 70s and to do it badly/differently would tarnish the memories people have of him, which is important to any actor but especially Tom who is so immensley proud of what he did. That's the *impression* I get.

Yes, he's made one or two... interesting if impractgical ideas (whales, Japanese whalers; going around the universe juyst showing people his intergalactic autograph book) but I *suspect* this was done to deliberatwely put us offasking again. It didn't, but after a while, we got the hint.

We sent him the scripts for Lanyon Moor, Stones of Venice & Holy Terror. No these were not written for him, they were the Colin/Paul versions, but we thought he might like to see the differing styles we were trying. He said (personally I think bloody rudely, but he probably thought it was funny) at a convention in Birmingham when asked that yes he'd received scripts from us but that they slid off his knee and into the bin where he felt they were best suited. And yes, he knew that we were in the audience, but that's Tom's "humour". Hey ho. It got him a round of applause and laughs which is, after all, the point of making the joke.

The last time we asked him was for Shada, something he'd expressed an interest in to us befor. But he eventually said no and it gave me the chance to rework it for Paul and Lalla, which was, I think, better for all concerned.

Ultimately it comes down to this – if you eventually cajole/blackmail/beg someone into doing something they still don't want to do, you lose out. They lose out. The audience loses out. Because there isn't the 100% dedication, trust and enjoyment in the project that you normally give.

It's never been about money, however. Tom's agents have always made that clear. He's not a greedy man. He never made demands on us that we couldn't meet or compromise on (although his story ideas were, as I said earlier, not really likely to fill an episode, let alone two CDs worth!). He's always been charming, friendly and encouraging to us in what we do. He just doesn't want to play Doctor Who again. On audio. For Big Finish. I stress that because he might do something one day for someone else, you never know.

And anyway, I'm frankly more than happy top stick with Peter, Colin, Sylv and Paul who've been supportive, dedicated and psitive since day one. It's hard enough giving them all a fair crack of the whip each year, without adding a fifth strand.

He's a nice man. If you meet him, always say hello. But don't bother asking him if/when he's working for BF - he'll give you one of any number of stock alternate responses and you'll probably bore him. Just ask him instead about gravestones, ironing boards or Paddy Russell directing Fang Rock. I guarentee the answers will be far mor entertaining.

[drwhofan1]

Thanks that was very informanative. That's too bad, but here's hoping he'll change his mind.

Janet Fielding finally gave in. Even if it was for one story, & one only. Like a "The Five Doctors" only for the last five instead of the first five.

I hope that maybe he'll read this and realize how many people would love to have him do a story. I know there are many people here in Canada when someone mentions Doctor Who the first thing they ask is "The one with the long scarf?" He's memorable & he was the first doctor to be brought here to Canada.

Anyway, here's hoping.

[The Thinker]

Well, reading what's above the Bribery approach isn't going to work. How about hypnotism?

[pastelpainter]

I got the best solution if Tom Baker doesn't want to do them. Get Jon Culshaw from BBC's Dead Ringers to do it. His rendition of Tom Baker's 4th Doctor is dead on to the point that you can't tell it's not Tom. If you don't believe me check out this Doctor Who spoof he did on the BBC:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q88kt_Vtyl4&feature=player_embedded#!

[matthewsee]

Tom has been in contact with Big Finish about future projects he could do as the Fourth Doctor but there has yet to be any firm news about it.

Nicholas Briggs however has stressed any projects that Tom does with Big Finish will not conflict with him reprising of the Fourth Doctor with BBC Audio which had started with The Hornets' Nest.

[matthewsee]

Of course since my previous post, Tom has gotten himself involved in Big Finish wholeheartedly.