For only the second time ever, Jewish Doctor Who actor Tom Baker has not won the title of best ever Doctor in a poll by the readers of the sci-fi series’ official magazine.
New Doctor David Tennant, who made his debut at the end of 2005, has beaten Baker into second place, taking 28.2% of the vote compared to 26.5% for 72-year-old Baker.
“The iconic image of Doctor Who has always been of Tom Baker in his floppy hat and long, multi-coloured scarf,” said magazine editor Clayton Hickman, “but it looks like that’s been replaced.”
Baker, who recently enjoyed a career revival thanks to being the voice of Little Britain, is the son of a Jewish sailor who he didn’t see much of during his childhood.
He played the role of the Timelord from 1974 until 1981.
Meanwhile, a recent poll on the BBC News website saw Baker triumphant once again, gaining 43.5% of the votes, beating Tennant who came second with 26%. 11,849 people took part in the survey.
Tom BakerTags: Tom Baker .
People, Tom Baker was brought up
CATHOLIC. He even considered
becoming a monk. I think you’re pushing
it a bit to have him as a Jewish icon!
Tom Baker is not Jewish nor did he have a Jewish father. He is from a Catholic family and spent several years in his teens living in a monastery as a Catholic monk.
Part irish ex-roman catholic monk Tom Baker a Jew?!
As Tom Baker says himself, his father was Jewish. Therefore he is an AOJO (an actor of Jewish origin).
I’m not saying you can’t have him as an icon.
Tom Baker is a wonderful actor and there is
no reason why Jewish people can’t love him
just like anyone else. Do Jewish people only
admire other Jewish people? I’m Irish but I
have plenty of roll models who are not Irish.
One or two of them are even Jewish!
But seriously, it is a VERY loose connection.
He may well have had a Jewish father,
but he was NOT brought up as a Jew.
I just don’t think your community is
doing itself any favours by claiming people
as Jewish icons when they’re not Jewish.
Tom Baker had a Jewish father. He is an AOJO (an actor of
Jewish origin) and therefore has a Jewish connection which
is Jewtastic.
RP - perhaps it’s time to start Irishmongous.com?
Seriously, however, this does seem rather far fetched. Not in terms of fact, but in terms of how wide does the net go. Does Jesus count, for instance?
And what about me? If one of my grandparents was from a Jewish family, does that make me a Writer of Jewish Origin?
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with celebrating ones culture, but half-inching people from other cultures and claiming them as your own seems odd. A little like all those English cinema goers holding up William Wallace as a hero after Mel Gibson’s “Braveheart”…
Good idea for Irishmonhous.com
Now, as far as the fella called Jesus, he isn’t involved in
Jewish pop culture or connected with it is he?
Does he have a new single coming out of film?
Yes, you’ve got it right, if there is a Jewish connection
then it is Jewtastic and Tom Maker has that.
We are not half-inching people from other cultures, Tom Baker
had a Jewish father, he is a AOJO.
And Tom Baker is Jewtastic
Well… frankly if it’s in it’s in. This discussion has got me thinking about the matter of what to cover and what not to cover in a webzine; my site Kasterborous.com picks out Billie Piper for coverage because of her connection with Doctor Who, but ignores for instance Lousie Jameson and Mary Tamm, two very good actresses.
Why this is I don’t know; I fancy it’s because like you we’re driven by pop culture and on the whole these actresses don’t make many appearances on television while still being well known for their time in Doctor Who.
I’m sure Tom Baker did once say that he had a Jewish father. He also claims that he’s been mistaken for Shirley WIlliams and that Anthony Hopkins once left his wife to run away with him. Baker’s autobiography is one of the greatest fictional works ever written.
Even if Baker’s father was a Jew, which I doubt, that does not make Baker a ‘Jewish Doctor Who actor’. It would be more accurate to say ‘Athiest Doctor Who actor’ or ‘former Catholic Doctor Who actor’.
Also, consider this: in Liverpool in the 1930s it would be a scandal for a Catholic woman to have a child by a Protestant, never mind a Jew. Consider the staunchly Catholic nature of Baker’s mother and her family and I would seriously doubt that she had a relationship with a Jew.
“Now, as far as the fella called Jesus, he isn’t involved in
Jewish pop culture or connected with it is he?
Does he have a new single coming out of film?”
He was, I believe, the King of the Jews and does have a massive birthday celebration coming up. Won’t that do?