Kenny Baker (American performer)

Kenny Baker
in the trailer for Stage Door Canteen (1943)
Born	Kenneth Laurence Baker (1912-09-30)September 30, 1912 Monrovia, California, U.S.
Died	August 10, 1985(1985-08-10) (aged 72) Solvang, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Heart attack
Occupation	Film, radio, stage actor and singer
Years active	1933-1951

Kenneth Laurence "Kenny" Baker (September 30, 1912 – August 10, 1985) was an American singer and actor who first gained notice as the featured singer on radio's The Jack Benny Program during the 1930s.

At the height of his radio fame, and after leaving the Benny show in 1939 (succeeded by Dennis Day, whose tenor was similar to Baker's), he appeared in 17 film musicals, including Mr. Dodd Takes the Air (1937), At the Circus (1939), and The Harvey Girls (1946). He also starred in the 1939 movie version of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. He later co-starred with Mary Martin in the original Broadway production of Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash's One Touch of Venus (1943).

After being on the Benny program 1935-1939, Baker returned to radio as a regular performer on Fred Allen's Texaco Star Theater program (1940–1942). He was also heard on Blue Ribbon Town (1943-1944) and Glamour Manor (1945-1947). He had his own programs, the Kenny Baker Show (1954) and Sincerely--Kenny Baker (1946). The latter was syndicated by the Frederick W. Ziv Company via electrical transcription.

After retiring from performing in the early 1950s, Baker became a Christian Science practitioner and motivational speaker, and recorded a number of record albums of hymns for his church.