Rex 'Snowy' Baker
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Reginald Leslie "Snowy" Baker (8 February 1884 – 2 December 1953) was an Australian athlete, sports promoter, and actor. Born in Surry Hills, an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Baker excelled at a number of sports, winning New South Wales swimming and boxing championships while still a teenager. Playing rugby union for Eastern Suburbs, he played several games for New South Wales against Queensland, and in 1904 represented Australia in two Test matches against Great Britain. At the 1908 London Olympics, Baker represented Australasia in swimming and diving, as well as taking part in the middleweight boxing event, in which he won a silver medal. He also excelled in horsemanship, water polo, running, rowing and cricket. However, "His stature as an athlete depends largely upon the enormous range rather than the outstanding excellence of his activities; it was as an entrepreneur-showman, publicist and businessman that he seems in retrospect to have been most important."
Baker retired from competition after being injured in a motor-vehicle accident, and became involved in boxing promotion, bringing a number of top fighters from North America and Europe to fight in Australia. During this time, he began to act in a number of silent film roles which showcased his horsemanship, including The Enemy Within, The Man from Kangaroo, and The Shadow of Lightning Ridge. In 1920, Baker left Australia for the United States, where he became known as an entrepreneur and stunt coach. He died in 1953 in Los Angeles, California, from cerebrovascular disease.
Baker became Australia's darling of the screen when his silent movie career took off. His movies included The Enemy Within, The Man from Kangaroo, and The Shadow of Lightning Ridge. During this same time, he was also writing and editing a publication titled 'Snowy Baker's Magazine'. For many years, until he settled in the United States, Baker was Australia's leading actor and matinee idol.
Known For | Acting |
---|---|
Most Rating | 0.01 |
Birthday | 1884-02-08 |
Place of Birth | Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia |
Also Known As | Reg Baker, Rex Baker, Snowy Baker, |
1924
The White Panther
0/0
Australian star Rex "Snowy" Baker stars in this military melodrama. This was the first of a series of four films Baker made for producer Phil Goldston...
Watch Now
The White Panther
1922
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12
0/0
Another entry in the popular one-reel series.
Watch Now
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12
1921
Sleeping Acres
0/0
Australian actor Snowy Baker's first American movie made for producer Willian N. Selig who specialized in adventure tales. A contemporary fan magazine...
Watch Now
Sleeping Acres
1939
The Kid From Texas
6.5/2
A loud-mouthed Texas cowpuncher tries his hand at polo finding himself at odds with high society and trying to save a floundering Wild West show.
Watch Now
The Kid From Texas
1918
The Enemy Within
0/0
Snowy Baker is a secret service agent called in to crack a ring of foreign agents involved in treason and civil violence in Australia. Jack's sweethea...
Watch Now
The Enemy Within
1941
Polo with the Stars
5/1
A short in the WB Hollywood Novelty series (production number 7301) about the training of polo ponies. Buddy Rogers buys one of the ponies in training...
Watch Now
Polo with the Stars
1920
The Man from Kangaroo
5.6/4
John Harland is a former boxer turned reverend posted to the town of Kangaroo. He falls in love with Muriel, an orphaned heiress, and discovers that h...
Watch Now
The Man from Kangaroo
1924
The Sword of Valor
0/0
American romantic comedy which had the well known Australian actor Snowy Baker as a cast member. The daughter of a Spanish don falls in love with an A...
Watch Now
The Sword of Valor
1924
The Empire Builders
0/0
Australian Rex [Snowy] Baker stars in this USA film. Rex as Captain William Ballard of the Territorials is sent to make a treaty with the natives. But...
Watch Now
The Empire Builders
1937
Big City
7.4/5
Anna and Joe are newly married, playful and deeply in love. Joe is scraping by as cab driver in New York City during a period of corruption, mob contr...
Watch Now
Big City
1921
The Fighting Breed
0/0
A wealthy young Australian, the last of the "Fighting O'Farrells," decides to secretly work at his own farm in order to prove himself.
Watch Now
The Fighting Breed
1923
His Last Race
0/0
Watch Now