Art Baker, born Arthur Shank, (January 7, 1898 – August 26, 1966) was a film, television and radio actor of the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.
Born in New York City, he was most well known for his radio and television work which began in the mid-1930s. Starting in 1938, he began "Art Baker's Notebook" on Los Angeles' KFI radio station, which lasted for two decades.
Baker appeared in over forty films including:
- Spellbound (1945)
- The Farmer's Daughter (1947)
- A Southern Yankee (1948)
- State of the Union (1948)
- Any Number Can Play (1949)
- The Underworld Story (1950)
His tall, slim frame, snow white hair, smooth slightly nasal voice and genial nature made him a natural choice to play business executives, doctors, and senators in film. Baker grew up in New York and, after working at a number of different jobs, eventually became an actor.
He had four children, Virginia, who died of TB, Arthur (Bart), Robert and Dorothy, all by his first wife. The family lived in Iowa.
Baker is best known for his work on a television series he created, titled You Asked For It (for which he became affectionately dubbed, the "genie with the light, white hair") between December 1950 and January 1958. It was originally named "The Art Baker Show", but the title was changed in April, 1951. During the last 20 months of the show, Art Baker was replaced by Jack Smith.
Art Baker died of a heart attack at a bank in Los Angeles in 1966.