Doc Baker passes away - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

jayman75 · 07-12-2005, 01:03 AM

Just saw this on Yahoo. He had cancer, and passed away at 77 years old.

I recall seeing an article in the Enquirer or some tabloid several months ago that said Michael Landon didn't pay him money after the show ended, and he blamed him for his lack of success after LHOTP left the air.

Mr. Television · 07-12-2005, 01:05 AM

Aww thats so sad. May he R.I.P.

80s_Fan · 07-12-2005, 06:00 PM

'Little House's' Doc Baker dead
Kevin Hagen, veteran of Westerns, was 77

Tuesday, July 12, 2005; Posted: 3:38 p.m. EDT (19:38 GMT)

Veteran television character actor Kevin Hagen, who left behind a string of Western bad guy roles to become the kindly Doc Baker in "Little House on the Prairie," died Saturday. He was 77.

Hagen died at his home a year after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer, said his wife, Jan.

Hagen's first movie part was in the 1958 Disney film "The Light in the Forest," but he credited his role in the 1965 film "Shenandoah" with starting him on a long trail of TV Western heavies.

Hagen had guest-starring roles on "Gunsmoke," "Rawhide" and "Cheyenne," and won his first regular role in the 1958 series, "Yancy Derringer," in which he played a city administrator of post-Civil War New Orleans.

He was best known for his portrayal of Dr. Hiram Baker in "Little House on the Prairie," which ran from 1974 to 1983.

Mr. Television · 07-12-2005, 06:02 PM

Yea I heard that last night. R.I.P.

TJL · 07-12-2005, 06:06 PM

Aw, what a shame. Recently I've caught a few reruns of Little House now that Hallmark is running it in the afternoons. He was a great member of the cast.

He also appeared in a couple of episodes of M*A*S*H.

spunkygirl · 07-12-2005, 08:36 PM

RIP You'll be forever missed

Mijada · 07-12-2005, 08:50 PM

I heard about that too. I love Little House. RIP

rusyd · 07-12-2005, 10:01 PM

May he Rest in Peace.

Brian Damage · 07-12-2005, 10:03 PM

RIP

JT · 07-13-2005, 12:34 AM

Wow....I'm just speechless, completely speechless...LHOTP is probably my favorite stand-alone drama ever....and I just can't believe he's gone...

JT · 07-13-2005, 12:41 AM

R.I.P.

When I think of it, this is the first major LHOTP death since Michael Landon's back in 1991...

Jrnygrl · 07-13-2005, 01:21 AM

He was great as Doc Baker. The episodes that featured him were always good.

RIP KEVIN HAGEN!!

Coffeecup · 09-04-2005, 01:10 PM

He was in his 40's when that show aired. I also read or heard that the Greenbush twins, they played Carrie, didn't have as much fun as the Olsen twins on Full House did. Sydney or Lindsay said Michaeal was a taskmaster. They cried a lot for he demand them to perform just right.

dandelion wine · 09-07-2005, 02:03 PM

Rest in peace, Doc.

GeekBoyGreg · 10-12-2005, 12:07 AM

I often write to favorite celebrities of mine to ask for their autographs. I had read on Kevin Hagen's website that he was suffering from cancer and thought I should send him my regards and request an autograph. Sadly, I wrote the letter but did not send it off in time. However, upon his death I wrote to his widow and included my original letter. She wrote me back and said that Kevin was always deeply appreciated for the fans of his Little House work. She included a couple of photos in his memory, which I will always cherish. From the sounds of things, Kevin Hagen was a very down to earth kind of guy who enjoyed the simple things in life. He had even managed to do a little stage acting here and there in his hometown of Ashland.

On a more sour note, I watched the Emmys this year. I paid special attention to the "In Memoriam" section because so many well known TV personalities passed away, including Barbara Bel Geddes and Howard Keel of Dallas fame and James Doohan who played Scotty on Star Trek. Of course, they failed to include Kevin Hagen. It's sad to say, but I wasn't all too surprised by this. I think to many people "Little House..." wasn't even a real show and I don't think "the industry" holds it, or sadly its actors (except for Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert), in any worthy regard. Its such a shame to see a talented and good man like Kevin Hagen not be recognized for his work. Typical Hollywood.

07-12-2005, 01:03 AM	#1
jayman75 I Love the 80s! Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 27, 2000 Location: THE GREAT UNITED STATES Posts: 3,809	Doc Baker passes away Just saw this on Yahoo. He had cancer, and passed away at 77 years old. I recall seeing an article in the Enquirer or some tabloid several months ago that said Michael Landon didn't pay him money after the show ended, and he blamed him for his lack of success after LHOTP left the air.
	__________________ A fan of quality, classic television comedies and holiday specials... The Wonder Years,The Golden Girls,Burns and Allen, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Are You Being Served?, Family Guy, South Park, Designing Women, Dallas, The Facts of Life, Roseanne, Will and Grace, The Twilight Zone, Original Scooby-Doo, Murphy Brown, The Big Bang Theory... Talk to me about one of these shows, and I'm all yours...

07-12-2005, 01:05 AM	#2
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Aww thats so sad. May he R.I.P.
	__________________ Sonny

07-12-2005, 06:00 PM	#3
80s_Fan Healthcare_Clerk Senior Member Join Date: May 26, 2004 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 1,697	"Doc Baker" Gone But Not Forgotten 'Little House's' Doc Baker dead Kevin Hagen, veteran of Westerns, was 77 Tuesday, July 12, 2005; Posted: 3:38 p.m. EDT (19:38 GMT) Veteran television character actor Kevin Hagen, who left behind a string of Western bad guy roles to become the kindly Doc Baker in "Little House on the Prairie," died Saturday. He was 77. Hagen died at his home a year after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer, said his wife, Jan. Hagen's first movie part was in the 1958 Disney film "The Light in the Forest," but he credited his role in the 1965 film "Shenandoah" with starting him on a long trail of TV Western heavies. Hagen had guest-starring roles on "Gunsmoke," "Rawhide" and "Cheyenne," and won his first regular role in the 1958 series, "Yancy Derringer," in which he played a city administrator of post-Civil War New Orleans. He was best known for his portrayal of Dr. Hiram Baker in "Little House on the Prairie," which ran from 1974 to 1983.

07-12-2005, 06:06 PM	#5
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	Aw, what a shame. Recently I've caught a few reruns of Little House now that Hallmark is running it in the afternoons. He was a great member of the cast. He also appeared in a couple of episodes of MAS*H.
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

07-12-2005, 08:50 PM	#7
Mijada Spencers mom Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 02, 2001 Location: eastern US Posts: 4,093	I heard about that too. I love Little House. RIP
	__________________ Proud mom to Spencer, Justine and Colleen

07-12-2005, 06:02 PM	#4
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Yea I heard that last night. R.I.P.

07-12-2005, 08:36 PM	#6
spunkygirl Member Moderator Forum Celebrity Join Date: Apr 26, 2003 Posts: 21,563	RIP You'll be forever missed

07-12-2005, 10:01 PM	#8
rusyd Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 13,505	May he Rest in Peace.

07-12-2005, 10:03 PM	#9
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	RIP

07-13-2005, 12:34 AM	#10
JT Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 29, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 7,223	Wow....I'm just speechless, completely speechless...LHOTP is probably my favorite stand-alone drama ever....and I just can't believe he's gone...

07-13-2005, 12:41 AM	#11
JT Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 29, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 7,223	R.I.P. When I think of it, this is the first major LHOTP death since Michael Landon's back in 1991... Attached Images

07-13-2005, 01:21 AM	#12
Jrnygrl Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 03, 2003 Location: wheel in the sky Posts: 4,540	He was great as Doc Baker. The episodes that featured him were always good. RIP KEVIN HAGEN!!

09-04-2005, 01:10 PM	#13
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	He was in his 40's when that show aired. I also read or heard that the Greenbush twins, they played Carrie, didn't have as much fun as the Olsen twins on Full House did. Sydney or Lindsay said Michaeal was a taskmaster. They cried a lot for he demand them to perform just right.

09-07-2005, 02:03 PM	#14
dandelion wine ~ Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 20, 2003 Location: Behind the Couch Posts: 34,967	Rest in peace, Doc.
	__________________ Fans of Jon-Erik Hexum Merry Christmas!

10-12-2005, 12:07 AM	#15
GeekBoyGreg Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 11, 2005 Posts: 25	I often write to favorite celebrities of mine to ask for their autographs. I had read on Kevin Hagen's website that he was suffering from cancer and thought I should send him my regards and request an autograph. Sadly, I wrote the letter but did not send it off in time. However, upon his death I wrote to his widow and included my original letter. She wrote me back and said that Kevin was always deeply appreciated for the fans of his Little House work. She included a couple of photos in his memory, which I will always cherish. From the sounds of things, Kevin Hagen was a very down to earth kind of guy who enjoyed the simple things in life. He had even managed to do a little stage acting here and there in his hometown of Ashland. On a more sour note, I watched the Emmys this year. I paid special attention to the "In Memoriam" section because so many well known TV personalities passed away, including Barbara Bel Geddes and Howard Keel of Dallas fame and James Doohan who played Scotty on Star Trek. Of course, they failed to include Kevin Hagen. It's sad to say, but I wasn't all too surprised by this. I think to many people "Little House..." wasn't even a real show and I don't think "the industry" holds it, or sadly its actors (except for Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert), in any worthy regard. Its such a shame to see a talented and good man like Kevin Hagen not be recognized for his work. Typical Hollywood.