Madelon Baker

A native of Marion, Illinois, Baker was the youngest of five daughters born to Fannie Elizabeth Bateman and George Christie Baker,^[4][5] a coal miner who died in 1924 at age 54.^[6] Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Highland Park, Michigan and Baker began modeling.^[7][8] She later attended Wayne State University before transferring to Northwestern.^[4]

By the following decade, Baker was appearing on radio in such series as The Lone Ranger and The Romance of Helen Trent, as well as becoming one of the featured vocalists for bandleaders Henry Busse and Johnny Hamp,^[8] as well as her then-husband Carl Grayson (né Graub).^[9][a]

On May 31, 1942, on WBBM in Chicago, under the direction of her soon-to-be husband Les Mitchel, Baker—as Madelon Grayson—co-starred with Les Tremayne, Forrest Lewis, Jonathan Hole, Frank Dane, and John Larkin in Columbia Workshop's world premiere presentation of poet Kenneth Patchen's radio play The City Wears a Slouch Hat, accompanied by a five-member percussion ensemble performing John Cage's score, conducted by the composer.^[22] Later that year, Baker and fellow WBBM staffer Jane Webb were among a host of local radio people donating their time and talents to the new serviceman's canteen which opened on Christmas Day under the auspices of the Women's Army Corps.^[23]

Baker was fashion coordinator for Marshall Field's in Chicago from 1942 to 1944,^[4] at which point she and Mitchel moved to Los Angeles.^[24] From 1944 through 1951, she was employed in varying capacities at Les Mitchel Productions; she served variously as producer,^[4] secretary-treasurer (as G. Madelon Mitchel)^[25][26] and, on at least one occasion, performer.^[27]

In 1955, Baker—as Madelon Mitchell—co-starred with Edward Arnold, Jim Backus, Lyle Talbot, and Sujata Rubener in The Great Adventure, a 29-minute docu-drama commemorating the 50th anniversary of Rotary International, which had its world premiere simultaneously in 80 countries on February 23.^[28][29] Debuting on December 1 of that year and continuing for at least three months, Baker, still billed as Mitchell, hosted a cooking show entitled Camera Kitchen on KHJ-TV in Los Angeles.^[30][31] Among her guests were Barbara Ellen Davenport (wife of college football star Bob Davenport),^[32][33] pioneer TV cook Monty Margetts,^[34][35] and fashion consultant Caroline Leonetti.^[36]

In 1959, Baker, together with her husband Jackson Baker, began Audio Arts Inc.,^[4] a recording studio specializing in R&B and Gospel, performed by artists such as Cassietta George^[3][37] and Ron Kenoly.^[38] One notable exception was their much-heralded discovery, singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb,^{[21][3][39][40]} whose first single they recorded and released,^[41] and approximately 50 of whose songs—including "Didn't We," "Where's the Playground Susie" and "Galveston"^[42]—were published by the Bakers' company, Ja-Ma Music.^[43][44][8] Another Audio Arts coup was its discovery of the Paradons, resulting in the studio's first hit record (which proved to be the band's only hit), "Diamonds and Pearls".^[45]

Baker was married at least three times. The first two marriages ended in divorce: with violinist/vocalist Carl Graub (aka Grayson) from 1933 to 1940,^{[46][19][47][20]} and with producer Lester Mandiville "Les" Mitchel from 1942 to 1952.^[1][48][49] By contrast, Baker's final marriage, to her Audio Arts partner/co-founder—and partial namesake—Jackson Correll Baker, lasted from 1956 until his death in 1975.^[4][50][51]

On February 26, 1999, Baker died of a stroke in Laguna Hills, California.^[3]