The Grand’s Skip Baker dies of cancer

ELLSWORTH – For a generation of theatergoers Skip Baker was the face and the voice of The Grand Auditorium.

For the past 30 years, it was Baker who let them know what was playing each week, sold them their tickets and ran the projector for the auditorium’s regular film showings.

Baker, 65, died on Sunday after an ongoing battle with cancer, leaving a legacy of dedication to the theater that those he worked with said will remain with The Grand for a long time to come.

A bit of a recluse, Baker, whose full name was Davis Lee Baker III, could be gruff and was an acknowledged curmudgeon by those who knew and liked him best. He did not suffer fools lightly or willingly, and not everyone could get past the crusty exterior.

But those who did found a well-read, knowledgeable man, an avid art film buff, a die-hard Red Sox fan who loved old jazz and classical music, willing to talk about any or all of those topics.

And everyone found a man who was dedicated to The Grand and the community.

“Skip was always looking to bring the arts to the area for the good of the community,” said former Grand executive director Bob Bahr. “I always felt he was looking out for the best interests of the community. The Grand and the people who came here were family to him.”

Baker rarely talked about his affection for The Grand; that was the kind of guy he was, said his daughter. Margo Thompson.

“It really meant a lot to him,” she said. “The fact that he was always there showed how important it was to him.”

He was a fixture at the theater, according to former executive director Bob Libbey, who is now the managing director at Penobscot Theater Company.

“He was always working hard, way beyond the call of duty,” Libbey said. “He’d be putting in 18-hour days on some days. We’d try to get him to work less, but he wouldn’t. He loved The Grand.”

Baker was born in New Rochelle, N.Y., in 1940 and graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College. After a trip across country, he moved to the area with his family in the early 1970s and very quickly got involved with theater, volunteering with the Ellsworth Players and then with The Grand, first as a general jack-of-all-trades, and later as the box office manager and projectionist.

He also started The Grand’s Film Program and was responsible for ordering all of the films. Baker took great care in choosing the films, rarely selecting a movie for its box office appeal.

“He preferred a film based on human relationships to the high-tech spectaculars,” said co-worker Padraic Conroy, The Grand’s house manager. “And he could offer perceptive interpretations of a story that was simple and based on relationships.”

Baker read the Boston Globe six days a week, usually in The Grand box office and regularly with a cup of coffee and a piece of pie. But he always bought the New York Times on Friday because that was when the Times ran its movie and theater reviews.

Baker’s choices influenced three decades of moviegoers, according to Joel Raymond, a longtime friend, producer of live shows at The Grand and a former video store owner.

Raymond would often watch The Grand marquee and order films into his store based on what Baker was showing at The Grand. More often than not, they were films that were not being shown anywhere nearby.

“He brought a series of really good films to the area,” Raymond said. “Skip gave them exposure and created a cultural climate for them in the area.”

Not only did he order the films, but he also ran the projector for almost three decades, nursing his beloved, old carbon-arc projector until it could no longer be kept going.

He was not a big fan of new technology and often responded to innovations with the phrase, “we don’t need it.”

And even after he accepted the fact that the old projectors had to go, and admitted that the new ones were safer and cleaner, he never liked their light.

“He always said the carbon arc gave a purer light and provided better contrast and colors,” Conroy said.

The Grand had previously announced plans to name the projection booth after Baker, an honor that pleased him. The auditorium is also working with family members to plan a memorial for its longtime employee.

“We talked about it and he seemed very pleased with that,” his daughter said. “His response was ‘that’ll hold everyone.”‘

The memorial, scheduled for 1-3 p.m. Saturday at The Grand, will be an informal celebration of Baker’s life and people will have an opportunity to speak or perform. The Grand also is planning a special film series featuring some of Baker’s favorite films such as “Rear Window,” “Casablanca” and “North By Northwest.”

In lieu of flowers, family members request donations be made to The Grand.