born Aug. 14, 1925, Loudoun county, Va., U.S.
U.S. newspaper columnist.
Baker joined the Baltimore Sun in 1947. In 1954 he moved to the Washington bureau of the New York Times , and in the early 1960s he began his syndicated "Observer" column. Initially concentrating on political satire, he later found other subjects to skewer as well. In 1979 he won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary. His books include the autobiographies Growing Up (1982, Pulitzer Prize) and The Good Times (1989). In 1993 he became host of the television program Masterpiece Theatre .