Leonard Joel "Lenny" Baker was born on January 17, 1945, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Bertha and William Baker. He graduated from Brookline High School in 1962 and went on to attend Boston University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree.
Baker started his acting career in regional theater, spending several summers at the O'Neill Center's National Playwrights Conference in Waterford, Connecticut. After moving to New York City in 1969, he acted in numerous Off-Broadway stage productions, including 'Paradise Gardens East,' 'Conerico Was Here to Stay,' 'The Year Boston Won the Pennant,' and 'The Survival of St. Joan.'
He made his Broadway debut in 1974 in 'The Freedom of the City' and won a Tony Award in 1977 for his performance in the musical 'I Love My Wife.' Additionally, in 1976, Lenny performed in repertory in Phoenix Theater productions of 'Secret Service' and 'Boy Meets Girl' and appeared in both 'Henry V' and 'Measure for Measure' with the New York Shakespeare Festival in the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.
Baker also acted in a few films and television shows. His most notable role was as aspiring actor Larry Lapinsky in Paul Mazursky's autobiographical film 'Next Stop, Greenwich Village' (1976),for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture - Male.
Tragically, Lenny Baker died at the age of 37 from AIDS-related cancer on April 12, 1982, in a hospital in Hallandale Beach, Florida. He was survived by his parents, Bertha and William, and his brothers, Alan and Malcolm.
