London-born Robert S. Baker, a stalwart artilleryman in the British army, served during World War II, stationed in North Africa where he crossed paths with his future partner, Monty Berman. Later, he joined the army's film and photography unit, becoming a skilled combat cameraman in Europe. After the war, Baker and Berman co-founded Tempean Films, producing a string of low-budget "B" pictures, including comedies, mysteries, and thrillers, with many directed by Baker himself.
Their early films featured a mix of genres, with some notable releases including the Terry-Thomas and Norman Wisdom comedy, Date with a Dream, in 1948. Over the years, their company churned out a plethora of films, some of which showcased a grittier tone, such as Jack the Ripper, a fictionalized account of the notorious serial killer, released in 1959. The following year, they produced The Siege of Sidney Street, a crime thriller based on a real-life 1911 shootout between police and a gang of Russian criminals in east London.
The Hellfire Club, an anemic "adventure" film, and The Secret of Monte Cristo, one of the lesser entries in the string of pictures based on the classic Alexandre Dumas novel, were also released during this period. Baker and Berman shifted their focus to television in the 1960s, with their main project being the production of The Saint series. Baker later joined Gideon C.I.D. as a producer.
When Gideon C.I.D. ended its run, Baker and The Saint star Roger Moore formed Bamore Productions, which produced a feature spin-off of the series, The Fiction-Makers, in 1968. They also collaborated on the Moore and Tony Curtis "crimerighting playboys" series, The Persuaders!, released in 1971. Baker went on to produce the series Return of the Saint in 1978 and Return to Treasure Island in 1986.
