Chet Baker

Acting

Chet Baker

Born December 23, 1929 · Yale, Oklahoma, U.S.

Died May 13, 1988 · aged 58

Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and critical praise through the 1950s, particularly for albums featuring his vocals: Chet Baker Sings (1954) and It Could Happen to You (1958). Jazz historian Dav…

Known For

Jazz Legends - Chet Baker QuintetteJazz Legends - Chet Baker Quintette · 2022
Jazz Legends - Chet Baker Quintette
2022
MovieMusic
The James Dean StoryThe James Dean Story · 1957
The James Dean Story
5.61957
MovieDocumentary
Released two years after James Dean's death, this documentary chronicles his short life and career via black-and-white still photographs, interviews with the aunt and uncle who raised him, his paternal grandparents, a New York City cabdriver friend, the owner of his favorite Los Angeles restaurant, outtakes from East of Eden, footage of the opening night of Giant, and Dean's ironic PSA for safe driving.
The Fast and the FuriousThe Fast and the Furious · 1954
The Fast and the Furious
5.31954
MovieActionCrime
A framed man escapes prison and takes a wealthy woman's Jaguar with her in it. After she tries to escape numerous times, they begin to develop feelings for each other, and enter a road race that ends in Mexico.
Hell's HorizonHell's Horizon · 1955
Hell's Horizon
5.71955
MovieActionDrama
The pilot, co-pilot, and crew of a bomber try to hit a Korean bridge in bad weather.
Howlers of the DockHowlers of the Dock · 1960
Howlers of the Dock
5.11960
MovieMusicComedy
Follows the adventures of a group of friends, teddy boys and rock and roll chicks whose crazy, fun-loving habits inspire jiving from some of Rome's citizens, and bitter complants from others which inspire a group of corrupt officials determined to a bring the group down.
Hell on the BeachHell on the Beach · 1966
Hell on the Beach
3.61966
MovieCrimeDrama
Alex, a former mercenary out of business, lives on a yacht anchored off Antibes with his wife, the beautiful and tight Helen and John, a former lover of it. Around this trio, revolves Heidi, an angelic blonde catalyst tragic events that will succeed when his troubled past catches up Alex.
Cold TrumpetCold Trumpet · 1963
Cold Trumpet
1963
MovieDocumentaryMusic
Chet Baker silently wanders through an Antonioniesque landscape in a Felliniesque state of wonderment as his improvised trumpet solos alternate between earnestly offering the obvious and mocking the artiness of the whole affair.
One DayOne Day · 2017
One Day
10.02017
MovieDocumentaryRomance
A single ordinary day in a big city. The heroine of the film is never fully revealed we see only her feet, her steps, the rhythm of her movement. Through this movement, we travel with her across the city, discovering fragments of her day. In the morning, she leaves her home and merges with the urban flow. She walks through the streets, passing dusty construction sites where the city’s constant transformation blends with everyday life. She goes to work, then stops at a small café, where the usual chaos continues. Traffic builds, people wait at bus stops, cars stand still, and the noise of construction fills the air. Within this environment, her steps move forward, becoming part of the city’s rhythm. By the end of the day, she meets her lover. Once again, we see only feet, small gestures, subtle movements. The film becomes a collage of urban moments a mixture of staged and documentary observation where the invisible presence of one woman connects the scattered pieces of the city’s life.

Filmography

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One DayOne Day · 2017
One Day
10.02017
MovieDocumentaryRomance
A single ordinary day in a big city. The heroine of the film is never fully revealed we see only her feet, her steps, the rhythm of her movement. Through this movement, we travel with her across the city, discovering fragments of her day. In the morning, she leaves her home and merges with the urban flow. She walks through the streets, passing dusty construction sites where the city’s constant transformation blends with everyday life. She goes to work, then stops at a small café, where the usual chaos continues. Traffic builds, people wait at bus stops, cars stand still, and the noise of construction fills the air. Within this environment, her steps move forward, becoming part of the city’s rhythm. By the end of the day, she meets her lover. Once again, we see only feet, small gestures, subtle movements. The film becomes a collage of urban moments a mixture of staged and documentary observation where the invisible presence of one woman connects the scattered pieces of the city’s life.

Music

Jazz Icons: Chet Baker Live in '64 & '79Jazz Icons: Chet Baker Live in '64 & '79 · 2006
Jazz Icons: Chet Baker Live in '64 & '79
8.02006
MovieMusic
Chet Baker features two concerts by the foremost interpreter of the West Coast school of cool jazz. Filmed in Europe 15 years apart, these two shows seen together provide an overview of Baker’s illustrious career. The first show is a haunting 1964 performance in a Belgian TV studio with a quartet including long-time sidemen saxophonist Jacques Pelzer and French pianist Rene Urtreger. Songs include the Miles Davis classic, “So What,” and the jazz standard “Time After Time” (a very rare rendition featuring Chet’s “Cool” vocal style.) The soulful1979 set from Norway, with a trio featuring vibraphonist Wolfgang Lackerschmid, highlights the growth and maturity of this troubled but inspiring artist.