Louise Baker (May 18, 1909 - June 18, 1981) was an American writer.
Born in 1909 in Ohio, at the age of eight she lost her right leg in car accident and subsequently became a uniped. In spite of h...view moreLouise Baker (May 18, 1909 - June 18, 1981) was an American writer.
Born in 1909 in Ohio, at the age of eight she lost her right leg in car accident and subsequently became a uniped. In spite of her handicap, Louise Baker managed to roller skate, swim, play tennis, travel to Europe alone, and to become a newspaper reporter, press agent and teacher at a private school for boys in Arizona.
Her triumphs over adversity were immortalized in her writings, including her humorous autobiographical reminiscences in “Out On A Limb” (1946), as well as her account of her term as first lady in a wealthy boys’ school in Arizona, “Snips and Snails” (1953).
Her teaching experiences were also the heart of her book “Her Twelve Men” (1954), which in turn became the basis for the 1954 MGM comedy drama film of the same name, starring Greer Garson and Robert Ryan and directed by Robert Z. Leonard, who was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Director for “The Divorcee” (1930) and “The Great Ziegfeld” (1936).
Ms. Baker’s first book, “Party Line” (1945), which centers around the personality of a small Californian town’s telephone switchboard operator, Miss Elmira Jordan, was also successful and established her writing career.
Louise Baker passed away in Rancho Santa Fe, California in 1981 at the age of 72.view less