In 1933, Bakewell contributed to the founding of the Screen Actors Guild, and was the 44th of the original 50 members. He never achieved stardom after the Depression years, although he became familiar in dozens of films, including his short appearance as a mounted soldier in Gone with the Wind (1939) whom Scarlett O’Hara asks when the Yankee soldiers are coming to Atlanta.

In the 1960s, he guest-starred in numerous situation comedy television series, including Guestward, Ho!, The Tab Hunter Show, Pete and Gladys, Bringing Up Buddy, Mister Ed, Leave It to Beaver, The Jack Benny Program, Petticoat Junction , and Hazel. He also was cast in episodes of Peter Gunn, Sea Hunt, Wagon Train, The Roaring 20s, The Virginian, Arrest and Trial, and 87th Precinct He played the Virginia statesman George Wythe in the episode “George Mason” in the 1965 NBC documentary series, Profiles in Courage. He made his last film in 1975. When his acting career declined he also opened a successful real estate company.

Bakewell’s autobiography, Hollywood Be Thy Name–Random Recollections of a Movie Veteran From Silents to Talkies to TV, was published in 1991.

In 1993, at age 84, Bakewell died of leukemia in Los Angeles.