Latest news with #HuddersfieldRep
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Upstairs, Downstairs and The House Of Eliott actress and creator dies aged 90
Upstairs, Downstairs actress and co-creator Jean Marsh has died at the age of 90. The Emmy-award winning star also co-created historical drama series The House Of Eliott. Her friend, director Sir Michael Lindsay-Hogg, said in a statement issued through her agent: 'Jean died peacefully in bed looked after by one of her very loving carers. You could say we were very close for 60 years. "She was as wise and funny as anyone I ever met, as well as being very pretty and kind, and talented as both an actress and writer. An instinctively empathetic person who was loved by everyone who met her. We spoke on the phone almost every day for the past 40 years.' READ MORE: Martin Clunes admits his childhood wasn't 'idyllic' ahead of new TV show READ MORE: BBC's Fiona Bruce fumes at Welsh politician 'stop talking' in fiery Question Time row She was best known for playing the role of Rose in the British drama television series Upstairs, Downstairs, which she co-created with Dame Eileen Atkins. For her portrayal she won an Emmy at the 1976 awards ceremony in the category of outstanding lead actress in a limited series. Born Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh on July 1 1934 in Stoke Newington, north London, her mother worked in a bar and as a theatre dresser while her father was a handyman and printer's assistant. She became interested in performing after taking dance and mime classes as therapy for an illness and began acting on stage, with a stint at Huddersfield Rep in the 1950s. It was not long before she transferred to London and at the age of 12 the actress made her West End debut in The Land Of The Christmas Stocking at The Duke of York's Theatre. Her earliest screen appearances came in such TV classics as The Twilight Zone and Danger Man. She also appeared in Doctor Who adventures, most notably as William Hartnell's short-lived companion Sara Kingdom. Her most notable films were fantasy adventure Willow (1988), thriller Frenzy (1972) and war movie The Eagle Has Landed (1976). In 2007 the cast of Upstairs, Downstairs, including Marsh, reunited for the first time in more than 30 years for a TV special marking the 60th anniversary of the Bafta awards. Marsh said at the event: 'I clearly remember sitting in my friend Eileen Atkins' kitchen, nearly 40 years ago, discussing an idea for a series showing the contrast between upstairs and downstairs, and we were sharing stories about her father and my mother, both of whom had been in service.' The BBC revived the period drama in 2010 and Marsh returned as Rose. A minor stroke forced Marsh to take a break in 2011, but she returned to work afterwards. She was married to Doctor Who actor Jon Pertwee for five years before their divorce in 1960 and she also had relationships with actors Kenneth Haigh, Albert Finney and Sir Michael. Marsh starred in a number of other TV series including Sense And Sensibility, Hawaii Five-O, and Murder, She Wrote. She was made an OBE in 2012 for her career in drama.
The Independent
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Jean Marsh death: Upstairs, Downstairs actor and co-creator dies aged 90
Upstairs, Downstairs actor and co-creator Jean Marsh has died at the age of 90. The Emmy-award winning star also co-created the historical drama series The House Of Eliott. Her friend, director Sir Michael Lindsay-Hogg, said in a statement issued through her agent: 'Jean died peacefully in bed looked after by one of her very loving carers. 'You could say we were very close for 60 years. She was as wise and funny as anyone I ever met, as well as being very pretty and kind, and talented as both an actor and writer. 'An instinctively empathetic person who was loved by everyone who met her. We spoke on the phone almost every day for the past 40 years.' She was best known for playing the role of Rose in the British drama television series Upstairs, Downstairs, which she co-created with Dame Eileen Atkins. For her portrayal, she won an Emmy at the 1976 awards ceremony in the category of outstanding lead actress in a limited series. Born Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh on 1 July 1934 in Stoke Newington, north London, her mother worked in a bar and as a theatre dresser while her father was a handyman and printer's assistant. She became interested in performing after taking dance and mime classes as therapy for an illness and began acting on stage, with a stint at Huddersfield Rep in the 1950s. It was not long before she transferred to London and at the age of 12 the actor made her West End debut in The Land Of The Christmas Stocking at The Duke of York's Theatre. Her earliest screen appearances came in such TV classics as The Twilight Zone and Danger Man. She also appeared in Doctor Who adventures, most notably as William Hartnell's short-lived companion Sara Kingdom. Her most notable films were fantasy adventure Willow (1988), thriller Frenzy (1972) and war movie The Eagle Has Landed (1976). In 2007 the cast of Upstairs, Downstairs, including Ms Marsh, reunited for the first time in more than 30 years for a TV special marking the 60th anniversary of the Bafta awards. Ms Marsh said at the event: 'I clearly remember sitting in my friend Eileen Atkins' kitchen, nearly 40 years ago, discussing an idea for a series showing the contrast between upstairs and downstairs, and we were sharing stories about her father and my mother, both of whom had been in service.' The BBC revived the period drama in 2010 and Ms Marsh returned as Rose. A minor stroke forced Ms Marsh to take a break in 2011 but she returned to work afterwards. She was married to Doctor Who actor Jon Pertwee for five years before their divorce in 1960 and she also had relationships with actors Kenneth Haigh, Albert Finney and Sir Michael. Ms Marsh starred in a number of other TV series including Sense And Sensibility, Hawaii Five-O, and Murder, She Wrote. She was made an OBE in 2012 for her career in drama.
The Independent
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Jean Marsh: Veteran stage and screen actress best known as no-nonsense maid
Jean Marsh, the stage and screen actress who has died at the age of 90, was best known for her role as a no-nonsense parlour maid in classic TV drama Upstairs, Downstairs. The saga which chronicled the lives of a rich family in London and their servants through various historical events between 1903 and 1930, became a firm favourite of TV viewers when the costume drama aired between 1971 and 1975. Marsh co-created the hit show along with friend and fellow actress Eileen Atkins, after they both realised in 1969 they had relatives in domestic service. Years later Upstairs, Downstairs, set in the large townhouse of 165 Eaton Place, won Marsh an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a limited series for her role as hard-bitten but ultimately kind-hearted maid Rose Buck. She said: 'I think Upstairs, Downstairs has a very special energy. There's something about it that certainly brings out the best in people.' She was born Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh on July 1 1934, in Stoke Newington, east London. Her mother worked in a bar and as a theatre dresser, while her father was a handyman and printer's assistant. Marsh became interested in performing after taking dance and mime classes as therapy for an illness. She began acting on stage, with a stint at Huddersfield Rep in the 1950s, before moving to London. TV classics such as The Twilight Zone and Danger Man gave Marsh her earliest TV appearances. There were also parts in three Doctor Who adventures, most notably as William Hartnell's short-lived companion Sara Kingdom. Upstairs, Downstairs had originally been devised as a comedy, before it became a hugely successful drama in its original 1970s run. A minor stroke forced Marsh to take a break in 2011, but she later returned to work. She reprised the role of Rose Buck in a BBC revamp of the series from 2010 to 2012. Marsh and Atkins teamed up again to create another successful historical drama with The House of Eliott. Roles in films such as the fantasy adventure Willow (1988), thriller Frenzy (1972) and war movie The Eagle Has Landed (1976) were among her big screen successes. Marsh also had an acclaimed stage career and starred in several TV series including Sense And Sensibility, Hawaii Five-O and Murder, She Wrote. She was married to Jon Pertwee for five years before divorcing in 1960. There were also relationships with actors Kenneth Haigh and Albert Finney and the director Sir Michael Lindsay-Hogg. She was made an OBE in the 2012 Queen's Birthday Honours for her services to drama.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jean Marsh: Veteran stage and screen actress best known as no-nonsense maid
Jean Marsh, the stage and screen actress who has died at the age of 90, was best known for her role as a no-nonsense parlour maid in classic TV drama Upstairs, Downstairs. The saga which chronicled the lives of a rich family in London and their servants through various historical events between 1903 and 1930, became a firm favourite of TV viewers when the costume drama aired between 1971 and 1975. Marsh co-created the hit show along with friend and fellow actress Eileen Atkins, after they both realised in 1969 they had relatives in domestic service. Years later Upstairs, Downstairs, set in the large townhouse of 165 Eaton Place, won Marsh an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a limited series for her role as hard-bitten but ultimately kind-hearted maid Rose Buck. She said: 'I think Upstairs, Downstairs has a very special energy. There's something about it that certainly brings out the best in people.' She was born Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh on July 1 1934, in Stoke Newington, east London. Her mother worked in a bar and as a theatre dresser, while her father was a handyman and printer's assistant. Marsh became interested in performing after taking dance and mime classes as therapy for an illness. She began acting on stage, with a stint at Huddersfield Rep in the 1950s, before moving to London. TV classics such as The Twilight Zone and Danger Man gave Marsh her earliest TV appearances. There were also parts in three Doctor Who adventures, most notably as William Hartnell's short-lived companion Sara Kingdom. Upstairs, Downstairs had originally been devised as a comedy, before it became a hugely successful drama in its original 1970s run. A minor stroke forced Marsh to take a break in 2011, but she later returned to work. She reprised the role of Rose Buck in a BBC revamp of the series from 2010 to 2012. Marsh and Atkins teamed up again to create another successful historical drama with The House of Eliott. Roles in films such as the fantasy adventure Willow (1988), thriller Frenzy (1972) and war movie The Eagle Has Landed (1976) were among her big screen successes. Marsh also had an acclaimed stage career and starred in several TV series including Sense And Sensibility, Hawaii Five-O and Murder, She Wrote. She was married to Jon Pertwee for five years before divorcing in 1960. There were also relationships with actors Kenneth Haigh and Albert Finney and the director Sir Michael Lindsay-Hogg. She was made an OBE in the 2012 Queen's Birthday Honours for her services to drama.
