Jean Marsh 1934-2025

The actress Jean Marsh has died at the age of 90.

Jean Marsh appeared in three different roles in Doctor Who, including as short-time companion to the first Doctor, Sara Kingdom.

She is best known for co-creating and starring in the London Weekend Television series Upstairs Downstairs. 

She was the first wife of Third Doctor Jon Pertwee.  

Marsh was born in Stoke Newington, London, England. As a child, she studied acting and mime, later working as a cabaret singer and photo model.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Marsh made many appearances on British and American television including an episode of The Twilight Zone called "The Lonely" (1959), in which she played Alicia, a very lifelike and attractive female robot; The Wonderful World of Disney (1961); Gideon's Way (1965); I Spy (1967); The Saint (4 episodes between 1964 and 1968); and UFO.

In 1965, she appeared in Doctor Who alongside William Hartnell in The Crusade, playing Joanna, the sister of King Richard the Lionheart. She returned later that year as companion Sara Kingdom in nine episodes of the 12-part serial The Daleks' Master Plan. He third appearance in the series came in 1989 when she played Morgaine: in the seventh Doctor story Battlefield. 

In 1970, along with actress Eileen Atkins, she created the British period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. The series detailed the lives of the wealthy Bellamy family and their servants living at 165 Eaton Place, London. The series was incredibly popular on both sides of the Atlantic. Marsh played the role of the house parlourmaid Rose Buck for the duration of the series, winning the 1975 Emmy award for outstanding actress in a drama series. She reprised the role when the series was resurrected by the BBC at the end of 2010.

Her success in Upstairs Downstairs led to a period working in Hollywood in the 1970's appearing in popular TV shows such as The Waltons, Hawaii Five-O, The Love Boat and Trapper John, M.D.

In film, she had a featured role in Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy (1972) and played Mrs Grey in The Eagle Has Landed (1976), as well as the villain in the fantasy films Return to Oz (1985) and Willow (1988). Other film work included Cleopatra and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

Marsh and Atkins created a second television series The House of Eliott, which was produced during 1991 and 1992. This time, Marsh did not act in the series, but she did write some of the episodes. In 1994, she starred as a villain in the Nickelodeon remake of The Tomorrow People, and appeared in the television productions of Fatherland and The Pale Horse.

From 2000 until 2002, Marsh appeared in The Ghost Hunter, and in 2007 she played in the West End stage revival of Boeing Boeing at the Comedy Theatre. She also made an appearance in the 2007 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. Marsh appeared as Lizzie in Baby Cow Productions' Sensitive Skin in 2005 and 2007 alongside Joanna Lumley. She also appeared in an episode of BBC Four's Crooked House in December 2008.

Marsh was married to Jon Pertwee from 1955 until their divorce in 1960. They had no children and Marsh did not remarry. 

She was awarded an OBE for services to drama in the 2012 Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Jean Marsh died from complications of dementia at her London home on 13 April 2025.