- British actress and writer Jean Marsh died peacefully at her London residence on Sunday. Her passing was confirmed by her close friend and filmmaker Michael Lindsay-Hogg, who revealed that the actress succumbed to complications related to dementia. Sir Michael paid tribute to the late actress in a statement to the PA news agency, saying, “Jean died peacefully in bed, cared for by one of her very loving caregivers. 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. She was 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.” Marsh’s iconic role in the award-winning series “Upstairs, Downstairs” earned her an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama series in 1975. She also reprised this role in a BBC revival of the show in 2010. The series itself garnered numerous accolades, including a Peabody Award and seven Emmys. Additionally, she co-created “The House of Eliott” in 1991 and appeared in notable films such as “Cleopatra,” “Frenzy,” “The Eagle Has Landed,” “The Changeling,” “Return to Oz,” “Willow,” “Fatherland,” and “Monarch,” as well as the beloved series “Doctor Who.” Marsh was married to Jon Pertwee, who later became the third actor to portray Doctor Who, from 1955 to 1960.
