Jean Marsh

Biography

Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh (1 July 1934 – 13 April 2025) was an English actress and writer. Born in London, Jean Marsh became interested in show business while taking dancing and mime classes as therapy for a childhood illness. After attending a charm school and working as a model, she started acting in repertory and took voice lessons. Her repertory work was supplemented by a number of film appearances as a dancer. She then spent three years in America, appearing in Sir John Gielgud's Broadway production of "Much Ado About Nothing" and numerous TV shows, including an episode of "The Twilight Zone"(1959). Returning to London, she won roles on stage, film and TV. It was during this period that she appeared in "Doctor Who" (1963), first as Princess Joanna in "The Crusade" and then as Sara Kingdom in "The Daleks' Master Plan." In the early 1970s she co-created and starred in LWT's "Upstairs, Downstairs" (1971). Since then she has maintained a very busy career in the theatre, on TV - including a starring role in the US sitcom "9 to 5"(1982) and films such as Return to Oz (1985) and Willow (1988). She also co-created another successful series, "The House of Eliott" (1991).

Known For

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Murder, She Wrote

Doctor Who

Doctor Who

The Mike Douglas Show

The Love Boat

Hawaii Five-O

Holby City

All Movies (47)

• Outlier2014 · as Lilith Winterbottom
• The Last Post2011 · as Colette
• The Heavy2010 · as Mrs. Mason
• The 50 Greatest Television Dramas2007 · as Self
• After Upstairs Downstairs2002 · as Self
• Monarch2000 · as The Queens
• Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse1997 · as Thyrza Grey
• Fatherland1994 · as Anna von Hagen
• Adam Bede1992 · as Lisbeth Bede
• Bejewelled1991 · as Barbara
• Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly!1990 · as Self (archive footage)
• A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court1989 · as Morgana
• Doctor Who: Battlefield1989 · as Morgaine
• Danny the Champion of the World1989 · as Miss Hunter
• Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie1988 · as Self
• Willow1988 · as Queen Bavmorda
• Return to Oz1985 · as Nurse Wilson / Mombi
• The Corsican Brothers1985 · as Mazzere
• Royal Variety Performance 19841984
• Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks1984 · as Sara Kingdom (archive footage) (uncredited)
• See China and Die1981 · as Sally Hackman
• The Changeling1980 · as Joanna Russell
• The Eagle Has Landed1976 · as Joanna Grey
• UFO: Radar contact... They're landing!1974
• Dark Places1973 · as Victoria
• The Persuaders!1973 · as Nicola
• Frenzy1972 · as Monica Barling
• A Day in the Death of Joe Egg1972 · as Mother on moonrocket
• Skin Deep1971 · as Madeleine Walsh
• Jane Eyre1970 · as Mrs. Rochester
• The Limbo Line1969
• A Bit of Crucifixion, Father1968 · as Edna
• Charlie Bubbles1968 · as Waitress (uncredited)
• Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan1965 · as Sara Kingdom
• Doctor Who: The Crusade1965 · as Joanna
• Face of a Stranger1964 · as Grace
• Unearthly Stranger1963 · as Miss Ballard
• Cleopatra1963 · as Octavia (uncredited)
• Heart to Heart1962 · as Peggy Mann
• The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone1961 · as Party Guest (uncredited)
• The Horsemasters1961 · as Andrienne
• The Horsemasters1961 · as Ingrid
• The Rebel1961 · as Strange Woman at Party (Uncredited)
• Back to Back1959 · as Caroline
• The Moon and Sixpence1959 · as Ata
• The Love Lottery1954 · as Dancer in Sally's Dream (uncredited)
• The Limping Man1953 · as Landlady's Daughter

All TV Shows (54)

• Willow2022 · as Queen Bavmorda
• Grantchester2014 · as Daisy Livingstone
• Upstairs Downstairs2010 · as Mrs Rose Buck
• Crooked House2008 · as Lady Constance de Momery
• Sense and Sensibility2008 · as Mrs Ferrars
• The One Show2006 · as Self - Guest
• Sensitive Skin2005 · as Lizzie Galbraith
• Julian Fellowes Investigates: A Most Mysterious Murder2004 · as Violet Sidney
• The Paul O'Grady Show2004 · as Self
• The Ghost Hunter2000 · as Mrs Croker
• Holby City1999 · as Vera Engells
• Kavanagh Q.C.1995 · as Lady Tibbit
• The All New Alexei Sayle Show1994
• No Strings1989 · as Rosie Tindall
• Murder, She Wrote1984 · as Glenda Highsmith
• Tales from the Darkside1984 · as Joan Matlin
• Master of the Game1984 · as Mrs. Talley
• 9 to 51982 · as Roz Keith
• Goliath Awaits1981 · as Dr. Goldman
• Trapper John, M.D.1979
• The Love Boat1977 · as Celia Hoffman
• The Waltons1972 · as Hilary von Kleist
• Upstairs, Downstairs1971 · as Rose Buck
• Upstairs, Downstairs1971 · as self
• The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes1971 · as Mrs. Vanrenen
• The Persuaders!1971 · as Nicola
• Play for Today1970 · as Madeleine Walsh
• UFO1970 · as Janna
• Department S1969 · as Agatha Pollen
• Hawaii Five-O1968 · as Sister Harmony
• The Expert1968 · as Sybil Houghton
• The Dick Cavett Show1968 · as Self - Guest
• The Informer1966 · as Sylvia Parrish
• Thirty-Minute Theatre1965 · as Alex
• Gideon's Way1965 · as Sandra Casey
• Gideon's Way1965 · as Elspeth McCrae
• Story Parade1964 · as Lorraine
• Detective1964 · as Julie Oliver
• Doctor Who1963 · as Sara Kingdom
• Doctor Who1963 · as Morgaine
• The Saint1962 · as Anne Kirby
• The Saint1962 · as Maria
• The Saint1962 · as Helen Phillips
• The Saint1962 · as Ann
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Merv Griffin Show1962 · as Self
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self
• Danger Man1960 · as Kim Russell
• The Twilight Zone1959 · as Alicia
• The Third Man1959 · as Helene
• Edgar Wallace Mysteries1959 · as Grace
• The Wonderful World of Disney1954 · as Andrienne
• Omnibus1952 · as Mimi in 'La Boheme'
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Mazzere