Upstairs, Downstairs - The Understudy - 08:35 am Tuesday, February 10 on That's TV

About this Broadcast

The Understudy
Season 5, Episode 10

The French Ambassador and his wife are invited to dine at Eaton Place, but Hudson suffers a heart attack. the night before the dinner party, forcing an understudy to take his place. Period drama, starring Gordon Jackson

General Movie/Drama

Cast & Crew

Gordon Jackson (Actor) .. Hudson

David Langton (Actor) .. Richard Bellamy

Simon Williams (Actor) .. James Bellamy

Lesley-Anne Down (Actor) .. Georgina Worsley

Jean Marsh (Actor) .. Rose

Angela Baddeley (Actor) .. Mrs Bridges

Christopher Beeny (Actor) .. Edward

Gareth Hunt (Actor) .. Frederick

Jenny Tomasin (Actor) .. Ruby

Jacqueline Tong (Actor) .. Daisy

Anthony Woodruff (Actor) .. Dr Foley

James Ormerod (Director)

More Information

Did You Know..

Gordon Jackson (Actor) .. Hudson

David Langton (Actor) .. Richard Bellamy

Simon Williams (Actor) .. James Bellamy

Lesley-Anne Down (Actor) .. Georgina Worsley

Jean Marsh (Actor) .. Rose

Born: July 01, 1934 in Stoke Newington

Best Known For: Co-creating Upstairs Downstairs.

Early-life: Born Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh on July 1, 1934, in Stoke Newington. 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. She began acting on stage, with a stint at Huddersfield Rep in the 1950s, but it wasn't long before she transferred to the bright lights of London.

Career: Marsh's earliest screen appearances came in such TV classics as The Twilight Zone and Danger Man; she's also appeared in three Doctor Who adventures, most notably as William Hartnell's short-lived companion Sara Kingdom. She and fellow actress Eileen Atkins devised Upstairs Downstairs as a comedy, before it became a hugely successful drama. Marsh won an Emmy for her role as housemaid Rose Buck - she's reprising the part in the new BBC revamp. Other TV projects include The Saint, The Tomorrow People, and Sensitive Skin. She and Atkins re-teamed to create The House of Eliott. Her most notable films are Willow, Frenzy and The Eagle Has Landed. Marsh has also maintained an acclaimed stage career.

Quote: "I think Upstairs Downstairs has a very special energy. There's something about it that certainly brings out the best in people."

Trivia: A minor stroke forced her to take a break in 2011, but she has since returned to work.