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.