Jean Marsh, Emmy-Winning 'Upstairs, Downstairs' Creator and Star, Dies at 90

Jean Marsh: A Pioneering Force in British Television

Jean Marsh wasn’t just an actress—she was a trailblazer. Her death at 90 marks the end of an era for British drama. Marsh died on April 13, 2025, at her London home, the result of complications from dementia. Her close friend and director Sir Michael Lindsay-Hogg called her "wise, funny, kind, and talented," a phrase that fits perfectly when you look at her career and the deep affection she inspired.

Born Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh in Stoke Newington in 1934, she grew up during wartime London. She first trained as a dancer, dreaming of the ballet, but acting soon drew her in. By her twenties, Marsh was appearing on television and the stage, showing a knack for getting right under the skin of her characters.

Everything changed in 1971 when *Upstairs, Downstairs* hit TV screens. Marsh, together with Dame Eileen Atkins, cooked up the innovative idea of a period drama that focused as much on servants as on the family upstairs. It turned British television on its head. Until then, dramas rarely gave the downstairs staff the spotlight; Marsh changed that, and viewers couldn’t get enough.

Her role as Rose Buck, the loyal parlourmaid, became legendary. The series ran for four years on ITV, winning critical acclaim and capturing huge audiences—and not just in the UK. American viewers loved it too. Marsh broke further ground by winning the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1975, a trophy rarely given to UK stars at the time. She would later reprise Rose Buck in the BBC’s short-lived revival from 2010 to 2012, introducing her iconic character to a new generation.

Lasting Impact Beyond 'Upstairs, Downstairs'

Marsh didn’t stop innovating after her biggest hit. She co-created *The House of Eliott*, a drama about sisters running a fashion house in 1920s London. Broadcast in the early 1990s, it was another period piece that thoughtfully examined women’s roles, long before that subject was fashionable on TV.

Jean Marsh also made her mark in films: a cleopatra handmaid in the 1963 epic, a memorable role in Hitchcock’s *Frenzy* (1972), and a witch in the fantasy cult favorite *Return to Oz* (1985). She shone as a fairy queen in Ron Howard’s *Willow* (1988). She never minded flitting from upper-crust drama to fantasy film; Marsh just liked telling good stories.

But she wasn’t only in high-toned costume work. She became a familiar face in Doctor Who, playing multiple roles from a tragic English queen to the tough Space Security Service agent Sara Kingdom, facing off with different incarnations of the Doctor—including legendary actor Jon Pertwee, to whom she was married from 1955 to 1960. Their brief marriage stood as a curious footnote in her resume, mostly because both became embedded in British pop culture in their own right.

As British television began to lean more and more into shows exploring social class—a trend that would eventually lead to global hits like *Downton Abbey*—people didn’t forget that Marsh and Atkins had started it all. *Upstairs, Downstairs* was the blueprint: the struggles of the working class, the poise and secrets of the upper crust, and the thin line connecting them. Interviews with later showrunners often circle back to Marsh as a pioneer who allowed household staff characters to step into the limelight.

Colleagues always mention her generosity off camera. Sir Michael Lindsay-Hogg talked about their long friendship, remembering how her daily calls and warm presence shaped his life. Her empathy and energy were legendary among cast and crew.

Even late into her career, Marsh never lost curiosity about new challenges, or her willingness to support others. She made it okay to blend writing, acting, and producing in a way women in TV rarely did at the time. She opened the door for so many that followed, not by making noise but by quietly changing the game from within.

Whether as Rose Buck bringing dignity to the servant’s uniform, or as a force behind the scenes, Jean Marsh’s impact on British television will stick around for years to come. She showed us new ways to look at history—and each other.