Legendary Actress Dead at 90

British actress and writer Jean Marsh, best known for co-creating and starring in the acclaimed television series “Upstairs, Downstairs,” has died on April 13 at age 90, her agent confirmed. Marsh passed away peacefully in bed, according to her longtime friend, film director Sir Michael Lindsay-Hogg.
The London-born actress won an Emmy Award for her portrayal of Rose Buck, the hard-bitten but ultimately kind-hearted parlour maid in the popular 1970s drama that explored class dynamics in Edwardian England. The role brought her international recognition and established her as a prominent figure in British television.
“She was wise and funny…very pretty and kind, and talented both as an actress and writer,” Sir Michael said in a statement. He described having almost daily phone conversations with Marsh over the past 40 years, calling her “an instinctively empathetic person who was loved by everyone who met her.”
The genesis of “Upstairs, Downstairs” came when Marsh and her friend, actress Dame Eileen Atkins, were house-sitting in France. Marsh later told the New York Times they came up with the idea of a period drama focused on the servants of a wealthy family. The pair went on to create the series alongside John Hawkesworth and John Whitney.
The ITV show became a critical and commercial success both in the United Kingdom and the United States, where it aired on PBS. The series, which told the story of the Bellamy family and their servant staff who lived underneath them, is widely credited as an inspiration for later period dramas, including “Downton Abbey.”
Her stage career was equally impressive, with roles in productions of works by Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw. Marsh began her performing arts career as a dancer and mime artist before transitioning to acting in repertory theatre and television. She also spent three years in America, where she appeared on Broadway and in various television shows. (Headline News)