# Jean Marsh has died -- "Rose" in the 1971 "Upstairs Downstairs" Bellamy household **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [April 13, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007 "2025-04-13T20:30:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/1 "2025-04-13T20:30:39Z")
> **[Jean Marsh, ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ Actress and Co-Creator, Dies at 90](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jean-marsh-dead-upstairs-downstairs-star-co-creator-1236189756/)** > > The British actress won an Emmy for her performance as the prim and proper parlormaid Rose Buck on the acclaimed ITV drama. I was completely addicted to and immersed in the world of the Bellamys in the original _Upstairs Downstairs._ Every Sunday afternoon without fail. The unforgettable moments-- Lady Marjorie went down on the Titanic, James took his own life… I kept hoping Richard and Hazel would get together. And that last episode, when Rose went from room to room turning off all of the lights… that was the first extended series that I remember having such an impact on my life. And it may have kicked off the American TV obsession with the pre- and post-WWI period in British history. Jean Marsh had a much wider career than that one show, of which she was the co-creator. But that was where I knew her best. > Jean Marsh, the sleek British actress who co-created _Upstairs, Downstairs_ and won an Emmy for her performance as the prim and proper parlormaid Rose Buck on the acclaimed ITV drama, has died. She was 90. > > Marsh died Sunday at home in London from complications of dementia, filmmaker and Marsh’s close friend Michael Lindsay-Hogg, told the [_New York Times_](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/13/arts/television/jean-marsh-dead.html). > > … > > Marsh and her best friend, actress Eileen Atkins — both came from working class backgrounds — created _Upstairs, Downstairs_, set in a large London country house at 165 Eaton Place that was home to an aristocratic British family. She played the “downstairs” maid Rose on all five seasons from 1971-75 as the London Weekend Television series spanned the years 1903-30. > > Marsh was nominated for the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama/limited series for three straight years, winning in 1975. > > … ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/2 "2025-04-13T20:41:46Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Jean Marsh had a much wider career than that one show, of which she was the co-creator. Yes, she was even on an episode of the Twilight Zone: > **[The Lonely](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lonely)** > > "The Lonely" is the seventh episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It originally aired on November 13, 1959, on CBS. > Witness if you will, a dungeon, made out of mountains, salt flats, and sand that stretch to infinity. The dungeon has an inmate: James A. Corry. And this is his residence: a metal shack. An old touring car that squats in the sun and goes nowhere—for there is nowhere to go. For the record, let it be known that James A. Corry is a convicted crimina... A beautiful woman. I watched all of Upstairs, Downstairs during the pandemic and enjoyed Ms. Marsh very much. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/3 "2025-04-13T21:23:02Z")
She was also the villain Queen Bavmorda in **Willow**. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/4 "2025-04-13T21:24:26Z")
That’s why I recognized the name, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/5 "2025-04-13T21:33:28Z")
And the extremely cool secret agent Sara Kingdom in Doctor Who. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2d/Sara_Kingdom.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2d/Sara_Kingdom.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![bobsmom101](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobsmom101/32/2867_2.png) [@bobsmom101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobsmom101)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/6 "2025-04-13T22:03:01Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Queen …and the villainess in the tragically underrated “Return to Oz.” ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/7 "2025-04-13T22:06:31Z")
Her last IMDb [credit](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0550577/) is 2022 in the series _Willow_. Lots of Dr. Who voice work in recentish years. (Had a stroke in 2010 that limited things.) Pretty good run. She and another actress created _Upstairs, Downstairs_. An IMDb trivia bit: " Along with [Harold Innocent](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0409205/?ref_=nmbio_trv) and [Terence de Marney](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0210117/?ref_=nmbio_trv), she is one of only three actors to appear in both [Doctor Who (1963)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056751/?ref_=nmbio_trv) and [The Twilight Zone (1959)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052520/?ref_=nmbio_trv)." Neither of the other two’s roles were major. Their characters weren’t even given names. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/8 "2025-04-13T22:10:04Z")
She even played the villainous (well, at least the rat fink) office manager Roz in the [failed sitcom version of 9-to-5.](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083377/?ref_=mv_close) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/9 "2025-04-13T22:21:49Z")
I remember her mostly from _Willow_ and as the German agent who shoots Larry Hagman in the head it _The Eagle Has Landed._ ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/10 "2025-04-13T23:11:49Z")
I remember her from _Upstairs, Downstairs_ and she was brilliant in it, really the anchor of the show. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/11 "2025-04-14T12:08:23Z")
She was in an episode of Hawaii Five-0, as well. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/12 "2025-04-14T13:00:03Z")
She was also briefly married to Jon Pertwee, long before he was cast as the Third Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/13 "2025-04-14T13:05:32Z")
I remember her as the host of _International Animation Festival_ on PBS ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/14 "2025-04-14T14:57:58Z")
My husband and I watched Upstairs, Downstairs back in the day from start to finish. We both sat there weeping during the final episode. Downton Abbey is similar, but Upstairs, Downstairs went into SO much more realistic intricate detail of the lives of both the family and the servants. Mrs. Bridges, Mr. Hudson, Ruby, Sarah…and of course, beautiful Jean Marsh. At the end of the show, she was destitute because of mismanagement of her savings by James, so the Bellamys kindly took her with them after the big house was sold. One of the greatest series ever made. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/15 "2025-04-14T23:39:11Z")
Well, damn… ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/16 "2025-04-15T20:37:17Z")
More Doctor Who roles: Princess Joanna, whom Richard the Lionheart was going to marry off to Saladin’s brother in the First Doctor’s adventure, _The Crusade_. She also played Morgaine in the Seventh Doctor’s story, _Battlefield_, incidentally, the last episode to feature Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/17 "2025-04-16T00:53:59Z")
The sets may have been cheap and the acting wooden at times, but **Upstairs, Downstairs** was a far superior show. Marsh wasn’t at all sentimental about that era and wasn’t overly concerned with making her characters likeable. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jean-marsh-has-died-rose-in-the-1971-upstairs-downstairs-bellamy-household/1017007/18 "2025-04-16T15:04:12Z")
Yes, there was so much more involved regarding issues of the times. Downton Abbey was more of a fashion show and the end of an era for the aristos, IMO.