British actress and writer Jean Marsh died in her London home on Sunday.
Her death was confirmed by her close friend and filmmaker Michael Lindsay-Hogg, who revealed that the actress died of complications with dementia.
Sir Michael paid tribute to the late actress in a statement to the PA news agency, saying, “Jean died peacefully in bed looked after by one of her very loving carers.
“You could say we were very close for 60 years. She was as wise and funny as anyone I ever met, as well as being very pretty and kind, and talented as both an actress and writer.
“An instinctively empathetic person who was loved by everyone who met her. We spoke on the phone almost every day for the past 40 years.”
Marsh’s role in the award-winning project Upstairs, Downstairs earned her an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama series in 1975. She also reprised her role in a BBC revival of the show in 2010.
The show itself won several awards including a Peabody Award and seven Emmys.
She also co-created The House of Eliott in 1991 and appeared in films such as Cleopatra, Frenzy, The Eagle Has Landed, The Changeling, Return to Oz, Willow, Fatherland, and Monarch along with Doctor Who.
Marsh was married to Jon Pertwee, who later became the third Doctor Who from 1955 to 1960.
