Jean Marsh — a longtime British star who appeared in several hit ’80s movies — has passed away … TMZ has confirmed.
Lesley Duff — Marsh’s longtime agent — tells us Jean did indeed pass away Sunday while also sharing a statement from Michael Lindsay-Hogg — a pioneer in the music video industry and pal of Marsh’s — revealing she passed at her home in London Sunday due to complications of dementia.
Lindsay-Hogg says he and Marsh were close for 60 years, speaking almost daily over the last 40 … adding she was a wise, funny, pretty, kind person — talented as both an actress and writer — who was loved by everyone who met her.
Marsh began her screen career in the late 1940s … appearing in a series of uncredited roles in smaller shows before grabbing bit parts on “The Twilight Zone” and “I Spy” as well as a small role in the Elizabeth Taylor-led flick “Cleopatra.”
Jean grabbed Britain’s attention in the mid-1970s by creating the show “Upstairs, Downstairs” … a drama following the affluent Bellamy and their servants — not unlike “Downton Abbey.”
The show — on which Marsh played the character Rose Buck — ran in England from 1971 to 1975 and in the United States from 1974 to 1977 … netting Marsh two Golden Globe nominations and three Emmy nods — winning one of the latter awards in 1975.
During the 1980s, Marsh grabbed several prominent roles … including playing the villain Queen Bavmorda in Ron Howard and George Lucas’ fantasy drama ‘Willow” and playing several recurring characters in the classic “Doctor Who” series.
