Jean Marsh Movies

His Hollywood career temporarily in the doldrums in 1953, Lloyd Bridges headed to Britain to star in The Limping Man. Bridges plays an ex-GI who arrives in London to visit his wartime amour (Moira Lister). Before anyone knows what's happened, our hero is mixed up in a murder case. The victim was killed by a mysterious "limping man," who is also an expert sharpshooter. Just when it seems that events have overwhelmed the GI and his lady love, the story suddenly. . .well, that would be tattling, wouldn't it? The Limping Man was released Stateside by Lippert Productions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Produced for television and released as a European feature, this Disney adventure stars Annette Funicello as a would-be equestrian who must conquer her fears of jumping. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

In 1963, this colossal and opulent $60 million spectacular was epic in every sense of the word -- an epic investment, an epic in the annals of Hollywood gossip, and, ultimately, an epic flop that nearly dragged 20th Century Fox down the Nile along with Cleopatra's barge. Handsomely mounted by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who replaced Rouben Mamoulian as director after six days of shooting), the drama follows the eighteen tumultuous years that led to the founding of the Roman Empire. Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor) meets up with Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison) and plans to lure Caesar to her boudoir in order to forge an alliance with Rome so that she may hold on to her Egyptian empire. When Caesar is stabbed to death in the Roman Senate, Cleopatra is left without an ally, and Egypt is up for grabs. When Roman general Mark Antony (Richard Burton) comes along, she seduces him in order to make him over into her new protector. But, under the charms of Cleopatra, Mark Antony is reduced from a an awesome and dominating general to a sniveling, drunken wimp. At the Battle of Actium, Mark Antony is defeated and Cleopatra withdraws her troops, dooming Mark Antony and his army. With Egypt in peril, Antony and Cleopatra, the doomed lovers, meet each other for the last time, as the enemy forces close in. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

The Unearthly Stranger takes a romantic approach to standard sci-fi material. John Neville marries mysterious Gabriella Lucidi, but begins questioning his judgment when his new bride exhibits some curious behavioral traits. When he discovers that Lucidi has no pulse, Neville is really thrown for a loop. Inevitably, Lucidi reveals that she is a visitor from another planet, sent as the vanguard for an invading alien army. Neville could live with this, save for the fact that Lucidi's mind is being controlled by her outer-space superiors, forcing her to induce the deaths of anyone who draws close to her. Ultimately, Lucidi sacrifices herself for Neville, with whom she has truly fallen in love. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the four-part story "The Crusade," the Doctor (William Hartnell) and his companions are still marooned in the Holy Land at the time of the Crusades. The good news is that the Doctor and Vicki (Maureen O'Brien) have caught up with Barbara (Jacqueline Hill), who had been captured by Saracen leader Saladin (Bernard Kay). The bad news is that there's a new plot afoot which endangers the life of Richard the Lionhearted (Julian Glover) -- not to mention the Doctor and his friends. Written by David Whitaker, "The Wheel of Fortune" originally aired April 3, 1965. At present, only this episode and the opening chapter of "The Crusade" ("The Lion") are known to have survived. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the sixth episode of the 12-part story "The Dalek Masterplan," the Doctor (William Hartnell) has aligned himself with the valiant Sara Kingdom (Jean Marsh) in his efforts to foil the mass-destruction plans of the dreaded Daleks. Things come to a head when the crew of the TARDIS is forced into a showdown with a full complement of Dalek warriors. In a disturbing turn of events, the Doctor and Sara are compelled to leave Steven (Peter Purves) to face the Daleks all alone. Written by Dennis Spooner, "Coronas of the Sun" originally aired on December 18, 1965; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fourth episode of the 12-part story "The Dalek Masterplan," the TARDIS crew persists in its efforts to prevent the Daleks from unleashing their doomsday weapon, the Time Destructor. Captured by the villains, Katarina (Adrienne Hill) nonetheless manages to save the lives of her traveling companions. Meanwhile, Bret (Nicholas Courtney) is faced with a decision that profoundly alters his relationship with the rest of the crew members. Written by Terry Nation, "The Traitors" originally aired on December 4, 1965; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the 11th episode of the 12-part story "The Dalek Masterplan," the Doctor tries to stop the Daleks from destroying the universe without risking the lives of his travelling companions. Captured by the villains, Steven (Peter Purves) and Sara (Jean Marsh) are in for the biggest surprise of their lives. And there's more to come; the Doctor abruptly vanishes without a trace. Written by Dennis Spooner, "The Abandoned Planet" originally aired on January 22, 1966; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the eighth episode of the 12-part story "The Dalek Masterplan," the Doctor (William Hartnell) resumes his efforts to foil the mass-destruction schemes of the mutant Daleks. Unfortunately, he stymied by the unexpected appearance of his old enemy, the renegade Time Lord known as the Meddling Monk (Peter Butterworth). On another front, the Daleks, angrier than ever, step up their campaign of devastation. Written by Dennis Spooner, "Volcano" originally aired on January 1, 1966; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This story of Cold War double-crossing finds British secret agent Manston (Craig Stevens) trying to break up a group of Russian agents who return defectors to Moscow for brainwashing. When a Russian ballerina defects to Germany, Manston goes after the head of The Limbo Line in an effort to stop the group from kidnapping the defectors. Acting against the orders of his boss, Manston is faced with killing the communist leader of the movement in Germany or allowing the dancer to be turned over for interrogation and reprisals for her political beliefs. Matters are further complicated when Manston finds himself falling for the ballerina. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Charlotte Bronte's classic Victorian novel is once again put through the paces, this time by Delbert Mann, in this stodgy Masterpiece Theater style television adaptation. Susannah York is Jane Eyre, the orphan girl who secures a position as a governess to the ward of Edward Rochester (George C. Scott), lord of an English manor house called Thornfield, whose halls hide a dark and sinister secret. Jane and the moody and the tyrannical Rochester fall in love and agree to marry. But at their wedding ceremony, Rochester is revealed to have been already married. Suddenly his dark past comes crashing in on both himself and the innocent Jane. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

The internationally popular British series Upstairs, Downstairs was created by actresses Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins, and originally conceived as a contemporary half-hour situation comedy. By the time the series had been accepted by London Weekend Television, it had been revised as a hour-long period drama, covering the years 1903 through 1930. Most of the action was set at 165 Eaton Place, the fashionable London home of the prosperous Bellamy family. The series' title referred to the fact that the stories focused on both the "upstairs" members of the household--that is, the Bellamys--and the large retinue of servants, who lived "downstairs." David Langton was cast as paterfamilias Richard Bellamy, a Member of Parliament who during the series' first two seasons was married to the aristocratic Lady Marjorie Bellamy (Rachel Gurney). Seen as the Bellamys' troubled children were Simon Williams as James Bellamy, and (again during the first two seasons only) Nicola Pagett) as Elizabeth Bellamy. Ruling the roost "downstairs" was Gordon Jackson as loyal, resourceful and (generally) unflappable head butler Hudson, Angela Baddeley as irascible chief cook Mrs. Bridges, and series cocreator Jean Marsh as the prim maid Rose. After Lady Marjorie went down with the "Titanic" in 1912, Richard Bellamy's secretary Hazel Forrest (Meg Wynn Owen) became unofficial head of the household. Eventually, Hazel married Richard's son James, who went off to war and was seriously wounded. No sooner had James returned from the battlefield than Hazel succumbed to the worldwide influenza epidemic of 1918-19 (James' own death a decade later was brought about by the financial reverses of the Great Depression, which also wiped out the Bellamy fortune). Ultimately, James' father Richard remarried, taking Virginia Hamilton (Hannah Gordon), a war widow with two young children, as his bride. Elsewhere, Richard's rebellious daughter Elizabeth was briefly married to "radical" poet Lawrence Kirbridge (Ian Ogilvy)), but after bearing a child Elizabeth left Lawrence, briefly dallied with foreigner Julius Kareikin (Donald Burton), and relocated to America. During the war years, Richard Bellamy's ward Georgina Worsley (Leslie-Anne Down) joined the household; in the mid-1920s, Georgina became the wife of Lord Robert Stockbridge (Anthony Andrews). During the first few seasons, much of the intrigue amongst the Bellamy servants was precipitated by the reckless housemaid Sarah (Pauline Collins, in a role originally slated for series co-creator Eileen Atkins), who left the staff in disgrace after an unsavory episode with sinister manservant Alfred (George Innes). Allowed back into the fold a few years later, Sarah promptly entered into an illicit romance with James Bellamy, resulting in an illegitimate birth. Sarah was subsequently impregnated by the family's chauffeur Thomas Watkins (John Alderton). After they both departed the Bellamys, Sarah and Thomas moved in together, their subsequent adventures (and misadventures) chronicled in the 1979 spinoff series Thomas and Sarah. The war also took its toll on the servants, in particular Edward the footman (Christopher Beeny), who returned suffering from shellshock and depression. Even so, Edward's marriage to maid Daisy (Jacqueline Tong) proved to be a relatively happy one--more than can be said for the wartime romance between Rose and the ill-fated Australian sheepman Gregory Wilmott (Keith Barron). Despite the finality of the series' last episode, in which the Bellamy house was sold to pay off debts incurred by the irresponsible James, London Weekend Television had wanted the producers to continue turning out episodes of Upstairs, Downstairs. However, it had already been decided to conclude the saga in 1930, when the way of life represented by the Bellamys was beginning to fade in England. Originally telecast in the U.K. from October 10, 1971 through December 21, 1975, the 68-episode Upstairs, Downstairs was seen in America as part of PBS' Masterpiece Theatre beginning January 6, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Inasmuch as Season One of the British drama series Upstairs, Downstairs covered the years 1903 to 1909, logic dictates that the second season should have moved on to the second decade of the 20th century. However, the produced decided for the time being to keep the action concentrated in the Edwardian era, thus Season Two was set between 1908 to 1909, necessitating a backward leap within the months occurring between episodes 12 and 13 of Season One. This resulted in a bit of confusion, especially when the focus was on Elizabeth Bellamy (Nicola Pagget) and her troubled relationship with new husband Lawrence Kirbridge (Ian Ogilvy). Proper continuity was restored when the first two seasons of Upstairs, Downstairs were merged into one for American TV play in 1974; unfortunately, in the process 13 of the combined 26 episodes were shelved, not to be seen in the U.S. for several years. Because of a prior theatrical commitment, Simon Williams makes only two appearances this season in the role of the irresponsible James Bellamy--but those appearances prove highly significant to the overall scheme of things, as James is faced with the prospect of illegitimate fatherhood as the result of his backstairs liason with reckless housemaid Sarah (Pauline Collins), and later throws the Bellamy household into turmoil when he returns from India with a new fiancée, Phyllis Kingman (Delia Lindsay), in tow. New to the cast this season are Jenny Tomasin in the comic role of dull-witted scullery maid Ruby; and John Alderton as the Bellamy's chauffeur Thomas Watkins, who after being offered up as a possible romantic interest for head maid Rose (Jean Marsh), ends up leaving 165 Eaton Place to take up housekeeping with the redoubtable Sarah, who is once again "with child" (namely, Thomas'). The futher adventures of this couple will be chronicled in the 1979 spinoff series Thomas and Sarah. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide