Jacqueline Hill
English actress (1929–1993) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
English actress (1929–1993) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Grace Jacqueline Hill (17 December 1929 – 18 February 1993)[1] was a British actress known for her role as Barbara Wright in the BBC science-fiction television series Doctor Who.[2] As the history teacher[3] of Susan Foreman, the Doctor's granddaughter, Barbara was the first Doctor Who companion to appear on-screen in 1963, with Hill speaking the series' first words.[4] She played the role for nearly two years.[5][6]
Jacqueline Hill | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hill in 1953 | |
| Born | Grace Jacqueline Hill 17 December 1929 Birmingham, England |
| Died | 18 February 1993 (aged 63) London, England |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1953–66; 1978–86 |
| Television | Doctor Who (1963–65; 1980) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Hill returned to Doctor Who in 1980 for an appearance in the serial Meglos, as the Tigellan priestess Lexa.[7]
Hill was orphaned as a toddler and brought up by her grandparents. She was taken out of school at the age of 14 to enable her younger brother to continue. She then worked at Cadbury's,[8] which had an amateur dramatics society. She was encouraged to apply for, and was awarded, a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and entered RADA at the age of 19.[9] Hill graduated in 1951.[10]
Hill made her stage debut in London's West End in The Shrike. In 1958 she married the director Alvin Rakoff, having the previous year appeared in his BBC adaptation of Rod Serling's American TV play Requiem For A Heavyweight.[11] This production featured former bit-part actor Sean Connery; Hill had recommended that Rakoff cast him, because she believed Connery would be popular with female viewers.[11]
She was offered the part of Barbara Wright in Doctor Who, following discussions with producer Verity Lambert about the role. She had first met Lambert when they worked at ABC Weekend TV.[12]
Hill preferred the historical Doctor Who stories; her favourite serials were The Aztecs and The Crusade. Shortly after leaving the series in 1965 she gave up acting in order to raise a family,[6] resuming her career in 1978. Her later TV credits included Tales of the Unexpected and the 1978 BBC Television Shakespeare version of Romeo and Juliet (as Lady Capulet), which was directed by her husband.
In October 1980, she returned to Doctor Who in a guest role, portraying Priestess Lexa, leader of the religiously fanatical Deons, in the story Meglos. By this time the Doctor was played by Tom Baker.[13]
Jacqueline Hill died of breast cancer in 1993, aged 63.[1]
In 2013, as part of the Doctor Who 50th anniversary celebrations, the BBC produced a docu-drama relating the story of the creation and early days of the series, titled An Adventure in Space and Time. Hill appeared as a character in the drama, portrayed by actress Jemma Powell.[14]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | The Blue Parrot | Maureen Maguire | |
| 1964 | The Comedy Man | Sandy Lavery |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | The Rose and the Ring | Fairy Blackstick | TV Mini-series |
| 1955 | Three Empty Rooms | Louise Shoemaker | TV movie |
| 1955
1957 |
BBC Sunday-Night Theatre | Jeannie
Grace Carney |
Season 6, episode 23: "The Legend of Pepito"
Season 8, episode 13: "Requiem for a Heavyweight" |
| 1957 | Blood Money | Grace Carney | TV movie |
| Joyous Errand | Carrie Dean | Season 1: (6 episodes) | |
| 1958 | Armchair Theatre | Florence Miller | Season 2, episode 18: "Man in the Corner" |
| ITV Television Playhouse | Unknown | Season 3, episode 39: "Poet's Corner" | |
| 1958
1963 |
ITV Play of the Week | Miss Willie
Helen Harrison |
Season 3, episode 48: "The Curious Savage"
Season 9, episode 7: "The Fixers" |
| 1959 | The Flying Doctor | Ellen Furguson | Season 1, episode 24: "Brainstorm" |
| 1960 | Saturday Playhouse | Maggie Cutler | Season 1, episode 49: "The Man Who Came to Dinner" |
| BBC Sunday-Night Play | Jane | Season 2, episode 1: "The Chopping Block" | |
| 1961 | The Men from Room 13 | Miss Angel | Season 2: (3 episodes) |
| 1962 | The Six Proud Walkers | Sally Walker | Season 1: (5 episodes) |
| Out of This World | Lil Harmon | Season 1, episode 7: "Medicine Show" | |
| Maigret | Yvonne Moncin | Season 3, episode 12: "The Trap" | |
| 1962
1966 |
No Hiding Place | Sonya Gardener
Sarah Peterson |
Season 4, episode 11: "The Bank Job"
Season 9, episode 4: "You Never Can Tell Till You Try" |
| 1963-
1965 1980 |
Doctor Who | Barbara Wright
Lexa |
Season 1: (40 episodes)
Season 2: (34 episodes) Season 18: (4 episodes) |
| 1978 | Crown Court | Margaret Eden | Season 7: (2 episodes) |
| Romeo & Juliet | Lady Capulet | TV movie | |
| 1982 | Angels | Mrs. Muirhead | Season 8, episode 27 |
| 1983
1984 |
Tales of the Unexpected | Melanie Litmayer
Mrs. Milvain |
Season 6, episode 10: "The Luncheon"
Season 7, episode 12: "Accidental Death" |
| 1986 | ScreenPlay | Jenny | Season 1, episode 1: "All Together Now" |
| Paradise Postponed | Mrs. Mallard-Greene | TV Mini-series |
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