Louise Marion Jameson (born 20 April 1951) is an English actress with a variety of television and theatre credits. Her roles on television have included playing Leela in Doctor Who (1977–1978), Anne Reynolds in The Omega Factor (1979), Blanche Simmons in Tenko (1981–1982), Susan Young in Bergerac (1985–1990), Rosa di Marco in EastEnders (1998–2000) and Mary Goskirk in Emmerdale (2022–present).
According to Screenonline, Jameson "was one of a handful of actresses who both benefited from and contributed to the opening out of roles for women on British television during the 1970s and 80s, when she became associated with a series of tough, resourceful and independent characters in genres where women had conventionally been either victims or vamps."[1]
Jameson came to widespread attention when she was cast by director Pennant Roberts as Leela, the leather-clad companion of the Fourth Doctor in Doctor Who.[5] The character is a warrior of the fictional Sevateem people, and was introduced in The Face of Evil (1977). Jameson's inspirations for the way that she played the character included her dog, for "her instinctive nature and tendency to slightly cock her head when she perceives something", and a neighbour's child, for "openness and naïveté".[6]
Jameson's costuming in the series receives much comment and some criticism from feminists, with Mark Duguid writing for Screenonline that it "said much about the failure of 1970s feminism to permeate the BBC's production or costume departments".[1] Valerie Estelle Frankel, in her book on Women in Doctor Who, characterises Leela as "a classic warrior woman" but says that the seriousness of the character is undermined because "her provocatively cut hunting leathers and cleavage are offered to the male gaze in every episode."[7] Patrick Mulkern of Radio Times also regarded her as "a companion to lure in adolescent lads and their dads" but, while considering her debut serial to be a "lifeless tale", he wrote that Jameson was "a wonderful find. Exuding commitment and conviction, she makes Leela earnest, warm and funny, elevating her far beyond Robert Holmes's desire for a 'Raquel Welch in the jungle'. Quite simply, she's one of the most naturally gifted actresses ever to play a companion."[8] In 2008 Jameson said, "In a way the companion was a bit of a device when I was in Doctor Who, though I did love her feistiness and her intelligence and her aggression and her intelligence – even though she wasn't educated."[9]
Jameson was initially paid £120 an episode for Doctor Who, later increasing to £150 an episode.[10] She left the series after nine serials, departing in The Invasion of Time (1978).[11]
After Doctor Who
Jameson went on to appear in The Omega Factor (1979) as Dr. Anne Reynolds.[12] She later had a leading role as Blanche Simmons in the first two series of Tenko, before starring for five years in the late 1980s in Bergerac as Susan Young, Jim Bergerac's girlfriend. In the mid-1980s, she played Tania Braithwaite, Pandora's mother, in both The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole for Thames Television. In the early 1990s, she starred in the two series of Rides, and made numerous one-off appearances in various TV drama series, as well as numerous Doctor Who spin-off projects including the Children in Need special Dimensions in Time (1993). In 1995, she appeared in the RSC production of Botho Strauß's The Park. Other stage appearances include the first production of Peter Nichols's Passion Play produced at the Aldwych Theatre, London, in 1981. In 1998, Jameson began a long run in the BBC soap EastEnders as Rosa di Marco, appearing in over 200 episodes over two and a half years until August 2000. Since then, she has appeared in episodes of the BBC Scotland soap River City as Viv Roberts, as a guest artist in episodes of Doctors, Holby City and The Bill and as a regular in Doc Martin.[13]
Jameson continues to reprise the characters of Leela and Anne Reynolds in audio plays produced by Big Finish Productions and has also starred in Sapphire & Steel and Dark Shadows audio dramas for the same company. She has also appeared in documentaries and commentaries accompanying numerous BBC DVD releases of her Doctor Who serials. She is the subject of MJTV's The Actor Speaks Volume 5, where she discusses herself, her acting career and the various series she has been in. In 2007, Jameson toured nationally in her one-woman show, Face Value. In 2013, she starred in the play Gutted by Rikki Beadle-Blair and was nominated for Best Female Performance at the 2013 Off West End Theatre Awards (Offies). In November 2013, she appeared in the one-off 50th anniversary comedy homage The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.[14] In 2016, she toured in Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap,[15] the longest running show in British theatre. In 2022, she joined the cast of Emmerdale as Mary Goskirk.[16]
Personal life
In 1990, Jameson married Martin Bedford, an artist whom she had met while filming Bergerac in Jersey. They divorced in 1997.[17]
Jameson was a regular prison visitor, monitoring prisoners' welfare, during the first few years of her career; and, during the early 1970s, she met Leslie Grantham at Leyhill Prison in Gloucestershire, where he was serving 12 years of a life sentence for murder. She encouraged Grantham to become an actor.[18]
^ a bDuguid, Mark. "Jameson, Louise (1951- )". Screenonline. Archived from the original on 28 June 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
^ a bLewis, Roz (28 February 2016). "Louise Jameson: 'I was paid £120 a show on Doctor Who – it was a lot more on EastEnders'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 January 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
^Hewson, Sherrie (2011). Sherrie: Behind the Laughter. Harper. ISBN 978-0007416257.
^ a bBarr, Sabrina (29 January 2022). "Emmerdale casts former EastEnders and Doctor Who star Louise Jameson". Metro. (DMG Media). Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
^Jeffery, Morgan (18 March 2020). "Doctor Who's Louise Jameson reveals why she turned down a return to the series". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
^Graeme Burk; Robert Smith (1 October 2013). "The Face of Evil (1977)". Who's 50: The 50 Doctor Who Stories to Watch Before You Die. ECW/ORIM. ISBN 978-1-77090-475-0. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
^Valerie Estelle Frankel (4 March 2018). Women in Doctor Who: Damsels, Feminists and Monsters. McFarland. pp. 70–72. ISBN 978-1-4766-3154-7.
^Mulkern, Patrick. "The Face of Evil ★★". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
^"The Den of Geek interview: Louise Jameson". Den of Geek. 14 February 2008. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
^Lewis, Roz (28 February 2016). "'I was paid £120 a show on Doctor Who - it was a lot more on EastEnders'". The Daily Telegraph. London.
^"Doctor Who to release special story for International Women's Day 2023". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
^ a b c d e f g h"Jameson, Louise (1951- ) Film & TV credits". screenonline.org.uk. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 8 August 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
^Jameson, Louise. "Louise Jameson | The Official Website". Archived from the original on 15 September 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
^"The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot", BBC programmes, retrieved 26 November 2013
^"The Mousetrap - On tour". mousetrapontour.com. Archived from the original on 30 May 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
^Bird, Hannah (29 January 2022). "Emmerdale casts former EastEnders star for Rhona's new storyline". Digital Spy. (Hearst Magazines UK). Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
^Carroll, Sue (14 April 1998). "EastEnders and my sons mended my broken heart; Louise Jameson on her Marriage Heartache". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
^McCaffrey, Julie (27 February 2020). "EastEnders Rosa di Marco was axed after refusing to play a racist". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
^ a bDuguid, Mark. "Jameson, Louise (1951- )". screenonline.org.uk. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 28 June 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
^Marshall, Sharon. "EastEnders' Rosa: "I'm gutted by sack"". The People. The Free Library. Archived from the original on 14 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
External links
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