Ms. Sladen began her acting career in 1965, but is best know in the science fiction world by her character Sarah Jane Smith, an investigative journalist who first appeared in 1973 in the British science fiction series ‘Doctor Who’. She continued the role for three and a half years, leaving the series in 1976. The role never left her as she reprised it for an failed attempted spin-off called ‘K-9 and Company’ in 1981 and again for the 20th anniversary Doctor Who episode (aptly titled ‘The Five Doctors’).
As the series apparently faded from the collective consciousness during the ‘dark-times’ of the late eighties up until the 2005 re-launch, Ms. Sladen was still involved in the ‘Doctor Who’ universe, participating in the 1993 Children in Need Special ‘Dimensions in Time’, the independently produced video ‘Downtime’, and several audio plays based on her character produced by Big Finish Productions.
In 2005, with the successful re-launch of ‘Doctor Who’, the producers were looking for a way to tie it back to the classic series. What better way than to bring back on if it’s most popular companions? In 2006 Sarah Jane met (or re-met) the Doctor (now in his tenth incarnation) in the episode ‘School Reunion’. It quickly became one of the most beloved episodes of the season as it resonated everything that was and is truly ‘Who’ with fans old and new.
Based on her success, she was offered her own spin-off series, ‘The Sarah Jane Adventures’. A ‘second attempt’ at ‘K-9 and Company’, this series learned from its predecessor’s mistakes and focused more on the human element (and less on the ‘tin dog’). Whereas ‘Doctor Who’ was for a family audience (and it’s first spin-off ‘Torchwood’ was strictly for adults), ‘Sarah Jane’ was more kid friendly, introducing youngsters to possibly their first experience to science fiction, but in a slightly lighter tone than to be expected from the genre.
Elisabeth Sladen was 63.
For those who loved and grew up with your work, Ms. Sladen you will be missed…