“Oh Ruby!” – Upstairs, Downstairs remembered
The BBC is bringing back the legendary LWT drama series Upstairs, Downstairs for two new feature-length episodes next year and original series star Jean Marsh will reprise her role of Rose, the house parlour-maid. To celebrate this most welcome news we take a brief look at some of the most memorable characters from the series and also at the actors behind them.
Mrs Bridges – Angela Baddeley
Mrs Bridges was the cook at 165 Eaton Place and is probably best remembered for her cries of “Oh Ruby!” to her kitchen hand Ruby who was often the victim of Mrs Bridges harsh words. Poor Ruby was slightly clumsy and a simple girl and Mrs Bridges would often have to tell Ruby exactly what she had to do otherwise Ruby would likely do nothing at all.
However, Mrs Bridges was fond of Ruby and acted as a sort of mother to her. Following the suicide of Emily, her first kitchen hand, Mrs Bridges had a breakdown and kidnapped a child but with the help of the Bellamy’s she managed to escape punishment for it. In the series finale she married Mr Hudson after hints of a romance between the pair for years.
The role of Mrs Bridges is probably actress Angela Baddeley’s best-remembered one despite the fact that prior to the series Baddeley had appeared in many television shows such as Armchair Theatre, Play of the Month, Dixon of Dock Green and Gideon’s Way. Baddeley was set to reprise the role of Mrs Bridges in a spin-off from Upstairs, Downstairs which would have focused on Mr Hudson, Ruby and her running a boarding house by the sea. However, in February of 1976, the actress passed away of pneumonia.
Georgina Worlsey – Lesley Anne Down
Georgina was Lord Bellamy’s ward and came to live at Eaton Place before the outbreak of the Great War. She enjoyed a good friendship with James Bellamy and the pair were attracted to each other and although they lightly flirted nothing serious ever came about from such flirtations. During the Great War Georgina served as a Nurse in France. In the 1920s, wishing to put the horrors of the war behind her, Georgina became a socialite until she accidentally killed someone in a motoring accident.
When the series ended in 1975 producers considered several spin-offs from the series with one focusing on Georgina and her new husband buying 165 Eaton Place. However, actress Lesley Anne Down turned down the spin-off as she felt the show wouldn’t be the same without all the other characters. Lesley Anne Down now lives in America and has starred in a string of popular dramas there. As well as appearing in several films the actress starred in Dallas, Sunset Beach and currently appears in The Bold and the Beautiful.
Mr Hudson – Gordon Jackson
The Scottish Butler and head of the servants, Mr Hudson kept 165 working like clock-work and made sure the other servants behaved themselves. A man of faith, Hudson also tried to make sure the servants behaved themselves. Sometimes harsh with them he enjoyed a good strong friendship with Mrs Bridges which eventually saw them both get married. During the Great War Hudson tried to enlist in the army but was turned down due to his health so instead he became a Police Officer. During the war he incurred the wrath of new mistress of the house Hazel Bellamy who scolded Hudson for his strong Anti-German rants.
The role of Hudson is one of two iconic roles that actor Gordon Jackson is best remembered for. Following the series conclusion the actor went on to play George Cowley in The Professionals which ran from 1977 to 1983, the actor appeared in all 53 episodes of the drama and it is for this role the actor is also remembered. However, Jackson had appeared in a variety of different dramas across the years from The Avengers to The Adventures of Robin Hood and Hart to Hart and the wartime film The Great Escape – another role the actor is also known for.
Ruby – Jenny Tomasin
Ruby first appeared in Season Two and was the kitchen hand for Mrs Bridges. Ruby was a simple girl who needed constant attention and telling what to do, otherwise she had the tendency of making mistakes. During the Great War Ruby temporarily left the household to war in a factory but when it blew up Ruby found her way back to the house and Mrs Bridges saw that she was taken back on. Ruby again left during the 1920’s to work for another household but Mrs Bridges tracked her down and brought her back once more.
After Upstairs, Downstairs finished actress Jenny Tomasin joined the cast of Midland-based soap Crossroads playing waitress Florence Baker, who was close friends with the infamous Benny Hawkins. The actress remained with the Motel soap until 1979. In the 1980s she made a memorable appearance in Doctor Who during Colin Baker’s tenure as the Doctor. Her character, Tasambeker, was exterminated by the Daleks. More recently Tomasin appeared in ITV soap Emmerdale before her character, Noreen Bell, was killed off.
James Bellamy – Simon Williams
James Bellamy was the only son of the house, although he had a sister – Elizabeth. In many ways it could be argued that James was a disappointment to his parents. He got Sarah, a servant, pregnant and had to be sent off to India to avoid a scandal.
When he returned and following the death of his mother he married the Middle-Class Hazel, his father’s secretary. Only during the Great War did James find something he was good at but following the end of the war James went from one job to another. In the 1929 Wall Street crash James lost a lot of money and also Roses’, who he had invested on her behalf. James, like many others who had lost their fortunes in the crash, committed suicide.
Simon Williams has appeared in many other dramas such Upstairs, Downstairs such as Bad Girls, Doctor Who, Casualty, Midsomer Murders, Heartbeat, Doctors and Holby City. In more recent years the actor has turned to writing, penning two novels.
Rose Buck – Jean Marsh
Rose was one of the few downstairs characters to appear in the series from its beginning to the end and as the series progressed we saw the maturity of Rose grow. At the series start Rose was very close to Elizabeth Bellamy, the wayward daughter of the Masters of the house. However, Elizabeth’s antics got Rose thrown into jail at one point as the police believed she was a suffragette. During the Great War Rose served as a Bus Conductor but was devastated when her fiancée was killed in action.
Jean Marsh co-created Upstairs, Downstairs alongside her friend and fellow actress Eileen Atkins. The pair would go onto create, in the 1990s, The House of Elloit which was set during the 1920s and followed the fortunes of two sisters as they attempted to set up their own fashion house. The two shows share similarities dealing with similar topics and settings. Following Upstairs, Downstairs Marsh continued to act extensively also guest-starring in Doctor Who in the 1980s, her third appearance in the popular Sci Fi.
