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Lis Sladen

Marc's answers notwithstanding, I think Sladen is rare in entertainment today in spanning multiple generations and being at the forefront of a highly popular current children's show with international appeal. Those factors combined, I'm not surprised at impact of her death.

I do think Baker will be sorely missed as and when (though hopefully not for many years to come)

I have to agree with another poster that mentioned the internet concerning Patrick and Jon as well as you.......The internet was not around in those days so the Docs passing was not something that was known to the general public - except for the UK....???? I hope Tom stays with us for a LONG time...I will not be able to handle any more....Then all of the cast that got me involved with Who will be gone...Yes im very nostalgic as are many on this board. Like a previous poster said....I am one of those 40 somethings that was hooked on Who because of the magic of Liz, Ian, and Baker...I am a fan of Who because of them...Not saying that Jon and Katy could not have hooked me but the trio of the 3 mentioned is what got me...

However...Liz was very active in the Who universe and as well as SJA so its hard to forget someone who is currently acting and fresh on everyone's mind. But most importantly....you are correct...she had the ability to bridge the gap and do things that not many actors can do....Like the comment that was made about her....Its not good to meet your hero...But she was an exception.
 
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I think that they should just let it end. No other ex-companions turning up, no sidekicks taking centre stage. Lis is gone, and she was the show.

Yes, we know your opinion on this by now. Please take a break from this thread so we can pay tribute to Elisabeth Sladen.

Mr Awe
Not to distract too much from the tragedy, but consider that EJA is perhaps thinking the same thing that you are, Mr Awe, but in respect to those calling for the show to continue filming. His motivations are obviously out of respect for Mrs. Sladen's legacy, as I'm sure are those of the people supporting the position of continuing the show. Perhaps a moratorium on any sort of discussion of the show's future?
 
Nicola Bryant also said a few words on twitter:

I'm so sorry to have to say I've just had a call to say Liz Sladen has died. It's too much to take in, but it's true. How tragically young.

Noel Clarke on twitter:

#SARAHJANESMITHLIVES because Elisabeth Sladen made her Great. -Liz, you were awesome and will be missed. (no more to be said tonight) NC

And John Barrowman is apparently so upset that he can't speak about it for a while:

wanted to let you know I got the news as a lot of you were concerned I'm off to chill I hope u understand. Will tweet this weekend in PS. jb


According to Barrowman's feed, his 9 year-old dog died of cancer the night before Lis, so he's probably doubly upset now.
 
I just found out a little while ago and couldn't believe it, she was so wonderful and fun to watch. Fucking cancer.
 
Nice piece in the Guardian today

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/apr/20/elisabeth-sladen-sarah-jane?INTCMP=SRCH

Elisabeth Sladen – who played probably the best-loved Doctor Who companion ever, Sarah Jane Smith – died on Tuesday. Like so many fans, I'm bereft.
Why was Sarah Jane so important? Doctor Who always had strong female characters, but unlike, for example, Zoe, the astrophysicist who lived on a space station, Smith was an attainable role model. An investigative journalist in modern-day Earth, her first appearance in the 1970s found her relentlessly pursuing a story – and refusing to make the Doctor a coffee. She was strong, funny and determined. And unlike some female companions before her, she didn't constantly trip, twist her ankle and scream "Doctor!"
The genius of Doctor Who is that the Tardis can travel anywhere in time and space – it can never run out of stories. The weakness is that there's always an escape route – why stay in the apocalyptic wasteland when you could be whisked away to a planet with a beach and cocktails? The answer is mostly character-led: the Doctor and his companions are driven by curiosity – and courage.
Elisabeth Sladen excelled in communicating that heart. Her Sarah Jane never lost her slight nerviness, the trembling lip that said maybe she'd prefer the beach-and-cocktails. She wasn't an action hero; she had to make the decision to be brave.
When Tom Baker's Doctor left her on a suburban street and she strolled off whistling merrily, the audience longed to know what happened next. When she returned in 2006 to Doctor Who, and her own show The Sarah Jane Adventures, we rejoiced – and hoped for many more years.
As I write this, I've just sent back the proofs of my first Doctor Who novel to the BBC. Selfishly, I'm mourning the fact that I'll never be able to write for Elisabeth Sladen. Along with many fans, I'll be donating to a cancer charity today, in her memory.
 
This is a great little interview with Lis from the years between Whos. Awful background music, but I think it's a fitting tribute to the intelligence of the actor as she's eloquent and insightful about meeting and working with Baker.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwusxNL0ts4[/yt]
 
imagedorktowersladenthu.jpg
 
I just hope people don't get all snarky if Nicholas Courtney and Barry Letts aren't included.

I wouldn't have expected Barry to be included, as great and kind as the man was he had The Waters Of Mars dedicated to him in 2009.

As I only started with the show in 1988, it had ended before I really could savour it. So the first new Who to get excited was the Pertwee Radio stories in 1993 and 1996. Jon, Nick and Lis back together, scripted by Barry.

That Lis isn't around just seems wrong. Still I suppose it would have been worse for the gents had they outlived her.
 
I just hope people don't get all snarky if Nicholas Courtney and Barry Letts aren't included.

I wouldn't have expected Barry to be included, as great and kind as the man was he had The Waters Of Mars dedicated to him in 2009.

As I only started with the show in 1988, it had ended before I really could savour it. So the first new Who to get excited was the Pertwee Radio stories in 1993 and 1996. Jon, Nick and Lis back together, scripted by Barry.

That Lis isn't around just seems wrong. Still I suppose it would have been worse for the gents had they outlived her.

....how do you think Tom feels? Well, actually, we know. Tom usually rambles a bit in his newsletters but with the posting about her death, he's clearly struggling (I think anyway) to put down all of what he's feeling.

Poor Tom:(
 
CBBC listings for saturday

KIDS DRAMA: The Sarah Jane Adventures
On: CBBC (70)
Date: Saturday 23rd April 2011 (starting in 1 day)
Time: 13:40 to 14:15 (35 minutes long)

The Day of The Clown (Part 1 of 2). Series 2, episode 2.
Children's drama series from the makers of Doctor Who, following the adventures of investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith, a former companion to the Doctor. New girl Rani is haunted by a sinister clown - Could it be linked to the recent disappearances of several local children? When Clyde's friend also goes missing, Sarah Jane and the team are drawn towards a bizarre circus museum, and an old legend - Has the Pied Piper come to Bannerman Road?
(Stereo, Repeat, Followed by Newsround, Widescreen, Subtitles, Audio Described)

Starring: Elisabeth Sladen, Tommy Knight, Daniel Anthony, Anjli Mohindra, Bradley Walsh, Mina Anwar

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=132606

Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.
KIDS DRAMA: The Sarah Jane Adventures
On: CBBC (70)
Date: Saturday 23rd April 2011 (starting in 1 day)
Time: 14:15 to 14:45 (30 minutes long)

The Day of the Clown (Part 2 of 2). Series 2, episode 2.
Children's drama series from the makers of Doctor Who, following the adventures of investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith, a former companion to the Doctor. Luke is taken by Spellman, and Sarah Jane has to confront her oldest fears to save him.
(Stereo, Repeat, Widescreen, Subtitles, Audio Described)

Starring: Elisabeth Sladen, Daniel Anthony, Tommy Knight, Anjli Mohindra, Bradley Walsh, Floella Benjamin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=132606

Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.
KIDS DRAMA: The Sarah Jane Adventures
On: CBBC (70)
Date: Saturday 23rd April 2011 (starting in 1 day)
Time: 15:35 to 16:05 (30 minutes long)

Secrets of the Stars (Part 1 of 2). Series 2, episode 3.
Children's drama series from the makers of Doctor Who, following the adventures of investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith, a former companion to the Doctor. An astrologer attracts Sarah Jane's interest with his uncanny predictions. Earth is under threat - from the stars.
(Stereo, Repeat, Widescreen, Subtitles, Audio Described)

Starring: Elisabeth Sladen, Daniel Anthony, Tommy Knight, Anjli Mohindra, Russ Abbot, Alexander Armstrong

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=132606

Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.
KIDS DRAMA: The Sarah Jane Adventures
On: CBBC (70)
Date: Saturday 23rd April 2011 (starting in 1 day)
Time: 16:05 to 16:30 (25 minutes long)

Secrets of the Stars (Part 2 of 2). Series 2, episode 3.
Children's drama series from the makers of Doctor Who, following the adventures of investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith, a former companion to the Doctor. Sarah Jane and the others infiltrate Trueman's circle as he takes over the population through their star signs.
(Stereo, Repeat, Widescreen, Subtitles, Audio Described)

Director: Michael Kerrigan
Starring: Elisabeth Sladen, Daniel Anthony, Tommy Knight, Anjli Mohindra, Russ Abbot, Alexander Armstrong

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=132606

Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.
DOCUMENTARY: My Sarah Jane: A Tribute to Elizabeth Sladen
On: CBBC (70)
Date: Saturday 23rd April 2011 (starting in 1 day)
Time: 18:45 to 18:58 (13 minutes long)

Remembering actress Elizabeth Sladen.
(Stereo, Widescreen, Subtitles)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=132606

Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.
pretty sure the episodes were planned to air anyways, Sunday sees a repeat of The Mark of the Berserker and The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith (the episode where she goes back in time to meet her parents)

That fills the 15 minute gap between Doctor Who & Doctor Who Confidentail, quite well.
 
One of the reasons that people are so vocal and upset is because of the internet, but the other reason is that Elisabeth Sladen was a class act. From what I have read, people are almost more focused on her decency and kindness than on her part on Doctor Who. And not only was she a class act, but she portrayed Sarah Jane that way.

Humans can be base and vile creatures, but when it comes to the passing of someone so willing to be the best humanity has to offer, we too show the best of humanity in our response.
 
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