R.I.P. Elisabeth Sladen AKA Sarah-Jane Smith

On the 19 April 2011, the actress Elisabeth Sladen, known for playing the companion of the Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith in Doctor Who, has passed away at the age of 63. Sladen spent her last months bravely battling the onset of cancer.
Now, I'm a huge fan of Doctor Who. And one of my favourite eras of the series was the Tom Baker years (1974-1983), otherwise known as the period of the Fourth Doctor. Much like the Rose Tyler  of the modern era of Doctor Who (Who Sarah later met in the Tenth Doctor Doctor Who episode "School Reunion"), while Sarah Jane Smith was known for standing besides Tom Baker for about two of his nine-year tenure, the character first appeared in in the Jon Pertwee years (1970-1974) or the Third Doctors time. It all started when she being the plucky young girl she was and snuck aboard the TARDIS of the Doctor as the time-travelling alien had to deal with the militaristic species called Sontarans. As John Pertwee left, Sladen continued to portray Sarah Jane Smith as Tom Baker succeeded the former.

Sladen with Jon Pertwee.

Even so, reportedly preferred her time with Jon Pertwee (not that Baker was awful, or anything, as she was one of the few members of cast he actually liked), and when she heard of Pertwee's death in 1996, she reportedly cried for weeks. It was there that she took part in what was arguably the greatest period in the entire Doctor Who series. My personal favourite was the "Pyramids of Mars", when the Doctor and Sarah faced up against the alien destroyer known as Set.

Sladen with Tom Baker as Sarah-Jane Smith and The (Fourth) Doctor.

The team-work between the time-travelling duo was so effective, you'd think that well, they're some sort of...duo or something. I mean, she wasn't exactly his equal (then again, which companion was the Doctor's equal?), but by the end of it, she came pretty damn close. Indeed, she became the template for future generations of companions. And when she returned with her own series, she became deliciously Doctor-like.

It is said by her co-workers that Liz brought much of her personality into Sarah-Jane. She was warm, receptive and encouraging to work with. Especially with the younger generation in the Whoniverse. This was especially the case of Tommy Knight Anjili Mohindra and Daniel Anthony (Luke Smith, Rani Chandra and Clyde Langer respectively). Even David Tennant, the actor who portrayed the Tenth Doctor, reportedly could barely contain his glee when he found out she would work alongside him in "School Reunion" (Tennant was only three when she first appeared on screen).

Other work involved appearing in various advertisements, in particular in a Letts Alice in Wonderland advertisement, starring Alexa in the radio drama The Stranger, and portraying a mermaid and Mrs. Darling in the Peter Pan pantomime.

If there's any solace in any of this, it is that she died at 63 years young. And if you don't fully understand what is meant by that, here's a picture:

Helen Mirren had nothing on her.

Sladen is survived her husband Dennis Miller, whom she married in 1968, and their daughter Sadie Miller.


"The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss are what define us, as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world or a relationship. Everything has it's time, and everything ends." - Sarah-Jane Smith.