Elisabeth Sladen
Biography
Elisabeth Claira Heath Sladen, also known professionally as Elisabeth Sladen, was an English actress born on February 1, 1946, in Liverpool, England, and she died on April 19, 2011. She was best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series Doctor Who. She first appeared in the role in 1973 in the story The Time Warrior alongside Jon Pertwee, and remained a regular cast member through 1976, working alongside both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker. She later reprised the role in subsequent decades on Doctor Who and its spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures. Her acting credits also include Public Eye and Doctor Who: Genesis of the Daleks.
Career overview
Elisabeth Clara Heath Sladen, also known professionally as Elisabeth Sladen, was an English actress born in Liverpool, England, on February 1, 1946, and who died on April 19, 2011. She is best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series Doctor Who.
Sladen was a regular cast member on Doctor Who from 1973 to 1976. She first appeared in the role of Sarah Jane in 1973 in the story The Time Warrior alongside Jon Pertwee, who played the third Doctor, and she remained on the show across multiple series with Tom Baker until she departed in the story The Hand of Fear in 1976. Throughout her career, she also reprised the role of Sarah Jane Smith many times in subsequent decades on both Doctor Who and its spin off television series The Sarah Jane Adventures.
In addition to her work on Doctor Who and its related projects, her acting credits include appearances in other productions such as Public Eye. Over the course of her career, she amassed eighty one known acting credits on television and film before her death at the age of sixty five.
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Career timeline
Full Filmography
81 titles- Worlds Within: The Life of Ian Marter (2025) as Self (archive footage)
- Doctor Who: The Legend of Ruby Sunday & Empire of Death (2024) as Sarah Jane Smith (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Tales of the Tardis (2023) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Talking Doctor Who (2023) as Self / Sarah Jane Smith (archive footage)
- Our Sarah Jane: The Life of Elisabeth Sladen (2020) as Self (archive footage)
- The Doctors: The Tom Baker Years (2017)
- Doctor Who: Clara and the TARDIS (2013) as Sarah-Jane Smith (archive footage)
- My Sarah Jane: A Tribute to Elisabeth Sladen (2011) as Self (archive footage)
- Sarah Jane's Alien Files (2010) as Sarah Jane Smith
- The National Television Awards Backstage Live (2010)
- Doctor Who: The End of Time (2010) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: Meanwhile in the TARDIS: Part 2 (2010) as Sara Jane Smith (archive footage)
- Doctor Who Greatest Moments (2009) as Self
- The Ties That Bind Us (2008) as Sarah Jane Smith (archive footage)
- Five Doctors, One Studio (2008)
- Celebration: Doctor Who in 1983 (2008)
- The K-9 Files (2008)
- The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007) as Sarah Jane Smith
- David Tennant's Video Diary (2007) as Self
- Hitler: The Comedy Years (2007) as Sarah Jane Smith (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Are Friends Electric? (2007)
- The Sarah Jane Adventures: Invasion of the Bane (2007) as Sarah Jane Smith
- A Darker Side: The Making of Planet of Evil (2007)
- Totally Doctor Who (2006) as Self
- TMi (2006)
- Built for War: The Sontaran Story (2006)
- Changing Time: Living and Leaving Doctor Who (2006)
- Doctor Who (2005) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who Confidential (2005)
- Serial Thrillers (2004)
- The Story of Doctor Who (2003)
- Chronotrip (2002)
- K9 Unleashed (2000)
- Adventures in Space and Time (1999) as Herself
- Who is Tom Baker? Unauthorised (1997)
- Downtime (1995) as Sarah Jane Smith
- The Making of Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans (1995)
- Peak Practice (1993) as Dr. Pat Hewland
- GMTV (1993) as Self
- Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time (1993) as Sarah Jane Smith
- 30 Years in the TARDIS (1993) as Herself
- Summer Session (1992) as Self
- Dempsey and Makepeace (1985) as Mrs. Barrett
- The Bill (1984) as Mrs Preston
- Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks (1984) as Sarah-Jane Smith (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Doctor Who: The Five Doctors (1983) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Gulliver in Lilliput (1982) as Lady Flimnap
- K-9 and Company (1981) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: Logopolis (1981) as Sarah Jane Smith (archive footage)
- K-9 and Company: A Girl's Best Friend (1981) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Silver Dream Racer (1980) as Bank Secretary
- Name for the Day (1980) as Jo
- Take My Wife (1979) as Josie Hall
- Betzi (1978) as Countess Bertrand
- Doctor Who: The Hand of Fear (1976) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: The Seeds of Doom (1976) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: The Masque of Mandragora (1976) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius (1976) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: Robot (1975) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: Genesis of the Daleks (1975) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: The Ark in Space (1975) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars (1975) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: The Android Invasion (1975) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: Terror of the Zygons (1975) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: The Sontaran Experiment (1975) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: Planet of Evil (1975) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: Revenge of the Cybermen (1975) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: The Time Warrior (1974) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: Planet of the Spiders (1974) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs (1974) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: The Monster of Peladon (1974) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Doctor Who: Death to the Daleks (1974) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973)
- Play for Today (1970) as Jo
- Doomwatch (1970) as Sarah Collins
- Public Eye (1965) as Policewoman
- Ferry Cross the Mersey (1965)
- Doctor Who (1963) as Sarah Jane Smith
- Z-Cars (1962) as Valerie Hollingsworth
- Z-Cars (1962) as Rose Milton
- Coronation Street (1960) as Anita Reynolds
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Elisabeth Sladen best known for?
Elisabeth Sladen is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Jackpot (1993), Mean Streets (1973), Malachite (2026), Romeo + Juliet (1996).
When and where was Elisabeth Sladen born?
Elisabeth Sladen was born on February 1, 1946 in Liverpool, England, UK. They passed away on April 19, 2011.
How many credits does Elisabeth Sladen have?
Elisabeth Sladen has accumulated over 81 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1960 to 2025.
What is Elisabeth Sladen's background in cinema and television?
Elisabeth Claira Heath Sladen, also known professionally as Elisabeth Sladen, was an English actress born on February 1, 1946, in Liverpool, England, and she died on April 19, 2011. She was best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series Doctor Who. She first appeared in the role in 1973 in...