Alex Marshall (born 1945) is an English actress and director, who was most active from the 1960s to the 1980s. She has acted and directed mostly on television, but has worked on stage in both careers.

Work

Beginning her career as an actress, Marshall had many roles in theatre and television productions. In 1966 she appeared on stage as Audrey Johnson in ''Countercrime'', a play directed by

Hugh Goldie Hugh Goldie may refer to: * Hugh Goldie (director) (1919–2010), English theatre director * Hugh Goldie (footballer, born 1874), Scottish footballer active at the turn of the 20th century * Hugh Goldie (footballer, born 1923), Scottish football ...

, a production later recorded for television. From 1969 to 1974 she was a storyteller for

BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1 January 1927. It p ...

’s ''

Jackanory ''Jackanory'' was a BBC children's television series which was originally broadcast between 1965 and 1996. It was designed to stimulate an interest in Reading (activity), reading. The programme was first transmitted on 13 December 1965, and the ...

''.''

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...

'', Volume 202 (Newnes, 1974), pp. 36, 40 In 1970, she appeared on stage again, in ''Keep Out, Love in Progress'' by Walter Hall, taking the lead, opposite Robert Gillespie. In the BBC serial of ''

Jude the Obscure ''Jude the Obscure'' is a novel by Thomas Hardy which began as a magazine serial in December 1894 and was first published in book form in 1895 (though the title page says 1896). The protagonist, Jude Fawley, is a working-class young man; he i ...

'' (1971), Marshall took the leading role of Arabella Donn, a pig-keeper’s daughter who seduces and marries Jude. Reviewing the production in ''

Life Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...

'', John Leonard found that “Alex Marshall as Arabella steals the series”. Marshall abandoned her acting career in 1974, having made more than three hundred appearances on television over the previous ten years, to become a television director. She commented to

Des Wilson Des Wilson (born 5 March 1941) is a New Zealand-born British campaigner, political activist, businessman, sports administrator, author and poker player. He was one of the founders of the British homelessness charity Shelter and was for a while ...

, for an article in ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. First published in 1791, it is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper. In 1993 it was acquired by Guardian Media Group Limited, and operated as a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' ...

'', that her income had arrived at £5,000 a year, but she was disillusioned.

, ''Six girls heading for stardom'' in ''

'' Magazine, 1974 volume, p. 524: “‘Actresses are passive objects waiting to be picked up by the profession and used’, says Alex Marshall, who made more than 300 television appearances over 10 years, and reached £5,000 a year, but finally abandoned her career as an actress to become a television director.” She explained: In 1976, Marshall was researcher and script editor for

Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV (TV network), ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire on weekdays only, as ABC Weekend TV, ...

’s ''

Crown Court The Crown Court is the criminal trial court, court of first instance in England and Wales responsible for hearing all indictable offences, some Hybrid offence, either way offences and appeals of the decisions of magistrates' courts. It is ...

'' and later went on to direct episodes of the show. In 1978 she directed ''

Empire Road ''Empire Road'' is a British television series, made by the BBC in 1978 and 1979. Written by Michael Abbensetts, the programme ran for two series. The series was the first British television series to be written, acted and directed predominantly ...

'', a

BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matte ...

weekly serial,Akua Rugg, ''Brickbats & bouquets: black woman's critique'' (Race Today Publications, 1984), p. 43 and other directing work included episodes of ''

Jackanory Playhouse ''Jackanory'' was a BBC children's television series which was originally broadcast between 1965 and 1996. It was designed to stimulate an interest in reading. The programme was first transmitted on 13 December 1965, and the first story was the ...

'',''Jackanory Playhouse: Princess Griselda’s Birthday Gift'' (1978)
at sms.cz, accessed 9 January 2019 ''

ITV Playhouse ''Playhouse'', also known as ''ITV Playhouse'', is a British television anthology series that ran from 1967 to 1983, which featured contributions from playwrights such as Dennis Potter, Rhys Adrian and Alan Sharp. The series began in black a ...

'', ''BBC2 Play of the Week'',''Radio Times'' for 15 February 1978: ''BBC2 Play of the Week: The Turkey Who Lives on the Hill'' (15 Feb 1978) dir. Alex Marshall and ''

Play for Today ''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...

''.Episode guide 1982
at britishtelevisiondrama.org.uk, accessed 9 January 2019 In his memoirs, the actor

Norman Beaton Norman Lugard Beaton (31 October 1934 – 13 December 1994) was a Guyana, Guyanese actor long resident in the United Kingdom. He became best known for his role as Desmond Ambrose in the Channel Four television comedy series ''Desmond's''. The wr ...

recalled Marshall from their time together on ''Empire Road'': “An attractive blonde, she had a disarming smile which concealed a will of iron.” In 1989, Marshall directed a London stage production of Peter King's ''The Health Farm''.

Television appearances

*''

Z-Cars ''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police and CID detectives in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by ...

: The Whizzers'' (1963) as StenographerAlex Marshall
at aveleyman.com, accessed 4 February 2019 *''

Crossroads Crossroads is a junction where four roads meet. Crossroads, crossroad, cross road(s) or similar may also refer to: Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a ...

'' (1965) as Christine Fuller *''

Dixon of Dock Green ''Dixon of Dock Green'' is a BBC police procedural television series about daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. It ran from 1955 ...

: The Hunt for June Fletcher'' (1966) as Girl in club *''

: Countercrime'' (1968) as Audrey Johnson *''

ITV Sunday Night Theatre ''ITV Sunday Night Theatre'', originally titled ''ITV Saturday Night Theatre'' and often shortened to simply ''Sunday Night Theatre'' or ''Saturday Night Theatre'', is a British television anthology series screened on ITV, whose episodes were co ...

: Better Dead'' (1969) as Mollie *''

'' (1969–1974) as Storyteller *'' Morning Story'' (1970) as Mrs Allan *''Whom God Hath Joined'' (1970) as Renee Souchon *''

'' (1971) as Arabella Donn *''

Budgie Budgie may refer to: Arts * Budgie (band), a Welsh heavy metal band from Cardiff ** ''Budgie'' (album), the debut album by the Welsh heavy metal band Budgie * Budgie (musician) (born 1957), English drummer * ''Budgie'' (TV series), a British tel ...

: Brief Encounter'' (1971) as Fiona *''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...

'' (Yvonne Chappell, 11 episodes, 1971) *''

On the Buses ''On the Buses'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom that was broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 1969 to 1973. It was created by Chesney and Wolfe, Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, who wrote most of the episodes. It spawned thr ...

'' (1971) as Beryl *''

The House on Highbury Hill'' (1972) as Marigold *''

New Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's London boroughs, 32 boroughs. Its name derives from the location of the original ...

'' (1972) as Denise Wright *''

Thirty-Minute Theatre ''Thirty-Minute Theatre'' was a British anthology drama series of short plays shown on BBC Television between 1965 and 1973, which was used in part at least as a training ground for new writers, on account of its short running length, and which ...

Attocity'' (1973) as Miss MilesAtrocity (BBC-2 1973 with Anthony Douse and Alex Marshall)
at memorabletv.com, accessed 1 January 2019 *''Then and Now: Tigers Are Better Looking'' (1973) as Heather

Television as director

*''

: Princess Griselda’s Birthday Gift'' (1978) *''

'' (1978–1979) *''

'', weekly serial, 1978 *''BBC2 Play of the Week: The Turkey Who Lives on the Hill'' (1978) *''

'' (1980) *''

'' (1982)

Notes

External links

Alex Marshall
at

IMDb IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...

as actress
Alex Marshall
at IMDb as director
Alex Marshall
at aveleyman.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Marshall, Alex 1945 births English stage actresses English television actresses English television directors English soap opera actresses Living people British women television directors