Elisabeth Sladen
She transformed a Doctor Who companion role into a beloved, independent hero for generations of British children.
1946–2011 (age 65)·British actress·Birthday: February 1·Baby Boomers
Biography
Elisabeth Sladen began her career in repertory theatre, a world away from the time-traveling chaos she would later embody. Cast as journalist Sarah Jane Smith in 1973, she brought a sharp intelligence and fierce curiosity to Doctor Who, becoming the definitive companion for many. After leaving the TARDIS, she moved on to other roles but found herself forever linked to the character. Decades later, her surprise return in 2006 sparked a public affection so profound it led to her own spin-off, The Sarah Jane Adventures. This series, aimed at a younger audience, cemented her status as a guiding light in children's television, a role she cherished until her death in 2011.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Elisabeth was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Elisabeth Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Elisabeth's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2011Died at 65
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Sarah Jane Smith across five decades of Doctor Who, from 1973 to 2010.
- Led the successful children's sci-fi series The Sarah Jane Adventures, which ran for five seasons.
- Became one of the few classic series companions to return as a lead in the revived Doctor Who era.
- Her final performance as Sarah Jane was in the 2010 Doctor Who episode "The End of Time, Part Two."
Did You Know?
She was considered for the role of the companion Leela before the part went to Louise Jameson.
Her first television role was in the soap opera Coronation Street in 1970.
She published an autobiography, *Elisabeth Sladen: The Autobiography*, in 2011.
A real asteroid, 458732 Sladen, was named in her honor.
““I’ve been very lucky. I’ve had the best of both worlds: I’ve been in the classic series and the new.””
