Grace Jacqueline Hill (17 December 1929 – 18 February 1993)Obituary, cuttingsarchive.org; accessed 21 February 2016. was a British actress known for her role as Barbara Wright in the BBC science-fiction television series Doctor Who. As the history teacher of Susan Foreman, the Doctor's granddaughter, Barbara was the first Doctor Who companion to appear on-screen in 1963, with Hill speaking the series' first words. She played the role for nearly two years.
Hill returned to Doctor Who in 1980 for an appearance in the serial Meglos, as the Tigellan priestess Lexa.
Biography Hill was orphaned as a toddler and brought up by her grandparents. She was taken out of school at the age of 14 to enable her younger brother to continue. She then worked at Cadbury's, which had an amateur dramatics society. She was encouraged to apply for, and was awarded, a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and entered RADA at the age of 19. Hill graduated in 1951.
Hill made her stage debut in London's West End in The Shrike. In 1958 she married the director Alvin Rakoff, having the previous year appeared in his BBC adaptation of Rod Serling's American TV play Requiem For A Heavyweight. This production featured former bit-part actor Sean Connery; Hill had recommended that Rakoff cast him, because she believed Connery would be popular with female viewers.
She was offered the part of Barbara Wright in Doctor Who, following discussions with producer Verity Lambert about the role. She had first met Lambert when they worked at ABC Weekend TV.
Hill preferred the historical Doctor Who stories; her favourite serials were The Aztecs and The Crusade. Shortly after leaving the series in 1965 she gave up acting in order to raise a family, resuming her career in 1978. Her later TV credits included Tales of the Unexpected and the 1978 BBC Television Shakespeare version of Romeo and Juliet (as Lady Capulet), which was directed by her husband.
In October 1980, she returned to Doctor Who in a guest role, portraying Priestess Lexa, leader of the religiously fanatical Deons, in the story Meglos. By this time the Doctor was played by Tom Baker.
Death Jacqueline Hill died of breast cancer in 1993, aged 63.
Portrayals In 2013, as part of the Doctor Who 50th anniversary celebrations, the BBC produced a docu-drama relating the story of the creation and early days of the series, titled An Adventure in Space and Time. Hill appeared as a character in the drama, portrayed by actress Jemma Powell.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1953The Blue ParrotMaureen Maguire1964The Comedy ManSandy Lavery
Television YearTitleEpisode(s)RoleNetworkArchive status1953The Rose and the RingMini-seriesFairy BlackstickBBC Television ServiceMissing1954The ViseSeries 1, Episode 5: Death Pays No DividendsBarmaid (uncredited)ABCExists1955BBC Sunday-Night TheatreSeries 6, Episode 23: The Legend of PepitoJeannieBBC Television ServiceMissingThree Empty RoomsTV MovieLouise ShoemakerBBC Television ServiceMissing1956BBC Sunday-Night TheatreSeries 7, Episode 16: The Seat of the ScornfulCynthia LeeBBC Television ServiceMissingITV Television PlayhouseSeries 1, Episode 44: MartineJeanneITV (Rediffusion)Missing1957BBC Sunday-Night TheatreSeries 8, Episode 13: Requiem for a HeavyweightGrace CarneyBBC Television ServiceAudio recording survivesJoyous ErrandAll 6 episodesTrooperBBC Television ServiceMissing1958Armchair TheatreSeries 2, Episode 18: Man in the CornerFlorence MillerITV (ABC)MissingITV Television PlayhouseSeries 3, Episode 39: Poet's CornerUnknownITV (Rediffusion)MissingITV Play of the WeekSeries 3, Episode 48: The Curious SavageMiss WillieITVMissing1959BBC Sunday-Night TheatreSeries 10, Episode 47: The Velvet AlleyPat PandishBBC Television ServiceMissingThe Flying DoctorEpisode 24: BrainstormEllen FergusonITVExists1960Saturday PlayhouseEpisode 51: The Man Who Came to DinnerMaggie CutlerBBC Television ServiceMissingBBC Sunday-Night PlayEpisode 5: The Chopping BlockJaneBBC TelevisionExists1961The Watching CatTV MovieCatherine EllisBBC TelevisionMissingDrama '61Series 1, Episode 4: The ExecutionersMrs. LanderITV (ATV)MissingThe Men from Room 13Series 2, Episodes 11-13: The Men Who Made Trouble Pts. 1-3Miss AngelBBC TelevisionMissing1962The Six Proud WalkersSix episodesSally WalkerBBC TelevisionMissingNo Hiding PlaceSeries 4, Episode 11: The Bank JobSonya GardenerITV (Rediffusion)PartialOut of This WorldEpisode 6: Medicine ShowLil HarmonITV (ABC)MissingMaigretSeries 3, Episode 12: The TrapMme. Helen MoncinBBC TelevisionExists1963ITV Play of the WeekSeries 9, Episode 7: The FixersHelen HarrisonITVExistsDoctor WhoSeries 1, 40 episodesBarbara WrightBBC TelevisionPartial (9 episodes missing)1964BBC OneSeries 2, 34 episodesPartial (2 episodes missing)19651966No Hiding PlaceSeries 9, Episode 4: You Never Can Tell Till You TrySarah PetersonITV (Rediffusion)Missing1978Crown CourtSeries 7, Episodes 71-72: A Man With Everything Pts. 2 & 3Margaret EdenITV (Granada)All programmes exist from this point.BBC Television ShakespeareSeries 1, Episode 1: Romeo & JulietLady CapuletBBC Two1980Doctor WhoSeries 18: Meglos (4 episodes)LexaBBC One1982AngelsSeries 8, Episode 27Mrs. MuirheadBBC One1983Tales of the UnexpectedSeries 6, Episode 10: The LuncheonMelanie LitmayerITV (Anglia)1984Series 7, Episode 12: Accidental DeathMrs. Milvain1986ScreenPlaySeries 1, Episode 1: All Together NowJennyBBC TwoParadise Postponed5 episodesMrs. Mallard-GreeneITV (Thames) References
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