Elisabeth Sladen: The Autobiography
Page 36
So then, you might ask, why did she write her autobiography? The simple answer is because she was asked: again and again and again. But even at her first meeting with Jeff, her co-writer, she admitted, ‘You’re going to hate working with me. Most actors put on a mask when they take on a role – I put on a mask when I’m talking about myself.’
She wasn’t joking, but over the course of 18 months she confided more and more. But still, after every session she did for the book, she’d fret, ‘What am I doing? Who on earth would want to read about me?’ She didn’t believe she was at all interesting – ‘It’s Sarah Jane people want to hear about, not Mrs Miller.’
She was also terrified of offending someone in print. The idea of getting an old colleague’s name wrong, forgetting them or mis-remembering an incident filled her with dread. But her biggest worry was upsetting the fans of her shows (she could never bring herself to admit they were fans of hers!). Even though she was no devotee of science fiction, she owed so much to people who were. Lis loved going to conventions, being made to feel so welcome by thousands of children – or children at heart – and being welcomed into their world. Her greatest fear in writing this book was that she’d get her Who facts wrong. She was devastated by the idea that fans would think she didn’t care. Despite being assured, ‘It’s a book of your memories. It’s how you saw the world – it’s not a Who encyclopaedia,’ she never fully believed it. The idea of just one child being disappointed in her was almost too much to bear. For that reason alone she nearly pulled the plug on the project at least half a dozen times.
* * *
Watching the news reports and the tribute programmes the night Lis died was surreal. We couldn’t believe she wasn’t there any more. There she was on the TV screen, smiling and laughing and looking beautiful. How could she be gone?
It probably still hasn’t sunk in yet. Over the last five years we’ve grown accustomed to Lis being away all summer. We’re used to not having her in the house all the time, but she always returned. Now, whole hours or even days can pass and then you suddenly realise all over again: this time she’s not coming back. Our cat, Chyna, is still looking for her. Every time the front door opens, she’s disappointed.
Lis died early in the morning, just before we arrived at Meadow House. A nurse brought us a cup of tea and sat with us. Later, she said, ‘My son will be devastated. He loved her.’
It was the first clue that we wouldn’t be the only ones grieving.
We had cards from so many friends and family, some real blasts from the past. We had many more from strangers, people whose lives had been touched by Lis at some point. There were heartfelt messages from fans of her original Doctor Who appearances and others from kids who only knew her from The Sarah Jane Adventures. Young or old, it doesn’t matter. She reached out to them all, as she reached out to us.
Some of the tributes were very nice. Tom, David and Russell all said such lovely things on television and in the papers. And wonderful Ed Russell, who worked with Lis as a BBC brand manager, embarked on a walk from Cardiff to Television Centre in White City in her memory. The money is still coming in, but as we write nearly £20,000 has been raised for Meadow House Hospice in Lis’s honour.
* * *
It was thinking about all these people, mostly strangers, who had been moved by Lis that brings us here, to this book. For weeks her desk had remained untouched. We knew the manuscript was there but neither of us wanted to pick it up. It was too personal and we weren’t ready. Not yet.
But then one day we did.
We read page one and we were hooked. Lis’s voice rang out from every line. It was just black text on white paper but it was indisputably her – her way with words, her little phrases, her love of life and of people poured out. Sam, her editor, was very kind and offered the opportunity to cancel the project but we both agreed we had to share this with her fans. After all, they – you – are the people it was written for. You are the reason it was written.
Words, of course, will never bring Lis back but we are luckier than most: we have her book, we have her face in magazines and we have her voice ringing out, seemingly on loop, from the repeats of The Sarah Jane Adventures. It’s of some comfort hearing those episodes in the background as we get through each day.
Everywhere we turn there are reminders that the world lost Elisabeth Sladen, but we lost Elisabeth Miller. This book, hopefully, is a fitting tribute to both.
Brian Miller & Sadie Miller
London, September 2011
Copyright
First published in 2011
by Aurum Press Ltd, 7 Greenland Street, London NW1 0ND
This ebook edition first published in 2011
All rights reserved
© Elisabeth Sladen, 2011
The right of Elisabeth Sladen to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly
Ebook conversion by RefineCatch Limited
ISBN 978–1–84513–685–7
FB2 document info
Document ID: c0573b7c-7872-46b3-a6b8-511c60f87faf
Document version: 1
Document creation date: 22.10.2012
Created using: calibre 0.9.3 software
Document authors :
Sladen, Elisabeth
About
This file was generated by Lord KiRon's FB2EPUB converter version 1.1.5.0.
(This book might contain copyrighted material, author of the converter bears no responsibility for it's usage)
Этот файл создан при помощи конвертера FB2EPUB версии 1.1.5.0 написанного Lord KiRon.
(Эта книга может содержать материал который защищен авторским правом, автор конвертера не несет ответственности за его использование)
http://www.fb2epub.net
https://code.google.com/p/fb2epub/