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Jenny Tomasin shot to fame in the UK in the early 1970s when she joined the cast of Upstairs, Downstairs (1971) playing the scullery maid Ruby. She stayed with the series right until the end, appearing in forty one episodes. When the series ended in 1975, plans were drawn up for a spin-off series following the further adventures of Ruby with Hudson and Mrs Bridges. Sadly the series was never made following the sad death of Angela Baddeley who played Mrs Bridges.

After that, Tomasin joined Emmerdale Farm (1972) for a stint as Naomi Tolly from 1981-82 and made guest appearances in such shows as That's My Boy (1981) and Doctor Who (1963).

Tomasin worked mainly in the theatre after that. Shows including a tour of Lettice and Lovage and a West End run in 2004 in The Marquise by Noël Coward playing yet another maid, this time called Alice.

In later years Tomasin's TV appearances had been confined to talking about her time in Upstairs, Downstairs (1971) but in 2005 all this changed when she returned to Emmerdale Farm (1972) - this time as a new character Noreen Bell, a cantankerous villager who seems certain to cause strife for those who get in her way.

Joaquin Martinez considers himself the luckiest man alive. A painfully shy medical student at Mexico City's University, he was forced by a teacher to join the school's drama group to get rid of his "inadequacy". There he not only discovered a new world but was rewarded with a scholarship to legendary Seki Sano's Drama Studio. Seki trained him and encouraged him to become a professional actor. After finishing his medical studies he broke into movies and PECIME distinguished him as best newcomer for his performance in Pedro Páramo (1967), the Mexican entry at the Cannes Film Festival. Then legendary Hollywood agent Paul Kohner called. Torn between a medical practice and an acting career, Joaquin decided to try Hollywood for two years before making up his mind. He is still there, and has appeared in such classic films as Jeremiah Johnson (1972), Joe Kidd (1972), Who'll Stop the Rain (1978), Revenge (1990), The Cowboy Way (1994), The Odd Couple II (1998), Die Another Day (2002) and Ulzana's Raid (1972) - where he plays the title role. He has shared the screen with the likes of Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Anthony Quinn, Jack Lemmon, Robert Redford, Kevin Costner, Burt Lancaster, Walter Matthau, Jeremy Irons, Kiefer Sutherland, Woody Harrelson and Pierce Brosnan, among others, while behind the camera directors of the stature of Edward Dmytryk, John Sturges, Robert Aldrich, Karel Reisz, Sydney Pollack and Tony Scott have brought him into their productions. Bille August flew him to Europe to play Antonio Banderas' father in The House of the Spirits (1993) and Lee Tamahori brought him back to London to participate in the last James Bond opus, Die Another Day (2002). Joaquin plays The Postman in Castingx (2005), thus becoming the first Mexican actor featured in a Dutch film. Currently, he divides his time among Hollywood, Mexico and Europe in the development of 'Solitario - The Lonely One' - through his own company, Victoria Films International.

Lars Lennart Forsberg was born on 31 July 1933 in Stockholm, Sweden. He was a director and writer, known for Misshandlingen (1969), Min mamma hade fjorton barn (2000) and Störst av allt (2005). He died on 3 January 2012 in Ystad, Skåne län, Sweden.

Josef Skvorecký was born on 27 September 1924 in Nachod, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic]. He was a writer and actor, known for Sest cerných dívek aneb Proc zmizel Zajíc? (1969), The End of a Priest (1969) and Zlocin v dívcí skole (1966). He was married to Zdena Skvorecka. He died on 3 January 2012 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Martyn James was born on 19 April 1948 in Ardnamurchan, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, UK. He was an actor, known for Bookie (1988), Take the High Road (1980) and Taggart (1983). He died on 3 January 2012 in Perth, Scotland, UK.

Miguel Couturier was born on 29 September 1950 in Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He was an actor, known for Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), XY. La revista (2009) and Persons Unknown (2010). He died on 3 January 2012 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico.

Enrique de Melchor was born on 15 July 1950 in Marchena, Sevilla, Spain. He was an actor, known for La Carmen (1976), Esto es espectáculo (1994) and Sábado noche (1987). He died on 3 January 2012 in Madrid, Spain.

Angelo Bowers was born on 28 February 1984 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Brainiacs in La La Land (2010) and Roger Star (2009). He died on 3 January 2012 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Felix Shuman was born on 2 November 1924 in Randall County, Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for Damien: Omen II (1978), On the Right Track (1981) and The Fury (1978). He died on 3 January 2012 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Hamit Haskabal was born in 1947 in Konya, Turkey. He was an actor, known for World of Hope (1973), Three Friends (1972) and Çifte Nikah (1977). He died on 3 January 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Timothy Woolford was a producer and writer, known for Forbidden Sun (1988), The Tale of Little Pig Robinson (1990) and Dream Demon (1988). Timothy died on 3 January 2012 in Westminster, London, England, UK.

Fei Fei Feng was born on 20 August 1953 in Daxi, Taiwan. She was an actress, known for Love in Chilly Spring (1979), Taibei liu shi liu (1977) and Qiu lian (1979). She died on 3 January 2012 in Hong Kong.

Mikhail Romadin was born on 12 April 1940 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He was a production designer and costume designer, known for Solaris (1972), Istoriya Asi Klyachinoy, kotoraya lyubila, da ne vyshla zamuzh (1966) and A Nest of Gentry (1969). He died on 3 January 2012 in Moscow, Russia.

Bob Weston was an actor, known for Lindsey Buckingham: Trouble (1981), The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971) and Rock Family Trees (1995). He died on 3 January 2012 in London, England, UK.

Keith Morrison Little was born on 4 March 1924 in Tonalea, Arizona, USA. He was married to Nellie. He died on 3 January 2012 in Fort Defiance, Arizona, USA.

Rodrigo Maturana was born in 1934. He was an actor and writer, known for Cortázar, Capital Rayuela (1985), El Charles Bronson chileno: o idénticamente igual (2023) and Little White Dove (1992). He died on 3 January 2012 in Santiago, Chile.

Miguel Terekhov was born on 22 August 1928 in Montevideo, Uruguay. He was married to Yvonne Chouteau. He died on 3 January 2012 in Richardson, Texas, USA.

Ernest Pugsley was born on 20 February 1930 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, USA. He was married to Ida Gobbi. He died on 3 January 2012 in Florida, USA.

Mark W. Nelson was born on 18 March 1953 in Florida, USA. He was a writer, known for G.I. Jane (1997), The Hunger (1997) and Dinosaucers (1987). He died on 3 January 2012 in the USA.

Gene Bartow was born on 8 August 1930 in Browning, Missouri, USA. He was married to Ruth. He died on 3 January 2012 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

Vicar was born on 16 April 1934 in Santiago de Chile, Chile. Vicar is known for El mago de los sueños (1966). Vicar died on 3 January 2012 in Santiago de Chile, Chile.