Caroline John Passes On

Caroline John, best known as Liz Shaw on Doctor Who, passed on 5 June 2012 at the age of 72. The cause was cancer.

Caroline John was born on 19 September 1940 in York.  She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama. She would later work with both the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the National Theatre. She made her film debut in 1955 in Raising a Riot. In the Sixties she appeared in the film The King's Breakfast (1963). She guest starred on the TV shows Teletale and The Power Game. It was in 1969 that Caroline John joined the cast of Doctor Who as The Doctor's companion Liz Shaw. She remained with the show until 1970. Later Miss John returned as Dr. Shaw in the 1983 Doctor Who episode "The Five Doctors."

In the Seventies Caroline John appeared on such shows as Z Cars, Love Story, and Crown Court. She appeared in the film Assassin (1973). In the Eighties she appeared in such shows as The Bill, A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery, A Perfect Spy, Dramarama, Casualty, and Chancer. She was a regular on the shows Wish Me Luck and Harry Enfield's Television Programme. She appeared in the films The Razor's Edge (1983), Santa Claus (1985), and Link (1985). From the Nineties into the Naughts, Caroline John appeared on such shows as The House of Elliot, EastEnders, Silent Witness, Midsomer Murders, and Vital Signs. She appeared in the film Love Actually (2003).

Caroline John whose experience on stage allowed her to make the role of Dr. Liz Shaw on Doctor Who very convincing, even in the show's most out of the world episodes. Miss John played Liz as intelligent, independent, and a very skilled scientist (she had degrees in physics and medicine). Miss John also gave performances in very nearly every role in which she was ever cast. Even had she not been cast as one of The Doctor's companions, she would be an actress who would be remembered.