Claim: Elisabeth Sladen semi-retired to bring up a family.

Elisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen -LRB- 1 February 1946 -- 19 April 2011 -RRB- was an English actress best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series Doctor Who . She was a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976 , alongside both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker , and reprised the role many times in subsequent decades , both on Doctor Who and its spin-offs , K-9 and Company and The Sarah Jane Adventures .   Sladen was interested in ballet and theatre from childhood , and began to appear on stage in the mid-1960s , although more often as a stage manager at this time . She moved to London in 1970 and an appearance in the police drama Z-Cars led to her being selected for a part in Doctor Who . She stayed as a regular cast member alongside Pertwee and Baker until 1976 . She subsequently starred in other roles on both television and radio , before semi-retiring to bring up a family in the mid-1980s .   She returned to the public eye in the 2000s with more Doctor Who related appearances , which culminated in taking a regular lead role in The Sarah Jane Adventures . The show earned the Royal Television Society 2010 award for Best Children 's Drama . She also made regular guest appearances on the main television series , and provided voice-over commentaries for its releases to DVD .   Sladen died of cancer on 19 April 2011 . Her death made national and international news headlines , and major television stations and newspapers paid her tribute .