what a wonderfull lady xxxxx sadly missed xxxx

Legends never die diamonds are forever shine in heaven you always shined on earth our hearts forever gentle touch loved Maggie Forbes and cast fly high jill no more pain suffering fly high stay safe stay strong everyone takecare becareful out there dont let guards down good luck sending luck hugs prayers most of all love from headway Nottingham UK takecare xxx

I just heard Jill died in a Los Angeles specialist care home, after a long battle with Alzheimers, aged 83. Her husband the actor Alfred Molina had nursed her for many years, but had to put her in a home two years ago when her condition worsened. A very sad way to go for her, and everyone who loves her. For such a smart, sassy, trail-blazing lady to slowly lose her mind to dementia is too tragic for words. I pray she was not aware, and did not suffer. 'The Gentle Touch' was the first British TV drama series to star a police woman, pre-dating the BBC's 'Juliet Bravo' by around 6 months. Jill related to the character of Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes on many levels. In the show, Maggie was a widow with a teenage son. In her own life Maggie divorced her husband, a hotelier, in the 'sixties and raised his two sons alone, as he was estranged from them. That she launched such a successful acting career in the 'seventies while raising two children alone, is impressive. She met Alfred Molina in 1982, when they co-starred onstage at the Donmar Warehouse in 'Destry Rides Again' (her playing the Marlene Deitrich role, and he as the James Stewart character). It was love at first sight. She was 45, he 29. They married in Tower Hamlets in 1986, and bought two cottages in the East End which they knocked through into one. They supported each other as single parents too - Alfred had a daughter Rachel born in 1980, whose mother suffered from depression. He adopted Jill's sons. There was a 16 year age gap between them, and Alfred's career was taking off. Jill generously decided to shelve her acting ambitions and move with him to LA, where he soon landed roles in big movies including 'Species', 'Chocolat', and 'The Da Vinci Code'. Meanwhile, in the 'nineties Jill launched a new and successful career as a novelist, penning three books with ladies over 40 in the starring role. The couple were regulars on the red carpet in LA, as you'll see if you do a Google image search. Though there was a considerable age gap, it really wasn't noticeable - she remained an incredibly beautiful and attractive lady as she aged, and his pride in his wife was plain to see. Sleep blissfully Jill, your legacy lives on in your sons and all your wonderful performances, preserved on film forever. X

RIP Jill

Love that old LWT ident.

They should broadcast The Gentle Touch on ITV/STV from the beginning as a tribute to Jill, what a shame. I knew she was very ill but hadn't known she had died. May she RIP and condolences at this sad time to her widowed husband, actor Alfred Molina and their children.

@rufusthebrave

11 ай бұрын

It is on ITV X

Classy lady and a very fine actress. Not forgotten.

Jill looks beautiful

@glamdolly30

4 жыл бұрын

Agreed - born in April 1937 she was around 52 here and looks wonderful.

Anyone recall how many of LWT's 21st celebratory reruns were networked? And if so, were either or both the LWT21 and the vintage frontcaps networked too?

@Westy1971

Жыл бұрын

I remember more of the Thames stuff being reshown in the Midlands. The 'Thames Mavericks ' season introduced by Dennis Waterman!

Such a tragic shame that she's now very poorly