From Wanstead to Walford

Louise Jameson

Eastenders' Rosa DiMarco

Louise is probably best remembered in recent times for her role as Rosa Di Marco, restaurant owner and mother to Bepe (he of the silly beard). What you probably didn't realize is that Louise originally hails from Wanstead.

Born in Wanstead on the 20th of April 1951, Louise soon lands her first acting role in 1955 playing Little Miss Muffett in a school play.

Louise left school at 15 and trained as a secretary, taking a secretarial course in 1968.

In 1969 Louise joined RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art). She left in 1971 aged 19 and worked for a time in a typing pool. At 19/20 she landed her first TV role in "Cider with Rosie", only four lines but the important first step on the ladder to television recognition. During this time Louise spent two and a half years with the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Bristol Old Vic.

1972 saw roles for Louise in Z Cars and Disciple of Death.

Louise is no stranger to TV soaps. In 1973 she was the first person to die in Emmerdale Farm (as it was then called). Her Character was Sharon Crossthwaite who was raped and murdered by Jim Latimer.

1976 Louise auditioned for and landed the role of Leela in Dr Who, at this time she also appeared in Play for Today - The Peddler. Filming for Dr who kept her busy from October 1976 until she left the show in 1977.

In 1981 Louise was appointed to the board of directors of Anvil Productions (the Oxford Playhouse Company). 

During the 80's Louise went from strength, and gained greater recognition in starring roles as Anne Reynolds in the Omega Factor, Blanche Simmons in Tenko and Susan Young in Bergerac.

 Louise's theatrical appearances during this time include:

 Sleeping Nightie by Victoria Hardie at the Croydon Warehouse and then the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs.

Stickfingers by Michael Ellis at King's Head Theatre, Islington.

Voices From Nambia at Bloomsbury Theatre.

Louise took a break from television for much of the nineties. During this time she puts a lot of work into the charity for Romanian babies, "Hope".

In 1998 Louise joined the cast of Eastenders as Restaurant Owner Rosa Di Marco for a  stint that brought her to the attention of a mass audience once again.

Since leaving Eastenders in August 2000, Louise has almost exclusively focused on theatre work. Television has been less forthcoming, as she said in a recent interview for BBC Wiltshire to promote the play 'Corpse' "The problem is that you can kiss goodbye to two years TV work after appearing in a long-running series, but luckily the theatre work has flooded in"

Louise and other cast members of the play Corpse

Researched and written by Chris Dart