{{Short description|British actress (1938–2012)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Use British English|date=August 2013}} {{Infobox person | name = Jenny Tomasin | image = Jenny Tomasin.jpg | image_size = | caption = Tomasin as [[List of Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series) characters#Ruby Finch|Ruby Finch]] in ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]'' | birth_name = | birth_date = 22 March 1938 | birth_place = [[Leeds]], West Riding of Yorkshire, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|1|3|1938|03|22|df=yes}} | death_place = [[London]], England | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1972–2006 | known_for = Role of [[List of Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series) characters#Ruby Finch|Ruby Finch]] in ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]'' (1972–1975) }}
'''Jenny Tomasin''' (22 March 1938<ref name="stage1">{{cite web|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/obituaries--archive/obituaries/jenny-tomasin|title=Jenny Tomasin: Actress best known for 'Upstairs, Downstairs'|publisher=The Stage|access-date=6 March 2015|date=February 2012}}</ref><ref>Some sources ([http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2012/01/dwn190112145112-jenny-tomasin-1936-2012.html], [http://tvhforum.proboards.com/thread/2787/jenny-tomasin-upstairs-downstairs]) cite 30 November 1936.</ref> – 3 January 2012) was a British actress, known for her role as kitchen maid [[List of Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series) characters#Ruby Finch|Ruby Finch]] in the [[London Weekend Television|LWT]] period drama series ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]'', which she played from 1972 to 1975.<ref name="Death">{{cite news|first=Adam |last=Bernstein|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/television/jenny-tomasin-known-as-maid-ruby-finch-on-upstairs-downstairs-dies/2012/01/20/gIQAeUwKnQ_story.html|title=Jenny Tomasin, known as maid Ruby Finch on 'Upstairs, Downstairs', dies|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=6 March 2015|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
==Early life== Tomasin was born in [[Leeds]], [[West Riding of Yorkshire]],<ref name="stage1"/> in 1938 to working class parents. She knew from an early age she wanted to be an actress, although her parents did not support her goal.<ref name="Death"/>
==Career== Tomasin's first screen role was in 1972 in ''[[The Adventures of Barry McKenzie]]'', as the character Sarah Gort.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972) |work= IMDb |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068173/fullcredits |access-date=9 November 2022}}</ref> Her first major role came when she was discovered by ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]'' producer [[John Hawkesworth (producer)|John Hawkesworth]], who noticed Tomasin's photograph in a casting directory.<ref name="Death"/> Soon after, Tomasin joined the cast of ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' as [[List of Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series) characters#Ruby Finch|Ruby Finch]], the [[Maid#Types of maid|kitchen maid]] to the Bellamy family.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96VwAJR8pyY|title=Upstairs Downstairs-Series 2-Episode 1-Part 1(The New Man)|publisher=YouTube|access-date=6 March 2015}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref>
Tomasin appeared in the series from 1972, until it came to an end in 1975. She appeared in 41 episodes. Plans were made for a spin-off series featuring Ruby and fellow ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' characters Hudson and Mrs Bridges; however, the series was never made because of the death of actress [[Angela Baddeley]]. Although her career on ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' had made Tomasin a household name, she also felt that the role left her typecast.<ref>{{cite news |date=26 January 2012 |title=Jenny Tomasin: Actress best known for 'Upstairs, Downstairs' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/jenny-tomasin-actress-best-known-for-upstairs-downstairs-6295426.html |access-date=9 November 2022 |website=The Independent }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Spencer |first=Helen |title=After Upstairs Downstairs |date=4 August 2002 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328816/ |type=Documentary |publisher=Tyne Tees Television |access-date=9 November 2022}}</ref>
In 1985, Tomasin guest starred in the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' serial ''[[Revelation of the Daleks]]'', the final story before the series went on an 18-month hiatus, as the character Tasambeker.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006q2x0|title=Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide – Revelation of the Daleks – Details|publisher=BBC|access-date=6 March 2015}}</ref> Tomasin also played two roles in the soap opera ''[[Emmerdale]]''. In 1981–1982 she played Naomi Tolly, daughter of Enoch Tolly, who was killed in a tractor accident. Her second role was as Noreen Bell, a cantankerous villager who died in July 2006. This would be her last role.
Her other films included roles in ''[[Mister Quilp]]'' (1975), ''[[The Trouble with Spies]]'' (1987) and ''[[Just Ask for Diamond]]'' (1988).
==Death== Tomasin died on 3 January 2012, aged 73, from [[hypertensive heart disease]].<ref name="Death"/>
==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |- style="text-align:center;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- |1972 |''[[The Adventures of Barry McKenzie]]'' |Sarah Gort | |- |rowspan=2|1975 |''[[Eskimo Nell (film)|Eskimo Nell]]'' |Shy Casting Girl | |- |''[[Mister Quilp]]'' |Mrs Simmons | |- |1987 |''[[The Trouble with Spies]]'' |Martha | |- |1988 |''[[Just Ask for Diamond]]'' |Traffic Warden | |}
===Television===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |- style="text-align:center;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- |1972–1975 |''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]'' |[[List of Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series) characters#Ruby Finch|Ruby Finch]] | |- |1974–1979 |''[[Crossroads (British TV series)|Crossroads]]'' |Florence Baker | |- |1975 |''[[The Love School]]'' |Jane's Sister |Episode: "[[The Love School#Episodes|Remember Me]]" |- |rowspan=2|1976 |''[[The Dick Emery Show]]'' |Actress |Episode: 14.5 |- |''Brensham People'' |Pru |Episode: "William Hart, Wainwright" |- |rowspan=2|1977 |''[[The Onedin Line]]'' |Mrs Purvis |Episode: "[[List of Onedin Line episodes#Series 5|The Hostage]]" |- |''Midnight Is a Place'' |Rose Sproggs |4 Episodes |- |1980–1981 |''[[Emmerdale|Emmerdale Farm]]'' |Naomi Tolly | |- |1983 |''[[Man and Superman]]'' |Parlourmaid |Television film |- |1984 |''[[Tripper's Day]]'' |Minnie |Episode: "[[Tripper's Day#Episodes|Games People Play]]" |- |rowspan=2|1985 |''[[That's My Boy (1981 TV series)|That's My Boy]]'' |Brenda Cross |Episode: "[[That's My Boy (1981 TV series)#Series 4 (1985)|Hello Young Mothers]]" |- |''[[Doctor Who]]'' |Tasambeker |Episodes: "[[Revelation of the Daleks|Revelation of the Daleks: Parts 1 and 2]]" |- |1994 |''[[Martin Chuzzlewit (1994 TV series)|Martin Chuzzlewit]]'' |Maidservant |2 episodes |- |2000 |''[[Cinderella (2000 film)|Cinderella]]'' |Cook |Television film |- |2005–2006 |''[[Emmerdale]]'' |[[List of Emmerdale characters introduced in 2005#Noreen Bell|Noreen Bell]] |Recurring role |}
==Stage==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |- style="text-align:center;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Venue ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Ref |- |1978 |''Hush and Hide'' | |UK National Tour |<ref name="Theatricalia">{{cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/person/15nk/jenny-tomasin|title=Jenny Tomasin - Theatricalia|access-date=6 August 2025}}</ref> |- |1978–1979 |''[[See How They Run (play)|See How They Run]]'' |Ida |[[Greenwich Theatre]] |<ref name="Theatricalia"/> |- |1979 |''[[Alan Ayckbourn|Ten Times Table]]'' |Philippa |UK National Tour |<ref name="Theatricalia"/> |- |1982-1983 |''[[Man and Superman]]'' |Parlourmaid |[[Theatre Royal Haymarket]] |<ref name="Man and Superman">{{cite web|url=https://archive.kent.ac.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=READ%2FPRG%2FTHE%2FHAY%2FF174420|title=Theatre programme advertising a play to be produced at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket entitled MAN AND SUPERMAN|publisher=[[University of Kent]]|access-date=10 August 2025}}</ref><ref name="Man and Superman 2">{{cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/play/aq/man-and-superman/production/10an|title=Man and Superman|publisher=Theatricalia|access-date=10 February 2026}}</ref> |- |1988–1989 |''[[Blithe Spirit (play)|Blithe Spirit]]'' |Edith | rowspan="3" |UK National Tour |<ref name="Theatricalia"/> |- |1991 |''[[Lettice and Lovage]]'' |Miss Framer |<ref name="Theatricalia"/> |- |2004 |''[[The Marquise]]'' |Alice |<ref name="Marquise">{{cite news|url=https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/kates-back-dressed-for-the-grand-occasion/28198162.html|title=Kate's back dressed for the grand occasion|work=[[Belfast Telegraph]]|date=22 Mar 2004|access-date=9 August 2025|last1=McIlwaine|first1=Eddie}}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|866459}} *[http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=23519 Jenny Tomasin; Aveleyman] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916024217/http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=23519 |date=16 September 2017 }}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tomasin, Jenny}} [[Category:1938 births]] [[Category:2012 deaths]] [[Category:English film actresses]] [[Category:English soap opera actresses]] [[Category:English television actresses]] [[Category:Actresses from Leeds]]