Fan fave DR. WHO star ELISABETH SLADEN gone at 63.
Elisabeth played the beloved sidekick of the time lord "Dr. Who" who was so popular she had her own spin-off series for children "The Sarah Jane Adventures". She passed after a long battle with cancer.
For those who came in late, Doctor Who centers around a time-traveling alien known only as The Doctor, but beginning in 1973, Sladen turned his sidekick Sarah Jane Smith into a star, playing opposite Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker as The Doctor(s) for three-and-a-half seasons.
Elisabeth’s star power — her wit and verve warmed the hearts of Tardis loving fans.
Yet, Elisabeth never learned the true meaning of the time warping phone box’s TARDIS acronym — Time And Relative Dimensions In Space.
"I only learned THAT after I left," Elisabeth confessed.
She returned to the role numerous times over the years, and when showrunner Russell T. Davies rebooted "Dr. Who" in 2006 with David Tennant, Elisabeth’s character returned as well — and then became the star of her own show.
"I left Sarah Jane a great many years ago, but she never left me," Elisabeth recalled fondly.
