Josephine Melville

Stage, screen and radio actress Josephine Crawford Melville was born in Essex, England, of African and Jamaican ancestry to parents Edmund and Byrel Melville. She started out as a dancer, transitioning to acting in 1983. Three years later, she debuted in Moon on a Rainbow Shawl at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, which marked the beginning of a lengthy association with that company. Her appearances in other stage productions have included Sleeping Beauty and Sinbad the Sailor. On screen from 1983, Melville had a small role in the motion picture Empire State (1987). She made guest appearances in Pie in the Sky (1994) and The Bill (1984) , prior to her best known role as Tessa Parker in nine episodes of the long-running soap EastEnders (1985). At the time of her untimely death, Melville had completed filming for the futuristic thriller Slammer in which she had a starring role as Detective Russell. Outside of the performing arts, Melville also wrote poetry and was active in promoting both African and Caribbean culture in Essex. She was a founder of the charitable Southend-based South Essex African Caribbean Association (SEACA), whose stated aim was to "share and celebrate our culture, heritage and arts with the wider community, promoting understanding, tolerance, community, and social cohesion." Josephine Melville passed away unexpectedly backstage at the Nottingham Playhouse after playing the part of Aunt Maggie in the play Nine Night.