She starred in all 12 adaptations of the Miss Marple mysteries, filmed by the B.B.C. which were seen in over 30 countries, including China and the former Soviet Union.

But Miss Marple came towards the end of a splendid and acclaimed career that lasted almost 70 years which spanned the worlds of film, stage and television.

Born 5th August 1906 in Kingsthorpe, Northampton, Joan's passion for the theatre began at the age of 5 when she saw Cinderella and was so awestruck by it she didn't speak for days afterwards. She then told her family that she must live next to the theatre so that she could act whenever the mood took her to do so.

After leaving high school, she spent 3 years at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and her stage career began in provincial theatre in 1927, and for several years she worked throughout the U.K. and achieved success playing comedic, often eccentric characters.

She made her first film appearance in "Widow's Might"(1934) where she played the part of Burroughs, and the numerous supporting roles of her career included several appearances in the "Carry On" & "Doctor" series of films plus the odd role with box office giants such as Alec Guiness in "The Card" (1952) and "The 39 Steps" (1959) with Kenneth More.

Her career began to take off in the inter war years, and in 1946 she starred in the original production of "The Guinea Pig" which ran at the Criterion Theatre for 18 months & was the turning point in Joan's career, followed by the the film version of the same play starring Richard Attenborough, Sheila Sim & Bernard Miles. Joan played Mrs Read, Attenborough's mother, in what was and still is a classic of the British Cinema.

It was also in 1946 that Agatha Christie, having seen Joan in "Appointment With Death" in the West End, sent her a note which said "I hope one day you might play my dear Miss Marple."

Agatha Christie's work was to play a significant part of Joan's career as she also appeared in the 1961 film "Murder She Said", starring Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple & in 1980 she appeared in another Christie adaptation playing Mrs Rivington in "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" a star studded production which included Francesca Annis, Sir John Gielgud, Sir Bernard Miles & Eric Porter.

Joan was still a force to be reckoned with on the stage throughout her career and in 1967 she appeared in 3 of Peter Nichol's plays, "A Day in The Death of Joe Egg", in which she again appeared in the 1972 film adaptation playing "Grace", "The Freeway" & "Forget Me Not." Rave reviews came her way in Noel Coward's "Blythe Spirit" in 1976 and Alan Ayckbourn's "Bedroom Farce" a year later for which she won a Tony Award in 1979 as best supporting actress for her performance as Delia.

At last in 1983 Agatha Christie got her wish when the B.B.C secured the dramatic rights for the 12 Miss Marple mysteries and cast Joan as Jane Marple the softly spoken but quick witted phenomenon from St Mary Mead.

During the 8 years and 12 adventures that followed Joan Hickson was nominated for 2 BAFTA's in the best actress category for her performance as Miss Marple, in 1987 for "Murder At The Vicarage" and for "Nemesis" in 1988.
After the series finished, Joan recorded audio books of the Christie mysteries.

The Queen, a Miss Marple fan, bestowed the Order of The British Empire upon Joan in 1987.

Joan's last appearance was as Mrs Whitweather in the Stephen Poliakoff film "Century" (1993) a year after finishing Miss Marple, starring alongside Charles Dance, Clive Owen, Miranda Richardson & Robert Stephens.

Joan Hickson lived a life of contentment in the riverside town of Wivenhoe, near Colchester and she died of natural causes in hospital in Colchester on 17th October 1998 aged 92.