Which actress played Miss Marple in the BBC series from 1984 to 1992?

Joan Hickson played Miss Marple in the BBC series that ran from 1984 to 1992. The programme, usually titled Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, adapted all twelve of Christie's original Miss Marple novels for BBC One.

Hickson was especially celebrated for portraying Marple as Christie described her: an observant, elderly village resident whose knowledge of human behaviour is more powerful than physical action. The series was known for relatively faithful adaptations, careful period settings and restrained performances.

Hickson's casting had a remarkable connection to Christie. The two had encountered each other years earlier when Hickson appeared in a stage production of Christie's Appointment with Death. Christie reportedly wrote that she hoped Hickson would one day play her “dear Miss Marple.”

A common mix-up is Margaret Rutherford, who played Marple in four 1960s films, although those versions changed the character substantially. Julia McKenzie later played Marple in ITV's Agatha Christie's Marple, beginning in 2004.