Josephine Melville, respected actor and director, dead at 61

By The Associated Press

Josephine Melville, a respected British actor and director, died backstage after appearing in a production of “Nine Night” in Nottingham. She was 61. The Nottingham Playhouse said in a statement that Melville had just performed as Auntie Maggie on Thursday night when she collapsed and died backstage. First aid staff and an audience member rushed to help. All performances of the play were canceled after Melville’s death. Melville was lauded by colleagues as a well-loved and respected performer, director, producer and writer. She appeared on the BBC soap “EastEnders” as Tessa Parker in the mid-1980s.