Linda Davidson – EastEnders – Age 56

Nobody can forget Linda Davidson’s distinctive performance in the show, EastEnders, especially the character’s iconic makeup. She has played the role of Mary Smith since 1985, from the very first episode. Although her stint in the show was short-lived and ended in 1988, she managed to make quite an impact with her hard-hitting role.

The Punk Mary character was recognized as Walford’s original wild child. Her distinctive stubborn and defensive nature stood out. In fact, her misfortune was mostly because of her irresponsible behavior and her refusal to listen to good advice.

She left the soap after she was offered a role by the playwright Steven Berkoff. She also went onto portray in films, such as First of the Summer Wine, The House of Eliott, and The Bill. She finally quit acting in 1999 to pursue her passion for writing, and she is currently working for Discovery Communications.