Michael John Elphick (19 September 1946 – 7 September 2002) was an English film and television actor. He played the eponymous private investigator in the ITV series '' Boon'' and Harry Slater in BBC's '' EastEnders''. He was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the 1983 film '' Gorky Park''. In his prime, Elphick always looked older than he was, and with his gruff Sussex accent and lip-curling sneer he often played menacing hard men. Elphick struggled with a highly publicised

addiction to alcohol Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predominan ...

; at the height of his problem he admitted to consuming two litres of spirits a day, which contributed to his death from a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which m ...

in 2002.

Early life

Elphick grew up in

Chichester Chichester () is a cathedral city and civil parish in West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. It is the only ...

, Sussex, where his family had a butcher's shop. He was educated at Lancastrian Secondary Modern Boys School in Chichester, where he took part in several school productions including ''Noah'' and ''A Midsummer Night's Dream''. He initially considered joining the Merchant Navy and helped out in his local boatyard during school holidays. It has been reported that he stumbled upon acting by chance when, at the age of 15, he took a job as an

apprentice Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners to gain a ...

electrician An electrician is a tradesperson specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, transmission lines, stationary machines, and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenanc ...

at the

Chichester Festival Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre is a theatre and Grade II* listed building situated in Oaklands Park in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. Designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, it was opened by its founder Leslie Evershed-Martin ...

while it was being built. He gained an interest in acting whilst watching stars such as

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage o ...

Michael Redgrave Sir Michael Scudamore Redgrave CBE (20 March 1908 – 21 March 1985) was an English stage and film actor, director, manager and author. He received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in '' Mourning Becomes El ...

and

Sybil Thorndike Dame Agnes Sybil Thorndike, Lady Casson (24 October 18829 June 1976) was an English actress whose stage career lasted from 1904 to 1969. Trained in her youth as a concert pianist, Thorndike turned to the stage when a medical problem with her ...

. Olivier advised Elphick to go to drama school and gave him two speeches to use at auditions. Elphick was offered a number of places but decided to train at the Central School of Speech and Drama in

Swiss Cottage Swiss Cottage is an area of Hampstead in the London Borough of Camden, England. It is centred on the junction of Avenue Road and Finchley Road and includes Swiss Cottage tube station. Swiss Cottage lies north-northwest of Charing Cross. ...

(aged 18), because Olivier had attended there.

Career

After graduating from drama school Elphick was offered roles primarily as menacing heavies. He made his debut in ''Fraulein Doktor'' (an Italian-made

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...

film circa 1968). He went on to play the Captain in

Tony Richardson Cecil Antonio "Tony" Richardson (5 June 1928 – 14 November 1991) was an English theatre and film director and producer whose career spanned five decades. In 1964, he won the Academy Award for Best Director for the film '' Tom Jones''. Earl ...

's version of ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depi ...

'' (1969); landed parts in cult films such as '' The First Great Train Robbery'' and '' The Elephant Man'' and appeared in

Lindsay Anderson Lindsay Gordon Anderson (17 April 1923 – 30 August 1994) was a British feature-film, theatre and documentary director, film critic, and leading-light of the Free Cinema movement and of the British New Wave. He is most widely remembered f ...

's allegorical ''

O Lucky Man! ''O Lucky Man!'' is a 1973 British comedy-drama fantasy film directed by Lindsay Anderson, and starring Malcolm McDowell as Mick Travis, whom McDowell had first played as a disaffected public schoolboy in his first film performance in An ...

'' (1973). He was also seen as

Phil Daniels Philip William Daniels (born 25 October 1958) is an English actor, musician and singer, most noted for film and television roles playing Londoners, such as the lead role of Jimmy Cooper in ''Quadrophenia'', Richards in '' Scum'', Stewart in '' T ...

' father in the cult film ''

Quadrophenia ''Quadrophenia'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band the Who, released as a double album on 26 October 1973 by Track Records. It is the group's third rock opera, the two previous being the "mini-opera" song "A Quick One, Whi ...

'' (1979), as Pasha in '' Gorky Park'' (1983) and as the poacher, Jake, in ''

Withnail & I ''Withnail and I'' is a 1987 British black comedy film written and directed by Bruce Robinson. Loosely based on Robinson's life in London in the late 1960s, the plot follows two unemployed actors, Withnail and "I" (portrayed by Richard E. Gran ...

'' (1987). In 1984 he played the lead, Fisher, a British detective recalling under hypnosis a dystopian, crumbling Europe and his hunt for a serial killer in Lars von Trier's

Palme D'Or The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...

nominated debut film, '' The Element of Crime''. On stage, Elphick played Marcellus and the Player King in Tony Richardson's stage version of ''Hamlet'' at the Roundhouse Theatre and on Broadway and he later played Claudius to

Jonathan Pryce Sir Jonathan Pryce (born John Price; 1 June 1947) is a Welsh actor who is known for his performances on stage and in film and television. He has received numerous awards, including two Tony Awards and two Laurence Olivier Awards. In 2021 he wa ...

's Hamlet at the

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a West End theatre#London's non-commercial theatres, non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal ...

, directed by

Richard Eyre Sir Richard Charles Hastings Eyre (born 28 March 1943) is an English film, theatre, television and opera director. Biography Eyre was born in Barnstaple, Devon, England, the son of Richard Galfridus Hastings Giles Eyre and his wife, Minna Ma ...

. In 1981 he appeared in the Ray Davies/

Barrie Keeffe __NOTOC__ Barrie Colin Keeffe (31 October 1945 – 10 December 2019) was an English dramatist and screenwriter. Best known for his screenplay for the gangster classic, ''The Long Good Friday'' (1980), starring Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren, Keeff ...

musical ''

Chorus Girls ''Chorus Girls'' was a 1981 musical written by The Kinks lead singer and songwriter Ray Davies, who collaborated with ''The Long Good Friday'' screenwriter Barrie Keeffe. It opened at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, London starring Marc Sinde ...

'' at the

Theatre Royal, Stratford East The Theatre Royal Stratford East is a 460 seat Victorian producing theatre in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham. Since 1953, it has been the home of the Theatre Workshop company, famously associated with director Joan Littlewood, whose s ...

and he was also seen in '' The Changing Room'', directed by Lindsay Anderson, at the Royal Court Theatre. His last West End stage appearance was in 1997 as Doolittle in '' Pygmalion'' directed by Ray Cooney at the Albery Theatre. However, it was for his television roles that Elphick became best known. He briefly appeared in ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based ...

'' (1974) as Douglas Wormold, son of the landlord Edward, who for many years owned most of the properties in the road. Douglas unsuccessfully tried to buy the newsagent shop The Kabin from Len Fairclough. He played three characters in the popular

Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...

series ''

Crown Court The Crown Court is the court of first instance of England and Wales responsible for hearing all indictable offences, some either way offences and appeals lied to it by the magistrates' courts. It is one of three Senior Courts of England and Wale ...

''—in 1973 as a defendant, in 1975 as a witness (Frank Hollins, private secretary to a female soprano in the episode ''Songbirds out of Tune''), and from 1975 to 1983 as the barrister Neville Griffiths Q.C.. He played one of the main roles in the film ''Black Island'' in 1978 for the Children's Film Foundation, played a villain in ''

The Sweeney ''The Sweeney'' is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective ...

'' episode "One of Your Own" (1978) and played a policeman in '' The Professionals'' episode "Backtrack" (1979) and had a minor role in ''

Hazell Hazell is a name of British origin, and may refer to: People Surname *Andy Hazell (born 1978), British rugby player *Bert Hazell (1907–2009), British politician *Bob Hazell (born 1959), British football player * Charles Hazell, Canadian archi ...

'' (1979), and appeared in the

Dennis Potter Dennis Christopher George Potter (17 May 1935 – 7 June 1994) was an English television dramatist, screenwriter and journalist. He is best known for his BBC television serials '' Pennies from Heaven'' (1978), '' The Singing Detective'' (1 ...

play ''

Blue Remembered Hills "Blue Remembered Hills" is the 14th episode of ninth season of the British BBC anthology TV series '' Play for Today''. The episode was a television play that was originally broadcast on 30 January 1979. "Blue Remembered Hills" was written by De ...

'' (1979). Elphick took the title role in Jack Pulman's six part comedy-drama ''

Private Schulz ''Private Schulz'' is a 1981 BBC television comedy drama serial set mostly in Germany, during and immediately after World War II. It stars Michael Elphick in the title role and Ian Richardson playing various parts. Other notable actors included ...

'' (1981). Here he played alongside

Ian Richardson Ian William Richardson (7 April 19349 February 2007) was a Scottish actor. He portrayed the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's '' House of Cards'' (1990–1995) television trilogy. Richardson was also a leading S ...

the German forger Gerhard Schulz, who is conscripted into SS Counter Espionage during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

to destroy the British economy by flooding it with forged money. He appeared as the Irish labourer Magowan during the first series of ''

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet ''Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'' () is a British comedy-drama television programme about seven British construction workers who leave the United Kingdom to search for employment overseas. In the first series, the men live and work on a building site i ...

'' (1983) and starred as Sidney Mundy in the ITV sitcom ''Pull the Other One'' (1984), before playing Sam Tyler in four series of ''

Three Up, Two Down ''Three Up, Two Down'' is a British sitcom starring Michael Elphick and Angela Thorne that ran from 1985 to 1989. It was written by Richard Ommanney. Cast *Michael Elphick as Sam Tyler *Angela Thorne as Daphne Trenchard *Lysette Anthony as Angi ...

'' (1985–89). In 1986 Elphick landed his biggest television success, '' Boon'' (1986–92, 1995). He played Ken Boon, a retired fireman who opened a motorbike despatch business and later became a private investigator. Boon was very successful and ran for seven series, attracting audiences of 11 million at its peak. There was also a one-off episode screened in 1995, two years after it had been made. During breaks from Boon, Elphick continued to act in film with cameo roles in '' The Krays'' (1990) and '' Let Him Have It'' (1991), and in 1991 he played Des King in '' Buddy's Song'', starring

Chesney Hawkes Chesney Lee Hawkes (born 22 September 1971) is an English pop singer and occasional actor. He started his career at the age of 19 when he appeared in the film '' Buddy's Song'', which featured his best-known single " The One and Only", which to ...

and

Roger Daltrey Roger Harry Daltrey (born 1 March 1944) is an English singer, musician and actor. He is a co-founder and the lead singer of the Rock music, rock band The Who. Daltrey's hit songs with The Who include "My Generation", "Pinball Wizard", "Won't Ge ...

. In 1993 Elphick took the role of a former

Fleet Street Fleet Street is a major street mostly in the City of London. It runs west to east from Temple Bar at the boundary with the City of Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the London Wall and the River Fleet from which the street was n ...

journalist running a

Darlington Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. The River Skerne flows through the town; it is a tributary of the River Tees. The Tees itself flows south of the town. In the 19th century, Darlington under ...

news agency in '' Harry'' (1993, 1995). He played the alcoholic and ruthless Harry Salter, who frequently used exploitation and underhand tactics to get a story. This series however was less successful and it was soon cancelled. Elphick went on to play Billy Bones in

Ken Russell Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell (3 July 1927 – 27 November 2011) was a British film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. His films in the main were liberal adaptation ...

's televised version of ''

Treasure Island ''Treasure Island'' (originally titled ''The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys''Hammond, J. R. 1984. "Treasure Island." In ''A Robert Louis Stevenson Companion'', Palgrave Macmillan Literary Companions. London: Palgrave Macmillan. .) is an adventure n ...

'' (1995) and Barkis in ''

David Copperfield ''David Copperfield'' Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work, see is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from inf ...

'' (1999). In 2001 he joined the cast of '' EastEnders'', where he played Harry Slater, a romantic interest for

Peggy Mitchell Margaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell (also Butcher) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared in the episode broadcast on 30 April 1991, featuring in 10 episode ...

(

Barbara Windsor Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the ''Carry On'' films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera, ''EastEnders''.Kat Slater Kathleen "Kat" Slater (also Moon) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Jessie Wallace. She is also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001 and Sumar-Elise Sandford in a flashback in 2018. Kat is the se ...

(

Jessie Wallace Karen Jane Wallace (born 25 September 1971), known professionally as Jessie Wallace, is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Kat Slater on the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' since 2000. Her role as Kat won her the Nat ...

), at the age of 13 and her "sister" Zoe ( Michelle Ryan) was the daughter born to her when she became pregnant by him. Elphick's heavy drinking began to affect his performances, so the character promptly left the series and was killed off off-screen.

Personal life

Elphick met his long-term partner, schoolteacher Julia Alexander, in 1963 and remained with her until her death from

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bl ...

in 1996. The couple had a daughter, Kate. For many years Elphick struggled with

alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomina ...

. He made the first of many attempts to stop drinking in 1988. He sought help from Alcoholics Anonymous in the early 1990s, although he admitted he was still drinking in 1993. In 1996, he admitted that he had begun drinking heavily again and also contemplated

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and ...

after the death of his partner of 33 years. However he rallied and returned to the stage in ''Loot''. The actor also confessed to having taken

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Am ...

and once, while high on drugs, grabbing a shotgun and chasing a gang of thugs after he had been

carjacked Carjacking is a robbery in which the item taken over is a motor vehicle.Michael Cherbonneau, "Carjacking," in ''Encyclopedia of Social Problems'', Vol. 1 (SAGE, 2008: ed. Vincent N. Parrillo), pp. 110-11. In contrast to car theft, carjacking is ...

near his villa in Portugal. During the late eighties and early nineties, he had a brief, but ultimately unsuccessful business interest in The White Swan public house at

Henley-in-Arden Henley-in-Arden (also known as simply Henley) is a town in the Stratford-on-Avon District in Warwickshire, England. The name is a reference to the former Forest of Arden. Henley is known for its variety of historic buildings, some of which date ...

. Elphick was admitted to the Priory Hospital in

Roehampton Roehampton is an area in southwest London, in the Putney SW15 postal district, and takes up a far western strip running north to south of the London Borough of Wandsworth. It contains a number of large council house estates and is home to the U ...

, in an attempt to beat his addictions. Reports of his alcohol abuse persisted, however, and during his brief spell on ''EastEnders'' during 2001, it was reported that the BBC was considering dropping his character if his drinking was not curtailed.

Death

On 7 September 2002, Elphick died of a heart attack complicated by his drinking problem. He had collapsed at his home in Willesden Green, London, after complaining of pains. He was rushed to hospital where he died, aged 55, shortly before his 56th birthday. His funeral was held at Chichester

Crematorium A crematorium or crematory is a venue for the cremation of the dead. Modern crematoria contain at least one cremator (also known as a crematory, retort or cremation chamber), a purpose-built furnace. In some countries a crematorium can also ...

Filmography

*'' Fraulein Doktor'' (1968) as Tom *'' Where's Jack?'' (1969) as Hogarth *''

'' (1969) as Captain *'' Parkin's Patch'' (1970) as Thomas *''The Best Things in Life'' (1970) as Jed Lucas *'' Cry of the Banshee'' (1970) as Burke *'' The Buttercup Chain'' (1970) as The Driver *''

Armchair Theatre ''Armchair Theatre'' is a British television drama anthology series of single plays that ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by ABC Weekend TV. Its successor Thames Television took over from mid-1968. The Canad ...

'' (1971) as Robert Delmonds *'' The Misfit'' (1971, TV Series) as Mike Halloran *'' See No Evil'' (1971) as Gypsy Tom *'' Albert and Victoria'' (1971) as Nigel Godfrey *''Adult Fun'' (1972) as Garage Manager *''Country Matters'' (1973) as Jack *'' Adam Smith'' (1973) as Ben Davies *''

'' (1973) as Bill *'' And Now the Screaming Starts!'' (1973) as Drunk (uncredited) *''

Justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...

'' (1973, TV Series) as Peter Rodwell *'' Orson Welles Great Mysteries'' (1973) as Gorenflot *''Amchair Theatre'' (1973) as Chopper / Best Man *''

New Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London, Greater London's London boroughs, 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the s ...

'' (1973) as Al Farmer *''

'' (1973-1983, TV Series) as Simon Chase *''

'' (1974) as Joss Adrian *''

ITV Playhouse ''Playhouse'' is a British television anthology series that ran from 1967 to 1983, which featured contributions from playwrights such as Dennis Potter, Rhys Adrian and Alan Sharp. The series began in black and white, but was later shot in colou ...

'' (1974-1979, TV Series) as Norma's Friend / Barrister at Partyzs / Oscar / Jack *''The Nearly Man'' (1974) as Ron Hibbert *'' The Brothers'' (1974, TV Series) as Patrolman *''

'' (1974) as Douglas Wormold *''

'' (1975–1983, TV Series) as Neville Griffiths QC / Frank Hollins *''

The Nearly Man ''The Nearly Man'' is a UK TV play and series from the mid-1970s, about a middle-class Labour MP. Both play and series were written by Arthur Hopcraft; actors in the cast of both include Tony Britton in the title role, Wilfred Pickles, Ann Fi ...

'' (1975) as Ron Hibbert *''

Three Men in a Boat ''Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)'',The Penguin edition punctuates the title differently: ''Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog!'' published in 1889, is a humorous account by English writer Jerome K. Jerome of a tw ...

'' (1975) as 2nd Porter *'' Hadleigh'' (1976, TV Series) as Brian Ainsworth *''BBC2 Playhouse'' (1976) as Frank / Charlie / Eddie *''Holding On'' (1977) as Charlie Wheelright *''This Year Next Year'' (1977) as Jack Shaw *''

Last Summer ''Last Summer'' is a 1969 Teen Drama, teen drama film about adolescent sexuality based on the 1968 novel of the same name by Evan Hunter. Director Frank Perry filmed at Fire Island, New York, Fire Island locations. It stars Catherine Burns, Bar ...

'' (1977) as Oscar *''ITV Sunday Night Drama'' (1977) as Himself *''Saturday, Sunday, Monday'' (1978) as Michel *''

'' (1978, TV Series) as Griffiths *''Send in the Girls'' (1978) as Jimmy *''

Play for Today ''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stag ...

'' (1978-1979, TV Series) as Thomas Venables/Peter *'' The Ghosts of Motley Hall'' (1978) as Captain Narcissus Bullock *'' The Odd Job'' (1978) as Raymonde *'' The One and Only Phyllis Dixey'' (1978) as Wallace Parnell *''

'' (1978) as Jimmy Fleet *'' The Knowledge'' (1979) as Gordon Weller *'' The First Great Train Robbery'' (1979) as Burgess *''

'' (1979) as Jimmy's Father *'' The Professionals'' (1979, TV Series) as Sergeant Garbett *''The Quiz Kid'' (1979) as Jack *''Black Island'' (1979) as Jack Daker *''

Cribb ''Cribb'' (''Sergeant Cribb'' in North America) is a television police drama, which debuted in 1979 as a 90-minute TV film from Granada Television in the United Kingdom. Later, thirteen 50-minute episodes were produced, which ran from 1980 t ...

'' (1980) as Sol Herriott *'' The Elephant Man'' (1980) as Night Porter *'' Shoestring'' (1980, TV Series) as Pete Johnson *''

Masada Masada ( he, מְצָדָה ', "fortress") is an ancient fortification in the Southern District of Israel situated on top of an isolated rock plateau, akin to a mesa. It is located on the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert, overlooking the ...

'' (1981, TV Mini-series) as Vettius *''

'' (1981) as Gerhard Schulz *''Roger Doesn't Live Here Anymore'' (1981) as Stanley *''Tony'' (1981–1988, TV Series) as Johnny Magowan *'' Andy Robson'' (1982) as Jake Carnaby *'' Smiley's People'' (1982, TV Mini-series) as Detective Chief Superintendent *''Bird Fancier'' (1983) as Darville *''Bloomfield'' (1983) as Billy Gibbs *'' Privates on Parade'' (1983) as Sergeant Major Reg Drummond *'' Krull'' (1983) as Rhun (voice, uncredited) *''

Curse of the Pink Panther ''Curse of the Pink Panther'' is a 1983 comedy film and a continuation of '' The Pink Panther'' series of films created by Blake Edwards in the early 1960s. The film was one of two produced concurrently following the death of the series' star ...

'' (1983) as Valencia Police Chief *'' Gorky Park'' (1983) as Pasha *''

'' (1983–84) as Magowan *''

Memed My Hawk ''Memed My Hawk'' is a 1984 British-Yugoslav drama film directed by Peter Ustinov (the final film he directed) and starring Ustinov, Herbert Lom, Denis Quilley and Michael Elphick. It is an adaptation of the 1955 Turkish novel ''Memed, My Hawk'' ...

'' (1984) as Jabbar *'' The Element of Crime'' (1984) as Fisher *'' Ordeal by Innocence'' (1984) as Inspector Huish *''Pull the Other One'' (1984) as Sidney Mundy *''Arthur's Hallowed Ground'' (1984) as Len *'' Oxbridge Blues'' (1984) as Curly Bonaventura *''

Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...

'' (1984) as Dogberry *''

'' (1985–89) as

Sam Tyler DCI/DI Sam Tyler is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, ''Life on Mars''. In the original British version of ''Life on Mars'', Tyler is played by John Simm and in the American version he is played by Ja ...

*'' Super Gran'' (1985) as Roly Roofless *'' Hitler's SS: Portrait in Evil'' (1985) as

Ernst Röhm Ernst Julius Günther Röhm (; 28 November 1887 – 1 July 1934) was a German military officer and an early member of the Nazi Party. As one of the members of its predecessor, the German Workers' Party, he was a close friend and early ally ...

*''Lake Starter'' (1985) as Jack Owen *'' Jenny's War'' (1985) as Schumann *''Tony'' (1985) as Johnny Magowan *'' The Supergrass'' (1985) as Constable Collins *'' Boon'' (1986–1995, TV Series) as Ken Boon *''

Pirates Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

'' (1986) as Sentry *''

Valhalla In Norse mythology Valhalla (;) is the anglicised name for non, Valhǫll ("hall of the slain").Orchard (1997:171–172) It is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. Half of those who die in combat ...

'' (1986) as Udgaardsloki (English version, voice) *''Fellows and Magowan'' (1987–91) as Johnny Magowan *''

'' (1987) as Jake *''

Little Dorrit ''Little Dorrit'' is a novel by Charles Dickens, originally published in serial form between 1855 and 1857. The story features Amy Dorrit, youngest child of her family, born and raised in the Marshalsea prison for debtors in London. Arthur Cl ...

'' (1987) as Mr Merdle *'' Asterix and the Big Fight'' (1989) as Crysus (English version, voice) *'' The Krays'' (1990) as George in Prison (uncredited) *'' I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle'' (1990) as Inspector Cleaver *'' Buddy's Song'' (1991) as Des King *'' Let Him Have It'' (1991) as Prison Officer Jack *''

Stanley and the Women ''Stanley and the Women'' is a British television drama miniseries starring John Thaw, Samuel West, Geraldine James, Sheila Gish, Penny Downie and Sian Thomas. This series based on the 1984 novel of the same name by Kingsley Amis and adapted f ...

'' (1991) as Bert Hutchinson *''The Ballad of Kid Divine: The Cockney Cowboy'' (1992) as Dr. Nathaniel Bonner *'' Harry'' (1993–1995, TV Series) as Harry Salter *'' Murder Most Horrid'' (1994) as Bill Todd *''

Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Bat ...

'' (1995) as 2nd Murderer (uncredited) *''Treasure Island'' (1995) as Billy Bones *'' Dangerfield'' (1997, TV Series) as Brian Taylor *'' The Fix'' (1997) as Peter Campling *''

'' (1999) as Barkis *''

Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big c ...

'' (2000, TV Mini-series) as Brickhill *''

The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983. The programme focused on ...

'' (2001) as George Stubbs *'' Baddiel's Syndrome'' (2001) as Drugs tsar *'' EastEnders'' (2001) as Harry Slater *'' Out of Bounds'' (2003) as Lionel Stubbs (final film role)

References

External links

*
BBC tribute page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elphick, Michael 1946 births 2002 deaths Alcohol-related deaths in England Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama English male soap opera actors English male film actors English male stage actors People from Chichester