Biography
Michael John Elphick (19 September 1946 – 7 September 2002) was an English actor. He trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama after being encouraged by Laurence Olivier while working as an electrician at the Chichester Festival Theatre.
Elphick appeared in films including The Elephant Man (1980), Quadrophenia (1979), Gorky Park (1983) – for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor – The Element of Crime (1984) and Withnail & I (1987) as Jake. On television he played the title role in the ITV series Boon and Harry Slater in BBC's EastEnders.
He was known for his gruff Sussex accent and often portrayed menacing or working-class characters.
