Pat Phoenix.
Pat Phoenix (born Patricia Pilkington) (26 November 1923-17 September 1986) was an English actress who played Elsie Tanner in Coronation Street from 1960 to 1973 and again from 1976 to 1983. Her final scenes in character aired in early January 1984, but they were filmed in late 1983.
Pre Coronation Street Career[]
Born Patricia Frederica Manfield on the 26th November 1923 at St Mary's Hospital, Oxford Road in Fallowfield, Manchester. Her father was Thomas Manfield. Her mother Anne Manfield (Nee Noonan) was Irish, and Pat used to say that she herself was born in Ireland. But Pat later said she was merely agreeing with something her mother said to the press. As a young woman, Pat joined the theatre. She married her first husband Peter Marsh in 1953. She joined the Arts Theatre in Manchester and other repertory companies. Pat had numerous roles in films in the 1950s.
Coronation Street[]
Phoenix gained fame and fortune when she joined the cast of Coronation Street in 1960, playing vixen Elsie Tanner. Pat was 37 in 1960 but Elsie was meant to be about 43 in 1960, seeing as her daughter Linda was born about 1935. Elsie was soon de-aged as were Linda and Dennis to make Elsie the same age as the actress. Elsie Tanner became a major character, thus making Pat a household name. Pat later married her colleague Alan Browning who played her on screen husband Alan Howard, who had married Elsie in 1970. In 1973, Pat Phoenix decided to leave the role after 13 years to return to the theatre.
During her 3 years away from the show, Pat struggled to find acting work, and in 1976, Bill Podmore asked if she would return to Coronation Street. Pat agreed. This enhanced the so called "Golden Era" of the show, 1976-1984. Elsie still remained a woman who liked to have flings with younger men and have one night stands while being a mother figure to her lodgers.
In March 1983, it was rumoured that she was quitting but Pat said she was staying put. However later in the year it was said she was quitting the show due to her disagreement about toning down a now 60 year old Elsie's character. Pat filmed her final scenes in late November 1983, to be aired in early January 1984 where Elsie left Weatherfield for the last time for a new life in Portugal with her old flame Bill Gregory.
After Coronation Street[]
Pat Phoenix in 1985, a year after she left Corrie for good.
Pat had a few TV roles after leaving Coronation Street. In 1985 she did an interview on Michael Aspel's talk show.
In March 1986, Pat collapsed at home and was diagnosed with lung cancer. She married her 3rd husband Tony Booth on her deathbed, and died on the 17th September 1986 aged 62, just 2 and a half months short of her 63rd birthday.
Legacy[]
Even though Pat had been married 3 times, she never had any children. Pat has been played by a number of actresses in various dramas depicting her life.
In 2010, famous EastEnders actress Jessie Wallace played Pat in The Road to Coronation Street, a drama documenting the conception of Coronation Street through to its first transmission.