Elsie Tanner

Elsie Tanner
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by	Pat Phoenix
Duration	1960–1973 1976–1984
First appearance	Episode 1 9 December 1960
Last appearance	Episode 2375 4 January 1984
Classification	Former; regular
Created by	Tony Warren
Introduced by	Stuart Latham (1960) Bill Podmore (1976)
Book appearances	Coronation Street: The Complete Saga Coronation Street: The War Years
In-universe information Other names Elsie Howard Elsie Gregory Occupation Shop assistant Retail clerk Factory supervisor Machinist Café manageress Barmaid Bar owner Father Arthur Grimshaw Mother Alice Grimshaw Brothers Jack Grimshaw Sisters Phyllis Bailey Fay Butler Ethel Grimshaw Connie Grimshaw Iris Grimshaw Freda Grimshaw Nancy Grimshaw Polly Grimshaw Husband Arnold Tanner (1939–1962) Steve Tanner (1967–1968) Alan Howard (1970–1978) Bill Gregory (1984–2004) Sons Dennis Tanner Daughters Linda Cheveski Stepsons Mark Howard (1970–1978) Grandsons Paul Cheveski Martin Cheveski Nephews Gary Bailey Bernard Butler Nieces Sandra Butler First cousins Arnley Grimshaw Other relatives Colin Grimshaw Eileen Grimshaw Julie Carp Jason Grimshaw Todd Grimshaw Billy Platt

Elsie Tanner (also Howard) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Pat Phoenix from the series' inception in 1960 to 1973, and again from 1976 until 1984. Elsie Tanner was one of the original core characters on Coronation Street and appeared in the first episode. She is considered to be an icon in soap history and regarded as one of the greatest ever characters to appear in Coronation Street.

Her final appearance came in January 1984, when Elsie emigrated to Portugal. Phoenix decided to quit the series in 1983 to pursue other projects.

Three years after leaving, Phoenix died, and a few months later, in the VHS special The Lives and Loves of Elsie Tanner, Anne Cunningham returned as Elsie's daughter Linda, hinting about Elsie's previous passing and including archive footage for flashbacks. However, 24 years later, when Philip Lowrie returned as Elsie's son Dennis Tanner, it was revealed that Elsie had died in a car crash, along with Bill Gregory, circa 2004/2005, meaning that the VHS release is not part of the canon of the show (on which these events have not been mentioned).

In 2011, it was revealed that she and her son Dennis were related to Eileen Grimshaw and Julie Carp, as Elsie's cousin, Arnley Grimshaw, was their grandfather.