Elsie Tanner leave Weatherfield. Her final appearance was screened at the beginning of 1984. Pat Phoenix died of lung cancer in September 1986 at the age of 62. Elsie, her character, died in a car crash, at the age of 81 in 2004 after leaving Weatherfield 20 years earlier, although it was not mentioned in the show until 2011. Elsie Tanner Elsie Tanner (also Grimshaw, Howard and Gregory) 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 from 1976 until 1984. Elsie Tanner was one of
Mary Taylor (Coronation Street) delivery that induces side-splitting hilarity – and, brilliantly, hilarity laced with a sense of the sinister." A writer from the "Belfast Telegraph" branded Mary "the wonderful sidekick of Norris" and found her "a joy to watch" compared to other characters. They added "Mary is the gloriously comic yet poignant creation of the brilliant actress Patti Clare who plays her - she conceived the misfit spinster character herself." Mary Taylor (Coronation Street) Mary Cole (also Taylor) is a fictional character from the British television ITV soap opera, "Coronation Street", portrayed by actress Patti Clare. The character first appeared on screen during