Michael Elphick was well-known before “Boon”. He typically turned up in cameo “third thug from the left” parts as a burly, gravel-voiced Cockney, in films such as “Gorky Park” and “The Krays”. His first major TV role was in “Private Schultz”, where he played the eponymous anti-hero, a lowly German soldier during World War II who was given the task of attempting to smuggle forged money into England to destroy the British economy. He also appeared in a sitcom, “Three Up, Two Down”. Since leaving “Boon”, he appeared in “Harry” as Harry Salter, a ruthless journalist who ran a news-gathering agency in Darlington, and as Harry Slater (note the very similar name) in Eastenders. Despite his East-End-of-London accent, he actually came from Chichester.
David Daker had appeared in minor roles in dramas such as “Z Cars”, “The Sweeney”, “Rising Damp” and “Juliet Bravo”. Since “Boon”, he played a man accused of murdering his wife, in “Resort To Murder”, as well as guest-starring in episodes of “Casualty”, “Dangerfield” and “Midsomer Murders”.
Rachel Davies typically played the brassy prostitute-with-the-heart-of-gold in dramas such as “Tales of the Unexpected” and “Band of Gold”. Since leaving “Boon” she became well-known for a while as Shirley Turner in “Emmerdale Farm” and has recently appeared in “Born To Run”.
Neil Morrissey has become well-known since leaving “Boon” as Tony, one of the “Men Behaving Badly”, together with Martin Clunes. He is also the voice of “Bob the Builder”. Neil Morrissey used to be married to Amanda Noar (“Wheels Of Fortune”) and was later engaged to Elizabeth Carling for a while.
Lesley-Anne Sharpe (not to be confused with Lesley Sharp) has also appeared in “The Boys From The Black Stuff” and in “Brookside” (playing Dawn Finney).
Amanda Burton had played Heather Havisham in “Brookside” before appearing in “Boon”. Since then, she has played Dr Beth Glover in “Peak Practice” and Dr Sam Ryan in “Silent Witness”.
Teddie Thompson has since played a hospital registrar, Dr Alison Makin, in several series of “Medics”.
Barbara Durkin seems to have become typecast as a hotel receptionist. After a long absence from the screen, she recently appeared as a hotel receptionist in “Gold” (previously “Band Of Gold”) and as Susan, the hotel receptionist in “I’m Alan Partridge”. The trademark high-pitched girlish voice is still in evidence!
Brigit Forsyth was best known as Thelma, the long-suffering wife of Bob (Rodney Bewes), in “The Likely Lads”. She also played a GP in “The Practice”, a short-lived ITV soap from the mid 1980s set in a doctors’ surgery.
Elizabeth Carling, who comes from Middlesbrough, had sung in a local band before appearing in “Boon”, but Laura Marsh was her first acting role. She has since appeared in “Medics” (as a student doctor who became infatuated with one of the registrars), in recent episodes of “Men Behaving Badly” (as a girl who lived next door to Neil Morrissey and Martin Clunes) and as Wendy, the girlfriend of Jed Shepperd, in “Crocodile Shoes”. She had a major role in “Goodnight Sweetheart”, having taken over the character of Phoebe from Dervla Kirwan, and appeared as Dr Selena Donovan in “Casualty”. Elizabeth Carling used to be engaged to Neil Morrissey. She has a twin sister – coincidentally called Laura!
Saskia Wickham played the title role in the historical drama “Clarissa”. Since leaving Boon, she has appeared in an episode of “Circles of Deceit” (alongside Dennis Waterman) and as Dr Erica Matthews in “Peak Practice”. She also played Tory MP, Claudia Seabrook, in the highly-acclaimed BBC drama “Our Friends From The North”. The name “Saskia” is Dutch in origin. She is the daughter of actor Jeffrey Wickham and the sister of actor Rupert Wickham. She is married to director Bob Bierman.
Notes and episode list © Martin Underwood, 1999
Page last modified: 05 November 2020, 22:04