The film begins with wild African elephants striking down Merrick's mother on an uncharted African island. Soon after Merrick's mother is … See more

• Anthony Hopkins as Frederick Treves, a doctor who takes John from the freakshow to work in the hospital
• John Hurt as John Merrick, an intelligent, friendly, kind-hearted man who is … See more

A West End play of the same name was enjoying a successful Broadway run at the time of the film's production. The producers sued … See more

The musical score of The Elephant Man was composed and conducted by John Morris, and it was performed by the National … See more

Development
Producer Jonathan Sanger optioned the script from writers Christopher De Vore and Eric Bergren after receiving the script from his babysitter. … See more

Box office
The Elephant Man was a box office hit, grossing $26 million in the United States. In Japan, it was the … See more

Michael Jackson used excerpts from the film in his song "Morphine" from the 1997 remix album Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix.
The Jam's … See more