Alfred Lynch was born in the East End of London in 1931. Born the son of a plumber, he quit school to become a draughtsman's apprentice. After doing his National Service in the Army he began to train as an actor, coming out as a real talent of British cinema with critically acclaimed roles in Coventry and the Royal Court in London. In the 1950s and '60s, he seemed a natural pick for the working class kitchen sink dramas given that he was short, sandy haired and a very down to earth and working class sort. He won a part in Look Back in Anger (1959), which allowed him to achieve greater fame in films during the 1960s. In the 1970s, he slowed his work down onscreen but continued to do work in theatres and had a return to the big screen in The Krays (1990) in 1990. He died of cancer after a long battle, aged 72.

His partner was actor James Culliford .