Leslie Phillips obit

Leslie Phillips: Carry On and Harry Potter star dies aged 98

 

 He was not on the list.

Actor Leslie Phillips, who was known for appearing in the Carry On films, has died aged 98 after a long illness.

Phillips was also familiar to younger fans as the voice of the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter films.

His wife Zara told the Sun: "I've lost a wonderful husband and the public has lost a truly great showman.

"He was quite simply a national treasure. People loved him. He was mobbed everywhere he went."

Phillips' agent Jonathan Lloyd confirmed the star died peacefully in his sleep on Monday.

The comic actor starred in more than 200 films, TV and radio series over his eight-decade career.

He was known for catchphrases such as "Ding dong" - a reference to the name of his character Jack Bell in 1959's Carry on Nurse - "I say" and "Well, hello", which he delivered with suggestive intonation.

While he only starred in four of the 31 Carry On films, the actor said his famous catchphrases followed him for the rest of his career.

 

His death - which comes two years after Barbara Windsor's - leaves Jim Dale, 86, as the last surviving regular from the Carry On films.

Coronation Street actor Tony Maudsley, who worked with Phillips, was among those paying tribute, tweeting: "RIP Leslie Phillips. Working with him was a joy. And yes he did say DING DONG (because I asked him to)."

Actor and comedian Sanjeev Bhaskar shared a video of the "wonderful" Phillips on his own BBC show, The Kumars at No 42, in which the late star recalled how he once found himself stuck in the London Underground surrounded by members of the public demanding he do his catchphrases.

Bhaskar recalled him as "a truly warm, funny and gentle man".

Trainspotting writer Irvine Welsh posted his own tribute to Phillips, who he exchanged messages with online, saying he "always liked his pater".

Broadcaster Piers Morgan said it was "sad news", describing Phillips as a "wonderful character and superb comedy actor".

Author Melanie Blake added: "Another legend gone, thanks for the entertainment old chap."

Although he became known for his plummy accent and exaggerated portrayals of the English upper-class, Phillips was born in Tottenham, north London, speaking estuary English.

He attended Italia Conti Stage School before serving as a lieutenant in the Durham Light Infantry during World War Two - between 1942 and 1945, when he was invalided out.

The 1930s had marked his first film appearances, but it was later in his career, in 1959 and 1960, when he starred in Carry On Nurse, Carry On Teacher and Carry On Constable.

He became well known for his appearances in the Doctor film franchise - succeeding Dirk Bogarde in films like 1960's Doctor in Love - as well as in a series of fast-moving comedies that teamed him with Scots comedian and impressionist Stanley Baxter.

He also appeared in Brothers In Law, The Smallest Show On Earth and The Man Who Liked Funerals.

For 17 years he appeared alongside Ronnie Barker and Jon Pertwee on hit BBC radio show The Navy Lark.

He also took on dramatic roles, including a Bafta-nominated appearance opposite Peter O'Toole in 2006's Venus.

A long-term fan of Tottenham Hotspur, Phillips appeared on the pitch as part of the half-time entertainment during the team's home match against Swansea City in 2012.

Phillips was made an OBE in the 1998 Birthday Honours list and was promoted to CBE in the 2008 New Year Honours.

The actor suffered two strokes six months apart at the age of 90.

Filmography

Film

Year       Title       Role       Notes    Ref.

1938      Lassie from Lancashire   Small role            Uncredited        

1938      The Citadel          Small role            Uncredited        

1938      Climbing High    Small role            Uncredited        

1939      The Mikado        Boy        Uncredited        

1939      The Four Feathers            Boy at Parade    Uncredited        

1940      The Proud Valley              Small Role           Uncredited        

1940      The Thief of Bagdad        Urchin   Uncredited        

1943      Rhythm Serenade            Soldier Uncredited        

1946      The Magic Bow Audience Member          Uncredited        

1948      Anna Karenina   Small Role           Uncredited        

1948      The Red Shoes   Audience Member          Uncredited        

1949      Train of Events Fireman                               

1950      The Woman with No Name          Officer                 

1951      Pool of London Harry                    

1951      The Galloping Major       Reporter              Uncredited        

1952      The Sound Barrier            Controller            Uncredited        

1953      Time Bomb         Police Sergeant Uncredited        

1953      The Fake              Boy Student                      

1953      The Limping Man             Cameron                             

1954      You Know What Sailors Are          Embassy Secretary           Uncredited        

1955      As Long as They're Happy             Box Office Manager                        

1955      Value for Money              Robjohns                            

1956      The Gamma People         Howard Meade                

1956      The Big Money Receptionist                      

1957      The Barretts of Wimpole Street Harry Bevan                       

1957      Brothers in Law                 Shop Assistant                  

1957      The Smallest Show on Earth         Robin Carter                      

1957      High Flight           Squadron Leader Blake                 

1957      Les Girls               Sir Gerald Wren                               

1957      Just My Luck       Hon. Richard Lumb                         

1958      I Was Monty's Double    Major Tennant                 

1959      The Navy Lark    Lt. Pouter                           

1959      The Man Who Liked Funerals      Simon Hurd                       

1959      The Angry Hills Ray Taylor                          

1959      Carry On Nurse Jack Bell                              

1959      Carry On Teacher             Alistair Grigg                     

1959      The Night We Dropped a Clanger              Squadron Leader Thomas                            

1959      Please Turn Over              Dr. Henry Manners                         

1959      Fernando I: King of Naples            Pat                        

1959      This Other Eden                Crispin Brown                   

1960      Inn for Trouble John Belcher                     

1960      Carry On Constable         PC Tom Potter                  

1960      Doctor in Love   Dr. Tony Burke                 

1960      Watch Your Stern             Lt. Cmdr. Bill Fanshawe                

1960      No Kidding          David Robinson                                

1961      A Weekend with Lulu     Timothy Gray                    

1961      Very Important Person Flying Officer Jimmy Cooper DFC                              

1961      Raising the Wind              Mervyn Hughes                               

1962      Crooks Anonymous         Dandy Forsdyke                               

1962      In the Doghouse               Jimmy Fox-Upton                           

1962      The Longest Day               RAF Officer Mac                               

1962      The Fast Lady     Freddie Fox                        

1964      Father Came Too!            Roddy Chipfield                                

1965      You Must Be Joking!        Young Husband                                

1966      Doctor in Clover                Dr. Gaston Grimsdyke                   

1967      Maroc 7               Raymond Lowe                

1970      Some Will, Some Won't                 Simon Russell                    

1970      Doctor in Trouble             Dr. Tony Burke                 

1971      The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins           Dickie                   

1973      Not Now, Darling              Gilbert Bodley                  

1974      Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!       Sir William Mainwaring-Brown                  

1975      Spanish Fly          Mike Scott                          

1976      Not Now, Comrade          Commander Rimmington                             

1985      Out of Africa       Sir Joseph                           

1987      Empire of the Sun            Maxton                               

1989      Scandal                 Lord Astor                          

1990      Mountains of the Moon                Mr. Arundell                      

1991      King Ralph           Gordon Halliwell                              

1992      Carry On Columbus         King Ferdinand                 

1996      August Professor Alexander Blathwaite                

1997      Caught in the Act              Sydney Fisher                   

1997      The Jackal            Woolburton                       

1998      The Orgasm Raygun        The Inventor's   Voice    

2000      Saving Grace      Vicar                     

2001      Lara Croft: Tomb Raider                Wilson                 

2001      Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone              The Sorting Hat Voice    

2002      Thunderpants    Judge                   

2002      Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets               The Sorting Hat Voice    

2003      Collusion              Herbert Ames                   

2004      Millions                Leslie Phillips                     

2004      Churchill: The Hollywood Years Lord W'ruff                        

2005      Colour Me Kubrick           Freddie                                

2006      Venus   Ian                         

2008      Is There Anybody There?              Reg                       

2011      Late Bloomers   Leo                        

2011      Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2     The Sorting Hat Voice    

2012      After Death         Jeremiah Jones                

Television

Year       Title       Role       Notes    Ref.

1948      Morning Departure         Stoker Snipe       TV film

1951      BBC Sunday Night Theatre            Redpenny           Episode: "The Doctor's Dilemma"             

1952      The Poppenkast               Jan Klaassen       TV film

1952      My Wife Jacqueline         Tom Bridger       All 6 episodes   

1953      For Better, for Worse     Tony      TV film

1954      The Vise               Hugh Lawrence Episode: "Lucky Man"

1955      The Vise               George Episode: "The Better Chance"    

1955      The Adventures of Robin Hood   Sir William           Episode: "Friar Tuck"     

1955      The Adventures of Robin Hood   Count de Waldern            Episode: "Checkmate"  

1956      BBC Sunday Night Theatre            Willie Ragg          Episode: "Mrs. Moonlight"          

1956      ITV Television Playhouse               Det. Sgt. Bullock                Episode: "A Lady Mislaid"            

1956      Tracey and Me Wally     All 3 episodes   

1956      Adventure Theater          Jimmy   Episode: "The Stranger on the Sea"         

1956      The Adventures of Robin Hood   Wat Longfellow                 Episode: "A Village Wooing"       

1956      The Errol Flynn Theatre Venning               Episode: "The Red Geranium"    

1956      Beauty and the Beast      Crispin TV film

1957      Wire Service       Keynes Episode: "Atom at Spithead"      

1957      Hour of Mystery               Maurice Mullins                Episode: "A Murder Has Been Arranged"              

1957      O.S.S.    Foxie     Episode: "Operation Chopping Block"     

1957      ITV Play of the Week       Guy Robertson Episode: "A Voice in Vision"        

1958      Saturday Playhouse         Tom Gregory      Episode: "Heroes Don't Care"     

1958      Saturday Playhouse         Tom D'Arcy MP Episode: "Carry On, Admiral"     

1958      The Invisible Man             Sparrow               Episode: "Blind Justice"

1959      The Vise               Benson Episode: "The Girl from Rome"  

1960      The Adventures of Robin Hood   Herbert                Episode: "The Reluctant Rebel"

1963      Comedy Playhouse          Mr. Ferris            Episode: "Impasse"        

1963      Our Man at St. Mark's    Reverend Andrew Parker              7 episodes         

1965      Comedy Playhouse          Kingsley Binns    Episode: "The Time and Motion Man"    

1965      Armchair Theatre             Clive Breeze       Episode: "The Gong Game"         

1966      ITV Play of the Week       Jimmy Broadbent             Episode: "The Reluctant Debutante"       

1966      Foreign Affairs   Dennis Proudfoot             All 6 episodes   

1967      Blandings Castle               Reverend Esmond Gander           Episode: "Lord Emsworth and Company for Gertrude"                

1968      Armchair Theatre             Charlton               Episode: "A Very Fine Line"         

1969      Theatre Date      Victor Cadwallader          Episode: "The Man Most Likely to ..."     

1969      The Galton & Simpson Comedy Howard                Episode: "The Suit"         

1970      The Culture Vultures       Dr. Michael Cunningham               All 5 episodes   

1972      Father, Dear Father         Basil       Episode: "Unaccustomed as I Am"            

1973      Casanova '73      Henry Newhouse             All 7 episodes   

1979      The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe        Mr. Tumnus        Voice; TV film    

1983      Live from Pebble Mill      Alan       Episode: "Redundant! Or the Wife's Revenge"   

1985      Mr. Palfrey of Westminster          Rupert Styles      Episode: "Return to Sender"       

1986      You'll Never See Me Again            Det. Supt. Weston           TV film

1986      Monte Carlo       Baldwin                Both 2 episodes               

1987      Super Gran          P.O.W. Episode: "Supergran and the Birthday Dambuster"           

1988      Rumpole of the Bailey    Boxey Horne      Episode: "Rumpole and Portia"

1989      Summer's Lease                William Fosdyke               Episode: "Villa to Let"    

1990      The Comic Strip Presents...          Sir Horace Cutler              Episode: "GLC: The Carnage Continues..."             

1990      The Comic Strip Presents...          Dean      Episode: "Oxford"           

1990–1991          Chancer                James Blake        18 episodes       

1990      Who Bombed Birmingham?         Lord Chief Justice Lane   TV film

1991      Performance      Judge Michael Argyle      Episode: "The Trials of Oz"          

1990      Life After Life     Wing Commander Boyle                TV pilot                

1992      Thacker                George Thacker                TV film

1992      Boon     Alan Steen          Episode: "Blackballed"  

1993      Lovejoy                Major Eddie Turpin          Episode: "The Galloping Major"

1993      Screen One         Johnny Episode: "Royal Celebration"

1993      Performance      Vermandero      Episode: "The Changeling"          

1994      Bermuda Grace                 Sir Philip Harding              TV film

1994      Honey for Tea    Sir Dickie Hobhouse        All 7 episodes   

1994      The House of Windsor    Lord Montague Bermondsey      All 6 episodes   

1994      Love on a Branch Line     Lord Flamborough           All 4 episodes   

1994      Screen One         Viscount Osgood              Episode: "Two Golden Balls"       

1994      The Ruth Rendell Mysteries         Justin Whittaker               3 episodes         

1995      Woof!   Mr. Hawksmoor                Episode: "Dog Latin"      

1996      The Canterville Ghost     George, Lord Canterville                TV film

1996      The Kensington Cat         Sir John                TV film

1996      The Carousel of Death    Sir John                TV film

1996      The Blind             Sir John                TV film

1996      The Bill The Professor    Episode: "Cheating"       

1996      Tales from the Crypt       Mycroft Amberson          Episode: "Fatal Caper"  

1996      Dennis the Menace         Mr. Greenfly      Voice; Episode: "Wanted!"          

1997      The Pale Horse Lincoln Bradley TV film

1998      Liverpool 1          J Rex Negus        Episode: "Paper Trail"    

1999      Days Like These                Saint Peter          Episode: "Grandma's Dead"        

1999      Dalziel and Pascoe           James Westropp               Episode: "Recalled to Life"           

2000      Cinderella            Felim     TV film

2000      Take a Girl Like You         Lord Archie Edgerstone Episode: "Part 3"             

2000      Aladdin                 Prince Hugely Suave        TV film

2001–2004          Revolver              The Safecracker                7 episodes         

2001      Sword of Honour              Gervase Crouchback       TV film

2002      Outside the Rules             Hal Porter            2 episodes         

2002      Monarch of the Glen       Louis Grimshaw                Episode: #4.3    

2002      Holby City            Charles Campbell-Gore Episode: "Sins of the Father"      

2003      Midsomer Murders         Major Godfrey Teal         Episode: "Painted in Blood" :Episode #6.3            

2003      Ghosts of Albion: Legacy               Sir Ludlow Swift                Voice; Episode: #1.1       

2003      Where the Heart Is          Ernie Wilcox       Episode: "Love Hurts"    

2006      Heartbeat            Denzil Witty        Episode: "Risky Business"            

2006      Marple Sir Philip Starke                 Episode: "By the Pricking of My Thumbs"              

2006      The Catherine Tate Show              Teddy Morris     Episode: "Mum, I'm Gay"             

2006      Walking with Shadows   Mr. Barness        TV film

2007      The Last Detective           Alistair Robertson            Episode: "The Dead Peasants Society"    

2008      Harley Street      Dudley Grainger                Episode: #1.2    

2009      Things Talk          Grandfather Clock            Voice; TV film    

Radio

    The Navy Lark (1959–1977)

    Three Men in a Boat (1962)

    The TV Lark (1963)

    Oh, Get on with It! (with Kenneth Williams)

    The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as Hactar

    Cousin Bette, The Poor Relation, BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial (9 – 23 April 2000)

    Drop Me Here...Darling

    The Skivers

    The House of Unspeakable Secrets (1967)

    The Scarifyers: The Secret Weapon of Doom

    Doctor Who: Medicinal Purposes (2004) as Dr Knox

    Tomorrow, Today! (2006) as Sir Monty Havaland

    Doctor Who: Assassin in the Limelight (2008) as Dr Knox

    Mrs Bradley: Speedy Death (2008)

    Beauty Of Britain (2009) as Mr. Easterby

 

Other

Voice of Gex in the European release of Gex: Enter the Gecko

Voice of cat in Iams advertising

Voice of the captain of the Virgin Atlantic safety video (1996–2004)