36 Facts About Leslie Phillips

Leslie Samuel Phillips was an English actor, director, producer and author.

Leslie Phillips achieved prominence in the 1950s, playing smooth, upper-class comic roles utilising his "Ding dong" and "Hello" catchphrases.

Leslie Phillips appeared in the Carry On and Doctor in the House film series as well as the long-running BBC radio comedy series The Navy Lark.

Leslie Phillips provided the voice of the Sorting Hat in several of the Harry Potter films.

Leslie Samuel Phillips was born in Tottenham on 20 April 1924, the third child of Cecelia Margaret and Frederick Samuel Phillips, who worked at Glover and Main, manufacturers of cookers in Edmonton.

Consequently, Leslie Phillips has described himself as both a cockney and an Essex boy.

Leslie Phillips made his stage debut in 1937 as a wolf in Peter Pan alongside Anna Neagle at the London Palladium.

Leslie Phillips made his first film appearance in the 1938 musical comedy Lassie from Lancashire.

Leslie Phillips made further uncredited appearances in Climbing High and The Mikado, among the earliest films made at Pinewood Studios.

Leslie Phillips was transferred to the Durham Light Infantry in 1944 but was later declared unfit for service just before D-Day after being diagnosed with a neurological condition that caused partial paralysis.

Leslie Phillips was initially sent to a psychiatric hospital in error before moving to the correct facility for treatment.

Demobbed as a lieutenant in December 1944, Leslie Phillips' acting career initially took in "the murkiest rat-infested old playhouses and music halls in the north of England".

Leslie Phillips resumed his career as a film player, making uncredited appearances in Anna Karenina and Powell and Pressburger's The Red Shoes.

Leslie Phillips began appearing in character roles in British comedy films including Brothers in Law and The Smallest Show on Earth.

In 1959, Leslie Phillips was cast in a minor role as Jack Bell in Carry On Nurse, the second in the Carry On film series.

Leslie Phillips cemented his image in two further Carry On films, Carry On Teacher and Carry On Constable before telling producer Peter Rogers that he did not wish to appear in any more.

Between 1959 and 1977, Leslie Phillips became familiar on radio, as Sub-Lieutenant Leslie Phillips in the comedy The Navy Lark alongside Jon Pertwee and Ronnie Barker.

Leslie Phillips appeared in the film version of The Navy Lark, the only cast member of the radio series to do so.

In 1960, Leslie Phillips was cast in Doctor in Love, the fourth film in the Doctor comedy series and the first without Dirk Bogarde.

Leslie Phillips appeared in two further installments, Doctor in Clover and Doctor in Trouble.

Leslie Phillips appeared in several comedy films directed by Ken Annakin, often cast alongside his Doctor co-star James Robertson Justice, including Very Important Person, Raising the Wind and Crooks Anonymous.

Leslie Phillips became busy as a character actor in both stage and television productions including Scandal and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Leslie Phillips appeared in British television sitcoms including Honey for Tea with Felicity Kendal and appeared in guest roles in popular series such as The Bill, Holby City and Midsomer Murders.

Leslie Phillips was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1998 Birthday Honours and was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2008 New Year Honours.

Leslie Phillips continued to act until 2012 and continued to make television appearances until 2015 when he was interviewed on the BBC One programme VE Day: Remembering Victory.

Leslie Phillips married his first wife, actress Penelope Bartley, on 30 May 1948.

In 1962, Leslie Phillips began a relationship with actress Caroline Mortimer, daughter of writer Penelope Mortimer and stepdaughter of John Mortimer, who was an understudy in a stage play in which Leslie Phillips starred.

Leslie Phillips moved in with actress Angela Scoular in 1977, at which time she was pregnant by another actor.

Leslie Phillips chose to continue in the production and did not attend her funeral.

Leslie Phillips later acknowledged that his family had never forgiven him for this decision.

Leslie Phillips had suffered from bowel cancer and although was later declared cancer-free, she became anxious that the cancer had returned.

Leslie Phillips was too ill to attend the inquest into Scoular's death three months later.

Leslie Phillips received the Freedom of the City of London on 16 November 2010.

Leslie Phillips was a supporter of Tottenham Hotspur, and made an appearance as part of the half-time entertainment during the team's home match against Swansea City on 1 April 2012.

On 20 December 2013, at the age of 89, Leslie Phillips married his third wife, Zara Carr.

Leslie Phillips suffered two strokes six months apart at the age of 90.