Harry Potter and Carry On Star Leslie Phillips Dies aged 98 after Long Illness
- 2 years ago
Carry On star Leslie Phillips who brought laughter to front rooms across the nation has died aged 98.
The actor - best known for his 'Ding Dong', 'Well, Hello' and 'I Say' catchphrases - had been battling a long illness.
Younger fans will known his voice from the Harry Potter films where he was the sound of the Sorting Hat.
Phillips, the star of 150 films, suffered a life-threatening stroke in 2015, and was recovering at his home over the past few years.
He would fondly remember how he would be asked to say his catchphrases 'millions of times' by fans spanning generations.
The Tottenham-born film legend was still working before the stroke, voicing the Sorting Hat of the Harry Potter films and acting in several British TV dramas including the Ruth Rendell Mysteries, Revolver and Agatha Christie's Marple.
He was born on April 20, 1924, into a working class family and made his first film appearances as a child in the 1930s.
He is believed to be the only actor still alive who performed at Pinewood Studios in its first week after opening in 1936.
During the Second World War, he was commissioned in 1943 as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery, and transferred to the Durham Light Infantry in 1944.
But his death – nearly two years after Barbara Windsor passed away – means only Jim Dale is left from the Carry On films that made him a huge star.
Phillips turned his back on a Hollywood career to join the Carry On cast and to be with wife, Penny Bartley and their four children who were back in England.
He later revealed he loved being 'idolised' by the public, he wished people would 'look beyond the lecherous twit I played'.
In one of his last interview with The Chap in 2020 he said his catchphrases had followed him his entire life with people constantly requesting he say them.
He said of the frequency: 'Millions of times, and as for my other catch phrase, "Ding Dong!", I couldn’t even count.
'But I have had a marvellous career and I am very fortunate. One thing I have learnt is that I would have liked to spend more time with my children as they grew up. '
The actor - best known for his 'Ding Dong', 'Well, Hello' and 'I Say' catchphrases - had been battling a long illness.
Younger fans will known his voice from the Harry Potter films where he was the sound of the Sorting Hat.
Phillips, the star of 150 films, suffered a life-threatening stroke in 2015, and was recovering at his home over the past few years.
He would fondly remember how he would be asked to say his catchphrases 'millions of times' by fans spanning generations.
The Tottenham-born film legend was still working before the stroke, voicing the Sorting Hat of the Harry Potter films and acting in several British TV dramas including the Ruth Rendell Mysteries, Revolver and Agatha Christie's Marple.
He was born on April 20, 1924, into a working class family and made his first film appearances as a child in the 1930s.
He is believed to be the only actor still alive who performed at Pinewood Studios in its first week after opening in 1936.
During the Second World War, he was commissioned in 1943 as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery, and transferred to the Durham Light Infantry in 1944.
But his death – nearly two years after Barbara Windsor passed away – means only Jim Dale is left from the Carry On films that made him a huge star.
Phillips turned his back on a Hollywood career to join the Carry On cast and to be with wife, Penny Bartley and their four children who were back in England.
He later revealed he loved being 'idolised' by the public, he wished people would 'look beyond the lecherous twit I played'.
In one of his last interview with The Chap in 2020 he said his catchphrases had followed him his entire life with people constantly requesting he say them.
He said of the frequency: 'Millions of times, and as for my other catch phrase, "Ding Dong!", I couldn’t even count.
'But I have had a marvellous career and I am very fortunate. One thing I have learnt is that I would have liked to spend more time with my children as they grew up. '