Veteran British actor Leslie Phillips dies aged 98

Actor Leslie Phillips, best known for his work in the Carry On, Doctor in the House, and Harry Potter film series, has died at the age of 98.

Jonathan Lloyd, Phillips’ agent, told the Press Association that the actor “died peacefully in his sleep yesterday”.

The London-born performer made his stage debut in 1937 as a wolf in Peter Pan alongside Anna Neagle at the London Palladium. During WWII, he served in the military and resumed his professional career when he was demobbed due to ill health in 1945.

A well-known comic actor of the ’50s, he carved out a niche for himself playing lecherous smoothies with catchphrases including “Ding Dong” and “He-llo”.

He cemented himself as a comedy favourite after starring in the Doctor in the House film series and three of the early Carry On films – Nurse (1959), Teacher (1959) and Constable (1960).He also appeared in the long-running BBC radio comedy series The Navy Lark.

As The Sorting Hat, he contributed his voice to a number of films in the Harry Potter franchise.

His other film credits included Is There Anybody There?, Millions and August, while he was also a regular on the small screen with roles in The Bill, Lovejoy, Heartbeat, and Midsomer Murders.

The actor received a British Independent Film Award and a BAFTA nomination for his performance in Venus in 2006 opposite Oscar-nominated Peter O’Toole.

He was appointed OBE in Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday honours in 1998, and CBE in the 2008 New Year honours.