Ding, Dong

Another day, another "national treasure" departs for Fabulon...

Leslie Phillips (for it is he), despite being born and brought up in Tottenham [98 years ago!] to a working-class family (his dad worked in a factory), became renowned as the archetypal suave "posh toff" in myriad comedy and light entertainment shows, from his early days in The Navy Lark on BBC radio in the 1950s, to his voiceover work for children's programmes and even Harry Potter, to stealing the show even from "Nan" in the Catherine Tate Show.

In fact he never seemed to be out of work - he was in three Carry On films and three "Doctor" films, he played a variety of naval officers, Reverends, civil servants, Majors, and assorted "authority figures" over a span of eight decades; most, if not all [notably his fab portrayal of the seedy crooked businessman Jimmy Blake in Chancer], of whom were saucy womanisers fond of a tipple. The premise was taken to its ultimate degree in the 70s series Casanova, which was basically an excuse for him to flirt with a succession of scantily-clad "dolly-birds". His timeless catchphrases - albeit modelled on the legendary Terry-Thomas - such as "Ding Dong" and "Oh. I Sayyy...", delivered with that salacious inflection, have become the stuff of legend...

Leslie Phillips' catchphrases

As my Nan would have said: "He had a good innings." He will, however, be sadly missed. One of the last survivors of a classic era, the like of which we'll never see again...

RIP, Leslie Samuel Phillips CBE (20th April 1924 – 7th November 2022)

Ding Dong

Yesterday that magnificent actor Leslie Phillips CBE, serial portrayer of on-screen cads, celebrated his 85th birthday...

Having risen from his lowly Tottenham background (thanks to elocution lessons) to get into the Italia Conti acting school, the young Leslie was one of the first actors to appear at the brand new Pinewood Studios in 1936 (and is indeed the last survivor of that opening).

Throughout the war he continued to appear on stage, an eventually landed a role in radio's The Navy Lark, which became the springboard for his long and profitable career on the big and small screens.

He allegedly based much of the caddish swagger for which he became famous upon his contemporary Terry-Thomas, and indeed the two were often rivals for similar parts. Leslie appeared in three Carry On films before landing the role that made him a "national treasure" - in the Doctor film series.

He later almost parodied himself in a number of stereotypical roles, notably the 70s ITV series Casanova, but made a remarkable renaissance in the early 90s as the sinister James Xavier Blake - nemesis to the hero, played by the sexy Clive Owen - in Chancer.

I have always loved Leslie Phillips. You can immediately assume from scanning a cast list that if this man's name appears, then at least some scenes will be bearable. Many happy returns to a truly great actor!

Here are some of the great man's most memorable comedy moments:

Best of British - Leslie Phillips

And here he is holding his own against the formidable Peter O'Toole in his most recent film Venus in 2006:

Leslie Phillips and Peter O'Toole - Venus

Leslie Phillips on IMDB