Web Page No 2658

7th February 2020

1st Picture. Publicity Photograph

 2nd Picture. From Carry on Nurse

 3rd Picture. At The Palace

4th Picture. Leslie with Zara

Well Hello

How else could I start a page about Leslie Phillips?

A highly comic actor who has specialized in playing plummy, quintessentially English stereotypes he started acting from a very young age. He received elocution lessons as a child in order to lose his natural cockney accent and he attended the Italia Conti School.

During the Second World War, he served with the Durham Light Infantry (1942-45) until he was invalided out suffering from shellshock. He returned to acting, and it was during the 1950s that he established himself  in British movies. His greatest claim to fame to this day are the "Doctor" series of movies, which he inherited from Dirk Bogarde. He also worked on radio, most notably 'The Navy Lark' for the BBC.

In later life, he returned to playing supporting roles and even appeared in Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun (1987). He continues to make cameo appearances in films and television and is a regular guest on British chat shows.

He was a model and child actor from the mid 1930's he returned to acting after war service including supporting roles opposite Norman Wisdom in Just My Luck (1957) and Bill Travers in The Smallest Show on Earth (1957) this led to Hollywood and a role in the Gene Kelly film Les Girls (1957). Returning to England he started a long run, 1959 to 1977 in the radio series 'The Navy Lark' and in the comedy films Doctor in Love (1960), Doctor in Clover (1966) and Doctor in Trouble (1970). Through the 1970's he directed and starred in stage farces and starred in the films Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! (1974) and Spanish Fly (1976).

He then changed track appearing in the title role of the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of 'Falstaff' and as Chekhov in 'August'. He then did a one man show 'On the Whole it's Been Jolly Good' which won praise at the Edinburgh Festival.

On television he played the scheming James Blake in the series Chancer (1990) (1990-91), and returned to films in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and provided the voice of the Sorting Hat in the 'Harry Potter' films.

His first wife was Penelope Bartley, they divorced in 1965  and had  4 children. He married Angela Scoular in 1982 which lasted until her death in 2011; he is at present married to Zara Carr (2013 - present)

Catchphrases "Helloooo" and "Ding dong!"

He was awarded the OBE in the 1998 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama. He was awarded the CBE in the 2008 Queen's New Year Honours List for further services to drama.

He supports Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and his association with the catchphrase "Ding dong," said whenever he saw an attractive women, first started when he played Jack Bell in Carry On Nurse (1959).

Incidentally, he always says that he enjoyed recording the Navy Lark so much that wherever he was working during the week he would pay his own fare to get back to London in time for the recording.

He was friends with actors Denholm Elliott and Jon Pertwee for many years, both of whom, like himself, had homes in Ibiza and his favourite actor is Kenneth Connor.

Family life:- he is the father, with Penelope Bartley, of daughters Caroline Phillips and Claudia Phillips, and sons Roger Phillips and Andrew Phillips and the  son of Frederick and Cecelia Phillips, he has an older brother, Fred and sister, Dorothy.

When age 14, he appeared in Otello and Turandot at Covent Garden.

Leslie Phillips considers Carry On Nurse (1959) to be his funniest film.

David Jason considers him a legend of British comedy.

Took over the role of the King of Spain in Carry on Columbus (1992) after the death of Frankie Howerd, who'd been due to play the part. He and Bob Monkhouse swapped roles in A Weekend with Lulu (1961). He suffered a stroke in 2014 but still keeps working when he can..

Stay in touch

Peter

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News and Views:

On this Day 7^th February 1960-1965

On 07/02/1960 the number one single was Why - Anthony Newley and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was not listed and the box office smash was Some Like It Hot. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Burnley were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Biblical scrolls found in Israeli desert.

On 07/02/1961 the number one single was  Are you Lonesome Tonight? - Elvis Presley and the number one album was GI Blues - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was No Hiding Place (AR) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 07/02/1962 the number one single was The Young Ones - Cliff Richard & the Shadows and the number one album was Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Mine blast kills 249 in Germany.

On 07/02/1963 the number one single was Diamonds - Jet Harris & Tony Meehan and the number one album was Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard & the Shadows. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Nelson Mandela jailed for 5 years.

On 07/02/1964 the number one single was Needles & Pins - Searchers and the number one album was With the Beatles - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Steptoe & Son (BBC) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was 25000 greet Beatles at JFK airport.

On 07/02/1965 the number one single was You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - Righteous Brothers and the number one album was Rolling Stones Number 2 - The Rolling Stones. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.