The death has been announced of the veteran British actor Leslie Phillips, best known for his roles in the Harry Potter and Carry On movies. He was 98.
His agent, Jonathan Lloyd, told the Press Association that Phillips died "peacefully in his sleep yesterday".
The Londoner's professional career began in 1937, was interrupted by military service during WWII, and resumed when he was demobbed due to ill health in 1945. He would continue to act until 2012, becoming a comedy favourite in the likes of the Carry On and Doctor movies.
Known for playing cads with catchphrases such as "I say", "He-llo" and "Ding Dong", Phillips' career also included roles in the films The Longest Day, Out of Africa and Empire of the Sun.
He was acclaimed for his performance opposite the Oscar-nominated Peter O'Toole and then-newcomer Jodie Whittaker in 2006's Venus, winning a British Independent Film Award and receiving a BAFTA nomination.
He voiced The Sorting Hat in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.
His many other films included Is There Anybody There? for Irish director John Crowley, Danny Boyle's Millions and the Anthony Hopkins-directed August.
On the small screen, his credits spanned over 60 years and included series such as The Bill, Holby City, Heartbeat, Lovejoy and Midsomer Murders.
Phillips was made an OBE in the 1998 Birthday Honours of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and was promoted to CBE in the 2008 New Year Honours. He received the freedom of his native London in 2010.
Additional reporting: Press Association
