Leslie Phillips rose to prominence in the 1950s as a smooth, upper-class comic actor known for catchphrases like “Ding dong!” and “Well, hello.” He appeared in the early Carry On films and starred throughout the Doctor comedy series across the 1960s and '70s. In his later career he moved into more dramatic roles, earning BAFTA recognition for Venus (2006) alongside Peter O'Toole, and introduced himself to an entirely new audience by voicing the Sorting Hat in three Harry Potter films. His career spanned an extraordinary eight decades, right up to his death at 98.