Actor
Leslie Phillips
Born 20 April 1924 · Tottenham, London, England, UK — died 7 November 2022
Leslie Phillips was an English actor who became a fixture of 1950s British comedy through the Carry On films and his distinctive catchphrases. He evolved into a respected dramatic performer later in life, and provided the voice of the Sorting Hat across multiple Harry Potter films, cementing his place in modern cinema.
Key films
Carry On Nurse (1959)
Defined his comedic persona in the celebrated British comedy series.
Out of Africa (1985)
Marked his transition into more substantial dramatic roles alongside major stars.
Venus (2006)
BAFTA-nominated performance showcasing his late-career dramatic range with Peter O'Toole.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
Introduced him to global audiences as the voice of the Sorting Hat.
Key awards
- 1998 CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire)
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 110
- 1938The Citadel · as Girl (uncredited)Actor
- 1938Climbing High · as Child actor (uncredited)Actor
- 1938Lassie from Lancashire · as Bit PartActor
- 1939The Four Feathers · as Boy Doffing Cap at ParadeActor
- 1939The Mikado · as BoyActor
- 1940The Thief of Bagdad · as Urchin in Bagdad Market (uncredited)Actor
- 1940The Proud Valley · as Minor RoleActor
- 1948Anna KareninaActor
- 1949Train of Events · as Stacey's FiremanActor
- 1950The Woman with No Name · as 1st Sapper officerActor
- 1951Pool of London · as HarryActor
- 1951The Galloping Major · as Reporter (uncredited)Actor
- 1952The Sound Barrier · as ControllerActor
- 1953Time BombActor
- 1953The Limping Man · as Detective CameronActor
- 1953The Fake · as Boy StudentActor
- 1955Value for Money · as RobjohnsActor
- 1955As Long as They're Happy · as Box Office ManagerActor
- 1956The Gamma People · as Howard MeadeActor
- 1957Les Girls · as Sir Gerald WrenActor
- 1957The Smallest Show on Earth · as Robin CarterActor
- 1957Just My Luck · as The Hon. Mr. Richard LumbActor
- 1957Brothers in Law · as Shop AssistantActor
- 1957High Flight · as BlakeActor
- 1958I Was Monty's Double · as Major TennantActor
- 1958The Big Money · as ReceptionistActor
- 1959Carry On Nurse · as Jack BellActor
- 1959Carry On Teacher · as Mr. Alistair GriggActor
- 1959Ferdinand I King of Naples · as Giornalista ingleseActor
- 1959The Angry Hills · as Ray TaylorActor
- 1959Please Turn Over · as Dr. Henry MannersActor
- 1959The Night We Dropped a Clanger · as Squadron Leader ThomasActor
- 1959The Navy Lark · as Lt. PouterActor
- 1959This Other Eden · as Crispin BrownActor
- 1959The Man Who Liked Funerals · as Simon HurdActor
- 1960Carry On Constable · as Constable Tom PotterActor
- 1960Doctor in Love · as Dr. Tony BurkeActor
- 1960Watch Your Stern · as Lt. Cmdr. Bill FanshaweActor
- 1960No Kidding · as David RobinsonActor
- 1960Inn for Trouble · as John BelcherActor
- 1960Leslie Phillips Asks... · as SelfActor
- 1961Very Important Person · as Flying Officer Jimmy CooperActor
- 1961Raising the Wind · as Mervyn HughesActor
- 1961A Weekend with Lulu · as Timothy GrayActor
- 1962The Longest Day · as RAF Officer MacActor
- 1962Crooks Anonymous · as Fred "Captain 'Dandy' Forsdyke" CoxActor
- 1962The Fast Lady · as Freddie FoxActor
- 1962In the Doghouse · as Jimmy Fox-UptonActor
- 1964Father Came Too! · as Mr. Roddy ChipfieldActor
- 1965You Must Be Joking · as Young HusbandActor
- 1965The Gong Game · as Clive BreezeActor
- 1966Doctor in Clover · as Dr. Gaston GrimsdykeActor
- 1967Maroc 7 · as Raymond LoweActor
- 1968A Very Fine Line · as CharltonActor
- 1970Doctor in Trouble · as Dr. Tony BurkeActor
- 1970Some Will, Some Won't · as Simon RussellActor
- 1971The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins · as Dickie (segment "Gluttony")Actor
- 1973Not Now Darling · as Gilbert BodleyActor
- 1973Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! · as MinisterActor
- 1976Spanish Fly · as Mike ScottActor
- 1976Not Now, Comrade · as Commander RimmingtonActor
- 1977That's Carry On! · as Mr. Alistair Grigg / Constable Tom Potter (archive footage)Actor
- 1985Out of Africa · as Sir JosephActor
- 1987Empire of the Sun · as MaxtonActor
- 1989Scandal · as Lord AstorActor
- 1990Mountains of the Moon · as Mr. ArundellActor
- 1990Who Bombed Birmingham? · as Lord Chief Justice LaneActor
- 1990Life After Life · as Wing Commander BoyleActor
- 1990GLC: The Carnage Continues · as Sir Horace CutlerActor
- 1990Oxford · as DeanActor
- 1991King Ralph · as GordonActor
- 1991The Trials of Oz · as Judge Michael ArgyleActor
- 1992Carry On Columbus · as King FerdinandActor
- 1992Thacker · as George ThackerActor
- 1993Royal Celebration · as JohnnyActor
- 1993The Changeling · as VermanderoActor
- 1994Two Golden Balls · as Viscount OsgoodActor
- 1994Bermuda GraceActor
- 1996The Canterville Ghost · as George, Lord CantervilleActor
- 1996August · as Professor Alexander BlathwaiteActor
- 1996Die Katze von Kensington · as Sir JohnActor
- 1996Das Karussell des Todes · as Sir JohnActor
- 1996Der Blinde · as Sir JohnActor
- 1997The Jackal · as WoolburtonActor
- 1997Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse · as Lincoln BradleyActor
- 1997Caught in the Act · as Sydney FisherActor
- 1998What's a Carry On? · as Self - IntervieweeActor
- 2000Saving Grace · as Vicar Gerald PereyActor
- 2000Cinderella · as FelimActor
- 2000Aladdin: The ITV Pantomime · as Prince Hugely SuaveActor
- 2001Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone · as The Sorting Hat (voice)Actor
- 2001Lara Croft: Tomb Raider · as WilsonActor
- 2001Sword of HonourActor
- 2002Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets · as The Sorting Hat (voice)Actor
- 2002Thunderpants · as JudgeActor
- 2003Collusion · as Herbert AmesActor
- 2004Churchill: The Hollywood Years · as Lord W'ruffActor
- 2005Millions · as HimselfActor
- 2005Colour Me Kubrick · as FreddieActor
- 2005The Comic Strip - A Retrospective · as SelfActor
- 2006Venus · as IanActor
- 2007The Dead Peasants Society · as Alistair RobertsonActor
- 2008Stanley Baxter: Now and Then · as SelfActor
- 2009Is Anybody There? · as RegActor
- 2009Britain's Ugliest Models · as Himself (Narrator)Actor
- 2009Tattoos: A Scarred History · as SelfActor
- 2011Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 · as The Sorting Hat (voice)Actor
- 2011Late Bloomers · as LeoActor
- 2012After Death · as Jerimiah JonesActor
- 2013Hello: A Portrait Of Leslie Phillips · as HimselfActor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.