Leslie Phillips was a much-loved comic actor who specialized in playing plummy, quintessentially English stereotypes, and his heart was in acting from a very young age. He received elocution lessons as a child in order to lose his natural cockney accent (at that time a regional British accent was a major impediment to an aspiring actor) and he attended the Italia Conti School.

During the Second World War he served with the Durham Light Infantry (1942-45), but was invalided out, suffering from shell shock. He returned to acting, and during the 1950s established himself as a notable player in British movies. His greatest claim to fame is the "Doctor" series of movies, in which he took over the lead role from Dirk Bogarde. He also acted on radio, most notably in '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 continued to make cameo appearances in films and television, and became a regular guest on British chat shows.