Ray Brooks, voice of ‘Mr Benn’, dies at 86

British actor Ray Brooks, best known for narrating the classic children's series "Mr Benn" and for his roles in "The Knack … and How to Get It", "Big Deal" and "Taxi!", passed away on Saturday (August 9) at the age of 86.

His family confirmed to the BBC that Brooks passed away after a short illness and had been living with dementia in recent years.

Born on April 20, 1939, in the U.K., Brooks began his screen career in the early 1960s, appearing in the TV miniseries "Julius Caesar" (1960) and "The Secret Kingdom". He soon found wider recognition in the BBC drama "Taxi!" (1963–64) as Terry Mills, playing opposite comedy great Sidney James. Brooks also appeared briefly on "Coronation Street" as Norman Phillips during this period.

In 1965, he starred as the smooth-talking Tolen in Richard Lester's BAFTA-winning comedy "The Knack …" and "How to Get It", alongside Rita Tushingham, Donal Donnelly, and Michael Crawford — a role that cemented his reputation as one of the rising talents of British cinema.

But to generations of viewers, Brooks was best remembered as the voice of "Mr Benn". From 1971 to 1972, he narrated all 13 episodes of the animated children's classic, with his delivery of the phrase "as if by magic" becoming part of British pop culture. "Although only 13 episodes were made, they were repeated twice a year for 21 years," his sons Will and Tom told the BBC.

Brooks' television career remained prolific. He played lovable rogue Robby Box in the BBC drama "Big Deal" (1984–86), followed by the lead in "Running Wild" (1987–89). In the mid-2000s, he returned to soap opera with a recurring role as Joe Macer in "EastEnders".

His long list of credits also included "Two Thousand Acres of Sky", "Growing Pains", "The Pickwick Papers", "Death of an Expert Witness", "King Rollo", "Rooms", "Pathfinders", "Doomwatch", "Z Cars", "The Avengers", "Cathy Come Home", "Public Eye", "Emergency-Ward 10", and many more.

Ray Brooks' voice, charm, and versatility made him one of Britain's most recognisable actors, leaving behind a legacy that spans generations of audiences.