Ray Brooks Dead: Cause of Death of Mr Benn Narrator and EastEnders Vet

Ray Brooks , a British actor known narrating Mr Benn and starring in EastEnders and Taxi! , has died. He was 86.

The news of Brooks’ death was confirmed by his family, who told BBC that the actor died on Saturday in his home after a brief illness.

Brooks narrated the short-lived animated children’s series Mr Benn between 1971 and 1972. In a statement to BBC , Brooks’ children said that their father considered the role his most popular, “with people continually asking him to say the catchphrase ‘as if by magic!'”. Though only 13 episodes were ever made, Brooks’ sons said “they were repeated twice a year for 21 years.”

Brooks got his start in the 1960s, appearing in such miniseries as Julius Caesar and The Secret Kingdom . From 1963-1964, he played Terry Mills opposit