FILM director Ralph Thomas has died at the age of 85.

Mr Thomas, best known for his popular Doctor series, starring Dirk Bogarde, began directing in 1948.

A family spokesman said the director, who lived in Beaconsfield, died on Saturday at the Wellington Hospital in St John's Wood after a short illness.

During his career he directed 39 major films starring top actors including Terry-Thomas, Leslie Phillips, John Hurt and Bob Hope.

A versatile director, he turned his hand to almost any genre thrillers, comedies, love stories, adventures, war films and fantasies.

Born in Hull on August 10, 1915, Mr Thomas was educated at Hull Grammar School. The family moved to Clifton, near Bristol, where Mr Thomas attended the Telliford School, followed by Middlesex University College, London.

In 1932 he began work as a journalist but left to work at the Sound City studios, later the Shepperton studios, and by the age of 19 he was already cutting full features.

In 1948 Mr Thomas was asked to direct his first film, Once Upon a Dream and in 1950 teamed up with producer Betty E Box to make The Clouded Yellow.

Doctor in the House was the fifth Thomas-Betty Box collaboration and was based on a novel by Richard Gordon.

Ralph Thomas' younger brother, Gerald, directed the Carry On series.

Thomas married Joy in 1944. Their son Jeremy produced The Last Emperor and daughter Jill runs an animation company.