Lezli Charles Taubler, 72, died last Thursday after being hit by a lorry in North End Road at 4:15pm.
Mr Taubler, described as a quiet man who kept himself to himself, was living on Castletown Road just around the corner from where he died.
Police, fire engines and ambulance crews arrived quickly at the scene close to West Kensington tube station after receiving a call at 4:15pm.
Tragically he did not survive and was pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor from London's Air Ambulance crew just after 5pm.
Lezli Taubler's neighbour Valentine Tobin said: "He kept himself to himself but I'd see him now and again to pass the time of day. He seemed a lovely bloke and used to work in the theatre before he retired. He was an actor I think. So incredibly sad that that can happen to you on the way to the shops just at the end of your road."
Pharmacist Pradip Pandit said: "He used to come in here for his prescriptions quite often. He was a very nice guy but was quite quiet. Such an awful accident."
Sirouz Saadet, from The Repair Centre shop next to the scene, said a passer-by held the man's hand for an hour, talking to him and asking him to respond by squeezing his hand.
He said: "It's really terrible, but the police and ambulances were there quickly. But he was trapped for what felt like a long time before the equipment to lift the lorry arrived which is appalling. It was obvious straight away that they needed equipment to lift it off him, but it took too long."
Irma Lazickiene, 39, who lives in a flat above where the collision took place, said: “He was under the wheels and they couldn’t get him out. They had to wait until the fire guys turned up to get him out as safely as possible.
“Then finally the firemen pulled him out and the paramedics tried to resuscitate him. They were pumping his chest for about 20 minutes.”
Mohammed Riasi, 32, a delivery driver from Barons Florists, said: “He was crossing the road, he was in the middle of the street and the struck started moving. The driver must not have been able to see him and he was stuck under the wheels.
“I think he was still alive, but he didn’t make it.”
A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: “Our thoughts go out to the man’s family and friends. Firefighters arrived quickly and alongside paramedics did everything they could to save the man’s life. When a person is seriously injured under a vehicle the slightest movement could be critical. We are always guided by paramedics at the scene who advise us of the best time to release a patient to give them the best possibly chance of survival.”
A spokeswoman from London Ambulance Service, said: "Sadly, despite our greatest efforts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at the scene."
North End Road was still closed at 6pm between Talgarth Road and Lillie Road.
His body was still at the scene at 6pm and police confirmed there have been no arrests so far. They are investigating the incident.
