Thorley Walters
Biography
Thorley Swinstead Walters (12 May 1913 – 6 July 1991) was an English character actor. He is probably best remembered for his comedy film roles such as in Two-Way Stretch and Carlton-Browne of the FO. He also appeared in the acclaimed TV drama Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Walters played Sherlock Holmes sidekick Doctor Watson in four unrelated films: Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (1962), The Best House in London (1969), The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975), and Silver Blaze (1977). He featured in three of the St Trinian's movies, starting as an army major in Blue Murder at St Trinian's. He later appeared as Butters, assistant to Education Ministry senior civil servant Culpepper-Brown (Eric Barker) in The Pure Hell of St Trinian's and played the part of Culpepper-Brown in The Wildcats of St Trinian's. In the 1960s he also appeared in several Hammer horror films, including The Phantom of the Opera (1962), Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966), Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969). In the DVD commentary to The Man Who Haunted Himself, Roger Moore mentioned that co-star Walters lived in Dolphin Square, the prestigious apartment block in Pimlico, London in which some scenes of the film were shot. Thorley and Richard Hope-Hawkins visited the ailing Terry-Thomas in Barnes, London in 1989. Walters had starred with Terry in the Boulting Brother's film Carlton-Browne of the F.O., and was shocked at his appearance (he was ill with Parkinson's Disease). That visit resulted in the "Terry-Thomas Gala" held in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in the same year which raised funds to help Terry live the rest of his life in comfort. Hope-Hawkins was with Walters and actress Siobhan Redmond, when he died in a London nursing home. Actor Ian Bannen gave the main address at his funeral held at Golders Green. Description above from the Wikipedia article Thorley Walters, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For

Minder

Play for Today

Crown Court

Tales of the Unexpected

BBC Play of the Month

Screen Two

The Persuaders!

The Wednesday Play
All Movies (83)
- Mrs. Weekley's Lover2025 · as Baron Von Richthofen
- A Murder of Quality1991 · as Bishop Harry
- He's Asking For Me1990 · as Uncle Harold
- Onassis: The Richest Man in the World1988 · as Winston Churchill
- The Dunroamin' Rising1988 · as Mr Finister
- Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood1987 · as Ludwig (archive footage)
- In the Secret State1985 · as Johnny Davenport
- The Little Drummer Girl1984 · as Ned Quilley
- The Sign of Four1983 · as Major John Sholto
- Spider's Web1982 · as Hugo Birch
- Soft Targets1982 · as Old Wedding Guest
- A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special1980 · as Colonel Bloodstock
- The Wildcats of St Trinian's1980 · as Hugo Culpepper Brown
- Henry V1979 · as Charles the Sixth, King of France
- The People That Time Forgot1977 · as Norfolk
- Silver Blaze1977 · as Dr. Watson
- James and the Giant Peach1976 · as Grasshopper
- Beasts: The Dummy1976 · as Sir Ramsey
- The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother1975 · as Dr. Watson
- Chips with Everything1975 · as Wing Commander
- Goodbye1975 · as Chalcott-Bentinck
- The Apple Cart1975 · as Home Secretary
- Soft Beds, Hard Battles1974 · as General Erhardt
- Ring Once for Death1973 · as Dr. Ledworth
- Young Winston1972 · as Major Finn
- Vampire Circus1972 · as Burgermeister
- Mr. Forbush and the Penguins1971 · as Mr. Forbush Sr.
- There's a Girl in My Soup1970 · as Manager of Carlton Hotel
- Bartleby1970 · as The Colleague
- Trog1970 · as Magistrate
- The Man Who Haunted Himself1970 · as Frank Bellamy
- The Best House in London1969 · as Doctor Watson (uncredited)
- Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed1969 · as Insp. Fritsch
- The Last Shot You Hear1969 · as General Jowett
- Crooks and Coronets1969 · as Hubbard
- Oh! What a Lovely War1969 · as Staff Officer
- Twisted Nerve1968 · as Sir John Forrester
- On the Eve of Publication1968 · as Holland
- Frankenstein Created Woman1967 · as Dr. Hertz
- The Family Way1966 · as Vicar
- The Wrong Box1966 · as Patience
- The Psychopath1966 · as Martin Roth
- Dracula: Prince of Darkness1966 · as Ludwig
- Rotten to the Core1965 · as Chief Constable Preston
- Joey Boy1965 · as Col. Grant
- A Home of Your Own1964 · as Estate agent
- The Earth Dies Screaming1964 · as Edgar Otis
- Ring of Spies1964 · as Cmdr. Winters
- Heavens Above!1963 · as Tranquilax Executive
- Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace1962 · as Dr. Watson
- The Phantom of the Opera1962 · as Lattimer
- Petticoat Pirates1961 · as Captain Jerome Robertson
- Murder She Said1961 · as Cedric Ackenthorpe
- Invasion Quartet1961
- The Pure Hell of St Trinian's1960 · as Butters
- Two-Way Stretch1960 · as Colonel Parkright
- Suspect1960 · as Special Agent Prince
- A French Mistress1960 · as Colonel Edmonds
- Don't Panic Chaps1959
- Carlton-Browne of the F.O.1959 · as Colonel Bellingham
- Happy Is the Bride1958 · as Jim
- A Lady Mislaid1958 · as Mr. Smith
- Blue Murder at St. Trinian's1957 · as Major Whitehart
- The Birthday Present1957 · as Photographer
- The Truth About Women1957 · as Trevor Eaton
- Second Fiddle1957 · as Charles
- The Passionate Stranger1957 · as Jimmy
- The Baby and the Battleship1956 · as Lt. Setley
- Who Done It?1956 · as Raymond Courtney
- Private's Progress1956 · as Captain Bootle
- You Can't Escape1956 · as Chadwick
- Josephine and Men1955 · as Salesman
- Captain Boycott1947 · as Army Officer (uncredited)
- Waltz Time1945 · as Stefan Ravenne
- They Were Sisters1945 · as Channing
- Medal for the General1944 · as Andrew
- It Happened to One Man1940 · as Ronnie
- Secret Journey1939 · as Max Von Reimer
- The Kindled Flame1939 · as Cleon
- Design for Murder1939 · as Huey Frazer
- Life of St. Paul1938 · as Unidentified role
- The Love Test1935 · as Chemist
- Once in a New Moon1935 · as Beamish
All TV Shows (41)
- The World of Hammer1994 · as Self (archive footage)
- The Play on One1988 · as Mr Finister
- David Copperfield1986 · as Richard 'Mr Dick' Babley
- Paradise Postponed1986
- Bulman1985 · as Bill Dugdale
- Screen Two1985 · as Uncle Harold
- Cribb1980 · as CI Jowett
- A Question of Guilt1980 · as Sir Charles Russell
- Minder1979 · as Magistrate
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy1979 · as Tufty Thessinger
- Tales of the Unexpected1979 · as Harry Gold
- Malice Aforethought1979 · as Sir Francis Lee-Bannerton
- Worzel Gummidge1979 · as Colonel Bloodstock
- Life of Shakespeare1978 · as Mr. Justice Fleminge
- Will Shakespeare1978 · as Mr Justice Fleminge
- Strangers1978 · as Bill Dugdale
- Treasure Island1977
- The Sunday Drama1977 · as Dr John Watson
- Raffles1977 · as Lord Lochmaben
- Beasts1976 · as Sir Ramsey
- The Duchess of Duke Street1976 · as Bulstrode
- Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill1974
- Orson Welles' Great Mysteries1973 · as Beecham
- Thriller1973 · as Dr. Ledworth
- The Edwardians1972 · as Edward, Prince of Wales
- The Edwardians1972 · as King Edward VII
- Crown Court1972
- The Lotus Eaters1972 · as Maj. Edward Woolley
- The Persuaders!1971 · as John Hatton
- Cousin Bette1971 · as Baron Hector Hulot
- The Adventures of Don Quick1970 · as Chief Dreamer
- Play for Today1970 · as Old Wedding Guest
- The Misfit1970 · as Forbes-Erskine
- Cribbins1969
- Ooh La La!1968 · as The Prince
- Misleading Cases1967 · as Sir Joshua Hoot
- BBC Play of the Month1965 · as Col. Redfern
- The Wednesday Play1964 · as Holland
- Espionage1963 · as Dr Cantlie
- Armchair Theatre1956 · as Professor Mortimer
- Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Stanley Baldwin