Thorley Walters
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Play for Today
Old Wedding Guest
1970
Series
The World of Hammer
Self (archive footage)
1994
Series
Minder
Magistrate
1979
Series
Crown Court
1972
Series
Tales of the Unexpected
Harry Gold
1979
Series
The Wednesday Play
Holland
1964
Series
BBC Play of the Month
Col. Redfern
1965
Series
Screen Two
Uncle Harold
1985
Series
The Persuaders!
John Hatton
1971
Series
Thriller
Dr. Ledworth
1973
Series
The Play on One
Mr Finister
1988
Series
The Duchess of Duke Street
Bulstrode
1976
Series
Espionage
Dr Cantlie
1963
Series
Orson Welles' Great Mysteries
Beecham
1973
Series
Strangers
Bill Dugdale
1978
Series
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Tufty Thessinger
1979
Series
Worzel Gummidge
Colonel Bloodstock
1979
The Sunday Drama
Dr John Watson
1977
Misleading Cases
Sir Joshua Hoot
1967
Series
The Edwardians
Edward, Prince of Wales
1972
Series
The Edwardians
King Edward VII
1972
Series
Bulman
Bill Dugdale
1985
Series
Cribb
CI Jowett
1980
Series
Raffles
Lord Lochmaben
1977
Series
Cousin Bette
Baron Hector Hulot
1971
Late Night Theatre
Arthur
1972
A Question of Guilt
Sir Charles Russell
1980
Series
Ooh La La!
The Prince
1968
Series
Paradise Postponed
1986
Film
Dracula: Prince of Darkness
Ludwig
1966
Series
Will Shakespeare
Mr Justice Fleminge
1978
Series
The Lotus Eaters
Maj. Edward Woolley
1972
Film
The People That Time Forgot
Norfolk
1977
Series
Beasts
Sir Ramsey
1976
Series
David Copperfield
Richard 'Mr Dick' Babley
1986
Series
The Misfit
Forbes-Erskine
1970
Film
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
Dr. Watson
1975
Film
Young Winston
Major Finn
1972
Film
The Little Drummer Girl
Ned Quilley
1984
Series
Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill
1974
Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Stanley Baldwin
1951
Film
Frankenstein Created Woman
Dr. Hertz
1967
Film
Murder She Said
Cedric Ackenthorpe
1961
Series
Malice Aforethought
Sir Francis Lee-Bannerton
1979
Film
Oh! What a Lovely War
Staff Officer
1969
Film
The Phantom of the Opera
Lattimer
1962
Series
The Adventures of Don Quick
Chief Dreamer
1970
Film
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
Insp. Fritsch
1969
Film
Joey Boy
Col. Grant
1965
Film
Twisted Nerve
Sir John Forrester
1968
Film
The Wrong Box
Patience
1966
Film
Vampire Circus
Burgermeister
1972
Film
The Man Who Haunted Himself
Frank Bellamy
1970
Series
Cribbins
1969
Masquerade
Bunny
1974
Film
Onassis: The Richest Man in the World
Winston Churchill
1988
Series
Armchair Theatre
Professor Mortimer
1956
Film
Invasion Quartet
1961
Film
Two-Way Stretch
Colonel Parkright
1960
Film
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
Ludwig (archive footage)
1987
Film
The Family Way
Vicar
1966
Film
There's a Girl in My Soup
Manager of Carlton Hotel
1970
Film
Heavens Above!
Tranquilax Executive
1963
Film
Soft Beds, Hard Battles
General Erhardt
1974
Film
Second Fiddle
Charles
1957
Film
Carlton-Browne of the F.O.
Colonel Bellingham
1959
Film
A Murder of Quality
Bishop Harry
1991
Film
Spider's Web
Hugo Birch
1982
Film
Don't Panic Chaps
1959
Film
Trog
Magistrate
1970
Film
Happy Is the Bride
Jim
1958
Film
Crooks and Coronets
Hubbard
1969
Series
Treasure Island
1977
Film
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
Dr. Watson
1962
Film
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
Major Whitehart
1957
Film
A French Mistress
Colonel Edmonds
1960
Film
They Were Sisters
Channing
1945
Film
Captain Boycott
Army Officer (uncredited)
1947
Film
The Baby and the Battleship
Lt. Setley
1956
Film
The Psychopath
Martin Roth
1966
Film
The Earth Dies Screaming
Edgar Otis
1964
Film
The Sign of Four
Major John Sholto
1983
Film
Goodbye
Chalcott-Bentinck
1975
Film
The Pure Hell of St Trinian's
Butters
1960
Film
Private's Progress
Captain Bootle
1956
Film
Bartleby
The Colleague
1970
Film
The Wildcats of St Trinian's
Hugo Culpepper Brown
1980
Film
Ring of Spies
Cmdr. Winters
1964
Film
The Best House in London
Doctor Watson (uncredited)
1969
Film
Soft Targets
Old Wedding Guest
1982
Film
In the Secret State
Johnny Davenport
1985
Film
The Passionate Stranger
Jimmy
1957
Film
Who Done It?
Raymond Courtney
1956
Film
Henry V
Charles the Sixth, King of France
1979
Film
The Love Test
Chemist
1935
Film
Josephine and Men
Salesman
1955
Film
A Home of Your Own
Estate agent
1964
The Kindled Flame
Cleon
1939
Film
Petticoat Pirates
Captain Jerome Robertson
1961
Film
Rotten to the Core
Chief Constable Preston
1965
Film
Mr. Forbush and the Penguins
Mr. Forbush Sr.
1971
Film
The Truth About Women
Trevor Eaton
1957
Film
Mrs. Weekley's Lover
Baron Von Richthofen
2025
Film
James and the Giant Peach
Grasshopper
1976
Film
Design for Murder
Huey Frazer
1939
Film
Beasts: The Dummy
Sir Ramsey
1976
Film
The Last Shot You Hear
General Jowett
1969
Secret Journey
Max Von Reimer
1939
Film
Suspect
Special Agent Prince
1960
Film
Waltz Time
Stefan Ravenne
1945
Film
The Birthday Present
Photographer
1957
The Apple Cart
Home Secretary
1975
Film
Medal for the General
Andrew
1944
Film
Silver Blaze
Dr. Watson
1977
Film
Life of St. Paul
Unidentified role
1938
Film
Ring Once for Death
Dr. Ledworth
1973
Film
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
Colonel Bloodstock
1980
Film
Once in a New Moon
Beamish
1935
Film
A Lady Mislaid
Mr. Smith
1958
He's Asking For Me
Uncle Harold
1990
Film
You Can't Escape
Chadwick
1956
Film
The Dunroamin' Rising
Mr Finister
1988
It Happened to One Man
Ronnie
1940
Film
Chips with Everything
Wing Commander
1975
Film
On the Eve of Publication
Holland
1968