James Cossins
Known for: Acting
James Cossins (4 December 1933 – 12 February 1997) was an English actor. Born in Beckenham, Kent, he became widely recognised as the abrupt, bewildered Mr Walt in the Fawlty Towers episode "The Hotel Inspectors" and as Mr Watson, the frustrated Public Relations training course instructor, in an episode of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Cossins was born in Beckenham and educated at the City of London School. After serving in the Royal Air Force, he trained at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he won the silver medal in 1952. Cossins first appeared in repertory theatre and at the Nottingham Playhouse. He played a wide range of characters throughout his colourful and extensive career on television and stage, often portraying blustering, pompous, crusty and cantankerous characters. Cossins appeared in Charley's Aunt at the Apollo Theatre in 1971 with Tom Courtenay, David Horovitch, Garth Forwood, Joanna McCallum, and Celia Bannerman. He appeared in more than forty films, including The Anniversary (recreating his West End stage role), and The Lost Continent (both 1968), Gandhi (1982), and The Man with the Golden Gun (1974). On the small screen, Cossins appeared as a guest in a variety of shows, including The Likely Lads and Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Minder, Bergerac, The Sweeney, Bless This House, Shadows, All Creatures Great and Small, Citizen Smith, Just William, The Good Life, L for Lester, Neville Dennis in Callan "Rules of the Game" (1972), Z-Cars, and as the regular character Bruce Westrop (in 1979) in Emmerdale Farm. He also played Major Bagstock in Dombey and Son (1983), and appeared in the first series of All in Good Faith in 1985. He played a magistrate in episodes of four different British sitcoms, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, The Good Life, Citizen Smith and Minder. Cossins's later appearances were limited by ill health and he lived in semi-retirement in Surrey. Cossins died from heart disease at the age of 63, in 1997
Filmography
Series
Coronation Street
Mr. Soames
1960
Series
The Avengers
Henry
1961
Series
Minder
Judge
1979
Series
Crown Court
1972
Series
Crown Court
Graham Erringburn
1972
Series
Bergerac
Tuchel
1981
Series
Bergerac
Calhoun
1981
Series
Theatre 625
Henry
1964
Series
Van der Valk
Noordhoff
1972
Series
All Creatures Great and Small
Mr. Barge
1978
Series
All Creatures Great and Small
Aloysius Barge
1978
Series
No Hiding Place
1959
Series
The Sweeney
Colonel Rosier
1975
Series
Thirty-Minute Theatre
Tim Singleton
1965
Series
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
Dr. Jervis
1971
Series
Thriller
Kellet
1973
Series
Justice
Mr. Ritson
1971
Series
Fawlty Towers
Mr. Walt
1975
Series
Churchill's People
William
1974
Series
Murder Most Horrid
Sir Hugh Lotterby
1991
Film
The Man with the Golden Gun
Colthorpe
1974
Film
Scrooge
Party Guest (uncredited)
1970
Series
Centre Play
Burret
1973
Series
Callan
1967
Series
Mystery and Imagination
Landlord
1966
Series
The Pallisers
Sergeant Bunfit
1974
Series
Fall of Eagles
Count Josi Hoyos
1974
Film
Gandhi
Brigadier
1982
Series
Shadows
Custodian
1975
Series
Citizen Smith
Court Judge
1977
Series
The Good Life
Magistrate
1975
Series
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
Magistrate
1973
Series
Londoners
The Interviewer
1965
Series
The Likely Lads
Scoutmaster
1964
Series
The Likely Lads
Vicar
1964
Series
Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel
Colonel Luscombe
1987
Film
The First Great Train Robbery
Harranby
1978
Film
Darling
Mr. Basildon
1965
Series
Number 10
Sir William Harcourt
1983
The Ten Commandments
Tom
1971
Series
Call Me Mister
1986
Series
All in Good Faith
Major Andrews
1985
Film
Wuthering Heights
Mr. Linton
1970
Series
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
1973
Film
Blood from the Mummy's Tomb
Older Male Nurse
1971
Film
The Horror of Frankenstein
Dean
1970
Film
Death Line
James Manfred O.BE.
1972
Film
Melody
Headmaster
1971
Film
Young Winston
Barnsby
1972
Film
Follow Me!
Party Guest (uncredited)
1972
Series
Don't Forget to Write!
Phillip Mounter
1977
Film
Carry On Camping
Man in Cinema (uncredited)
1969
One-Upmanship
1976
Bel Ami
Charles Forestier
1971
Series
Pretenders
Old Elam
1972
Film
Sphinx
Lord Carnarvon
1981
Good Girl
Manager
1974
Film
The Deadly Bees
Coroner
1966
Film
James Bond: The First 21 Years
Colthorpe (archive footage)
1983
Film
The Lost Continent
Nick, chief engineer
1968
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
Mr. Walt (archive footage) (uncredited)
2005
Film
Hitler: The Last Ten Days
German Officer
1973
Series
Armchair Theatre
Uncle Eric
1956
Film
Loophole
1st Interviewer
1981
Film
How I Won the War
Drogue
1967
Film
Fear in the Night
The Doctor
1972
Film
Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
Henry Bassington-ffrench
1980
Film
Villain
Brown
1971
Film
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
Crodder
1970
Film
A Dandy in Aspic
1968
Film
The Anniversary
Henry Taggart
1968
Bel Ami
Forestier
1971
Film
Grand Larceny
1987
Marjorie And Men
Henry Bartlett
1985
Film
Otley
Jeffcot
1969
Film
The Prophet
Interviewer
1967
Film
Love's Labour's Lost
Holofernes
1965
Film
Bequest to the Nation
McKillop
1973
The Invasion
TV Commentator
1963
Film
The Masks of Death
Frederick Bains
1984
Legend of Death
Irwin
1965
Film
Immaculate Conception
Godfrey
1992
L For Lester
Chief Inspector Rodgers
1982
What Next?
1974
Film
Timon of Athens
Lucullus
1981
Good Night And God Bless
Geoffrey
1983
The Breaking of Colonel Keyser
Partridge
1972
Film
Unnatural Causes
Justin Bryce
1993
Film
The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night
Peter Elmstead
1972
Film
Say Hello to Yesterday
Policeman
1971
Film
Privilege
Professor Tatham
1967
Film
A Day Out
Mr. Shorter
1972
Film
Mad Jack
1970
Film
The Piano
Jeremy
1971
Film
Aliens
Major Lucas
1982
That Sinking Feeling
Eric
1973
Film
The Rainbirds
Father - Mr. Rainbird
1971
Film
Possession
Kellet
1973
Film
Strife
William Scantlebury
1965