Thorley Walters
Acting • Born 1913-05-12 – Died 1991-07-06
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.
Filmography
116 credits
Murder She Said
Movie • 1961
Cedric Ackenthorpe
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
Movie • 1969
Insp. Fritsch
Frankenstein Created Woman
Movie • 1967
Dr. Hertz
The Man Who Haunted Himself
Movie • 1970
Frank Bellamy
The Pure Hell of St. Trinian's
Movie • 1960
Butters
The People That Time Forgot
Movie • 1977
Norfolk
Carlton-Browne of the F.O.
Movie • 1959
Colonel Bellingham
Vampire Circus
Movie • 1972
Burgermeister
The Phantom of the Opera
Movie • 1962
Lattimer
In the Secret State
Movie • 1985
Johnny Davenport
Dracula: Prince of Darkness
Movie • 1966
Ludwig
James and the Giant Peach
Movie • 1976
Grasshopper
The Psychopath
Movie • 1966
Martin Roth
Onassis: The Richest Man in the World
Movie • 1988
Winston Churchill
Beasts: The Dummy
Movie • 1976
Sir Ramsey
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
Movie • 1975
Dr. Watson
The Sign of Four
Movie • 1983
Major John Sholto
Petticoat Pirates
Movie • 1961
Captain Jerome Robertson
Don't Panic Chaps
Movie • 1959
Suspect
Movie • 1960
Special Agent Prince
There's a Girl in My Soup
Movie • 1970
Manager of Carlton Hotel
The Last Shot You Hear
Movie • 1969
Gen. Jowett
The Earth Dies Screaming
Movie • 1964
Edgar Otis
Happy Is the Bride
Movie • 1958
Jim
Invasion Quartet
Movie • 1961
Rotten to the Core
Movie • 1965
Chief Constable Preston
Ring of Spies
Movie • 1964
Cmdr. Winters
Waltz Time
Movie • 1945
Stefan Ravenne
Crooks and Coronets
Movie • 1969
Hubbard
The Best House in London
Movie • 1969
Doctor Watson (uncredited)
The Passionate Stranger
Movie • 1957
Jimmy
The Love Test
Movie • 1935
Chemist
The Birthday Present
Movie • 1957
Photographer
Life of St. Paul
Movie • 1938
Unidentified role
The Apple Cart
Movie • 1975
Home Secretary
He's Asking For Me
Movie • 1990
Uncle Harold
You Can't Escape
Movie • 1956
Chadwick
Trog
Movie • 1970
Magistrate
Second Fiddle
Movie • 1957
Charles
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
Movie • 1962
Dr. Watson
Mr. Forbush and the Penguins
Movie • 1971
Mr. Forbush Sr.
Bartleby
Movie • 1970
The Colleague
Medal for the General
Movie • 1944
Andrew
The Wrong Box
Movie • 1966
Patience
The Truth About Women
Movie • 1957
Trevor Eaton
Heavens Above!
Movie • 1963
Tranquilax Executive
The Wildcats of St. Trinian's
Movie • 1980
Hugo Culpepper Brown
Oh! What a Lovely War
Movie • 1969
Staff Officer
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
Movie • 1957
Major Whitehart
Spider's Web
Movie • 1982
Hugo Birch
Design for Murder
Movie • 1939
Huey Frazer
The Kindled Flame
Movie • 1939
Cleon
Soft Targets
Movie • 1982
Old Wedding Guest
Soft Beds, Hard Battles
Movie • 1974
General Erhardt
It Happened to One Man
Movie • 1940
Ronnie
The Family Way
Movie • 1966
Vicar
Twisted Nerve
Movie • 1968
Sir John Forrester
Henry V
Movie • 1979
Charles the Sixth, King of France
Silver Blaze
Movie • 1977
Dr. Watson
The Little Drummer Girl
Movie • 1984
Ned Quilley
Once in a New Moon
Movie • 1935
Beamish
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
Movie • 1987
Ludwig (archive footage)
Joey Boy
Movie • 1965
Col. Grant
Josephine and Men
Movie • 1955
Salesman
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
Movie • 1980
Colonel Bloodstock
Captain Boycott
Movie • 1947
Army Officer (uncredited)
Private's Progress
Movie • 1956
Captain Bootle
A Murder of Quality
Movie • 1991
Bishop Harry
Who Done It?
Movie • 1956
Raymond Courtney
A Lady Mislaid
Movie • 1958
Mr. Smith
Goodbye
Movie • 1975
Chalcott-Bentinck
On the Eve of Publication
Movie • 1968
Holland
Two-Way Stretch
Movie • 1960
Colonel Parkright
Ring Once for Death
Movie • 1973
Dr. Ledworth
The Dunroamin' Rising
Movie • 1988
Mr Finister
A French Mistress
Movie • 1960
Colonel Edmonds
They Were Sisters
Movie • 1945
Channing
Young Winston
Movie • 1972
Major Finn
A Home of Your Own
Movie • 1964
Estate agent
The Baby and the Battleship
Movie • 1956
Lt. Setley
Chips with Everything
Movie • 1975
Wing Commander
Mrs. Weekley's Lover
Movie • 2025
Baron Von Richthofen
Secret Journey
Movie • 1939
Max Von Reimer
Tales of the Unexpected
TV • 1979
Harry Gold
The Persuaders!
TV • 1971
John Hatton
Crown Court
TV • 1972
Hallmark Hall of Fame
TV • 1951
Stanley Baldwin
Beasts
TV • 1976
Sir Ramsey
Paradise Postponed
TV • 1986
Worzel Gummidge
TV • 1979
Colonel Bloodstock
Treasure Island
TV • 1977
Life of Shakespeare
TV • 1978
Mr. Justice Fleminge
Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill
TV • 1974
Misleading Cases
TV • 1967
Sir Joshua Hoot
Thriller
TV • 1973
Dr. Ledworth
Ooh La La!
TV • 1968
The Prince
Minder
TV • 1979
Magistrate
Cousin Bette
TV • 1971
Baron Hector Hulot
Play for Today
TV • 1970
Old Wedding Guest
The Wednesday Play
TV • 1964
Holland
Armchair Theatre
TV • 1956
Professor Mortimer
Cribbins
TV • 1969
BBC Play of the Month
TV • 1965
Col. Redfern
The Misfit
TV • 1970
Forbes-Erskine
The Lotus Eaters
TV • 1972
Maj. Edward Woolley
Raffles
TV • 1977
Lord Lochmaben
David Copperfield
TV • 1986
Richard 'Mr Dick' Babley
The Edwardians
TV • 1972
Edward, Prince of Wales
The Edwardians
TV • 1972
King Edward VII
The Adventures of Don Quick
TV • 1970
Chief Dreamer
The World of Hammer
TV • 1994
Self (archive footage)
The Duchess of Duke Street
TV • 1976
Bulstrode
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
TV • 1979
Tufty Thessinger
Strangers
TV • 1978
Bill Dugdale
Bulman
TV • 1985
Bill Dugdale
Malice Aforethought
TV • 1979
Sir Francis Lee-Bannerton