James Cossins
Acting • Born 1933-12-04 – Died 1997-02-12
Biography
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
90 credits
Hitler: The Last Ten Days
Movie • 1973
German Officer
Death Line
Movie • 1972
James Manfred O.BE.
Villain
Movie • 1971
Brown
The Lost Continent
Movie • 1968
Nick, chief engineer
The Masks of Death
Movie • 1984
Frederick Bains
Sphinx
Movie • 1981
Lord Carnarvon
Fear in the Night
Movie • 1972
The Doctor
The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night
Movie • 1972
Peter Elmstead
Privilege
Movie • 1967
Professor Tatham
The Anniversary
Movie • 1968
Henry Taggart
Wuthering Heights
Movie • 1970
Mr. Linton
Unnatural Causes
Movie • 1993
Justin Bryce
The Man with the Golden Gun
Movie • 1974
Colthorpe
Love's Labour's Lost
Movie • 1965
Holofernes
A Day Out
Movie • 1972
Mr. Shorter
Gandhi
Movie • 1982
Brigadier
Mad Jack
Movie • 1970
The Invasion
Movie • 1963
TV Commentator
That Sinking Feeling
Movie • 1973
Eric
The Breaking of Colonel Keyser
Movie • 1972
Partridge
Timon of Athens
Movie • 1981
Lucullus
Carry On Camping
Movie • 1969
Man in Cinema (uncredited)
What Next?
Movie • 1974
Say Hello to Yesterday
Movie • 1971
Policeman
Immaculate Conception
Movie • 1992
Godfrey
The First Great Train Robbery
Movie • 1978
Harranby
Melody
Movie • 1971
Headmaster
Otley
Movie • 1969
Jeffcot
How I Won the War
Movie • 1967
Drogue
Blood from the Mummy's Tomb
Movie • 1971
Older Male Nurse
Darling
Movie • 1965
Mr. Basildon
The Rainbirds
Movie • 1971
Father - Mr. Rainbird
The Piano
Movie • 1971
Jeremy
Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
Movie • 1980
Henry Bassington-ffrench
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
Movie • 1970
Crodder
Bequest to the Nation
Movie • 1973
McKillop
The Horror of Frankenstein
Movie • 1970
Dean
Aliens
Movie • 1982
Major Lucas
The Deadly Bees
Movie • 1966
Coroner
Possession
Movie • 1973
Kellet
A Dandy in Aspic
Movie • 1968
Young Winston
Movie • 1972
Barnsby
Grand Larceny
Movie • 1987
Strife
Movie • 1965
William Scantlebury
James Bond: The First 21 Years
Movie • 1983
Colthorpe (archive footage)
Bel Ami
Movie • 1971
Forestier
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
Movie • 2005
Mr. Walt (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Prophet
Movie • 1967
Interviewer
Thriller
TV • 1973
Kellet
Murder Most Horrid
TV • 1991
Sir Hugh Lotterby
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
TV • 1973
Magistrate
Fawlty Towers
TV • 1975
Mr. Walt
The Sweeney
TV • 1975
Colonel Rosier
Crown Court
TV • 1972
Citizen Smith
TV • 1977
Court Judge
Callan
TV • 1967
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
TV • 1973
Van der Valk
TV • 1972
Noordhoff
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
TV • 1971
Dr. Jervis
No Hiding Place
TV • 1959
Fall of Eagles
TV • 1974
Count Josi Hoyos
Call Me Mister
TV • 1986
Marjorie And Men
TV • 1985
Minder
TV • 1979
Judge
Crown Court
TV • 1972
Graham Erringburn
Bergerac
TV • 1981
Tuchel
Pretenders
TV • 1972
Old Elam
Justice
TV • 1971
Mr. Ritson
Bergerac
TV • 1981
Calhoun
Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel
TV • 1987
Colonel Luscombe
All Creatures Great and Small
TV • 1978
Mr. Barge
All Creatures Great and Small
TV • 1978
Aloysius Barge
The Good Life
TV • 1975
Magistrate
The Likely Lads
TV • 1964
Scoutmaster
The Likely Lads
TV • 1964
Vicar
The Avengers
TV • 1961
Henry
Londoners
TV • 1965
The Interviewer
The Ten Commandments
TV • 1971
Tom
Shadows
TV • 1975
Custodian
Theatre 625
TV • 1964
Henry
Number 10
TV • 1983
Sir William Harcourt
Churchill's People
TV • 1974
William
Bel Ami
TV • 1971
Charles Forestier
Mystery and Imagination
TV • 1966
Landlord
Coronation Street
TV • 1960
Mr. Soames
Good Girl
TV • 1974
Manager
The Pallisers
TV • 1974
Sergeant Bunfit
Centre Play
TV • 1973
Burret
L For Lester
TV • 1982
Chief Inspector Rodgers
One-Upmanship
TV • 1976