Thorley Walters
Born
May 12, 1913 (age 78)
Died
July 6, 1991
Birthplace
Teigngrace, Devon, England, UK

Thorley Walters

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.

Movies

Mrs. Weekley's Lover
Mrs. Weekley's Lover
2025
Baron Von Richthofen
A Murder of Quality
A Murder of Quality
1991 ★ 5.4
Bishop Harry
He's Asking For Me
He's Asking For Me
1990
Uncle Harold
Onassis: The Richest Man in the World
Onassis: The Richest Man in the World
1988 ★ 6.6
Winston Churchill
The Dunroamin' Rising
The Dunroamin' Rising
1988
Mr Finister
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
1987 ★ 6.4
Ludwig (archive footage)
In the Secret State
In the Secret State
1985
Johnny Davenport
The Little Drummer Girl
The Little Drummer Girl
1984 ★ 5.4
Ned Quilley
The Sign of Four
The Sign of Four
1983 ★ 6.4
Major John Sholto
Spider's Web
Spider's Web
1982 ★ 7.3
Hugo Birch
Soft Targets
Soft Targets
1982
Old Wedding Guest
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
1980 ★ 10.0
Colonel Bloodstock
The Wildcats of St. Trinian's
The Wildcats of St. Trinian's
1980 ★ 3.9
Hugo Culpepper Brown
Henry V
Henry V
1979 ★ 6.0
Charles the Sixth, King of France
The People That Time Forgot
The People That Time Forgot
1977 ★ 5.3
Norfolk
Silver Blaze
Silver Blaze
1977
Dr. Watson
James and the Giant Peach
James and the Giant Peach
1976 ★ 6.0
Grasshopper
Beasts: The Dummy
Beasts: The Dummy
1976 ★ 4.0
Sir Ramsey
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
1975 ★ 6.0
Dr. Watson
Chips with Everything
Chips with Everything
1975
Wing Commander
Goodbye
Goodbye
1975 ★ 10.0
Chalcott-Bentinck
The Apple Cart
The Apple Cart
1975
Home Secretary
Soft Beds, Hard Battles
Soft Beds, Hard Battles
1974 ★ 4.3
General Erhardt
Ring Once for Death
Ring Once for Death
1973 ★ 8.5
Dr. Ledworth
Young Winston
Young Winston
1972 ★ 6.2
Major Finn
Vampire Circus
Vampire Circus
1972 ★ 5.9
Burgermeister
Mr. Forbush and the Penguins
Mr. Forbush and the Penguins
1971 ★ 4.6
Mr. Forbush Sr.
There's a Girl in My Soup
There's a Girl in My Soup
1970 ★ 5.4
Manager of Carlton Hotel
Bartleby
Bartleby
1970 ★ 6.4
The Colleague
Trog
Trog
1970 ★ 4.5
Magistrate
The Man Who Haunted Himself
The Man Who Haunted Himself
1970 ★ 6.1
Frank Bellamy
The Best House in London
The Best House in London
1969 ★ 3.6
Doctor Watson (uncredited)
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
1969 ★ 6.3
Insp. Fritsch
The Last Shot You Hear
The Last Shot You Hear
1969
Gen. Jowett
Crooks and Coronets
Crooks and Coronets
1969 ★ 8.3
Hubbard
Oh! What a Lovely War
Oh! What a Lovely War
1969 ★ 6.7
Staff Officer
Twisted Nerve
Twisted Nerve
1968 ★ 6.8
Sir John Forrester
On the Eve of Publication
On the Eve of Publication
1968
Holland
Frankenstein Created Woman
Frankenstein Created Woman
1967 ★ 6.4
Dr. Hertz
The Family Way
The Family Way
1966 ★ 6.5
Vicar
The Wrong Box
The Wrong Box
1966 ★ 6.5
Patience
The Psychopath
The Psychopath
1966 ★ 6.3
Martin Roth
Dracula: Prince of Darkness
Dracula: Prince of Darkness
1966 ★ 6.7
Ludwig
Rotten to the Core
Rotten to the Core
1965 ★ 6.2
Chief Constable Preston
Joey Boy
Joey Boy
1965 ★ 5.8
Col. Grant
A Home of Your Own
A Home of Your Own
1964 ★ 6.0
Estate agent
The Earth Dies Screaming
The Earth Dies Screaming
1964 ★ 6.2
Edgar Otis
Ring of Spies
Ring of Spies
1964 ★ 6.9
Cmdr. Winters
Heavens Above!
Heavens Above!
1963 ★ 6.4
Tranquilax Executive
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
1962 ★ 5.4
Dr. Watson
The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera
1962 ★ 6.4
Lattimer
Petticoat Pirates
Petticoat Pirates
1961 ★ 6.2
Captain Jerome Robertson
Murder She Said
Murder She Said
1961 ★ 7.3
Cedric Ackenthorpe
Invasion Quartet
Invasion Quartet
1961 ★ 4.0
The Pure Hell of St. Trinian's
The Pure Hell of St. Trinian's
1960 ★ 6.4
Butters
Two-Way Stretch
Two-Way Stretch
1960 ★ 6.7
Colonel Parkright
Suspect
Suspect
1960 ★ 6.5
Special Agent Prince
A French Mistress
A French Mistress
1960 ★ 5.7
Colonel Edmonds
Carlton-Browne of the F.O.
Carlton-Browne of the F.O.
1959 ★ 5.9
Colonel Bellingham
Don't Panic Chaps!
Don't Panic Chaps!
1959 ★ 5.1
Happy Is the Bride
Happy Is the Bride
1958 ★ 6.2
Jim
A Lady Mislaid
A Lady Mislaid
1958 ★ 5.0
Mr. Smith
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
1957 ★ 6.7
Major Whitehart
The Birthday Present
The Birthday Present
1957 ★ 7.1
Photographer
The Truth About Women
The Truth About Women
1957 ★ 5.9
Trevor Eaton
Second Fiddle
Second Fiddle
1957 ★ 5.6
Charles
The Passionate Stranger
The Passionate Stranger
1957 ★ 5.3
Jimmy
The Baby and the Battleship
The Baby and the Battleship
1956 ★ 6.0
Lt. Setley
Who Done It?
Who Done It?
1956 ★ 5.1
Raymond Courtney
Private's Progress
Private's Progress
1956 ★ 6.6
Captain Bootle
You Can't Escape
You Can't Escape
1956 ★ 5.0
Chadwick
Josephine and Men
Josephine and Men
1955 ★ 6.0
Salesman
Captain Boycott
Captain Boycott
1947 ★ 6.7
Army Officer (uncredited)
Waltz Time
Waltz Time
1945
Stefan Ravenne
They Were Sisters
They Were Sisters
1945 ★ 5.1
Channing
Medal for the General
Medal for the General
1944 ★ 6.5
Andrew
It Happened to One Man
It Happened to One Man
1940
Ronnie
Secret Journey
Secret Journey
1939
Max Von Reimer
The Kindled Flame
The Kindled Flame
1939
Cleon
Design for Murder
Design for Murder
1939 ★ 5.8
Huey Frazer
Life of St. Paul
Life of St. Paul
1938
Unidentified role
The Love Test
The Love Test
1935 ★ 6.0
Chemist
Once in a New Moon
Once in a New Moon
1935 ★ 6.6
Beamish

TV Series