Acting · Teigngrace, Devon, England, UK · Born May 12, 1913
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.
MovieMrs. Weekley's Lover
2025
as Baron Von Richthofen
TVThe World of Hammer
1994
as Self (archive footage)
MovieA Murder of Quality
1991
as Bishop Harry
He's Asking For Me
1990
as Uncle Harold
MovieOnassis: The Richest Man in the World
1988
as Winston Churchill
MovieThe Dunroamin' Rising
1988
as Mr Finister
TVThe Play on One
1988
as Mr Finister
MovieHammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
1987
as Ludwig (archive footage)
TVDavid Copperfield
1986
as Richard 'Mr Dick' Babley
TVParadise Postponed
1986
TVBulman
1985
as Bill Dugdale
MovieIn the Secret State
1985
as Johnny Davenport
TVScreen Two
1985
as Uncle Harold
MovieThe Little Drummer Girl
1984
as Ned Quilley
MovieThe Sign of Four
1983
as Major John Sholto
MovieSpider's Web
1982
as Hugo Birch
MovieSoft Targets
1982
as Old Wedding Guest
MovieA Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
1980
as Colonel Bloodstock
MovieThe Wildcats of St Trinian's
1980
as Hugo Culpepper Brown
TVCribb
1980
as CI Jowett
A Question of Guilt
1980
as Sir Charles Russell
MovieHenry V
1979
as Charles the Sixth, King of France
TVMinder
1979
as Magistrate
TVTinker Tailor Soldier Spy
1979
as Tufty Thessinger
TVTales of the Unexpected
1979
as Harry Gold
TVMalice Aforethought
1979
as Sir Francis Lee-Bannerton
TVWorzel Gummidge
1979
as Colonel Bloodstock
TVLife of Shakespeare
1978
as Mr. Justice Fleminge
TVWill Shakespeare
1978
as Mr Justice Fleminge
TVStrangers
1978
as Bill Dugdale
TVTreasure Island
1977
MovieThe People That Time Forgot
1977
as Norfolk
The Sunday Drama
1977
as Dr John Watson
TVRaffles
1977
as Lord Lochmaben
MovieSilver Blaze
1977
as Dr. Watson
MovieJames and the Giant Peach
1976
as Grasshopper
MovieBeasts: The Dummy
1976
as Sir Ramsey
TVBeasts
1976
as Sir Ramsey
TVThe Duchess of Duke Street
1976
as Bulstrode
MovieThe Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
1975
as Dr. Watson
MovieChips with Everything
1975
as Wing Commander
MovieGoodbye
1975
as Chalcott-Bentinck
The Apple Cart
1975
as Home Secretary
TVJennie: Lady Randolph Churchill
1974
Masquerade
1974
as Bunny
MovieSoft Beds, Hard Battles
1974
as General Erhardt
MovieRing Once for Death
1973
as Dr. Ledworth
TVOrson Welles' Great Mysteries
1973
as Beecham
TVThriller
1973
as Dr. Ledworth
TVThe Edwardians
1972
as Edward, Prince of Wales
TVCrown Court
1972
MovieYoung Winston
1972
as Major Finn
MovieVampire Circus
1972
as Burgermeister
TVThe Lotus Eaters
1972
as Maj. Edward Woolley
Late Night Theatre
1972
as Arthur
TVThe Persuaders!
1971
as John Hatton
TVCousin Bette
1971
as Baron Hector Hulot
MovieMr. Forbush and the Penguins
1971
as Mr. Forbush Sr.
MovieThere's a Girl in My Soup
1970
as Manager of Carlton Hotel
MovieBartleby
1970
as The Colleague
TVThe Adventures of Don Quick
1970
as Chief Dreamer
MovieTrog
1970
as Magistrate
TVPlay for Today
1970
as Old Wedding Guest
MovieThe Man Who Haunted Himself
1970
as Frank Bellamy
TVThe Misfit
1970
as Forbes-Erskine
TVCribbins
1969
MovieThe Best House in London
1969
as Doctor Watson (uncredited)
MovieFrankenstein Must Be Destroyed
1969
as Insp. Fritsch
MovieThe Last Shot You Hear
1969
as General Jowett
MovieCrooks and Coronets
1969
as Hubbard
MovieOh! What a Lovely War
1969
as Staff Officer
MovieTwisted Nerve
1968
as Sir John Forrester
MovieOn the Eve of Publication
1968
as Holland
TVOoh La La!
1968
as The Prince
Misleading Cases
1967
as Sir Joshua Hoot
MovieFrankenstein Created Woman
1967
as Dr. Hertz
MovieThe Family Way
1966
as Vicar
MovieThe Wrong Box
1966
as Patience
MovieThe Psychopath
1966
as Martin Roth
MovieDracula: Prince of Darkness
1966
as Ludwig
TVBBC Play of the Month
1965
as Col. Redfern
MovieRotten to the Core
1965
as Chief Constable Preston
MovieJoey Boy
1965
as Col. Grant
MovieA Home of Your Own
1964
as Estate agent
MovieThe Earth Dies Screaming
1964
as Edgar Otis
TVThe Wednesday Play
1964
as Holland
MovieRing of Spies
1964
as Cmdr. Winters
TVEspionage
1963
as Dr Cantlie
MovieHeavens Above!
1963
as Tranquilax Executive
MovieSherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
1962
as Dr. Watson
MovieThe Phantom of the Opera
1962
as Lattimer
MoviePetticoat Pirates
1961
as Captain Jerome Robertson
MovieMurder She Said
1961
as Cedric Ackenthorpe
MovieInvasion Quartet
1961
MovieThe Pure Hell of St Trinian's
1960
as Butters
MovieTwo-Way Stretch
1960
as Colonel Parkright
MovieSuspect
1960
as Special Agent Prince
MovieA French Mistress
1960
as Colonel Edmonds
MovieDon't Panic Chaps
1959
MovieCarlton-Browne of the F.O.
1959
as Colonel Bellingham
MovieHappy Is the Bride
1958
as Jim
MovieA Lady Mislaid
1958
as Mr. Smith
MovieBlue Murder at St. Trinian's
1957
as Major Whitehart
MovieThe Birthday Present
1957
as Photographer
MovieThe Truth About Women
1957
as Trevor Eaton
MovieSecond Fiddle
1957
as Charles
MovieThe Passionate Stranger
1957
as Jimmy
TVArmchair Theatre
1956
as Professor Mortimer
MovieThe Baby and the Battleship
1956
as Lt. Setley
MovieWho Done It?
1956
as Raymond Courtney
MoviePrivate's Progress
1956
as Captain Bootle
MovieYou Can't Escape
1956
as Chadwick
MovieJosephine and Men
1955
as Salesman
TVHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Stanley Baldwin
MovieCaptain Boycott
1947
as Army Officer (uncredited)
MovieWaltz Time
1945
as Stefan Ravenne
MovieThey Were Sisters
1945
as Channing
MovieMedal for the General
1944
as Andrew
It Happened to One Man
1940
as Ronnie
Secret Journey
1939
as Max Von Reimer
The Kindled Flame
1939
as Cleon
MovieDesign for Murder
1939
as Huey Frazer
MovieLife of St. Paul
1938
as Unidentified role
MovieThe Love Test
1935
as Chemist
MovieOnce in a New Moon
1935
as Beamish
