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.
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Movies (83)
Mrs. Weekley's Lover
2025 · Baron Von Richthofen
A Murder of Quality
1991 · Bishop Harry
He's Asking For Me
1990 · Uncle Harold
Onassis: The Richest Man in the World
1988 · Winston Churchill
The Dunroamin' Rising
1988 · Mr Finister
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
1987 · Ludwig (archive footage)
In the Secret State
1985 · Johnny Davenport
The Little Drummer Girl
1984 · Ned Quilley
The Sign of Four
1983 · Major John Sholto
Spider's Web
1982 · Hugo Birch
Soft Targets
1982 · Old Wedding Guest
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
1980 · Colonel Bloodstock
The Wildcats of St Trinian's
1980 · Hugo Culpepper Brown
Henry V
1979 · Charles the Sixth, King of France
The People That Time Forgot
1977 · Norfolk
Silver Blaze
1977 · Dr. Watson
James and the Giant Peach
1976 · Grasshopper
Beasts: The Dummy
1976 · Sir Ramsey
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
1975 · Dr. Watson
Chips with Everything
1975 · Wing Commander
Goodbye
1975 · Chalcott-Bentinck
The Apple Cart
1975 · Home Secretary
Soft Beds, Hard Battles
1974 · General Erhardt
Ring Once for Death
1973 · Dr. Ledworth
Young Winston
1972 · Major Finn
Vampire Circus
1972 · Burgermeister
Mr. Forbush and the Penguins
1971 · Mr. Forbush Sr.
There's a Girl in My Soup
1970 · Manager of Carlton Hotel
Bartleby
1970 · The Colleague
Trog
1970 · Magistrate
The Man Who Haunted Himself
1970 · Frank Bellamy
The Best House in London
1969 · Doctor Watson (uncredited)
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
1969 · Insp. Fritsch
The Last Shot You Hear
1969 · General Jowett
Crooks and Coronets
1969 · Hubbard
Oh! What a Lovely War
1969 · Staff Officer
Twisted Nerve
1968 · Sir John Forrester
On the Eve of Publication
1968 · Holland
Frankenstein Created Woman
1967 · Dr. Hertz
The Family Way
1966 · Vicar
The Wrong Box
1966 · Patience
The Psychopath
1966 · Martin Roth
Dracula: Prince of Darkness
1966 · Ludwig
Rotten to the Core
1965 · Chief Constable Preston
Joey Boy
1965 · Col. Grant
A Home of Your Own
1964 · Estate agent
The Earth Dies Screaming
1964 · Edgar Otis
Ring of Spies
1964 · Cmdr. Winters
Heavens Above!
1963 · Tranquilax Executive
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
1962 · Dr. Watson
The Phantom of the Opera
1962 · Lattimer
Petticoat Pirates
1961 · Captain Jerome Robertson
Murder She Said
1961 · Cedric Ackenthorpe
Invasion Quartet
1961
The Pure Hell of St Trinian's
1960 · Butters
Two-Way Stretch
1960 · Colonel Parkright
Suspect
1960 · Special Agent Prince
A French Mistress
1960 · Colonel Edmonds
Don't Panic Chaps
1959
Carlton-Browne of the F.O.
1959 · Colonel Bellingham
Happy Is the Bride
1958 · Jim
A Lady Mislaid
1958 · Mr. Smith
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
1957 · Major Whitehart
The Birthday Present
1957 · Photographer
The Truth About Women
1957 · Trevor Eaton
Second Fiddle
1957 · Charles
The Passionate Stranger
1957 · Jimmy
The Baby and the Battleship
1956 · Lt. Setley
Who Done It?
1956 · Raymond Courtney
Private's Progress
1956 · Captain Bootle
You Can't Escape
1956 · Chadwick
Josephine and Men
1955 · Salesman
Captain Boycott
1947 · Army Officer (uncredited)
Waltz Time
1945 · Stefan Ravenne
They Were Sisters
1945 · Channing
Medal for the General
1944 · Andrew
It Happened to One Man
1940 · Ronnie
Secret Journey
1939 · Max Von Reimer
The Kindled Flame
1939 · Cleon
Design for Murder
1939 · Huey Frazer
Life of St. Paul
1938 · Unidentified role
The Love Test
1935 · Chemist
Once in a New Moon
1935 · Beamish
TV shows (44)
The World of Hammer
1994 · Self (archive footage)
The Play on One
1988 · Mr Finister
David Copperfield
1986 · Richard 'Mr Dick' Babley
Paradise Postponed
1986
Bulman
1985 · Bill Dugdale
Screen Two
1985 · Uncle Harold
Cribb
1980 · CI Jowett
A Question of Guilt
1980 · Sir Charles Russell
Minder
1979 · Magistrate
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
1979 · Tufty Thessinger
Tales of the Unexpected
1979 · Harry Gold
Malice Aforethought
1979 · Sir Francis Lee-Bannerton
Worzel Gummidge
1979 · Colonel Bloodstock
Will Shakespeare
1978 · Mr Justice Fleminge
Strangers
1978 · Bill Dugdale
Treasure Island
1977
The Sunday Drama
1977 · Dr John Watson
Raffles
1977 · Lord Lochmaben
Beasts
1976 · Sir Ramsey
The Duchess of Duke Street
1976 · Bulstrode
Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill
1974
Village Hall
1974 · Carruthers
Masquerade
1974 · Bunny
Orson Welles' Great Mysteries
1973 · Beecham
Thriller
1973 · Dr. Ledworth
The Edwardians
1972 · Edward, Prince of Wales, King Edward VII
Crown Court
1972
The Lotus Eaters
1972 · Maj. Edward Woolley
Late Night Theatre
1972 · Arthur
The Persuaders!
1971 · John Hatton
Cousin Bette
1971 · Baron Hector Hulot
The Adventures of Don Quick
1970 · Chief Dreamer
Play for Today
1970 · Old Wedding Guest
The Misfit
1970 · Forbes-Erskine
Cribbins
1969
Ooh La La!
1968 · The Prince
Misleading Cases
1967 · Sir Joshua Hoot
BBC Play of the Month
1965 · Col. Redfern
Six Shades of Black
1965 · Lionel Sparrow
The Wednesday Play
1964 · Holland
Espionage
1963 · Dr Cantlie
Winning Widows
1961
Armchair Theatre
1956 · Professor Mortimer
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951 · Stanley Baldwin