Thorley Walters

Known for

Acting

Born

May 12, 1913

Birthplace

Teigngrace, Devon, England, UK

Died

July 6, 1991 (aged 78)

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...

Best known work

Dracula: Prince of Darkness

1966

Murder She Said

1961

The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother

1975

Frankenstein Created Woman

1967

Vampire Circus

1972

The Persuaders!

1971

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed

1969

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

1979

The Phantom of the Opera

1962

The People That Time Forgot

1977

Filmography

2025
Mrs. Weekley's Lover
as Baron Von Richthofen
1994
The World of HammerTV
as Self (archive footage) (2 episodes)
1991
A Murder of Quality
as Bishop Harry
1990
He's Asking For Me
as Uncle Harold
1988
Onassis: The Richest Man in the World
as Winston Churchill
1988
The Dunroamin' Rising
as Mr Finister
1988
The Play on OneTV
as Mr Finister (1 episode)
1987
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
as Ludwig (archive footage)
1986
David CopperfieldTV
as Richard 'Mr Dick' Babley (5 episodes)
1986
Paradise PostponedTV
1985
BulmanTV
as Bill Dugdale (1 episode)
1985
In the Secret State
as Johnny Davenport
1985
Screen TwoTV
as Uncle Harold (1 episode)
1984
The Little Drummer Girl
as Ned Quilley
1983
The Sign of Four
as Major John Sholto
1982
Spider's Web
as Hugo Birch
1982
Soft Targets
as Old Wedding Guest
1980
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
as Colonel Bloodstock
1980
The Wildcats of St Trinian's
as Hugo Culpepper Brown
1980
CribbTV
as CI Jowett (1 episode)
1980
A Question of GuiltTV
as Sir Charles Russell (5 episodes)
1979
Henry V
as Charles the Sixth, King of France
1979
MinderTV
as Magistrate (1 episode)
1979
Tinker Tailor Soldier SpyTV
as Tufty Thessinger (1 episode)
1979
Tales of the UnexpectedTV
as Harry Gold (1 episode)