Thorley Walters | |
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| Born | Thorley Swinstead Walters (1913-05-12)12 May 1913 Teigngrace,Devon, England |
| Died | 6 July 1991(1991-07-06) (aged 78) London, England |
| Resting place | Golders Green Crematorium |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1935–1991 |
Thorley Swinstead Walters (12 May 1913[1] – 6 July 1991) was an English actor.[2] He played comedy roles in films includingCarlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959) andTwo-Way Stretch (1960).[3]
Walters was born inTeigngrace,Devon, the son of Prebendary Thomas Collins Walters ofSilverton, Devon[1] and his wife Mary Francis [sic] née Swinstead.[4][5] He was educated atMonkton Combe School,Somerset.
Walters appeared in theWest End in the 1942 naval playEscort byPatrick Hastings and the 1949 musicalHer Excellency at theLondon Hippodrome.
Walters featured in three of theSt Trinian's films, starting as an army major inBlue Murder at St Trinian's. He later appeared as Butters, assistant to Education Ministry senior civil servant Culpepper-Brown (Eric Barker) inThe Pure Hell of St Trinian's and played the part of Culpepper-Brown inThe Wildcats of St Trinian's.
From the 1960s onwards Walters also appeared in severalHammer horror films, includingThe Phantom of the Opera (1962),Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966),Frankenstein Created Woman (1967),Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969) andVampire Circus (1972). He was a close friend of Hammer's most important directorTerence Fisher.[6]
Walters playedSherlock Holmes's sidekickDoctor 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) andSilver Blaze (1977).[7]
Walters' television appearances included the Granada seriesCrown Court, both as a judge and as a barrister. He also appeared as a barrister in the BBC SeriesA P Herbert's Misleading Cases, starringRoy Dotrice asAlbert Haddock. He also was inThe Avengers starring as Hemming in the 1966 episode "What the Butler Saw". Walters also had roles inThe Lotus Eaters andTinker Tailor Soldier Spy.[8] Walters was considered for the role ofCaptain Mainwaring inDad's Army, before the part was assigned toArthur Lowe[9] – Walters was offered the role by producerDavid Croft but turned it down.[10] In 1974 he played the Prince of Wales in the TV dramaJennie - Lady Randolph Churchill.
In the DVD commentary toThe Man Who Haunted Himself, actorRoger Moore mentioned that co-star Walters lived inDolphin Square inPimlico, London in which some scenes of the film were shot.
Walters visited the ailingTerry-Thomas inBarnes, London in 1989. Walters had starred with Thomas in theBoulting Brothers' filmCarlton-Browne of the F.O. and was shocked at his appearance (he was ill withParkinson's disease). That visit resulted in the Terry-Thomas Gala held in theTheatre Royal, Drury Lane in the same year which raised funds to help Thomas live the rest of his life in comfort.
ActressSiobhan Redmond was visiting Walters when he died in a London nursing home. ActorIan Bannen gave the main address at his funeral held atGolders Green.[11][12]
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