Thorley Walters


Thorley Swinstead Walters was an English actor. He played comedy roles in films including Carlton-Browne of the F.O. and Two-Way Stretch.

Early life

Walters was born in Teigngrace, Devon, the son of Prebendary Thomas Collins Walters of Silverton, Devon and his wife Mary née Swinstead. He was educated at Monkton Combe School, Somerset.
Walters appeared in the West End in the 1942 naval play Escort by Patrick Hastings and the 1949 musical Her Excellency at the London Hippodrome.

Career

Films

Walters featured in three of the St Trinian's films, 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 in The Pure Hell of St Trinian's and played the part of Culpepper-Brown in The Wildcats of St Trinian's.
From the 1960s onwards Walters also appeared in several Hammer horror films, including The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula: Prince of Darkness, Frankenstein Created Woman, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed and Vampire Circus. He was a close friend of Hammer's most important director Terence Fisher.
Walters played Sherlock Holmes's sidekick Doctor Watson in four unrelated films: Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace, The Best House in London, The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother and Silver Blaze.

Television

Walters' television appearances included the Granada series Crown Court, both as a judge and as a barrister. He also appeared as a barrister in the BBC Series A P Herbert's Misleading Cases, starring Roy Dotrice as Albert Haddock. He also was in The Avengers starring as Hemming in the 1966 episode "What the Butler Saw". Walters also had roles in The Lotus Eaters and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Walters was considered for the role of Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army, before the part was assigned to Arthur Lowe – Walters was offered the role by producer David Croft but turned it down. In 1974 he played the Prince of Wales in the TV drama Jennie - Lady Randolph Churchill.

Personal life

In the DVD commentary to The Man Who Haunted Himself, actor Roger Moore mentioned that co-star Walters lived in Dolphin Square in Pimlico, London in which some scenes of the film were shot.
Walters visited the ailing Terry-Thomas in Barnes, London in 1989. Walters had starred with Thomas in the Boulting Brothers' film Carlton-Browne of the F.O. and was shocked at his appearance. That visit resulted in the Terry-Thomas Gala held in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in the same year which raised funds to help Thomas live the rest of his life in comfort.
Actress Siobhan Redmond was visiting Walters when he died in a London nursing home. Actor Ian Bannen gave the main address at his funeral held at Golders Green.

Filmography

The Love Test - ChemistOnce in a New Moon Life of St. Paul - Unidentified roleTrunk Crime - Huey FrazerSecret Journey – Max von ReimerIt Happened to One Man – RonnieMedal for the General – AndrewThey Were Sisters – ChanningWaltz Time – Stefan RavenneCaptain Boycott – Army Officer Josephine and Men – SalesmanPrivate's Progress – Captain BootleWho Done It? – Raymond CourtneyThe Baby and the Battleship – Lt. SetleyYou Can't Escape – ChadwickThe Passionate Stranger – JimmySecond Fiddle – CharlesThe Truth About Women – TrevorThe Birthday Present – PhotographerBlue Murder at St Trinian's – MajorHappy Is the Bride – JimA Lady Mislaid – SmithCarlton-Browne of the F.O. – Colonel Bellingham of the BaysDon't Panic Chaps! – BrownTwo-Way Stretch – Col. ParkrightA French Mistress – Colonel Edmonds – Chairman of the GovernorsSuspect – Special Agent PrinceThe Pure Hell of St Trinian's – ButtersInvasion Quartet – CummingsMurder, She Said – CedricPetticoat Pirates – Captain Jerome RobertsonThe Phantom of the Opera – LattimerSherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace – Dr. WatsonHeavens Above! – Tranquilax ExecutiveRing of Spies – Cmdr. WintersThe Earth Dies Screaming – Edgar OtisJoey Boy – Col. GrantA Home of Your Own – Estate agentRotten to the Core – Chief Constable PrestonDracula: Prince of Darkness – LudwigThe Psychopath – Martin RothThe Wrong Box – Lawyer PatienceThe Family Way – The VicarFrankenstein Created Woman – Doctor HertzTwisted Nerve – Sir John ForresterCrooks and Coronets – HubbardOh! What a Lovely War – Staff Officer in BallroomThe Last Shot You Hear – Gen. JowettFrankenstein Must Be Destroyed – Inspector FrischThe Best House in London – Doctor Watson The Man Who Haunted Himself – Frank BellamyTrog – MagistrateBartleby – The ColleagueThere's a Girl in My Soup – Manager, Carlton HotelMr. Forbush and the Penguins – Mr. Forbush Sr.The Lotus Eaters – Major Edward WoolleyVampire Circus – BurgermeisterYoung Winston – Major FinnThe Edwardians - King Edward VIISoft Beds, Hard Battles – General ErhardtThe Gathering Storm – Stanley BaldwinThe Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother – Dr. WatsonThe People That Time Forgot – NorfolkThe Wildcats of St Trinian's – Hugo Culpepper BrownThe Sign of Four – Major John SholtoThe Little Drummer Girl – Ned QuilleyThe Play on One: The Dunroamin' Rising – Mr Finister