Thorley Walters' Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill (UK) Prince of W… Spyship (UK) Dowdall The Adventures of Don Quick (UK) Chief Dreamer A Question of Guilt (UK) Sir Charles… Beasts (UK) Sir Ramsey Bulman (UK) William Dug… David Copperfield (UK) (1986) Mr. Dick Life of Shakespeare (UK) Justice Fle… Menace (UK) Thatcher Misleading Cases (UK) Sir Joshua … Mr. Rose (UK) David Maxton Ooh La La! (UK) The Prince Paradise Postponed (UK) Doughty Str… Room At The Bottom (UK) (1966) Lord Fareham Strangers (UK) William Dug… The Edwardians (UK) King Edward… The Many Wives Of Patrick (UK) Gerald Gren… Treasure Island (UK) Squire Trel…

Main Movie Roles 1984 - The Little Drummer Girl 1977 - The People That Time Forgot 1975 - The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother 1972 - Vampire Circus 1970 - Trog 1970 - There's a Girl in My Soup 1970 - The Man Who Haunted Himself 1967 - Frankenstein Created Woman 1966 - The Family Way 1963 - Heavens Above! 1962 - The Phantom of the Opera 1960 - The Pure Hell of St. Trinian's 1957 - Blue Murder at St. Trinian's

BIOGRAPHY:

Son of a clergyman, the British character actor Thorley Walters was born in 1913 in Teingrace, Devonshire, England. After stage experience, in which he played Shakespearean and light leading roles, he made his film debut in The Love Test (1935) and continued his early film career with numerous quota quickies. Walters quickly found his acting niche in comic parts and became a featured player in films. During the 1950s and 1960s, he made his name in the comedies of the Boulting Brothers (e.g., Private's Progress (1956), Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959), Rotten to the Core (1965), et al.) and the Launder-Gilliat team [e.g., _Ring of Spies (1963)_, Joey Boy (1965), and the St. Trinian's films). He also became well-known to horror fans through his numerous appearances for Hammer (The Phantom of the Opera (1962), Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966), Frankenstein Created Woman (1967), and Vampire Circus (1972)), Amicus (The Psychopath (1966) and The People That Time Forgot (1977)).

With his beefy build, square mustache, and befuddled manner, Walters was a natural to play Dr. Watson, which he did in several films, including Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes (1962), The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975), and Silver Blaze (1977) (TV). In the latter part of his career, he became a familiar figure on television in such popular series as "The Duchess of Duke Street" (1976) and _"Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" (1979)(mini)_ . Walters was active in film and television until his death in 1991, appearing mostly in cameo roles as incompetent officers, bumbling authority figures, and muddle-headed assistants.


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