Thorley Walters
Known for Acting · 125 credits
- Born
- 1913-05-12
- Died
- 1991-07-06
- Place of birth
- Teigngrace, Devon, England, UK
- Also known as
- Thorley Swinstead Walters
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 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).
Known For
TV Shows (42)
Play for Today
1970
as Old Wedding Guest
Crown Court
1972
Minder
1979
as Magistrate
BBC Play of the Month
1965
as Col. Redfern
Screen Two
1985
as Uncle Harold
The Wednesday Play
1964
as Holland
Tales of the Unexpected
1979
as Harry Gold
The Persuaders!
1971
as John Hatton
The World of Hammer
1994
as Self (archive footage)
Strangers
1978
as Bill Dugdale
Thriller
1973
as Dr. Ledworth
Orson Welles' Great Mysteries
1973
as Beecham
The Play on One
1988
as Mr Finister
Espionage
1963
as Dr Cantlie
The Duchess of Duke Street
1976
as Bulstrode
Worzel Gummidge
1979
as Colonel Bloodstock
The Sunday Drama
1977
as Dr John Watson
Cribb
1980
as CI Jowett
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
1979
as Tufty Thessinger
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Stanley Baldwin
Raffles
1977
as Lord Lochmaben
Ooh La La!
1968
as The Prince
Beasts
1976
as Sir Ramsey
A Question of Guilt
1980
as Sir Charles Russell
The Edwardians
1972
as Edward, Prince of Wales / King Edward VII
The Misfit
1970
as Forbes-Erskine
David Copperfield
1986
as Richard 'Mr Dick' Babley
The Lotus Eaters
1972
as Maj. Edward Woolley
Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill
1974
Paradise Postponed
1986
Cousin Bette
1971
as Baron Hector Hulot
Late Night Theatre
1972
as Arthur
Misleading Cases
1967
as Sir Joshua Hoot
Bulman
1985
as Bill Dugdale
Armchair Theatre
1956
as Professor Mortimer
Will Shakespeare
1978
as Mr Justice Fleminge
Life of Shakespeare
1978
as Mr. Justice Fleminge
Malice Aforethought
1979
as Sir Francis Lee-Bannerton
Cribbins
1969
The Adventures of Don Quick
1970
as Chief Dreamer
Masquerade
1974
as Bunny
Treasure Island
1977
Movies (83)
Invasion Quartet
1961
Second Fiddle
1957
as Charles
The Little Drummer Girl
1984
as Ned Quilley
Soft Beds, Hard Battles
1974
as General Erhardt
The Wrong Box
1966
as Patience
Frankenstein Created Woman
1967
as Dr. Hertz
A Murder of Quality
1991
as Bishop Harry
Young Winston
1972
as Major Finn
Dracula: Prince of Darkness
1966
as Ludwig
Oh! What a Lovely War
1969
as Staff Officer
A French Mistress
1960
as Colonel Edmonds
The Phantom of the Opera
1962
as Lattimer
Bartleby
1970
as The Colleague
Murder She Said
1961
as Cedric Ackenthorpe
Twisted Nerve
1968
as Sir John Forrester
The Love Test
1935
as Chemist
Goodbye
1975
as Chalcott-Bentinck
Two-Way Stretch
1960
as Colonel Parkright
Onassis: The Richest Man in the World
1988
as Winston Churchill
The Apple Cart
1975
as Home Secretary
Crooks and Coronets
1969
as Hubbard
Happy Is the Bride
1958
as Jim
The Last Shot You Hear
1969
as General Jowett
Mrs. Weekley's Lover
2025
as Baron Von Richthofen
The Best House in London
1969
as Doctor Watson (uncredited)
The Family Way
1966
as Vicar
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
1969
as Insp. Fritsch
Trog
1970
as Magistrate
The People That Time Forgot
1977
as Norfolk
Private's Progress
1956
as Captain Bootle
Beasts: The Dummy
1976
as Sir Ramsey
There's a Girl in My Soup
1970
as Manager of Carlton Hotel
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
1987
as Ludwig (archive footage)
Vampire Circus
1972
as Burgermeister
The Truth About Women
1957
as Trevor Eaton
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
1975
as Dr. Watson
The Baby and the Battleship
1956
as Lt. Setley
Ring of Spies
1964
as Cmdr. Winters
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
1957
as Major Whitehart
The Sign of Four
1983
as Major John Sholto
Soft Targets
1982
as Old Wedding Guest
They Were Sisters
1945
as Channing
You Can't Escape
1956
as Chadwick
The Man Who Haunted Himself
1970
as Frank Bellamy
The Kindled Flame
1939
as Cleon
The Psychopath
1966
as Martin Roth
Don't Panic Chaps
1959
The Pure Hell of St Trinian's
1960
as Butters
The Earth Dies Screaming
1964
as Edgar Otis
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
1962
as Dr. Watson
A Home of Your Own
1964
as Estate agent
Suspect
1960
as Special Agent Prince
Josephine and Men
1955
as Salesman
James and the Giant Peach
1976
as Grasshopper
Spider's Web
1982
as Hugo Birch
Heavens Above!
1963
as Tranquilax Executive
Waltz Time
1945
as Stefan Ravenne
He's Asking For Me
1990
as Uncle Harold
Mr. Forbush and the Penguins
1971
as Mr. Forbush Sr.
Medal for the General
1944
as Andrew
Captain Boycott
1947
as Army Officer (uncredited)
Rotten to the Core
1965
as Chief Constable Preston
Carlton-Browne of the F.O.
1959
as Colonel Bellingham
Design for Murder
1939
as Huey Frazer
The Wildcats of St Trinian's
1980
as Hugo Culpepper Brown
In the Secret State
1985
as Johnny Davenport
The Passionate Stranger
1957
as Jimmy
Henry V
1979
as Charles the Sixth, King of France
Petticoat Pirates
1961
as Captain Jerome Robertson
Chips with Everything
1975
as Wing Commander
The Dunroamin' Rising
1988
as Mr Finister
Once in a New Moon
1935
as Beamish
The Birthday Present
1957
as Photographer
On the Eve of Publication
1968
as Holland
Ring Once for Death
1973
as Dr. Ledworth
A Lady Mislaid
1958
as Mr. Smith
Who Done It?
1956
as Raymond Courtney
A Cup O' Tea An' A Slice O' Cake - Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
1980
as Colonel Bloodstock
Silver Blaze
1977
as Dr. Watson
Secret Journey
1939
as Max Von Reimer
Joey Boy
1965
as Col. Grant
Life of St. Paul
1938
as Unidentified role
It Happened to One Man
1940
as Ronnie
About 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 Tr… With 125 credits spanning from 1935 to 2025, Thorley Walters has appeared in 83 films and 42 TV shows.
Fans searching for Thorley Walters movies, Thorley Walters filmography, or the latest projects starring Thorley Walters can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Thorley Walters Movies
- Invasion Quartet (1961)
- Second Fiddle (1957) — as Charles
- The Little Drummer Girl (1984) — as Ned Quilley
- Soft Beds, Hard Battles (1974) — as General Erhardt
- The Wrong Box (1966) — as Patience
Where to Watch Thorley Walters Films
Most Thorley Walters movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Thorley Walters, check our movies catalogue and browse page.