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IMDbPro

Thorley Walters(1913-1991)

  • Actor
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeter
See rank
Thorley Walters in Murder She Said (1961)
Theatrical Trailer from 20th Century Fox Film Corporation
Play trailer2:15
Vampire Circus (1972)
7 Videos
12 Photos
Son of a clergyman, the British character actor Thorley Walters was born in 1913 in Teigngrace, 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), Man in a Cocked Hat (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 and the Deadly Necklace (1962), The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975), and Silver Blaze (1977). 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.
BornMay 12, 1913
DiedJuly 6, 1991(78)
BornMay 12, 1913
DiedJuly 6, 1991(78)
IMDbProStarmeter
See rank

Photos12

Peter Cushing and Thorley Walters in The Risk (1960)
Thorley Walters in Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
Thorley Walters in Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
Margaret Rutherford and Thorley Walters in Murder She Said (1961)
Gerald Cross and Thorley Walters in Murder She Said (1961)
Suzan Farmer and Thorley Walters in Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
Christopher Lee, Senta Berger, and Thorley Walters in Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (1962)
Peter Cushing and Thorley Walters in Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)
Sarah Douglas, Dana Gillespie, Thorley Walters, and Patrick Wayne in The People That Time Forgot (1977)
Alan Dobie and Thorley Walters in Cribb (1980)
Alan Dobie and Thorley Walters in Cribb (1980)

Known for

Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (1962)
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
5.4
  • Dr. Watson
  • 1962
Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)
Frankenstein Created Woman
6.5
  • Doctor Hertz
  • 1967
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
6.0
  • Dr. Watson
  • 1975
Murder She Said (1961)
Murder She Said
7.3
  • Cedric
  • 1961

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • A Murder of Quality (1991)
    A Murder of Quality
  • Screen Two (1985)
    Screen Two
  • George Cole in Minder (1979)
    Minder
  • Onassis: The Richest Man in the World (1988)
    Onassis: The Richest Man in the World
  • The Play on One (1988)
    The Play on One
  • Tales of the Unexpected (1979)
    Tales of the Unexpected
  • Bulman (1985)
    Bulman
  • David Copperfield (1986)
    David Copperfield
  • Paradise Postponed (1986)
    Paradise Postponed
  • The Little Drummer Girl (1984)
    The Little Drummer Girl
  • Don Henderson, Diane Keen, Peter Sallis, and Don Warrington in Crown Court (1972)
    Crown Court
    • ...
  • Spyship (1983)
    Spyship
  • Ian Richardson, David Healy, Cherie Lunghi, and Terence Rigby in The Sign of Four (1983)
    The Sign of Four
  • Jury
  • Holly Aird, Robert Flemyng, Penelope Keith, Elizabeth Spriggs, Thorley Walters, and David Yelland in Spider's Web (1982)
    Spider's Web

Writer

  • Beryl Reid and Joan Sims in Beryl Reid Says Good Evening (1968)
    Beryl Reid Says Good Evening
  • Before the Fringe

Videos7

Official Trailer
Trailer 2:04
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:12
Official Trailer
The Man Who Haunted Himself
Trailer 3:11
The Man Who Haunted Himself
Frankenstein Created Woman
Trailer 2:39
Frankenstein Created Woman
Vampire Circus
Trailer 2:15
Vampire Circus
Cousin Bette
Trailer 2:01
Cousin Bette
Cousin Bette
Trailer 0:53
Cousin Bette

Personal details

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    • May 12, 1913
    • Teigngrace, Devon, England, UK
    • July 6, 1991
    • Hendon, London, England, UK(undisclosed)
  • Other works
    He acted in Patrick Peterson's play, "The Roses Are Real," at the Vaudeville Theatre in London, England with Micheal Mac Liammoir, Mary Kerridge, and Hilton Edwards in the cast. Hilton Edwards also director.
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Article
    • 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

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  • Trivia
    He played King Edward VII (1841-1910) in three unrelated productions in as many years: The Edwardians (1972), Lloyd George (1973) and Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill (1974).

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