Thorley Walters was a character actor who usually played bumbling or befuddled figures. He is best known for his roles in comedies and horror films, usually as the foil to the lead characters, such as playing Watson to Sherlock Holmes. Thorley Swinstead Walters was born on 12th May 1913 in Teigngrace, a small village outside of Newton Abbott in Devon. His father, T C Walters, was a Prebendary (a senior member of the clergy) and the canon of Exeter Cathedral, and as such Thorley had a strong Christian upbringing. He attended Monkton Combe School, an independent boarding school in North Somerset with a strong Christian leaning, and was drawn to the theatres of nearby Bath and Bristol.
His father always intended Thorley to enter into holy orders following education at Oxford University, but he did also recognise his son’s desire to pursue a career on the stage, and so when Thorley left school he agreed that he would allow him to spend a week in London to try and obtain a job within the acting profession. A profile of Walters in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette in April 1939 went into the tale in more depth: “His father naturally objected, but eventually he bent sufficiently to give Thorley what amounted to 100 to 1 chance against. He agreed to allow him to go to London, to pay his fare and hotel expenses, and to give him exactly one week in which to get a job as an actor. Prebendary Walters knew his son had no friends and no influence in London, but young Thorley was undaunted. Faced with a tough proposition, he immediately gate-crashed a film studio on arrival, and, on the strength of a story that he had done film work in Hollywood, this tall, good-looking youth was actually allotted a part, but two days later the film was shelved… Luck, however, was with him. He got an introduction to Harcourt Williams at the Old Vic, an audition, and a walking-on part in the repertory straight away. So Thorley came back to Devon triumphant. Packed his bag, and was rehearsing within the time allotted by his father. A fortnight later – one of the cast falling ill – Thorley was given a small part and played in the company of Charles Laughton, Flora Robson and other famous artistes.[1]”
Walters secured a role at the Old Vic in London and found himself learning the acting craft alongside Marius Goring amongst others. After two seasons with the Old Vic he went straight into a summer tour of the provinces with Sir Ben Greet’s theatre company in productions of Shakespeare’s work. He then moved to the Manchester Repertory, based in Rusholme, and spent nine months as a juvenile lead before winning roles in West End plays and revues. He made his film debut in The Love Test (1935) in a small role as a chemist. The film is notable for being an early outing for the director Michael Powell. Walters followed this with an uncredited role in the early British science fiction film Once in a Full Moon (1935) which is possibly the one of the oddest British films of the 1930s. The insane plot sees a dead star collide with the moon which throws the seaside village Shrimpham into orbit as a small planet with its own sea!
Theatre roles filled the next few years. He was a cast member of Do You Remember? at the Vaudeville Theatre during September and October 1936. As a member of the Repertory Players he was cast as Arthur Winter in their production of Having Parents staged at the Strand theatre during February 1937. During March 1938 he was a cast member of the stage production Mary Goes to Sea. His earliest television appearance was in Badger’s Green (22nd June 1938), one of a series of current West End theatre productions filmed live for television showing. Thorley is incorrectly credited as Waters in the cast list. Back in the world of cinema Walters had a small roles as a supporting artist in the early biblical epic Life of St Paul (1938) and the short film The Kindled Flame (1939), another religious themed story.
Next was another televised West End production for the BBC, The Young Idea (24th February 1939) written by Noel Coward, and at last Walters’ character had a character name, Rodney Masters, which signified his rising status as an actor. He made his first acquaintance with the director Roy Boulting, and his brother John, when he featured in their production Design for Murder AKA Trunk Crime (1935). It would be the start of both a personal friendship and a creative collaboration on many celebrated feature films. Design for Murder was filmed in only twelve days and told the story of an unbalanced student who kidnaps the leader of a group of fellow students who have been harassing him. Walters' cinema work continued with Secret Journey AKA Among Human Wolves (1939) which saw him cast as Max von Reimer in a World War Two espionage thriller. His last role before the he contributed towards the war effort was in It Happened to One Man (1940), which also saw James Bond creator Ian Fleming lower down in the cast list.
At the outbreak of World War Two Walters joined ENSA (Entertainments National Service Association), an organisation created in 1939 to provide entertainment for the British armed forces, and be the end of 1939 he found himself working alongside James Mason. Walters worked constantly throughout the conflict and, by 1948, he was still entertaining troops with a tour of Australia and New Zealand. Thorley still had time to make the occasional theatre appearance during this period such as a production of Cottage to Let at the Wyndham’s Theatre during July and August 1940. During 1944 and 1945 he took time out from his ENSA role to appear in a couple of films designed to boost morale during the conflict. Some Like It Rough (1944) was a fifteen minute short in which an American and British soldier discuss which is the tougher game – rugby or American football? Walters played the British soldier. The Gay Intruders (1944) was the film debut of Petula Clark who played one of a group of children billeted in the stately home of a retired general, a World War One veteran, who finds new purpose through their presence. Walters plays the role of Andrew.
Walters also had a supporting role as Channing in the film They Were Sisters (1945), the story of three sisters who marry three different men, one of which was Walters’ old theatre colleague James Mason. Next was Waltz Time (1945), a Vienna set musical, with Walters appearing as Stefan Ravenne. Captain Boycott (1945) was set during the 1880 Irish farmer rebellion. Walters appears as a British army officer in an uncredited role.
Following his 1948 tour of the Antipodes Walters returned to England and appeared in a couple of BBC plays; Under The Counter (26th February 1949) as Tim Garrett and Her Excellency (20th September 1949) as Jimmy Denham. Song and Dance (20th May 1950) was an hour long programme featuring Cicely Courtneidge introducing favourite musical numbers from her stage productions. Walters took part in the proceedings as well writing two new sketches for the show, Different Footing and The Red Carnation. On Sunday, 17th June, 1951 Cicely Courtneidge was making a public appearance when the temporary landing stage she was stood on collapsed and threw her into the waters of the River Thames. The accident was caused by large crowd of autograph hunters who had crowded onto the landing stage. They were also dunked into the water. The incident made headline news with the Birmingham Daily Gazette reporting that “Miss Courtneidge was rescued be her leading man, Mr Thorley Walters. She stood on his shoulders and was helped on to the deck of a motor launch which the party had been waiting to board.[2]”
The Muriel Box directed comedy The Passionate Stranger (1957) AKA A Novel Affair was studded with the cream of British character actors including Ralph Richardson, Allan Cuthbertson, Megs Jenkins and George Woodbridge[3]. Walters was featured as the character Jimmy. Whilst Walters found himself extremely busy in cinema he still hadn’t forgotten the rival medium of television. He took a part in the ITV Television Playhouse episode 'Million Dollar Smile' (7th March 1957) as Morley. The production is probably more notable for featuring the director John Schlesinger in a small acting role as a hotel head porter. Thorley’s other TV role for 1957 was as Professor Mortimer in 'The Mortimer Touch' (8th December 1957), an episode of the drama anthology Armchair Theatre.
The romantic film comedy Second Fiddle (1957) provided Walters with a rare leading role opposite Adrienne Corri and Lisa Gastoni. This was the final film in the career of the director Maurice Elvey who had been active in the British film industry since 1913. The Truth About Women was another film comedy directed by Muriel Box who cast Walters and Lisa Gastoni in a cast of so many familiar faces and names; Christopher Lee, Ernest Thesiger, Marius Goring, Wilfred Hyde-White, Eva Gabor, Mai Zetterling, Diane Cilento and Laurence Harvey to name a few!
On television Thorley appeared in The Enchanted April (12th November 1958), an episode of the ITV Play of the Week, based on the comedic novel by Elizabeth von Arnim. His character had the unusual name of Mellersh Wilkins. More comedy film work followed with the supporting feature A Lady Mislaid (1958), World War Two farce Don’t Panic Chaps (1959) and the Terry Thomas and Peter Sellers headlined Carlton-Browne of the FC (1959).Back on television Walters took a rare dramatic role as Mark Kennedy in a first season episode (16th November 1959) of the series Probation Officer.
To start the new decade Walters continued with work in comedy films as bumbling upper class figures as Colonel Parkwright in Two Way Stretch (1960), Colonel Edmonds in A French Mistress (for director Roy Boulting) and Butters in The Pure Hell of St Trinians (1960). His second Roy Boulting directed film for the year was a crime thriller, The Risk (1960). Boulting cast Walters as Prince, a special agent caught up in espionage at a biological research facility. The film featured comedy relief from Spike Milligan who would headline Walters’ next movie, Invasion Quartet (1961). Walters was cast as Cummings, one of a group of civilians led by Spike Milligan into Nazi occupied France to silence heavy artillery firing across the channel. His remaining screen credits for the year include Murder She Said (1961), a Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple vehicle, and the Charlie Drake starring comedy Petticoat Pirates (1961) with one of his signature upper class bumblers as Captain Jerome Robertson. TV roles for 1961 include the forgotten sitcom Winning Widows in the episode 'Burglars At Large' (23rd September 1961) and Drama 61: The Face of the Enemy (24th December 1961) for which Walters provided another army official, Lieutenant Colonel Tom Jarvis.
He only made two films in 1962 but both were excellent additions to his resume. The Phantom of the Opera (1962) was his first Hammer horror film followed by Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (1962). This was a German produced movie which featured Christopher Lee as Sherlock Holmes and Walters as his sidekick Doctor Watson, the first time the actor would play the role, though he and Lee are dubbed by different voice actors. Both this film and The Phantom of the Opera was directed by Terence Fisher, who would become a close personal friend to Walters. Next was a cameo role in the Boulting Brothers comedy Heavens Above (1963) which was headlined by Peter Sellers. His TV roles for the year included 'Wives and Lovers' (20th June 1963), an episode of the Granada TV series Maupassant. Walters’ segment was 'A New Year’s Gift' which also featured Moira Redmond. Thorley also appeared as Doctor Cantlie in 'The Dragon Slayer' (13th November 1963), an episode of anthology series Espionage.
1964 saw Thorley appear in a pair of films with a cult following. Ring of Spies (1964) is an excellent British Cold War espionage thriller which cast Walters as Commander Winters in a cast headed by future 'Murrain' actor Bernard Lee. Terence Fisher directed the low budget alien invasion thriller The Earth Dies Screaming (1964) and gave Walters the role of Edgar Otis, part of a small cast that also contained roles for Edward Judd and Dennis Price. TV work was sparse with only a guest role in the sixth episode of the BBC comedy series Lance At Large, a BBC vehicle for the limited talents of Lance Percival. Theatre work for the year of 1964 included The Roses Are Real at the Vaudeville Theatre during January and February 1964.
Walters work pattern had settled into taking roles in at least one episode of a TV series combined with three to four film roles and 1965 was no exception. His TV appearance for the year was in the unusual drama anthology series Six Shades of Black produced by Granada. The twist for this anthology was that the hero of one play would also appear as the villain in a second. The idea was that this would illustrate the good and bad sides of individual’s character. Walters was cast as Lionel Sparrow in the first episode, 'The Good Woman of Chester Square' (30th April 1965). His film appearances for the year included the under rated comedy Joey Boy (1965) alongside Harry H Corbett, the wordless comedy short film A Home Of Your Own (1965) and for the Boulting Brothers the wonderful comedy crime caper Rotten To The Core (1965). The Tatler magazine’s Elspeth Grant gave Walters a glowing notice in their review of the film. “Thorley Walters is simply splendid as an inordinately vain police chief (the skill with which he transforms a minor part into an eye-catcher must surely be admired, even if direction has something to do with it).[4]”
Horror and comedy films would give Walters his main source of income during 1966. Terence Fisher called upon his services again, this time to play Ludwig in the Hammer production Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966). The cast also includes future Quatermass actor Andrew Keir as the vampire hunting Father Sandor. For the Hammer rival production company Amicus Walters appeared in the Robert Bloch scripted and Freddie Francis directed The Psychopath (1966). It was roles in films such as these that would lead to Thorley eventually being cast in the Beasts instalment 'The Dummy'.
The Victorian era comedy crime caper The Wrong Box (1966) gave Walters a cameo as a lawyer whilst he had a small role as a vicar in the Boulting Brothers kitchen sink drama The Family Way (1966). His TV roles for the year were as Hemmings in The Avengers episode 'What The Butler Saw' and 'Horse Of A Different Colour' (24th June 1967), an episode of the ATV series of plays Trapped. His single film role for 1967 was in the Hammer horror Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) as Doctor Hertz, the sidekick to Peter Cushing’s Baron Frankenstein. Terence Fisher was the director. His television appearances included; portraying Lord Fareham in the second episode of the BBC sitcom Room at The Bottom (21st March 1967) and guesting as David Maxton in 'The Tin God' (31st March 1967), an episode of the offbeat detective series Mr Rose. Misleading Cases was a BBC comedy series based in the world of obscure laws and rival lawyers played by Roy Dortrice and Thorley Walters. The series ran for three seasons of nineteen episodes between 1967 and 1971 and also starred Alistair Sim as the exasperated judge who has to preside of the outrageous cases the lawyers bring to court.
His next television role was playing Doctor Peter Frazer in 'Unhappy Birthday' (27th May 1969), an episode of the sitcom Father Dear Father. This was followed with more comedy work with Bernard Cribbins for his one-man BBC comedy series Cribbins. Walters appeared in episode two (25th November 1969). For the drama anthology ITV Playhouse Walters played Colonel Baldock in the episode 'The Marrying Kind' (7th July 1969), an unusual play written by David Reid about the history of a four poster bed and its various occupants throughout the years.
1964 saw Thorley appear in a pair of films with a cult following. Ring of Spies (1964) is an excellent British Cold War espionage thriller which cast Walters as Commander Winters in a cast headed by future 'Murrain' actor Bernard Lee. Terence Fisher directed the low budget alien invasion thriller The Earth Dies Screaming (1964) and gave Walters the role of Edgar Otis, part of a small cast that also contained roles for Edward Judd and Dennis Price. TV work was sparse with only a guest role in the sixth episode of the BBC comedy series Lance At Large, a BBC vehicle for the limited talents of Lance Percival. Theatre work for the year of 1964 included The Roses Are Real at the Vaudeville Theatre during January and February 1964.
Walters work pattern had settled into taking roles in at least one episode of a TV series combined with three to four film roles and 1965 was no exception. His TV appearance for the year was in the unusual drama anthology series Six Shades of Black produced by Granada. The twist for this anthology was that the hero of one play would also appear as the villain in a second. The idea was that this would illustrate the good and bad sides of individual’s character. Walters was cast as Lionel Sparrow in the first episode, 'The Good Woman of Chester Square' (30th April 1965). His film appearances for the year included the under rated comedy Joey Boy (1965) alongside Harry H Corbett, the wordless comedy short film A Home Of Your Own (1965) and for the Boulting Brothers the wonderful comedy crime caper Rotten To The Core (1965). The Tatler magazine’s Elspeth Grant gave Walters a glowing notice in their review of the film. “Thorley Walters is simply splendid as an inordinately vain police chief (the skill with which he transforms a minor part into an eye-catcher must surely be admired, even if direction has something to do with it).[4]”
Horror and comedy films would give Walters his main source of income during 1966. Terence Fisher called upon his services again, this time to play Ludwig in the Hammer production Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966). The cast also includes future Quatermass actor Andrew Keir as the vampire hunting Father Sandor. For the Hammer rival production company Amicus Walters appeared in the Robert Bloch scripted and Freddie Francis directed The Psychopath (1966). It was roles in films such as these that would lead to Thorley eventually being cast in the Beasts instalment 'The Dummy'.
The Victorian era comedy crime caper The Wrong Box (1966) gave Walters a cameo as a lawyer whilst he had a small role as a vicar in the Boulting Brothers kitchen sink drama The Family Way (1966). His TV roles for the year were as Hemmings in The Avengers episode 'What The Butler Saw' and 'Horse Of A Different Colour' (24th June 1967), an episode of the ATV series of plays Trapped. His single film role for 1967 was in the Hammer horror Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) as Doctor Hertz, the sidekick to Peter Cushing’s Baron Frankenstein. Terence Fisher was the director. His television appearances included; portraying Lord Fareham in the second episode of the BBC sitcom Room at The Bottom (21st March 1967) and guesting as David Maxton in 'The Tin God' (31st March 1967), an episode of the offbeat detective series Mr Rose. Misleading Cases was a BBC comedy series based in the world of obscure laws and rival lawyers played by Roy Dortrice and Thorley Walters. The series ran for three seasons of nineteen episodes between 1967 and 1971 and also starred Alistair Sim as the exasperated judge who has to preside of the outrageous cases the lawyers bring to court.
The year of 1968 followed a similar pattern of one film and a couple of TV appearances outside his regular role in Misleading Cases. TV wise he appeared in the drama series A Man of our Times which gave a dramatic role for George Cole. Walters appeared in the episode 'The Dream Time' (15th February 1968). In the theatre Walters appeared in a revival of Mr Pim Passes By, a play by A A Milne which was presented by Hampstead Theatre Club during January 1968. His second television role was for the BBC’s The Wednesday Play and the episode 'On the Eve of Publication' (27th November 1968). Headlined by Leo McKern as writer Robert Kelvin the David Mercer written play saw Kelvin host a dinner party to mark the publication of his new novel. Walters played the character Holland the publisher of Kelvin’s work. His film work for the year was once more under the directorship of Roy Boulting in the excellent, and sadly under-appreciated, horror thriller Twisted Nerve (1968). Walters played Sir John Forrester opposite Hywel Bennett as the psychotic Martin.
After a few years of a small clutch of roles the New Year would prove to be Walters busiest year yet! Thorley
would appear in five films during this hectic year. Crooks and Coronets (1969) AKA Sophie’s
Place was an American financed
crime caper shot in the UK. The imported lead actors included Warren Oates,
Telly Savalas and Caesar Romero whilst the rest of the cast is made up of a
fantastic array of British character actors including Walters playing Hubbard
as well as Harry H Corbett, Nicky Henson, Hattie Jacques and Clive Dunn to name
a few. Richard Attenborough’s World War One satire Oh! What A Lovely War (1969) gave Walters a small role as an army
officer and he stayed in military uniform for his role as General Jowett in the
thriller The Last Shot You Hear
(1969). He revisited his role as Doctor Watson for a cameo in the unfunny
British sex comedy The Best House in
London (1969) but, by far his most memorable film role of the year, as
Inspector Frisch, came in the Hammer horror Frankenstein
Must Be Destroyed (1969).
Walters started the new decade in much the same pattern of work as he had completed in previous years, small roles or cameos in three of four films and a smattering of television roles to keep him busy. Film appearances included playing Frank Bellamy in the Roger Moore starring film The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970), playing a magistrate in the oddity Trog (1970) and a small role in Bartleby (1970). His cinema final for the year was in the Peter Sellers comedy There’s A Girl In My Soup (1970) for his old colleague and friend Roy Boulting. TV credits for 1970 included an episode of the BBC thriller anthology Menace, 'Trespasser' (17th November 1970), with Walters appearing alongside Gordon Jackson and Robin Askwith, and London Weekend Television’s science fiction comedy series The Adventures of Don Quick. Starring Ian Hendry and Ronald Lacey the now all but forgotten series ran for only one season with Hendry and Lacey playing part of an intergalactic maintenance squad. As they visit a planet each episode Quick (Ian Hendry) attempts to put right imaginary wrongs and in doing so upsetting the local inhabitants. Thorley appeared in the first episode, the only one to still survive in the archives, 'The Benefits of the Earth' (30th October 1970) as the Chief Dreamer.
Walters main TV credit for 1971 was in the BBC version of Cousin Bette (1971). Thorley appears as Baron Hector Hulot opposite Margaret Tyzack as the eponymous Bette. His only film credit for 1971 was playing Mr Forbush Senior, the father of John Hurt, in Mr Forbush and the Penguins (1971). Hurt played a biologist studying the behaviour of penguins and Walters casting was the result of Roy Boulting coming on board as the uncredited director to complete the film. He made only a couple of films in 1972, playing the bumbling Burgermeister in the Hammer horror Vampire Circus (1972) and Major Finn in the epic Young Winston (1972). On television he guest starred in an episode of The Persuaders, 'To the Death Baby', an episode of the sitcom His and Hers with the episode 'Libel' (16th June 1972) and playing Major Edward Woolley in the first season of BBC drama The Lotus Eaters (23rd April – 18th June 1972).
By 1973 the British film industry was on its knees and crumbling further. Luckily Walters had always been able to balance television work with cinema work and now he turned to the small screen medium to earn a wage and as such all his screen roles for the year were in this medium. The year began with Walters playing King Edward VII in two episodes of the BBC mini-series The Edwardians – 'Daisy' (2nd January 1973) and 'Lloyd George' (1973) and continued with Ooh La La! A BBC comedy series starring Judi Dench and Patrick Cargill. Walters graced the episode 'Keep an Eye on Amelie' (5th May 1973) playing the role of the unnamed prince. The Song of Songs was a five part BBC drama for which Walters guest starred as the character Uncle Albert in the first episode (21st June 1973). His last role for the year was in an episode of Late Night Theatre with Walters appearing as Arthur in 'Sanctuary' (24th December 1973).
He made a single film appearance in 1974 for the Peter Sellers comedy Soft Beds, Hard Battles (1974) with the rest of his credits being on television starting with an episode of Orson Welles’ Great Mysteries – 'Ice Storm' (19th January 1974). He then went on to portray Doctor Ledworth in 'Death in Small Doses'[5] (16th February 1974) an episode of the second series of the anthology series Thriller. 'Mutzen Ab!' (6th May 1974) was an episode of the BBC anthology series Masquerade which had the umbrella theme of plays all set during a party. Next was 'Mark Massey Is Dead' (13th August 1974) an episode of the drama anthology series Village Hall. He played the British prime minister Stanley Baldwin in the BBC production The Gathering Storm (29th November 1974) which also featured Richard Burton playing Winston Churchill. For Thames Television he then appeared as Edward, Prince of Wales in the biographical drama series Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill (5th November – 17th December 1974) which completed his TV work for the year.
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Thorley’s only film appearance for 1975 was playing Doctor Watson again in Gene Wilder’s comedy The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975). Douglas Wilmer played Sherlock Holmes. His TV work took in a couple of BBC Play of the Month productions – 'The Apple Cart' (19th January 1975) and 'Chips with Everything' (28th September 1975). Also during January Walters made his debut in an episode of the afternoon legal drama series Crown Court with the role of Toby Drew in 'Matron: Part One' (22nd January 1975). Most notable is his role in the BBC Play for Today episode 'Goodbye' (6th March 1975) as he co-stars alongside Clive Swift, who would also appear alongside Walters in the Beasts episode 'The Dummy'. Walters made a second appearance in Crown Court with 'An Englishman’s Home' (12th November – 14th November 1975) playing a different character, George Unwin QC. Over the coming decade Walters would play the character several times for the series.
1976 was to be a productive and busy year for Walters. His appearances included playing Sir Leopold Jellaby in the Wodehouse Playhouse episode 'Anselm Gets His Chance' (26th March 1976), appearing as Lord Stainton in the ITV period drama for children Dominic (15th February – 4th April 1976), portraying Gerald Grenville in a handful of episodes of the sitcom The Many Wives of Patrick during October 1976 and guest starring as Bulstrode in an episode of The Duchess of Duke Street – 'No Letters, No Lawyers' (13th November 1976). He made a final appearance for the year playing another authority figure, Colonel Redfern, in the BBC Play of the Month production 'Look Back in Anger' (21st November 1976). He would also appear in the Beasts episode 'The Dummy' during the year.
His TV roles continued into 1977 with a guest role as Lord Lochmaben in 'The First Step' (25th February 1977), the first episode of the Anthony Valentine starring crime comedy series Raffles. The highlights of the year’s resume included Walters reprising the character of George Unwin QC for the Crown Court case 'Home' (22nd November – 24th November 1977) and only a few days later his role as Doctor Watson again, with Christopher Plummer as Holmes, for the HTV production 'The Silver Blaze' (27th November 1977) a contribution to The Sunday Drama strand. The other highlight was a BBC production of Treasure Island featuring Alfred Burke as Long John Silver. Walters appears as Squire Trelawny in episodes two (23rd October 1977) and three (30th October 1977). He also made one film, The People That Time Forgot (1977) for Hammer rival Amicus.
Television continued to be Walters main employer the following year where he continued to be cast as officials or high standing members of society including General Moult in 'William and the Tramp' (22nd January 1978), an episode of children’s comedy drama Just William, Bishop Foliot in two episodes of the BBC historical drama The Devils Crown – 'The Earth Is Not Enough' (7th May 1978) and 'A Rose, A Thorn' (14th May 1978) and Justice Fleminge in 'Of Comfort and Despair' (27th June 1978), an episode of biographical period drama Will Shakespeare. He also returned to the role of George Unwin QC for the Crown Court story 'Association' (14th February 1978). After a gap of eleven years Thorley was reunited with his Twisted Nerve colleague Hywel Bennett when Walters appeared in the fourth and final episode of the BBC crime thriller Malice Aforethought (5th April 1979) which cast Bennett as the killer Doctor Edmund Bickleigh. Other guest roles for the year included playing Tufty Thessinger in the second episode of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (17th September 1979) which also contained Hywel Bennett in the cast as Ricki Tarr. To complete the year Walters undertook the role of Charles VI in the BBC mounting of Shakespeare’s Henry V (23rd December 1979).
Walters was next seen as Inspector Jowett in a single episode of the Victorian era detective series Cribb – 'A Case of Spirits' (25th May 1980) and as Sir Charles Russell in BBC drama series A Question of Guilt during May and June 1980. He also appeared in two episodes of crime thriller Strangers as Bill Dugdale – 'You Can’t Win Them All' (21st October 1980) and 'Clowns Don’t Cry' (11th November 1980). The character would return in later seasons on a regular basis.
Film wise he appeared as Hugo Culpepper Brown in The Wildcats of St Trinians (1980), an ill-judged and poorly received reboot of the 1960s film franchise. Perhaps his most fondly recalled role for the year was as Colonel Bloodstock in several episodes of the third season of children’s series Worzel Gummidge transmitted November and December 1980 including the one-hour Christmas special, 'A Cup O’Tea An’ a Slice O’Cake'.
When Strangers returned for a fourth season Walters’ character Bill Dugdale also made a reappearance in the series cropping in four episodes broadcast between September and October 1981. The series returned for a fifth season the following year and Walters was on board as Dugdale for two more episodes – 'The Lost Chord' (29th September 1982) and 'With These Gloves You Can Pass Through Mirrors: Part Two' (20th October 1982). As Strangers came to an end plans were already being made to launch the lead actor Don Henderson in a series of his own. This would not be the last time that Walters would be ask to play the character of Dugdale…
Another role that Walters regularly returned to was that of Crown Court’s George Unwin QC. The latest case to feature the character was 'Leonora' (6th April 1981), though Unwin had been promoted and was now a fully-fledged judge. He was again reunited with Hywel Bennett when he appeared in an episode of Bennett’s hit comedy series Shelley. Walters played a bank manager in the episode 'Credit Where Credits Due' (11th March 1982). Later in the year he popped up with a small cameo in 'Soft Target' (19th October 1982) an episode of the BBC’s Play for Today series. His concluding role for the year was in a BBC production of Agatha Christie’s Spider’s Web (26th December 1982). Walters was seen as Hugo Birch.
Over February and March 1983 Walters could be seen in the returning role of Judge George Unwin for a pair of Crown Court cases, 'Personal Credit and Living In Sin', before going on to a small role in 'Julian' (26th May 1983), an episode of the BBC crime drama Jury. Following this he was assigned to a new Sherlock Holmes production, The Sign of the Four, though time he was not asked to play Doctor Watson, that role went to David Healy playing opposite Ian Richardson as Holmes. Instead he was cast as Major John Sholto. His major television role for the year was a ship’s medic Doctor Arthur Dowdall in the BBC naval espionage drama Spyship broadcast November and December 1983.
Walters played Doughty Strove for the Thames Television series Paradise Postponed (September to November 1986). The twelve part drama series was written by John Mortimer and told the story of a family living in a country village between 1948 and 1985. He was next seen on television as the character Mr Dick in a BBC version of Dickens’ David Copperfield (October – December 1986). Bulman returned for a second season during 1987 and the character Bill Dugdale featured in a couple of episodes – 'Thin Ice' (25th July 1987) and 'Ministry of Accidents' (8th August 1987). Thorley was now in his 70s and continued to acquire guest roles in TV series including the long running anthology series Tales of the Unexpected with the episode 'The Surgeon' (15th January 1988).
The Dunroamin’ Rising (9th February 1988) was a BBC Scotland play and joining Thorley amongst the cast was Elizabeth Sellars who had memorably featured in the Beasts episode 'During Barty’s Party'. Thorley’s other role for the year was as Winston Churchill for the glossy American TV movie Onassis: The Richest Man in the World (1st May 1988). Walters’ appearances began to become sporadic from now on as he took on less demanding roles and less work. His final guest role in an ongoing series was in Minder playing a courtroom magistrate in the episode 'Days of Fines and Closures' (9th January 1989). Screen Two production 'He’s Asking For Me' (18th February 1990) saw Walters play the role of Uncle Harold.
Given his religious background and upbringing it is fitting that his last screen role was as Bishop Harry in the Thames one off drama A Murder of Quality (13th October 1991) which also featured Denholm Elliott in the cast. Thorley had cornered the market in providing the comedy relief character, and whilst he was never the top billed actor, his presence in a film or television episodes was a guarantee of a good performance which could lift up the material to a higher level. After Walters suffered a major stroke a role was specifically written for him in the production of Murder of Quality by John Le Carre. He gave one last performance, despite requiring the help of a nurse whilst he was on set. Director Gavin Millar was quoted in Walters’ obituary in The Stage as saying “It was a great privilege and honour to know and direct him, I admired him tremendously.[7]”
Walters passed away on 6th July 1991, aged 78, in a London nursing home after a long illness and his ashes were placed in Golders Green Crematorium. He had no immediate family. The actor Ian Bannen, who had starred alongside Walters in the films The French Mistress (1960) and The Risk (1960), gave the main speech at his funeral held at Golders Green West Chapel on 15th July 1991.
Walters passed away on 6th July 1991, aged 78, in a London nursing home after a long illness and his ashes were placed in Golders Green Crematorium. He had no immediate family. The actor Ian Bannen, who had starred alongside Walters in the films The French Mistress (1960) and The Risk (1960), gave the main speech at his funeral held at Golders Green West Chapel on 15th July 1991.
[1] “Devon Clergyman’s Son’s Success”, Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, Thursday 6th April 1939, page 8
[2] “Cicely Courtneidge is Saved After A Ducking”, Birmingham Daily Gazette, Monday 18th June, 1951 page 1
[3] Woodbridge’s death traumatised me as a child. To the six year old me Woodbridge was the kindly old man Inigo Pipkin who presented the children’s lunchtime show Pipkins. Woodbridge passed away during the making of the second season and so the brave decision was taken to kill off his character in the show. This was explained to the viewing children as new presenter Wayne Laryea discussed Mr Pipkin dying to the show’s resident puppet characters. It was quite possibly my very first encounter with the concept of mortality.
[4] The Tatler, Wednesday 28th July 1965, page 38
[5] The episode is also known as “Ring Once For Death”
[6] The Stage, Thursday 11th July 1991, page 26
[7] The Stage, Thursday 11th July 1991, page 26
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