People
James Cossins
Acting · follow into films and chains
Biography
James Cossins (4 December 1933 – 12 February 1997) was an English actor. Born in Beckenham, Kent, he became widely recognised as the abrupt, bewildered Mr Walt in the Fawlty Towers episode "The Hotel Inspectors" and as Mr Watson, the frustrated Public Relations training course instructor, in an episode of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Cossins was born in Beckenham and educated at the City of London School. After serving in the Royal Air Force, he trained at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he won the silver medal in 1952. Cossins first appeared in repertory theatre and at the Nottingham Playhouse. He played a wide range of characters throughout his colourful and extensive career on television and stage, often portraying blustering, pompous, crusty and cantankerous characters. Cossins appeared in Charley's Aunt at the Apollo Theatre in 1971 with Tom Courtenay, David Horovitch, Garth Forwood, Joanna McCallum, and Celia Bannerman. He appeared in more than forty films, including The Anniversary (recreating his West End stage role), and The Lost Continent (both 1968), Gandhi (1982), and The Man with the Golden Gun (1974). On the small screen, Cossins appeared as a guest in a variety of shows, including The Likely Lads and Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Minder, Bergerac, The Sweeney, Bless This House, Shadows, All Creatures Great and Small, Citizen Smith, Just William, The Good Life, L for Lester, Neville Dennis in Callan "Rules of the Game" (1972), Z-Cars, and as the regular character Bruce Westrop (in 1979) in Emmerdale Farm. He also played Major Bagstock in Dombey and Son (1983), and appeared in the first series of All in Good Faith in 1985. He played a magistrate in episodes of four different British sitcoms, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, The Good Life, Citizen Smith and Minder. Cossins's later appearances were limited by ill health and he lived in semi-retirement in Surrey. Cossins died from heart disease at the age of 63, in 1997
Notable films
Where to start
Highlights from credits and KinoChain journeys.
Privilege
Appears in a KinoChain journey
Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel
As Colonel Luscombe
Blood from the Mummy's Tomb
As Older Male Nurse
The First Great Train Robbery
As Harranby
Wuthering Heights
As Mr. Linton
How I Won the War
As Drogue
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
As Crodder
Villain
As Brown
Chains
KinoChain journeys
Public chains that pass through their films — or name them as a bridge.
Topics
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Related people
Collaborators & neighbours
Acted
Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel
1987 · Colonel Luscombe
The First Great Train Robbery
1978 · Harranby
Blood from the Mummy's Tomb
1971 · Older Male Nurse
Villain
1971 · Brown
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
1970 · Crodder
Wuthering Heights
1970 · Mr. Linton
How I Won the War
1967 · Drogue
Privilege
1967 · Professor Tatham