James Cossins
Born
December 4, 1933
Died
February 12, 1997 (63 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Beckenham, Kent, England, UK
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
Known For
Unnatural Causes
Justin Bryce
1993
Immaculate Conception
Godfrey
1992
Murder Most Horrid
Sir Hugh Lotterby · (1 episode)
1991
Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel
Colonel Luscombe · (2 episodes)
1987
Grand Larceny
1987
Call Me Mister
(1 episode)
1986
All in Good Faith
(18 episodes)
1985
Marjorie And Men
(6 episodes)
1985
The Masks of Death
Frederick Bains
1984
Gandhi
Brigadier
1982
Aliens
Major Lucas
1982
Bergerac
Tuchel · (1 episode)
1981
Bergerac
Calhoun · (1 episode)
1981
Timon of Athens
Lucullus
1981
Sphinx
Lord Carnarvon
1981
Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
Henry Bassington-ffrench
1980
Minder
Judge · (1 episode)
1979
The First Great Train Robbery
Harranby
1978
The BBC Television Shakespeare
Lucullus · (1 episode)
1978
All Creatures Great and Small
Mr. Barge · (1 episode)
1978
All Creatures Great and Small
Aloysius Barge · (1 episode)
1978
Citizen Smith
Court Judge · (1 episode)
1977
Fawlty Towers
Mr. Walt · (1 episode)
1975
The Good Life
Magistrate · (1 episode)
1975
The Sweeney
Colonel Rosier · (1 episode)
1975
The Man with the Golden Gun
Colthorpe
1974
Fall of Eagles
Count Josi Hoyos · (1 episode)
1974
What Next?
1974
That Sinking Feeling
Eric
1973
Hitler: The Last Ten Days
German Officer
1973
Bequest to the Nation
McKillop (uncredited)
1973
Thriller
Kellet · (1 episode)
1973
Possession
Kellet
1973
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
(1 episode)
1973
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
Magistrate · (1 episode)
1973
A Day Out
Mr. Shorter
1972
The Breaking of Colonel Keyser
Partridge
1972
Death Line
James Manfred O.BE.
1972
Crown Court
(1 episode)
1972
Crown Court
Graham Erringburn · (3 episodes)
1972
The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night
Peter Elmstead
1972
Van der Valk
Noordhoff · (1 episode)
1972
Young Winston
Barnsby
1972
Fear in the Night
The Doctor
1972
Pretenders
Old Elam · (13 episodes)
1972
Justice
Mr. Ritson · (1 episode)
1971
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
Dr. Jervis · (1 episode)
1971
Blood from the Mummy's Tomb
Older Male Nurse
1971
Villain
Brown
1971
Bel Ami
Forestier · (4 episodes)
1971
The Ten Commandments
Tom · (1 episode)
1971
Melody
Headmaster
1971
The Rainbirds
Father - Mr. Rainbird
1971
The Piano
Jeremy
1971
Say Hello to Yesterday
Policeman
1971
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
Crodder
1970
The Horror of Frankenstein
Dean
1970
Wuthering Heights
Mr. Linton
1970
Mad Jack
1970
Carry On Camping
Man in Cinema (uncredited)
1969
Otley
Jeffcot
1969
The Lost Continent
Nick, chief engineer
1968
A Dandy in Aspic
1968
The Anniversary
Henry Taggart
1968
How I Won the War
Drogue
1967
Callan
(1 episode)
1967
Privilege
Professor Tatham
1967
The Deadly Bees
Coroner
1966
Mystery and Imagination
(1 episode)
1966
Strife
William Scantlebury
1965
Darling
Mr. Basildon
1965
Londoners
The Interviewer · (1 episode)
1965
Love's Labour's Lost
Holofernes
1965
The Likely Lads
Vicar · (1 episode)
1964
The Likely Lads
Scoutmaster · (1 episode)
1964
The Invasion
TV Commentator
1963
The Avengers
Henry · (1 episode)
1961
No Hiding Place
(1 episode)
1959