Acting
James Cossins
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
Filmography
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
Film · 2005
Unnatural Causes
Film · 1993
Immaculate Conception
Film · 1992
Murder Most Horrid
Series · 1991
Grand Larceny
Film · 1987
Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel
Series · 1987
Call Me Mister
Series · 1986
Marjorie And Men
Series · 1985
All in Good Faith
Series · 1985
The Masks of Death
Film · 1984
James Bond: The First 21 Years
Film · 1983
Number 10
Series · 1983
Good Night And God Bless
Series · 1983
Gandhi
Film · 1982
Aliens
Film · 1982
L For Lester
Series · 1982
Sphinx
Film · 1981
Timon of Athens
Film · 1981
Loophole
Film · 1981
Bergerac
Series · 1981
Bergerac
Series · 1981
Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
Film · 1980
Minder
Series · 1979
The First Great Train Robbery
Film · 1978
All Creatures Great and Small
Series · 1978
All Creatures Great and Small
Series · 1978
Citizen Smith
Series · 1977
Don't Forget to Write!
Series · 1977
One-Upmanship
Series · 1976
Fawlty Towers
Series · 1975
The Sweeney
Series · 1975
The Good Life
Series · 1975
Shadows
Series · 1975
The Man with the Golden Gun
Film · 1974
What Next?
Film · 1974
Fall of Eagles
Series · 1974
Churchill's People
Series · 1974
Good Girl
Series · 1974
The Pallisers
Series · 1974
Hitler: The Last Ten Days
Film · 1973
That Sinking Feeling
Film · 1973
Bequest to the Nation
Film · 1973
Possession
Film · 1973
Thriller
Series · 1973
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
Series · 1973
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
Series · 1973
Centre Play
Series · 1973
Death Line
Film · 1972
Fear in the Night
Film · 1972
The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night
Film · 1972
A Day Out
Film · 1972
The Breaking of Colonel Keyser
Film · 1972
Young Winston
Film · 1972
Follow Me!
Film · 1972
Crown Court
Series · 1972
Van der Valk
Series · 1972
Crown Court
Series · 1972
Pretenders
Series · 1972
Villain
Film · 1971
Say Hello to Yesterday
Film · 1971
Melody
Film · 1971
Blood from the Mummy's Tomb
Film · 1971
The Rainbirds
Film · 1971
The Piano
Film · 1971
Bel Ami
Film · 1971
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
Series · 1971
Justice
Series · 1971
The Ten Commandments
Series · 1971
Bel Ami
Series · 1971
Bless This House
Series · 1971
Wuthering Heights
Film · 1970
Mad Jack
Film · 1970
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
Film · 1970
The Horror of Frankenstein
Film · 1970
Scrooge
Film · 1970
Carry On Camping
Film · 1969
Otley
Film · 1969
The Lost Continent
Film · 1968
The Anniversary
Film · 1968
A Dandy in Aspic
Film · 1968
Privilege
Film · 1967
How I Won the War
Film · 1967
The Prophet
Film · 1967
Callan
Series · 1967
The Deadly Bees
Film · 1966
Mystery and Imagination
Series · 1966
Love's Labour's Lost
Film · 1965
Darling
Film · 1965
Strife
Film · 1965
Londoners
Series · 1965
Thirty-Minute Theatre
Series · 1965
Legend of Death
Series · 1965
The Likely Lads
Series · 1964
The Likely Lads
Series · 1964
Theatre 625
Series · 1964
The Invasion
Film · 1963
The Avengers
Series · 1961
Coronation Street
Series · 1960
No Hiding Place
Series · 1959
Armchair Theatre
Series · 1956