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.Guide Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em Episodes at Comedy guide. Retrieved 14 August 2015

Early life Cossins was born in Beckenham and educated at the City of London School. After serving in the Royal Air Force, he trained, and he won the silver medal at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1951.

Career 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).

He played a magistrate in episodes of four different British sitcoms, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, The Good Life, Citizen Smith, and Minder.. He also starred in The Likely Lads, Bergerac, The Sweeney, Bless This House, Shadows, All Creatures Great and Small, Just William,L for Lester, He played 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.

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

Film

Darling (1965) as Basildon The Deadly Bees (1966) as Coroner Privilege (1967) as Professor Tatham How I Won the War (1967) as Drogue The Anniversary (1968) as Henry Taggart A Dandy in Aspic (1968) as Heston-Stevas The Lost Continent (1968) as Nick, Chief Engineer Otley (1968) as Geffcock Scrooge (1970) as Party Guest The Horror of Frankenstein (1970) as Dean The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (1970) as Crodder Wuthering Heights (1970) as Mr. Linton Say Hello to Yesterday (1971) as Policeman Melody (1971) as Headmaster Villain (1971) as Brown Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (1971) as Older Male Nurse Death Line (1972) as James Manfred, OBE Fear in the Night (1972) as The Doctor Follow Me! (1972) as Party Guest Young Winston (1972) as Barnsby Bequest to the Nation (1973) as McKillop - HMS Victory Hitler: The Last Ten Days (1973) as German Officer The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) as Colthorpe The First Great Train Robbery (1979) as Harranby Loophole (1981) as 1st Interviewer Sphinx (1981) as Lord Carnarvon Gandhi (1982) as Brigadier Immaculate Conception (1992) as Godfrey

Television

The Dangerous Game (1958, 1 episode) as Auctioneer Saturday Playhouse (1959, 1 episode) as Frank Coppin Theatre Night (1961, 1 episode) as Edgar Lucas, the bride's father The Caucasian Chalk Circle (1962, 3 episodes) as Schauwa Z-Cars (1962-1963, 11 episodes) as Sergeant Michaelson Compact (1963, 13 episodes) as Newcastle Pope Armchair Theatre (1963-1973, 3 episodes) as Partridge ITV Television Playhouse (1963, 1 episode) as Hilliard The Sullavan Brothers (1965, 1 episode) as Maurice Ashley Londoners (1965, 1 episode) as The interviewer No Hiding Place (1965, 1 episode) as 'Muddy' Waters Coronation Street (1965, 1 episode) as Interviewer The Man in Room 17 (1965, 1 episode) as Harry Morrison Legend of Death (1965, 4 episodes) as Irwin The Likely Lads (1965-1966, 2 epsidoes) as Scoutmaster/Vicar Mystery and Imagination (1966, 1 episode) as Landlord The Power Game (1966-1969, 2 episodes) as Henry Outram/Candleford Theatre 625 (1966, 1 episode) as Henry The Fellows (1967, 1 episode) as Visitor Out of the Unknown (1967, 1 episode) as Interviewer The Contenders (1969, 1 episode) as Bloater Strange Report (1969, 1 episode) as Churchill Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1969, 1 episode) as Robbie Cannock The ITV Play (1969, 1 episode) as Mr. Peachham The Avengers (1969, 1 episode) as Henry Paul Temple (1970, 1 episode) as Inspector Lescoe The Wednesday Play (1970, 1 episode) as Colonel Jones-William Thirty-Minute Theatre (1970, 1 episode) as Tim Singleton Dear Mother...Love Albert (1970-1972, 2 episodes) as S.M.N. Beanstock/Col. Tomlinson Special Branch (1970, 1 episode) as Det. Sgt. Davis Menace (1970, 1 episode) as Controller Bless This House (1971, 1 episode) as Tom Williams The Ten Commandments (1971, 1 episode) as Tom Bel Ami (1971, 4 episodes) as Forestier The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971, 1 episode) as . Dr. Jervis Play for Today (1971, 3 episodes) as Jeremy Callan (1972, 1 episode) as Neville Dennis Pretenders (1972, 13 episodes) as Old Elam The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Nigh (1972, 1 episode) as Rev. Peter Elmstead Man at the Top (1972, 1 episode) as Colonel Broadhurst A Day Out (1972, TV film) as Shorter Crown Court (1973, 3 episodes) as Graham Erringburn Thriller (1973, 1 episode) as Kellet Harriet's Back in Town (1973, 2 episodes) as Arthur Marked Personal (1973, 2 episodes) as J.C. Smart Van der Valk (1973, 1 episode) as Noordhoff Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973, 1 episode) as Watson Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? (1974, 1 episode) as a Magistrate Fall of Eagles (1974, 1 episode) as Count Josi Hoyos The Pallisers (1974, 2 episodes) as Sergeant Bunfit Justice (1974, 1 episode) as Mr. Ritson The Double Dealers (1974, 1 episode) as Sir Julian Good Girl (1974, 1 episode) as Manager Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt (1974, 1 episode) as Chairman Notorious Woman (1974, 1 episode) as Gustave Flaubert Centre Play (1975, 1 episode) as Burret Churchill's People (1975, 1 episode) as William Fawlty Towers (1975, 1 episode) as Mr. Walt Shadows (1975, 1 episode) as Custodian The Good Life (1976, 1 episode) as Magistrate Jackanory (1976, 6 episodes) as Storyteller Love Thy Neighbour (1976, 1 episode) as George Brittain One-Upmanship (1976, 1 episode) Shades of Greene (1976, 1 episode) as . Shop assistant The Sweeney (1976, 1 episode) as Col. Rosier Don't Forget to Write! (1977-1979, 3 episodes) as Phillip Mounter Bernie (1978, 2 episodes) as Various parts The Devil's Crown (1978, 1 episode) as Hugues de Lusignan Just William (1978, 1 episode) as Uncle Frederick Prince Regent (1979, 1 episode) as Sir Robert Gifford All Creatures Great and Small (1980, 1988, 2 episodes) as Aloysius Barge Citizen Smith (1980, 1 episode) as Judge The Jim Davidson Show (1980, 1 episode) as Various parts Jukes of Piccadilly (1980, 2 episodes) as Geoffrey Martindale Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (1980, TV film) as Henry Bassington-ffrench Bergerac (1981, 2 episodes) as Tuchel/Calhoun Roger Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1981, 2 episodes) as Baxter Shelley (1981, 1 episode) as Bernard Nelson Timon of Athens (1981, TV film) as Lucullus Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981, 1 episode) as Lord Lothian The Confessions of Felix Krull (1982, 5 episodes) as Lord Kilmarnock L for Lester (1982, 6 episodes) as Chief Insp. Rodgers Minder (1982, 1 episode) as Judge Dombey and Son (1983, 5 episodes) as Major Bagstock Goodnight and God Bless (1983, 6 episodes) as Geoffrey Nanny (1983, 1 episode) as Mr. Croome Number 10 (1983, 1 episode) as Lord Harcourt The Lady Is a Tramp (1984, 1 episode) as Man The Masks of Death (1984, TV film) as Frederick Baines Sharing Time (1984, 1 episode) as Arthur Strangers and Brothers (1984, 3 episodes) as Mr. Knight All in Good Faith (1985, 5 episodes) as Major Andrews My Brother Jonathan (1985, 2 episodes) as Reverend Perry Marjorie and Men (1985, 4 episodes) as Henry Bartlett The Pickwick Papers (1985, 1 episode) as Nupkins Up the Elephant and Round the Castle (1985, 1 episode) as The Major Call Me Mister (1986, 1 episode) as Charlie Staples Miss Marple (1987, ' At Bertram's Hotel ', episode) as Colonel Luscombe Grand Larceny (1987, TV film) Rude Health (1988, 1 episode) as Col. Jardine Chelworth (1989, 2 episodes) as Mr. Kilbeck Woof! (1990, 1 episode) as Mr. Hudson Murder Most Horrid (1991, 1 episode) as Sir Hugh Lotterby Adam Dalgliesh (1993, 1 episode) as Justin Bryce Under the Hammer (1994, 1 episode) as Meredith Bland

References

External links