James Cossins
51 movies · 45 TV shows
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Dec 4, 1933
- Died
- Feb 12, 1997 (age 63)
- Place of birth
- Beckenham, Kent, England, UK
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.
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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
Profiles IMDb
Known for
James Cossins: movies and TV shows
Acting (96)
- 2005 The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
as Mr. Walt (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1993 Unnatural Causes
as Justin Bryce
- 1992 Immaculate Conception
as Godfrey
- 1991
- 1987
- 1987
- 1986
- 1985
- 1985
- 1984 The Masks of Death
as Frederick Bains
- 1983 James Bond: The First 21 Years
as Colthorpe (archive footage)
- 1983
- 1983
- 1982 Gandhi
as Brigadier
- 1982 Aliens
as Major Lucas
- 1982
- 1981
- 1981 Loophole
as 1st Interviewer
- 1981 Timon of Athens
as Lucullus
- 1981 Sphinx
as Lord Carnarvon
- 1980 Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
as Henry Bassington-ffrench
- 1979
- 1978 The First Great Train Robbery
as Harranby
- 1978
- 1977
- 1977
- 1976
- 1975
- 1975
- 1975
- 1975
- 1974
- 1974 The Man with the Golden Gun
as Colthorpe
- 1974
- 1974
- 1974
- 1974
- 1973 That Sinking Feeling
as Eric
- 1973
- 1973 Hitler: The Last Ten Days
as German Officer
- 1973 Bequest to the Nation
as McKillop
- 1973
- 1973 Possession
as Kellet
- 1973
- 1973
- 1972 A Day Out
as Mr. Shorter
- 1972
- 1972 The Breaking of Colonel Keyser
as Partridge
- 1972 Death Line
as James Manfred O.BE.
- 1972 The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night
as Peter Elmstead
- 1972
- 1972 Young Winston
as Barnsby
- 1972 Follow Me!
as Party Guest (uncredited)
- 1972 Fear in the Night
as The Doctor
- 1972
- 1971 Blood from the Mummy's Tomb
as Older Male Nurse
- 1971
- 1971
- 1971 Villain
as Brown
- 1971 Bel Ami
as Forestier
- 1971
- 1971
- 1971 Melody
as Headmaster
- 1971 The Rainbirds
as Father - Mr. Rainbird
- 1971
- 1971 The Piano
as Jeremy
- 1971 Say Hello to Yesterday
as Policeman
- 1970 The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
as Crodder
- 1970 The Horror of Frankenstein
as Dean
- 1970 Scrooge
as Party Guest (uncredited)
- 1970 Wuthering Heights
as Mr. Linton
- 1970
- 1969 Carry On Camping
as Man in Cinema (uncredited)
- 1969 Otley
as Jeffcot
- 1968 The Lost Continent
as Nick, chief engineer
- 1968
- 1968 The Anniversary
as Henry Taggart
- 1967 How I Won the War
as Drogue
- 1967 Privilege
as Professor Tatham
- 1967
- 1967 The Prophet
as Interviewer
- 1966 The Deadly Bees
as Coroner
- 1966
- 1965
- 1965 Strife
as William Scantlebury
- 1965 Darling
as Mr. Basildon
- 1965
- 1965
- 1965 Love's Labour's Lost
as Holofernes
- 1964
- 1964
- 1963 The Invasion
as TV Commentator
- 1961
- 1960
- 1959
- 1956