James Cossins

Known for ActingBorn 1933-12-04Died 1997-02-12Beckenham, 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 1997Read more

Movies & web series

What Next?

The Incredible Robert Baldick: Never Come Night

The Rainbirds

Bel Ami

The Piano

Mad Jack

Timon of Athens

Fawlty Towers

The Sweeney

Possession

Love's Labour's Lost

All Creatures Great and Small

Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?

One-Upmanship

The Good Life

Gandhi

Follow Me!

The Avengers

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em

L For Lester

Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel

The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes

Justice

The Likely Lads

Minder

Theatre 625

Number 10

Melody

Murder Most Horrid

Fall of Eagles

Centre Play

Unnatural Causes

Callan

Thriller

A Dandy in Aspic

The Funny Blokes of British Comedy

Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

Bergerac

Citizen Smith

Shadows

James Bond: The First 21 Years

The First Great Train Robbery

Privilege

Darling

The Anniversary

Carry On Camping

Bequest to the Nation

Pretenders