Wally Patch

Walter Sydney Vinnicombe (26 September 1888 – 27 October 1970), known as Wally Patch, was an English actor and comedian. He worked in film, television and theatre.

Early life and career Vinnicombe was born in Willesden, Middlesex and began working on the music hall stages in 1912 and at regular theatres in 1938 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. His first film appearance was in 1928, and went on to appear in 213 other films. On stage he enjoyed success in the 1950 play Reluctant Heroes, the first of the Whitehall farces. He worked up to his death, with his last television appearance in the comedy Doctor in the House in 1970.

Partial filmography

Blighty (1927) – Drill Sergeant Boadicea (1927) – Officer in Roman Army (uncredited) The King's Highway (1927) – Police Chief Carry On (1927) – Andrews The Luck of the Navy (1927) – Stoker Clark The Guns of Loos (1928) – Sergeant Shooting Stars (1928) – Property Man Balaclava (1928) – Trooper Strang A Reckless Gamble (1928) – Wally You Know What Sailors Are (1928) – Seaman High Treason (1929) – Peace League Commissionaire (uncredited) The Adventures of Dick Turpin (1929) – Jonathan Wild Warned Off (1930) – Miles The Great Game (1930) – Joe Miller Kissing Cup's Race (1930) – Bookie The Sport of Kings (1931) – Panama Pete The Skin Game (1931) – Van Driver (uncredited) Tell England (1931) – Sergeant Never Trouble Trouble (1931) – Bill Hainton The Great Gay Road (1931) – Joe Shadows (1931) – Cripps Castle Sinister (1932) – Jorkins Heroes of the Mine (1932) – Bob Here's George (1932) – Foeman Illegal (1932) – The Bookie (uncredited) The Lucky Number (1932) – Bookmaker at Greyhound Stadium (uncredited) The Good Companions (1933) – Fred – Driver's Mate The Crime at Blossoms (1933) – Palmer Don Quixote (1933) – Gypsy King Falling for You (1933) – Publican (uncredited) Dora (1933 short) – PC William Petty Britannia of Billingsgate (1933) – Harry The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) – Butcher in Kitchen (uncredited) Channel Crossing (1933) – Sailor (uncredited) Trouble (1933) – Chief Steward Marooned (1933) – Wilson Friday the Thirteenth (1933) – Bookmaker (uncredited) Up for the Derby (1933) – Bert Davis, Bookie (uncredited) Sorrell and Son (1933) – Buck The Scotland Yard Mystery (1934) – Detective Sergeant George The Fire Raisers (1934) – Price the Trainer (uncredited) Those Were the Days (1934) – Insp. Briggs Tiger Bay (1934) – Wally The Man I Want (1934) – Crook Passing Shadows (1934) – Sergeant Orders Is Orders (1934) – Regimental Sergeant Major Music Hall (1934) – Fred What Happened to Harkness? (1934) – Bullett Falling in Love (1934) – Boatman (uncredited) Virginia's Husband (1934) – Police Sergeant Badger's Green (1934) – Mr. Rogers The Scoop (1934) – Harry Humphries Crazy People (1934) A Glimpse of Paradise (1934) – Harry The Old Curiosity Shop (1934) – George (uncredited) The Perfect Flaw (1934) – Bert Once in a New Moon (1934) – Syd Parrott Borrow a Million (1934) – Bodgers The Public Life of Henry the Ninth (1935) – Landlord Brewster's Millions (1935) – Bookmaker (uncredited) Street Song (1935) – Wally That's My Uncle (1935) – Splinty Woods Dandy Dick (1935) – Police Constable Topping (uncredited) Death on the Set (1935) – Sergeant Crowther Where's George? (1935) – Ted Sloane Old Faithful (1935) – Joe Riley While Parents Sleep (1935) – Taxi Driver Crime Unlimited (1935) – Andrew Purvis (uncredited) No Monkey Business (1935) – Stage Hand (uncredited) Get Off My Foot (1935) – Tramp Off the Dole (1935) – Detective Brown Marry the Girl (1935) – Bookmaker His Majesty and Company (1935) – Bert Hicks Charing Cross Road (1935) – Langdon's Assistant (uncredited) Public Nuisance No. 1 (1936) – Hotel Doorman (uncredited) Ticket of Leave (1936) – Sergeant Knott Twice Branded (1936) – James Kaley (uncredited) A Wife or Two (1936) On Top of the World (1936) – Cardsharper Excuse My Glove (1936) – Hurricane Harry A Touch of the Moon (1936) – Police Constable Prison Breaker (1936) – Villars Apron Fools (1936) King of the Castle (1936) – Trout Not So Dusty (1936) – Dusty Gray The Interrupted Honeymoon (1936) – Police Constable The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1936) – Supt. Smithells Dusty Ermine (1936) – Thug (uncredited) Luck of the Turf (1936) – Bill Harris Hail and Farewell (1936) – Sergeant Major Men Are Not Gods (1936) – Gallery Attendant The Scarab Murder Case (1936) – Inspector Moor You Must Get Married (1936) – Chief Blow The Price of Folly (1937) – Man with Tip The Street Singer (1937) – Policeman Busman's Holiday (1937) - Jeff Pinkerton The High Command (1937) - Crawford Farewell Again (1937) - Sgt. Maj. Billings The Man Who Made Diamonds (1937) - Alf Higgins Night Ride (1937) - Alf Higgins Talking Feet (1937) – (uncredited) Doctor Syn (1937) – Collyer's Bo'sun Missing, Believed Married (1937) – Flatiron Stubbs Captain's Orders (1937) – Johnstone Sam Small Leaves Town (1937) – Bus Passenger (uncredited) Holiday's End (1937) – Sergeant Yerbury Owd Bob (1938) – Bookmaker – Unlucky Joe – (US title: 'To the Victor') Bank Holiday (1938) – Arthur I See Ice (1938) – Train Conductor (uncredited) 'Quiet Please (1938) – Bill On Velvet (1938) – Harry Higgs Almost a Honeymoon (1938) – Bailiff Break the News (1938) – Prison Guard 13 Men and a Gun (1938) – Hans Night Alone (1938) – Policeman Alf's Button Afloat (1938) – Sgt. Hawkins Pygmalion (1938) – First Bystander The Ware Case (1938) – Taxi Driver The Sky's the Limit (1938) – Commissionaire The Mind of Mr. Reeder (1939) – Lomer Inspector Hornleigh (1939) – Sam Holt aka Keyhole Charlie Sword of Honour (1939) – Pomeroy Brown Home from Home (1939) – Banks Poison Pen (1939) – Mr. Suggs Down Our Alley (1939) – Mr. Dunstable What Would You Do, Chums? (1939) – Tom Inspector Hornleigh on Holiday (1939) – Police Sergeant Pack Up Your Troubles (1940) – Sgt. Barker They Came by Night (1940) – Bugsie Return to Yesterday (1940) – Night Watchman Laugh It Off (1940) – Sergeant Band Waggon (1940) – Commissionaire Night Train to Munich (1940) – Fisherman (uncredited) Charley's (Big-Hearted) Aunt (1940) – The Buller The Flying Squad (1940) – Bargee (uncredited) Henry Steps Out (1940) – Wally Neutral Port (1940) – Fred Two Smart Men (1940) – Wally Gasbags (1941) – Sergeant-Major Old Mother Riley in Business (1941) Quiet Wedding (1941) – Magistrate Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It (1941) – Sergeant Major Cottage to Let (1941) – Evans Once a Crook (1941) – Warder Facing the Music (1941) – Briggs Jeannie (1941) – Porter I Thank You (1941) – Bill, The Fireman The Common Touch (1941) – 'Nobby' The Seventh Survivor (1942) – Bob Sutton Gert and Daisy's Weekend (1942) – Charlie Peters Bob's Your Uncle (1942) – Sgt. Brownfoot Banana Ridge (1942) – Police Officer Unpublished Story (1942) – Taxi Driver at Victoria Station Let the People Sing (1942) – Sam Salute John Citizen (1942) – Minor Role (uncredited) Sabotage at Sea (1942) – Tom (the steward) In Which We Serve (1942) – Uncle Fred We'll Smile Again (1942) – Head Porter Get Cracking (1943) – Sgt. Joe Preston The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) – Sergeant Clearing Debris (uncredited) Women in Bondage (1943) – German Soldier (uncredited) The Butler's Dilemma (1943) – Tom Death by Design (1943) – Sergeant Clinton One Exciting Night (1944) – Salvage Collector (uncredited) I Didn't Do It (1945) – Det Sgt. Carp Don Chicago (1945) – Sergeant Old Mother Riley at Home (1945) – Bouncer A Matter of Life and Death (1946) – ARP Warden (uncredited) Gaiety George (1946) – Commissionaire Wanted for Murder (1946) – Merry-Go-Round Barker George in Civvy Street (1946) – Sprout London Town (1946) – Constable (uncredited) Appointment with Crime (1946) – Joe Fisher – Garage Manager Dumb Dora Discovers Tobacco (1946) Green Fingers (1947) – Dawson Dusty Bates (1947) – Uncle Hank Miller The Ghosts of Berkeley Square (1947) – Foreman Brighton Rock (1948) – Bill (uncredited) Good-Time Girl (1948) – Bookie (uncredited) Calling Paul Temple (1948) – Spider Williams A Date with a Dream (1948) – Uncle The Guinea Pig (1948) – Uncle Percy River Patrol (1948) – The Guv The History of Mr. Polly (1949) – Customer Helter Skelter (1949) – BBC Commissionaire (uncredited) The Adventures of Jane (1949) – Customs Official The Twenty Questions Murder Mystery (1950) – Police Officer 'Tiny' White Salute the Toff (1952) – Bert Ebbutt Hammer the Toff (1952) – Bert Ebbutt My Wife's Lodger (1952) – Sergeant Will Any Gentleman...? (1953) – Bookmaker Thought to Kill (1953) – Bridger The Wedding of Lilli Marlene (1953) – Wally Josephine and Men (1955) – Landlord Private's Progress (1956) – Barman (uncredited) Not So Dusty (1956) – Porter Suspended Alibi (1957) – Porter The Naked Truth (1957) – Paunchy Old Man Morning Call (1957) – Wally, the tobacconist Too Many Crooks (1959) – Sergeant / Court Usher (uncredited) I'm All Right Jack (1959) – Workman Operation Cupid (1960) – Bookmaker The Challenge (1960) – Ticket Collector The Millionairess (1960) – Whelk Seller The Night We Got the Bird (1961) – Ticket collector Nothing Barred (1961) -Magazine Stall Proprietor – (billed as Walter Patch) Serena (1962) – Barman Danger by My Side (1962) – Factory Gatekeeper Sparrows Can't Sing (1963) – Watchman A Jolly Bad Fellow (1964) – Tom Pike The Bargee (1964) – Bargee (uncredited) The Comedy Man (1964) – Bar Manager (uncredited) Poor Cow (1967) – Customer in Pub