He was a collector of newspapers and had a collection of over 130 papers from 25 states and Canada,[3] and had an interest in telegraphy, which he started studying during his school years.

[4] In this tribute, written to accompany his obituary in the Biddeford Daily Journal by Mrs. Estelle Tatterson, Perkins was remembered as: "Walter had no enemies.

"[5] Perkins started his career as a telegraph operator at the Eastern Division station of the Boston & Maine railroad in Biddeford.

Until the 1920s, he played small parts in various comedies when he was hired by Charles Frohman, a Broadway producer.

The play, which opened on 6 October 1896 at the Bijou Theatre on Broadway, was a success and elevated the status of both the actor and the author, with Perkins in the starring role as "A. Keene Shaver".

He also had successes in non-Du Souchet productions, including All the Comforts of Home, Charley's Aunt (in which he acted in drag), The Lost Paradise, Held by the Enemy, and Pa Potter.

[9] Walter Perkins appeared in sixteen screen films from 1914 to 1922, some of which were adaptations of his stage work.