About

Known credits:
99
Birthday:
1912-02-25
Place of birth:
Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK
Website:
N/A

Richard Wattis

Overview

Richard Cameron Wattis (25 February 1912 – 1 February 1975) was an English actor.

After leaving the family business, Wattis became an actor. His debut was with Croydon Repertory Theatre, and he made many stage appearances in the West End in London. His first appearance in a film was A Yank at Oxford (1938), but war service interrupted his career as an actor. He served as a second lieutenant in the Small Arms Section of Special Operations Executive at Station VI during World War II (James Bond author, Ian Fleming worked in the same section). He is best known for his appearances, wearing his thick-rimmed round spectacles, in British comedies of the 1950s and 1960s, often as a "Man from the Ministry" or similar character. He was also involved as the secretary to Lord Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Such appearances included the St Trinian's films (The Belles of St Trinian's, Blue Murder at St Trinian's, and The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery) as Manton Bassett, a civil servant who was the Deputy Director of Schools in the Ministry of Education, where he was often seen frowning and expressing indignation at the outrageous behaviour of other characters. To American audiences, Wattis is probably best known for his performance as the British civil servant Northbrook in The Prince and the Showgirl (1957). He broke from this typecasting in his later films, such as his starring role in Games That Lovers Play.

Wattis's other films included Hobson's Choice, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Carry On Spying, The Colditz Story, Dentist on the Job, Very Important Person, The Happiest Days of Your Life, and The Longest Day. He also appeared on television, including a long-running role in Sykes, and appearances in Danger Man, The Prisoner, The Goodies, Hancock's Half Hour, and Father, Dear Father. From 1957 to 1958, he appeared as Peter Jamison in three episodes of the American sitcom Dick and the Duchess.

Known for

Acting

1981 Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers Actor Self (archive material) N/A
N/A
1974 Aladdin Actor Emperor Nanki N/A
N/A
1974 Confessions of a Window Cleaner Actor Carole's Father 58
Average
1973 Take Me High Actor Sir Charles Furness 58
Average
1973 Diamonds on Wheels Actor Sir Hilary Stanton 59
Average
1972 Sex and the Other Woman Actor Presenter 58
Average
1972 That's Your Funeral Actor Simmonds 58
Average
1971 Coppers End Actor N/A
N/A
1971 Games That Lovers Play Actor Mr. Lothran 58
Average
1971 Too Close for Comfort Actor Narrator N/A
N/A
1970 The Ballad of Tam Lin Actor Elroy 58
Average
1970 Egghead's Robot Actor 59
Average
1968 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Actor Secretary at Sweet Factory (Uncredited) 63
Fair
1968 Wonderwall Actor Perkins 58
Average
1967 Casino Royale Actor British Army Officer 54
Average
1967 The Troublesome Double Actor Mr. Wentworth N/A
N/A
1966 The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery Actor Manton Bassett 58
Average
1965 The Alphabet Murders Actor Wolf 58
Average
1965 Up Jumped a Swagman Actor Lever, Music Publisher 58
Average
1965 The Liquidator Actor Flying Instructor 59
Average
1965 Bunny Lake Is Missing Actor Shipping Clerk 62
Fair
1965 You Must Be Joking Actor Parkins 58
Average
1965 The Battle of the Villa Fiorita Actor Travel Agent 58
Average
1965 Operation Crossbow Actor Sir Charles Sims 60
Fair
1965 The Bargain Actor Narrator N/A
N/A
1964 Carry On Spying Actor Cobley 59
Average
1963 The V.I.P.s Actor Sanders 58
Average
1963 Come Fly with Me Actor Oliver Garson 58
Average
1962 Venus fra Vestø Actor 58
Average
1962 The Longest Day Actor British Paratrooper 70
Good
1962 I Thank a Fool Actor Ebblington 58
Average
1962 Bon Voyage! Actor Party Guest 58
Average
1962 Play It Cool Actor Nervous Man 59
Average
1961 Dentist on the Job Actor Macreedy 58
Average
1961 Nearly a Nasty Accident Actor Wagstaffe 59
Average
1961 Very Important Person Actor Woodcock, Entertainments Officer 58
Average
1960 Follow That Horse! Actor N/A
N/A
1960 Your Money or Your Wife Actor Hubert Fry 58
Average
1960 Sykes and a... Actor 69
Fair
1959 Libel Actor The Judge 59
Average
1959 The Ugly Duckling Actor Barclay 58
Average
1959 Left Right and Centre Actor Harding-Pratt 58
Average
1959 Ten Seconds to Hell Actor Major Haven 59
Average
1959 The Captain's Table Actor Prittlewell 58
Average
1959 Follow a Star Actor Dr. W. Chatterway 58
Average
1958 The Inn of the Sixth Happiness Actor Mr. Murfin 59
Average
1957 Barnacle Bill Actor Registrar of Shipping 58
Average
1957 Blue Murder at St. Trinian's Actor Manton Bassett 59
Average
1957 High Flight Actor Wilson 59
Average
1957 The Abominable Snowman Actor Dr. Peter Fox 59
Average
1957 The Prince and the Showgirl Actor Northbrook 60
Fair
1957 Second Fiddle Actor Bill Turner 58
Average
1956 The Green Man Actor Doctor 59
Average
1956 The Silken Affair Actor Worthington 58
Average
1956 A Touch of the Sun Actor Purchase 58
Average
1956 The Iron Petticoat Actor Lingerie Clerk 58
Average
1956 It's a Wonderful World Actor Harold 59
Average
1956 Eyewitness Actor Anaesthetist 59
Average
1956 The Man Who Knew Too Much Actor Assistant Manager 70
Good
1956 The Man Who Never Was Actor Shop Assistant 60
Fair
1956 Jumping for Joy Actor Carruthers 59
Average
1955 An Alligator Named Daisy Actor Hoskins 58
Average
1955 Simon and Laura Actor Controller of Television Drama 58
Average
1955 I Am a Camera Actor Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited) 59
Average
1955 As Long as They're Happy Actor Hippodrome Stage Manager 59
Average
1955 The Colditz Story Actor Richard Gordon 59
Average
1955 A Yank in Ermine Actor Boone 58
Average
1955 The Time of His Life Actor Edgar 59
Average
1954 Lease of Life Actor Solicitor 59
Average
1954 The Crowded Day Actor Mr. Christopher 58
Average
1954 The Belles of St. Trinian's Actor Manton Bassett 59
Average
1954 Hobson's Choice Actor Albert Prosser 61
Fair
1954 Doctor in the House Actor Medical Book Salesman (uncredited) 58
Average
1953 Small Town Story Actor Marsh 58
Average
1953 Background Actor David Wallace 59
Average
1953 The Intruder Actor School Master 59
Average
1953 Blood Orange Actor Detective Inspector MacLeod 58
Average
1953 Park Plaza 605 Actor Theodore Feather 58
Average
1953 Innocents in Paris Actor Wilkinson 58
Average
1953 Colonel March Investigates Actor Cabot 59
Average
1953 The Final Test Actor Cricket Fan 59
Average
1953 Appointment in London Actor Pascal 58
Average
1953 Top of the Form Actor Willoughby-Gore 58
Average
1952 Top Secret Actor Barnes 58
Average
1952 Made in Heaven Actor The vicar 58
Average
1952 Mother Riley Meets the Vampire Actor P.C. Freddie 58
Average
1952 Derby Day Actor Editor 58
Average
1952 The Importance of Being Earnest Actor Seton 61
Fair
1952 Penny Princess Actor Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited) 58
Average
1952 Song of Paris Actor Carter 59
Average
1951 Lady Godiva Rides Again Actor Casting Director 58
Average
1951 Appointment with Venus Actor Carruthers - Higher Executive 58
Average
1950 The Clouded Yellow Actor Employment Agent 58
Average
1950 The Happiest Days of Your Life Actor Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne 59
Average
1949 The Chiltern Hundreds Actor Vicar (uncredited) 58
Average
1949 Helter Skelter Actor Compere of Nick Nack Show (uncredited) 58
Average
1949 Kind Hearts and Coronets Actor Defence Counsel (uncredited) 68
Fair
1949 Marry Me Actor Minor Role (uncredited) 58
Average
1938 A Yank at Oxford Actor Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited) 58
Average