Richard Wattis
Acting • Born 1912-02-25 – Died 1975-02-01
Biography
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.
Filmography
111 credits
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Movie • 1956
Assistant Manager
Nearly a Nasty Accident
Movie • 1961
Wagstaffe
The Importance of Being Earnest
Movie • 1952
Seton
The Prince and the Showgirl
Movie • 1957
Northbrook
Ten Seconds to Hell
Movie • 1959
Major Haven
Carry On Spying
Movie • 1964
Cobley
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
Movie • 1974
Mr. Prendergast
Colonel March Investigates
Movie • 1953
Cabot
The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery
Movie • 1966
Manton Bassett
Operation Crossbow
Movie • 1965
Sir Charles Sims
The V.I.P.s
Movie • 1963
Sanders
The Abominable Snowman
Movie • 1957
Dr. Peter Fox
The Iron Petticoat
Movie • 1956
Lingerie Clerk
The Clouded Yellow
Movie • 1950
Employment Agent
Barnacle Bill
Movie • 1957
Registrar of Shipping
Hobson's Choice
Movie • 1954
Albert Prosser
Wonderwall
Movie • 1969
Perkins
Come Fly with Me
Movie • 1963
Oliver Garson
The Happiest Days of Your Life
Movie • 1950
Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
Movie • 1981
Self (archive material)
I Thank a Fool
Movie • 1962
Ebblington
A Yank at Oxford
Movie • 1938
Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)
Made in Heaven
Movie • 1952
The vicar
Too Close for Comfort
Movie • 1971
Narrator
The Bargain
Movie • 1965
Narrator
The Ballad of Tam Lin
Movie • 1970
Elroy
The Belles of St. Trinian's
Movie • 1954
Manton Bassett
Top Secret
Movie • 1952
Barnes
Take Me High
Movie • 1973
Sir Charles Furness
An Alligator Named Daisy
Movie • 1955
Hoskins
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
Movie • 1965
Travel Agent
Song of Paris
Movie • 1952
Carter
Dentist on the Job
Movie • 1961
Macreedy
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Movie • 1968
Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
Play It Cool
Movie • 1962
Nervous Man
A Touch of the Sun
Movie • 1956
Purchase
That's Your Funeral
Movie • 1972
Simmonds
You Must Be Joking
Movie • 1965
Parkins
The Captain's Table
Movie • 1959
Chief Purser Herbert Prittlewell
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Movie • 1958
Mr. Murfin
Left Right and Centre
Movie • 1959
Harding-Pratt
The Time of His Life
Movie • 1955
Edgar
The Chiltern Hundreds
Movie • 1949
Vicar (uncredited)
As Long as They're Happy
Movie • 1955
Hippodrome Stage Manager
Venus fra Vestø
Movie • 1962
Your Money or Your Wife
Movie • 1960
Hubert Fry
Diamonds on Wheels
Movie • 1973
Sir Hilary Stanton
Games That Lovers Play
Movie • 1971
Mr. Lothran
Bunny Lake Is Missing
Movie • 1965
Shipping Clerk
Up Jumped a Swagman
Movie • 1965
Lever, Music Publisher
High Flight
Movie • 1957
Wilson
Second Fiddle
Movie • 1957
Bill Turner
Lease of Life
Movie • 1954
Solicitor
Libel
Movie • 1959
The Judge
The Liquidator
Movie • 1965
Flying Instructor
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
Movie • 1952
P.C. Freddie
The Ugly Duckling
Movie • 1959
Barclay
Innocents in Paris
Movie • 1953
Wilkinson
Doctor in the House
Movie • 1954
Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)
Small Town Story
Movie • 1953
Marsh
Top of the Form
Movie • 1953
Willoughby-Gore
The Colditz Story
Movie • 1955
Richard Gordon
Simon and Laura
Movie • 1955
Controller of Television Drama
Egghead's Robot
Movie • 1970
Follow a Star
Movie • 1959
Dr. W. Chatterway
Blood Orange
Movie • 1953
Detective Inspector MacLeod
Background
Movie • 1953
David Wallace
The Troublesome Double
Movie • 1967
Mr. Wentworth
Follow That Horse!
Movie • 1960
Casino Royale
Movie • 1967
British Army Officer
Appointment in London
Movie • 1953
Pascal
Kind Hearts and Coronets
Movie • 1949
Defence Counsel (uncredited)
A Yank in Ermine
Movie • 1955
Boone
The Green Man
Movie • 1956
Doctor
It's a Wonderful World
Movie • 1956
Harold
Lady Godiva Rides Again
Movie • 1951
Casting Director
The Intruder
Movie • 1953
School Master
Eyewitness
Movie • 1956
Anaesthetist
The Final Test
Movie • 1953
Cricket Fan
I Am a Camera
Movie • 1955
Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)
Derby Day
Movie • 1952
Editor
The Silken Affair
Movie • 1956
Worthington
Sex and the Other Woman
Movie • 1972
Presenter
Park Plaza 605
Movie • 1953
Theodore Feather
Bon Voyage!
Movie • 1962
Party Guest
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
Movie • 1957
Manton Bassett
Very Important Person
Movie • 1961
Entertainments Officer Woodcock
The Alphabet Murders
Movie • 1965
Wolf
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Movie • 1968
Secretary at Sweet Factory (Uncredited)
Helter Skelter
Movie • 1949
Compere of Nick Nack Show (uncredited)
The Crowded Day
Movie • 1954
Mr. Christopher
The Longest Day
Movie • 1962
British Paratrooper
Jumping for Joy
Movie • 1956
Carruthers
Marry Me
Movie • 1949
Minor Role (uncredited)
The Man Who Never Was
Movie • 1956
Shop Assistant
Appointment with Venus
Movie • 1951
Carruthers - Higher Executive
Penny Princess
Movie • 1952
Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Aladdin
Movie • 1974
Emperor Nanki
Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1
Movie • 1957
Hotelier
The Prisoner
TV • 1967
Fotheringay
Sykes and a...
TV • 1960
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
TV • 1956
Arthur Cabot
Hancock's Half Hour
TV • 1956
The Liberace Show
TV • 1952
The Goodies
TV • 1970
TV Show Host
Sykes
TV • 1972
Charles Brown
The Avengers
TV • 1961
Clarke
The Dickie Henderson Show
TV • 1960
Coppers End
TV • 1971
PC Eddie Edwards
Danger Man
TV • 1960
Hardy
Centre Play
TV • 1973
Arthur