Richard Wattis
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- February 25, 1912
- Died
- February 1, 1975 (aged 62)
- Birthplace
- Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK
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.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
The Prince, The Showgirl and Me
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
Movie · as Self (archive material)
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
Movie · as Mr. Prendergast
Aladdin
Movie · as Emperor Nanki
Take Me High
Movie · as Sir Charles Furness
Diamonds on Wheels
Movie · as Sir Hilary Stanton
Centre Play
TV · as Arthur · 1 ep
That's Your Funeral
Movie · as Simmonds
Sex and the Other Woman
Movie · as Presenter
Sykes
TV · as Charles Brown · 39 eps
Too Close for Comfort
Movie · as Narrator
Games That Lovers Play
Movie · as Mr. Lothran
Coppers End
TV · as PC Eddie Edwards · 13 eps
The Ballad of Tam Lin
Movie · as Elroy
Egghead's Robot
Movie
The Goodies
TV · as TV Show Host · 1 ep
Wonderwall
Movie · as Perkins
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Movie · as Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
The Troublesome Double
Movie · as Mr. Wentworth
Casino Royale
Movie · as British Army Officer
The Prisoner
TV · as Fotheringay · 1 ep
Misleading Cases
TV · as Mr Grout · 1 ep
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
Movie · as Manton Bassett
Operation Crossbow
Movie · as Sir Charles Sims
The Bargain
Movie · as Narrator
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
Movie · as Travel Agent
You Must Be Joking
Movie · as Parkins
Bunny Lake Is Missing
Movie · as Clerk in Shipping Office
Up Jumped a Swagman
Movie · as Lever, Music Publisher
The Liquidator
Movie · as Flying Instructor
The Alphabet Murders
Movie · as Wolf
Carry On Spying
Movie · as Cobley
The V.I.P.s
Movie · as Sanders
Come Fly with Me
Movie · as Oliver Garson
I Thank a Fool
Movie · as Ebblington
Play It Cool
Movie · as Nervous Man
Venus fra Vestø
Movie
Bon Voyage!
Movie · as Party Guest
The Longest Day
Movie · as British Paratrooper
Nearly a Nasty Accident
Movie · as Wagstaffe
Dentist on the Job
Movie · as Macreedy
Very Important Person
Movie · as Entertainments Officer Woodcock
The Avengers
TV · as Clarke · 1 ep
Your Money or Your Wife
Movie · as Hubert Fry
Follow That Horse!
Movie
Sykes and a...
TV · 67 eps
The Dickie Henderson Show
TV · 119 eps
Danger Man
TV · as Hardy · 5 eps
Ten Seconds to Hell
Movie · as Major Haven
The Captain's Table
Movie · as Chief Purser Herbert Prittlewell
Left Right and Centre
Movie · as Harding-Pratt
Libel
Movie · as The Judge
The Ugly Duckling
Movie · as Barclay
Follow a Star
Movie · as Dr. W. Chatterway
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Movie · as Mr. Murfin
The Prince and the Showgirl
Movie · as Northbrook
The Abominable Snowman
Movie · as Dr. Peter Fox
Barnacle Bill
Movie · as Registrar of Shipping
High Flight
Movie · as Wilson
Second Fiddle
Movie · as Bill Turner
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
Movie · as Manton Bassett
Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1
Movie · as Hotelier
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Movie · as Assistant Manager
The Iron Petticoat
Movie · as Lingerie Clerk
A Touch of the Sun
Movie · as Purchase
The Green Man
Movie · as Doctor
It's a Wonderful World
Movie · as Harold
Eyewitness
Movie · as Anaesthetist
The Silken Affair
Movie · as Worthington
Jumping for Joy
Movie · as Carruthers
The Man Who Never Was
Movie · as Shop Assistant
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
TV · as Arthur Cabot · 1 ep
Hancock's Half Hour
TV · 2 eps
An Alligator Named Daisy
Movie · as Hoskins
The Time of His Life
Movie · as Edgar
As Long As They're Happy
Movie · as Hippodrome Stage Manager
The Colditz Story
Movie · as Richard Gordon
Simon and Laura
Movie · as Controller of Television Drama
A Yank in Ermine
Movie · as Boone
I Am a Camera
Movie · as Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)
Hobson's Choice
Movie · as Albert Prosser
The Belles of St Trinian's
Movie · as Manton Bassett
Lease of Life
Movie · as Solicitor
Doctor in the House
Movie · as Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)
The Crowded Day
Movie · as Mr. Christopher
Colonel March Investigates
Movie · as Cabot
Innocents in Paris
Movie · as Wilkinson
Small Town Story
Movie · as Marsh
Top of the Form
Movie · as Willoughby-Gore
Background
Movie · as David Wallace
Blood Orange
Movie · as Detective Inspector MacLeod
Appointment in London
Movie · as Pascal
The Intruder
Movie · as School Master
The Final Test
Movie · as Cricket Fan
Park Plaza 605
Movie · as Theodore Feather
The Importance of Being Earnest
Movie · as Seton
Made in Heaven
Movie · as The vicar
Top Secret
Movie · as Barnes
Song of Paris
Movie · as Carter
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
Movie · as P.C. Freddie
Derby Day
Movie · as Editor
Penny Princess
Movie · as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
The Liberace Show
TV · 1 ep
Lady Godiva Rides Again
Movie · as Casting Director
Appointment with Venus
Movie · as Carruthers - Higher Executive
The Clouded Yellow
Movie · as Employment Agent
The Happiest Days of Your Life
Movie · as Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne
The Chiltern Hundreds
Movie · as Vicar (uncredited)
Kind Hearts and Coronets
Movie · as Defence Counsel (uncredited)
Helter Skelter
Movie · as Compere of Nick Nack Show (uncredited)
Marry Me
Movie · as Minor Role (uncredited)
A Yank at Oxford
Movie · as Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)