Richard Wattis
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
All Movies (99)
- The Prince, The Showgirl and Me2004
- Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers1981 · as Self (archive material)
- Aladdin1974 · as Emperor Nanki
- Confessions of a Window Cleaner1974 · as Mr. Prendergast
- Take Me High1973 · as Sir Charles Furness
- Diamonds on Wheels1973 · as Sir Hilary Stanton
- Sex and the Other Woman1972 · as Presenter
- That's Your Funeral1972 · as Simmonds
- Games That Lovers Play1971 · as Mr. Lothran
- Too Close for Comfort1971 · as Narrator
- The Ballad of Tam Lin1970 · as Elroy
- Egghead's Robot1970
- Wonderwall1969 · as Perkins
- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang1968 · as Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
- Casino Royale1967 · as British Army Officer
- The Troublesome Double1967 · as Mr. Wentworth
- The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery1966 · as Manton Bassett
- The Alphabet Murders1965 · as Wolf
- Up Jumped a Swagman1965 · as Lever, Music Publisher
- The Liquidator1965 · as Flying Instructor
- Bunny Lake Is Missing1965 · as Clerk in Shipping Office
- You Must Be Joking1965 · as Parkins
- The Battle of the Villa Fiorita1965 · as Travel Agent
- Operation Crossbow1965 · as Sir Charles Sims
- The Bargain1965 · as Narrator
- Carry On Spying1964 · as Cobley
- The V.I.P.s1963 · as Sanders
- Come Fly with Me1963 · as Oliver Garson
- Venus fra Vestø1962
- The Longest Day1962 · as British Paratrooper
- I Thank a Fool1962 · as Ebblington
- Play It Cool1962 · as Nervous Man
- Bon Voyage!1962 · as Party Guest
- Dentist on the Job1961 · as Macreedy
- Nearly a Nasty Accident1961 · as Wagstaffe
- Very Important Person1961 · as Entertainments Officer Woodcock
- Follow That Horse!1960
- Your Money or Your Wife1960 · as Hubert Fry
- Libel1959 · as The Judge
- The Ugly Duckling1959 · as Barclay
- Left Right and Centre1959 · as Harding-Pratt
- Ten Seconds to Hell1959 · as Major Haven
- The Captain's Table1959 · as Chief Purser Herbert Prittlewell
- Follow a Star1959 · as Dr. W. Chatterway
- The Inn of the Sixth Happiness1958 · as Mr. Murfin
- Barnacle Bill1957 · as Registrar of Shipping
- Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 11957 · as Hotelier
- Blue Murder at St. Trinian's1957 · as Manton Bassett
- High Flight1957 · as Wilson
- The Abominable Snowman1957 · as Dr. Peter Fox
- The Prince and the Showgirl1957 · as Northbrook
- Second Fiddle1957 · as Bill Turner
- The Green Man1956 · as Doctor
- The Silken Affair1956 · as Worthington
- A Touch of the Sun1956 · as Purchase
- The Iron Petticoat1956 · as Lingerie Clerk
- It's a Wonderful World1956 · as Harold
- Eyewitness1956 · as Anaesthetist
- The Man Who Knew Too Much1956 · as Assistant Manager
- The Man Who Never Was1956 · as Shop Assistant
- Jumping for Joy1956 · as Carruthers
- An Alligator Named Daisy1955 · as Hoskins
- Simon and Laura1955 · as Controller of Television Drama
- I Am a Camera1955 · as Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)
- As Long as They're Happy1955 · as Hippodrome Stage Manager
- The Colditz Story1955 · as Richard Gordon
- The Time of His Life1955 · as Edgar
- A Yank in Ermine1955 · as Boone
- Lease of Life1954 · as Solicitor
- The Crowded Day1954 · as Mr. Christopher
- The Belles of St Trinian's1954 · as Manton Bassett
- Hobson's Choice1954 · as Albert Prosser
- Doctor in the House1954 · as Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)
- Small Town Story1953 · as Marsh
- Background1953 · as David Wallace
- The Intruder1953 · as School Master
- Blood Orange1953 · as Detective Inspector MacLeod
- Park Plaza 6051953 · as Theodore Feather
- Innocents in Paris1953 · as Wilkinson
- Colonel March Investigates1953 · as Cabot
- The Final Test1953 · as Cricket Fan
- Appointment in London1953 · as Pascal
- Top of the Form1953 · as Willoughby-Gore
- Top Secret1952 · as Barnes
- Made in Heaven1952 · as The vicar
- Mother Riley Meets the Vampire1952 · as P.C. Freddie
- Derby Day1952 · as Editor
- The Importance of Being Earnest1952 · as Seton
- Penny Princess1952 · as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
- Bachelor in Paris1952 · as Carter
- Lady Godiva Rides Again1951 · as Casting Director
- Appointment with Venus1951 · as Carruthers - Higher Executive
- The Clouded Yellow1950 · as Employment Agent
- The Happiest Days of Your Life1950 · as Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne
- The Chiltern Hundreds1949 · as Vicar (uncredited)
- Helter Skelter1949 · as Compere of Nick Nack Show (uncredited)
- Kind Hearts and Coronets1949 · as Defence Counsel (uncredited)
- Marry Me1949 · as Minor Role (uncredited)
- A Yank at Oxford1938 · as Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)
All TV Shows (12)
- Centre Play1973 · as Arthur
- Sykes1972 · as Charles Brown
- Coppers End1971 · as PC Eddie Edwards
- The Goodies1970 · as TV Show Host
- The Prisoner1967 · as Fotheringay
- The Avengers1961 · as Clarke
- The Dickie Henderson Show1960
- Danger Man1960 · as Hardy
- Sykes and a...1960
- Hancock's Half Hour1956
- Colonel March of Scotland Yard1956 · as Arthur Cabot
- The Liberace Show1952