Richard Wattis
Acting
Born: February 25, 1912 · Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK
Died: February 1, 1975 (aged 62)
Highest Rated
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.
Photos (3)
Movies (93)
The Longest Day
British Paratrooper
Casino Royale
British Army Officer
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Assistant Manager
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
A Yank at Oxford
Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)
Hobson's Choice
Albert Prosser
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
Mr. Prendergast
Kind Hearts and Coronets
Defence Counsel (uncredited)
The Iron Petticoat
Lingerie Clerk
The Prince and the Showgirl
Northbrook
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Mr. Murfin
Operation Crossbow
Sir Charles Sims
Ten Seconds to Hell
Major Haven
Bunny Lake Is Missing
Clerk in Shipping Office
The Man Who Never Was
Shop Assistant
The Alphabet Murders
Wolf
As Long As They're Happy
Hippodrome Stage Manager
The Abominable Snowman
Dr. Peter Fox
The Belles of St Trinian's
Manton Bassett
Carry On Spying
Cobley
Come Fly with Me
Oliver Garson
The Importance of Being Earnest
Seton
The Happiest Days of Your Life
Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne
The Colditz Story
Richard Gordon
You Must Be Joking
Parkins
The V.I.P.s
Sanders
Second Fiddle
Bill Turner
Doctor in the House
Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)
Bon Voyage!
Party Guest
The Liquidator
Flying Instructor
Top Secret
Barnes
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
Manton Bassett
Sex and the Other Woman
Presenter
The Chiltern Hundreds
Vicar (uncredited)
Egghead's Robot
1970
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
Manton Bassett
I Am a Camera
Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)
Helter Skelter
Compere of Nick Nack Show (uncredited)
Lease of Life
Solicitor
It's a Wonderful World
Harold
The Ballad of Tam Lin
Elroy
Libel
The Judge
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
Travel Agent
Up Jumped a Swagman
Lever, Music Publisher
Innocents in Paris
Wilkinson
An Alligator Named Daisy
Hoskins
Lady Godiva Rides Again
Casting Director
The Crowded Day
Mr. Christopher
That's Your Funeral
Simmonds
I Thank a Fool
Ebblington
Play It Cool
Nervous Man
The Green Man
Doctor
A Yank in Ermine
Boone
Simon and Laura
Controller of Television Drama
The Intruder
School Master
Nearly a Nasty Accident
Wagstaffe
Park Plaza 605
Theodore Feather
Wonderwall
Perkins
The Final Test
Cricket Fan
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
P.C. Freddie
The Clouded Yellow
Employment Agent
Blood Orange
Detective Inspector MacLeod
Background
David Wallace
High Flight
Wilson
Top of the Form
Willoughby-Gore
Barnacle Bill
Registrar of Shipping
Dentist on the Job
Macreedy
Follow a Star
Dr. W. Chatterway
Marry Me
Minor Role (uncredited)
Left Right and Centre
Harding-Pratt
Appointment in London
Pascal
The Captain's Table
Chief Purser Herbert Prittlewell
A Touch of the Sun
Purchase
Very Important Person
Entertainments Officer Woodcock
Your Money or Your Wife
Hubert Fry
Games That Lovers Play
Mr. Lothran
The Silken Affair
Worthington
The Ugly Duckling
Barclay
Derby Day
Editor
Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1
Hotelier
Eyewitness
Anaesthetist
Small Town Story
Marsh
Too Close for Comfort
Narrator
Diamonds on Wheels
Sir Hilary Stanton
Colonel March Investigates
Cabot
Made in Heaven
The vicar
The Time of His Life
Edgar
Appointment with Venus
Carruthers - Higher Executive
Take Me High
Sir Charles Furness
Penny Princess
Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Venus fra Vestø
1962
Jumping for Joy
Carruthers
Song of Paris
Carter
TV Shows (9)
The Avengers
Clarke · 1 eps
Danger Man
Hardy · 5 eps
The Prisoner
Fotheringay · 1 eps
Sykes
Charles Brown · 39 eps
Hancock's Half Hour
2 eps
The Goodies
TV Show Host · 1 eps
Centre Play
Arthur · 1 eps
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
Arthur Cabot · 1 eps
Sykes and a...
67 eps
