Richard Wattis
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- February 25, 1912
- Died
- February 1, 1975
- Birthplace
- Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK
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
The Prince, The Showgirl and Me 2004
as Self (archive footage)
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers 1981
as Self (archive material)
- Aladdin
Aladdin 1974
as Emperor Nanki
Confessions of a Window Cleaner 1974
as Mr. Prendergast
Take Me High 1973
as Sir Charles Furness
Diamonds on Wheels 1973
as Sir Hilary Stanton
Sex and the Other Woman 1972
as Presenter
That's Your Funeral 1972
as Simmonds
Games That Lovers Play 1971
as Mr. Lothran
Too Close for Comfort 1971
as Narrator
The Ballad of Tam Lin 1970
as Elroy
Egghead's Robot 1970
Actor
Wonderwall 1969
as Perkins
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 1968
as Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
Casino Royale 1967
as British Army Officer
- The Troublesome Double
The Troublesome Double 1967
as Mr. Wentworth
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery 1966
as Manton Bassett
The Alphabet Murders 1965
as Wolf
Up Jumped a Swagman 1965
as Lever, Music Publisher
The Liquidator 1965
as Flying Instructor
Bunny Lake Is Missing 1965
as Clerk in Shipping Office
You Must Be Joking 1965
as Parkins
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita 1965
as Travel Agent
Operation Crossbow 1965
as Sir Charles Sims
- The Bargain
The Bargain 1965
as Narrator
Carry On Spying 1964
as Cobley
The V.I.P.s 1963
as Sanders
Come Fly with Me 1963
as Oliver Garson
Venus fra Vestø 1962
Actor
The Longest Day 1962
as British Paratrooper
I Thank a Fool 1962
as Ebblington
Play It Cool 1962
as Nervous Man
Bon Voyage! 1962
as Party Guest
Dentist on the Job 1961
as Macreedy
Nearly a Nasty Accident 1961
as Wagstaffe
Very Important Person 1961
as Entertainments Officer Woodcock
- Follow That Horse!
Follow That Horse! 1960
Actor
Your Money or Your Wife 1960
as Hubert Fry
Libel 1959
as The Judge
The Ugly Duckling 1959
as Barclay
Left Right and Centre 1959
as Harding-Pratt
Ten Seconds to Hell 1959
as Major Haven
The Captain's Table 1959
as Chief Purser Herbert Prittlewell
Follow a Star 1959
as Dr. W. Chatterway
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness 1958
as Mr. Murfin
Barnacle Bill 1957
as Registrar of Shipping
Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1 1957
as Hotelier
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's 1957
as Manton Bassett
High Flight 1957
as Wilson
The Abominable Snowman 1957
as Dr. Peter Fox
The Prince and the Showgirl 1957
as Northbrook
Second Fiddle 1957
as Bill Turner
The Green Man 1956
as Doctor
The Silken Affair 1956
as Worthington
A Touch of the Sun 1956
as Purchase
The Iron Petticoat 1956
as Lingerie Clerk
It's a Wonderful World 1956
as Harold
Eyewitness 1956
as Anaesthetist
The Man Who Knew Too Much 1956
as Assistant Manager
The Man Who Never Was 1956
as Shop Assistant
Jumping for Joy 1956
as Carruthers
An Alligator Named Daisy 1955
as Hoskins
Simon and Laura 1955
as Controller of Television Drama
I Am a Camera 1955
as Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)
As Long As They're Happy 1955
as Hippodrome Stage Manager
The Colditz Story 1955
as Richard Gordon
A Yank in Ermine 1955
as Boone
The Time of His Life 1955
as Edgar
Lease of Life 1954
as Solicitor
The Crowded Day 1954
as Mr. Christopher
The Belles of St Trinian's 1954
as Manton Bassett
Hobson's Choice 1954
as Albert Prosser
Doctor in the House 1954
as Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)
Small Town Story 1953
as Marsh
Background 1953
as David Wallace
The Intruder 1953
as School Master
Blood Orange 1953
as Detective Inspector MacLeod
Park Plaza 605 1953
as Theodore Feather
Innocents in Paris 1953
as Wilkinson
Colonel March Investigates 1953
as Cabot
The Final Test 1953
as Cricket Fan
Appointment in London 1953
as Pascal
Top of the Form 1953
as Willoughby-Gore
Top Secret 1952
as Barnes
Made in Heaven 1952
as The vicar
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire 1952
as P.C. Freddie
Derby Day 1952
as Editor
The Importance of Being Earnest 1952
as Seton
Penny Princess 1952
as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Song of Paris 1952
as Carter
Lady Godiva Rides Again 1951
as Casting Director
Appointment with Venus 1951
as Carruthers - Higher Executive
The Clouded Yellow 1950
as Employment Agent
The Happiest Days of Your Life 1950
as Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne
The Chiltern Hundreds 1949
as Vicar (uncredited)
Helter Skelter 1949
as Compere of Nick Nack Show (uncredited)
Kind Hearts and Coronets 1949
as Defence Counsel (uncredited)
Marry Me 1949
as Minor Role (uncredited)
A Yank at Oxford 1938
as Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)
Credits from TMDB.