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