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