CineScope
Richard Wattis picture

Richard Wattis

Acting
Known For

62 Years Old

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.

Born

Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK on 25th February 1912

Died

1st February 1975

All Credits

The Avengers Image
The Avengers
Clarke
Hancock's Half Hour Image
Hancock's Half Hour
The Prisoner Image
The Prisoner
Fotheringay
Colonel March of Scotland Yard Image
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
Arthur Cabot
Sykes Image
Sykes
Charles Brown
The Goodies Image
The Goodies
TV Show Host
Sykes and a... Image
Sykes and a...
The Liberace Show Image
The Liberace Show
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Image
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Secretary at Sweet Factory (Uncredited)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Image
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
The Longest Day Image
The Longest Day
British Paratrooper
Coppers End Image
Coppers End
PC Eddie Edwards
Casino Royale Image
Casino Royale
British Army Officer
The Man Who Knew Too Much Image
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Assistant Manager
Kind Hearts and Coronets Image
Kind Hearts and Coronets
Defence Counsel (uncredited)
Ten Seconds to Hell Image
Ten Seconds to Hell
Major Haven
The Intruder Image
The Intruder
School Master
Hobson's Choice Image
Hobson's Choice
Albert Prosser
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness Image
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Mr. Murfin
Operation Crossbow Image
Operation Crossbow
Sir Charles Sims
The Prince and the Showgirl Image
The Prince and the Showgirl
Northbrook
No Image
The Dickie Henderson Show
Bunny Lake Is Missing Image
Bunny Lake Is Missing
Shipping Clerk
The Man Who Never Was Image
The Man Who Never Was
Shop Assistant
Confessions of a Window Cleaner Image
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
Carole's Father
The V.I.P.s Image
The V.I.P.s
Sanders
The Alphabet Murders Image
The Alphabet Murders
Wolf
A Yank in Ermine Image
A Yank in Ermine
Boone
The Abominable Snowman Image
The Abominable Snowman
Dr. Peter Fox
The Importance of Being Earnest Image
The Importance of Being Earnest
Seton
The Belles of St. Trinian's Image
The Belles of St. Trinian's
Manton Bassett
The Green Man Image
The Green Man
Doctor
Carry On Spying Image
Carry On Spying
Cobley
Innocents in Paris Image
Innocents in Paris
Wilkinson
A Yank at Oxford Image
A Yank at Oxford
Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's Image
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
Manton Bassett
Doctor in the House Image
Doctor in the House
Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)
The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery Image
The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery
Manton Bassett
Lady Godiva Rides Again Image
Lady Godiva Rides Again
Casting Director
Libel Image
Libel
The Judge
The Liquidator Image
The Liquidator
Flying Instructor
Barnacle Bill Image
Barnacle Bill
Registrar of Shipping
The Colditz Story Image
The Colditz Story
Richard Gordon
The Happiest Days of Your Life Image
The Happiest Days of Your Life
Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne
The Ballad of Tam Lin Image
The Ballad of Tam Lin
Elroy
Bon Voyage! Image
Bon Voyage!
Party Guest
Appointment with Venus Image
Appointment with Venus
Carruthers - Higher Executive
The Iron Petticoat Image
The Iron Petticoat
Lingerie Clerk
An Alligator Named Daisy Image
An Alligator Named Daisy
Hoskins
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire Image
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
P.C. Freddie
Helter Skelter Image
Helter Skelter
Compere of Nick Nack Show
The Chiltern Hundreds Image
The Chiltern Hundreds
Vicar (uncredited)
Appointment in London Image
Appointment in London
Pascal
Simon and Laura Image
Simon and Laura
Controller of Television Drama
Play It Cool Image
Play It Cool
Nervous Man
I Am a Camera Image
I Am a Camera
Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)
Come Fly with Me Image
Come Fly with Me
Oliver Garson
Wonderwall Image
Wonderwall
Perkins
Dentist on the Job Image
Dentist on the Job
Macreedy
The Final Test Image
The Final Test
Cricket Fan
I Thank a Fool Image
I Thank a Fool
Ebblington
Top Secret Image
Top Secret
Barnes
Blood Orange Image
Blood Orange
Detective Inspector MacLeod
The Captain's Table Image
The Captain's Table
Prittlewell
Derby Day Image
Derby Day
Editor
Penny Princess Image
Penny Princess
Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
High Flight Image
High Flight
Wilson
Take Me High Image
Take Me High
Sir Charles Furness
No Image
Follow That Horse!
Eyewitness Image
Eyewitness
Anaesthetist
You Must Be Joking Image
You Must Be Joking
Parkins
Marry Me Image
Marry Me
Minor Role (uncredited)
Nearly a Nasty Accident Image
Nearly a Nasty Accident
Wagstaffe
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita Image
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
Travel Agent
Lease of Life Image
Lease of Life
Solicitor
Very Important Person Image
Very Important Person
Woodcock, Entertainments Officer
Second Fiddle Image
Second Fiddle
Bill Turner
The Silken Affair Image
The Silken Affair
Worthington
Park Plaza 605 Image
Park Plaza 605
Theodore Feather
The Crowded Day Image
The Crowded Day
Mr. Christopher
A Touch of the Sun Image
A Touch of the Sun
Purchase
The Time of His Life Image
The Time of His Life
Edgar
That's Your Funeral Image
That's Your Funeral
Simmonds
The Ugly Duckling Image
The Ugly Duckling
Barclay
As Long as They're Happy Image
As Long as They're Happy
Hippodrome Stage Manager
Venus fra Vestø Image
Venus fra Vestø
Follow a Star Image
Follow a Star
Dr. W. Chatterway
Left Right and Centre Image
Left Right and Centre
Harding-Pratt
Up Jumped a Swagman Image
Up Jumped a Swagman
Lever, Music Publisher
No Image
Aladdin
Emperor Nanki
Games That Lovers Play Image
Games That Lovers Play
Mr. Lothran
Song of Paris Image
Song of Paris
Carter
Made in Heaven Image
Made in Heaven
The vicar
Colonel March Investigates Image
Colonel March Investigates
Cabot
Jumping for Joy Image
Jumping for Joy
Carruthers
No Image
The Troublesome Double
Mr. Wentworth
Diamonds on Wheels Image
Diamonds on Wheels
Sir Hilary Stanton
The Clouded Yellow Image
The Clouded Yellow
Employment Agent
Sex and the Other Woman Image
Sex and the Other Woman
Presenter
Background Image
Background
David Wallace
Your Money or Your Wife Image
Your Money or Your Wife
Hubert Fry
Small Town Story Image
Small Town Story
Marsh
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers Image
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
Self (archive material)
It's a Wonderful World Image
It's a Wonderful World
Harold
No Image
The Bargain
Narrator
Egghead's Robot Image
Egghead's Robot
Top of the Form Image
Top of the Form
Too Close for Comfort Image
Too Close for Comfort
Narrator