Richard Wattis
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
as Self (archive footage)
The Prince, The Showgirl and Me
as Self (archive footage)
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
as Self (archive material)
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
as Self (archive material)
Aladdin
as Emperor Nanki
Aladdin
as Emperor Nanki
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
as Mr. Prendergast
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
as Mr. Prendergast
Take Me High
as Sir Charles Furness
Take Me High
as Sir Charles Furness
Diamonds on Wheels
as Sir Hilary Stanton
Diamonds on Wheels
as Sir Hilary Stanton
Sex and the Other Woman
as Presenter
Sex and the Other Woman
as Presenter
That's Your Funeral
as Simmonds
That's Your Funeral
as Simmonds
Games That Lovers Play
as Mr. Lothran
Games That Lovers Play
as Mr. Lothran
Too Close for Comfort
as Narrator
Too Close for Comfort
as Narrator
The Ballad of Tam Lin
as Elroy
The Ballad of Tam Lin
as Elroy
Egghead's Robot
Egghead's Robot
Wonderwall
as Perkins
Wonderwall
as Perkins
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
as Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
as Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
Casino Royale
as British Army Officer
Casino Royale
as British Army Officer
The Troublesome Double
as Mr. Wentworth
The Troublesome Double
as Mr. Wentworth
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
as Manton Bassett
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
as Manton Bassett
The Alphabet Murders
as Wolf
The Alphabet Murders
as Wolf
Up Jumped a Swagman
as Lever, Music Publisher
Up Jumped a Swagman
as Lever, Music Publisher
The Liquidator
as Flying Instructor
The Liquidator
as Flying Instructor
Bunny Lake Is Missing
as Clerk in Shipping Office
Bunny Lake Is Missing
as Clerk in Shipping Office
You Must Be Joking
as Parkins
You Must Be Joking
as Parkins
Operation Crossbow
as Sir Charles Sims
Operation Crossbow
as Sir Charles Sims
The Bargain
as Narrator
The Bargain
as Narrator
The V.I.P.s
as Sanders
The V.I.P.s
as Sanders
Come Fly with Me
as Oliver Garson
Come Fly with Me
as Oliver Garson
Venus fra Vestø
Venus fra Vestø
The Longest Day
as British Paratrooper
The Longest Day
as British Paratrooper
I Thank a Fool
as Ebblington
I Thank a Fool
as Ebblington
Play It Cool
as Nervous Man
Play It Cool
as Nervous Man
Bon Voyage!
as Party Guest
Bon Voyage!
as Party Guest
Dentist on the Job
as Macreedy
Dentist on the Job
as Macreedy
Nearly a Nasty Accident
as Wagstaffe
Nearly a Nasty Accident
as Wagstaffe
Very Important Person
as Entertainments Officer Woodcock
Very Important Person
as Entertainments Officer Woodcock
Your Money or Your Wife
as Hubert Fry
Your Money or Your Wife
as Hubert Fry
Libel
as The Judge
Libel
as The Judge
The Ugly Duckling
as Barclay
The Ugly Duckling
as Barclay
Ten Seconds to Hell
as Major Haven
Ten Seconds to Hell
as Major Haven
The Captain's Table
as Chief Purser Herbert Prittlewell
The Captain's Table
as Chief Purser Herbert Prittlewell
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
as Mr. Murfin
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
as Mr. Murfin
Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1
as Hotelier
Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1
as Hotelier
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
as Manton Bassett
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
as Manton Bassett
High Flight
as Wilson
High Flight
as Wilson
The Abominable Snowman
as Dr. Peter Fox
The Abominable Snowman
as Dr. Peter Fox
The Prince and the Showgirl
as Northbrook
The Prince and the Showgirl
as Northbrook
Second Fiddle
as Bill Turner
Second Fiddle
as Bill Turner
The Green Man
as Doctor
The Green Man
as Doctor
The Silken Affair
as Worthington
The Silken Affair
as Worthington
A Touch of the Sun
as Purchase
A Touch of the Sun
as Purchase
The Iron Petticoat
as Lingerie Clerk
The Iron Petticoat
as Lingerie Clerk
It's a Wonderful World
as Harold
It's a Wonderful World
as Harold
Eyewitness
as Anaesthetist
Eyewitness
as Anaesthetist
The Man Who Knew Too Much
as Assistant Manager
The Man Who Knew Too Much
as Assistant Manager
The Man Who Never Was
as Shop Assistant
The Man Who Never Was
as Shop Assistant
Jumping for Joy
as Carruthers
Jumping for Joy
as Carruthers
An Alligator Named Daisy
as Hoskins
An Alligator Named Daisy
as Hoskins
Simon and Laura
as Controller of Television Drama
Simon and Laura
as Controller of Television Drama
As Long as They're Happy
as Hippodrome Stage Manager
As Long as They're Happy
as Hippodrome Stage Manager
The Colditz Story
as Richard Gordon
The Colditz Story
as Richard Gordon
The Time of His Life
as Edgar
The Time of His Life
as Edgar
A Yank in Ermine
as Boone
A Yank in Ermine
as Boone
Lease of Life
as Solicitor
Lease of Life
as Solicitor
The Crowded Day
as Mr. Christopher
The Crowded Day
as Mr. Christopher
The Belles of St Trinian's
as Manton Bassett
The Belles of St Trinian's
as Manton Bassett
Doctor in the House
as Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)
Doctor in the House
as Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)
Background
as David Wallace
Background
as David Wallace
Innocents in Paris
as Wilkinson
Innocents in Paris
as Wilkinson
Colonel March Investigates
as Cabot
Colonel March Investigates
as Cabot
Appointment in London
as Pascal
Appointment in London
as Pascal
Top of the Form
as Willoughby-Gore
Top of the Form
as Willoughby-Gore
Top Secret
as Barnes
Top Secret
as Barnes
Made in Heaven
as The vicar
Made in Heaven
as The vicar
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
as P.C. Freddie
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
as P.C. Freddie
Derby Day
as Editor
Derby Day
as Editor
The Importance of Being Earnest
as Seton
The Importance of Being Earnest
as Seton
Bachelor in Paris
as Carter
Bachelor in Paris
as Carter
Appointment with Venus
as Carruthers - Higher Executive
Appointment with Venus
as Carruthers - Higher Executive
The Clouded Yellow
as Employment Agent
The Clouded Yellow
as Employment Agent
The Happiest Days of Your Life
as Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne
The Happiest Days of Your Life
as Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne
The Chiltern Hundreds
as Vicar (uncredited)
The Chiltern Hundreds
as Vicar (uncredited)
Helter Skelter
as Compere of Nick Nack Show (uncredited)
Helter Skelter
as Compere of Nick Nack Show (uncredited)
Kind Hearts and Coronets
as Defence Counsel (uncredited)
Kind Hearts and Coronets
as Defence Counsel (uncredited)
Marry Me
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Marry Me
as Minor Role (uncredited)