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.
Acted in
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
1981
as Self (archive material)
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
1974
as Carole's Father
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
Sykes
1972
Sykes
1972
as Charles Brown
Coppers End
1971
Games That Lovers Play
1971
as Mr. Lothran
Too Close for Comfort
1971
as Narrator
The Ballad of Tam Lin
1970
as Elroy
The Goodies
1970
The Goodies
1970
as TV Show Host
Egghead's Robot
1970
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
1968
as Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
1968
as Secretary at Sweet Factory (Uncredited)
Wonderwall
1968
as Perkins
The Prisoner
1967
as Fotheringay
Casino Royale
1967
as British Army Officer
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 Shipping Clerk
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
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
The Longest Day
1962
as British Paratrooper
I Thank a Fool
1962
as Ebblington
Bon Voyage!
1962
as Party Guest
Play It Cool
1962
as Nervous Man
Dentist on the Job
1961
as Macreedy
Nearly a Nasty Accident
1961
as Wagstaffe
Very Important Person
1961
as Woodcock, Entertainments Officer
The Avengers
1961
as Clarke
Follow That Horse!
1960
Your Money or Your Wife
1960
as Hubert Fry
Sykes and a...
1960
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 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
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
Hancock's Half Hour
1956
The Man Who Knew Too Much
1956
as Assistant Manager
The Man Who Never Was
1956
as Shop Assistant
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
1956
as Arthur Cabot
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
The Time of His Life
1955
as Edgar
A Yank in Ermine
1955
as Boone
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
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
The Liberace Show
1952
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)
Kind Hearts and Coronets
1949
as Defence Counsel (uncredited)
Marry Me
1949
as Minor Role (uncredited)
Helter Skelter
1949
as Compere of Nick Nack Show
A Yank at Oxford
1938
as Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)