Richard Wattis

Richard Wattis

Acting
Born 1912-02-25 - Died 1975-02-01Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK

Biography

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.

Movies (99)

Casino Royale
5.2

Casino Royale

1967Movie5.2
The Longest Day
7.6

The Longest Day

1962Movie7.6
The Man Who Knew Too Much
7.4

The Man Who Knew Too Much

1956Movie7.4
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
6.8

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

1968Movie6.8
The Abominable Snowman
6.2

The Abominable Snowman

1957Movie6.2
Operation Crossbow
6.7

Operation Crossbow

1965Movie6.7
Kind Hearts and Coronets
7.6

Kind Hearts and Coronets

1949Movie7.6
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
6.8

The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

1958Movie6.8
The Happiest Days of Your Life
6.7

The Happiest Days of Your Life

1950Movie6.7
The Man Who Never Was
7.0

The Man Who Never Was

1956Movie7.0
Appointment with Venus
5.7

Appointment with Venus

1951Movie5.7
Barnacle Bill
6.6

Barnacle Bill

1957Movie6.6
The Prince and the Showgirl
6.4

The Prince and the Showgirl

1957Movie6.4
The V.I.P.s
6.1

The V.I.P.s

1963Movie6.1
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
6.2

The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery

1966Movie6.2
The Captain's Table
6.0

The Captain's Table

1959Movie6.0
Bunny Lake Is Missing
7.2

Bunny Lake Is Missing

1965Movie7.2
Libel
6.8

Libel

1959Movie6.8
Come Fly with Me
5.0

Come Fly with Me

1963Movie5.0
A Yank at Oxford
6.8

A Yank at Oxford

1938Movie6.8
Hobson's Choice
7.4

Hobson's Choice

1954Movie7.4
Innocents in Paris
5.2

Innocents in Paris

1953Movie5.2
The Chiltern Hundreds
6.0

The Chiltern Hundreds

1949Movie6.0
The Colditz Story
6.8

The Colditz Story

1955Movie6.8
The Alphabet Murders
5.8

The Alphabet Murders

1965Movie5.8
The Iron Petticoat
5.8

The Iron Petticoat

1956Movie5.8
The Importance of Being Earnest
7.2

The Importance of Being Earnest

1952Movie7.2
Doctor in the House
6.5

Doctor in the House

1954Movie6.5
Second Fiddle
6.3

Second Fiddle

1957Movie6.3
Carry On Spying
6.4

Carry On Spying

1964Movie6.4
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
5.0

Confessions of a Window Cleaner

1974Movie5.0
Bon Voyage!
5.6

Bon Voyage!

1962Movie5.6
Games That Lovers Play
4.0

Games That Lovers Play

1971Movie4.0
The Green Man
7.0

The Green Man

1956Movie7.0
Marry Me
5.8

Marry Me

1949Movie5.8
Up Jumped a Swagman
7.0

Up Jumped a Swagman

1965Movie7.0
Helter Skelter
6.4

Helter Skelter

1949Movie6.4
Eyewitness
6.8

Eyewitness

1956Movie6.8
It's a Wonderful World
5.8

It's a Wonderful World

1956Movie5.8
Lease of Life
7.4

Lease of Life

1954Movie7.4
The Belles of St Trinian's
6.4

The Belles of St Trinian's

1954Movie6.4
Follow a Star
6.2

Follow a Star

1959Movie6.2
Egghead's Robot
6.0

Egghead's Robot

1970Movie6.0
Nearly a Nasty Accident
7.0

Nearly a Nasty Accident

1961Movie7.0
Derby Day
6.8

Derby Day

1952Movie6.8
An Alligator Named Daisy
6.4

An Alligator Named Daisy

1955Movie6.4
A Touch of the Sun
6.0

A Touch of the Sun

1956Movie6.0
The Crowded Day
5.8

The Crowded Day

1954Movie5.8
Lady Godiva Rides Again
5.9

Lady Godiva Rides Again

1951Movie5.9
The Liquidator
6.3

The Liquidator

1965Movie6.3
Wonderwall
5.2

Wonderwall

1969Movie5.2
Venus fra Vestø
6.2

Venus fra Vestø

1962Movie6.2
The Ballad of Tam Lin
5.1

The Ballad of Tam Lin

1970Movie5.1
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
4.4

The Battle of the Villa Fiorita

1965Movie4.4
Small Town Story
5.9

Small Town Story

1953Movie5.9
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
4.3

Mother Riley Meets the Vampire

1952Movie4.3
The Clouded Yellow
6.3

The Clouded Yellow

1950Movie6.3
Top Secret
8.0

Top Secret

1952Movie8.0
High Flight
6.2

High Flight

1957Movie6.2
Ten Seconds to Hell
6.2

Ten Seconds to Hell

1959Movie6.2
Song of Paris
7.8

Song of Paris

1952Movie7.8
Simon and Laura
5.9

Simon and Laura

1955Movie5.9
The Bargain

The Bargain

1965Movie
Park Plaza 605
4.7

Park Plaza 605

1953Movie4.7
Your Money or Your Wife
4.5

Your Money or Your Wife

1960Movie4.5
Sex and the Other Woman
5.0

Sex and the Other Woman

1972Movie5.0
As Long as They're Happy
7.5

As Long as They're Happy

1955Movie7.5
The Silken Affair
3.3

The Silken Affair

1956Movie3.3
Diamonds on Wheels
8.0

Diamonds on Wheels

1973Movie8.0
The Prince, The Showgirl and Me

The Prince, The Showgirl and Me

2004Movie
You Must Be Joking
5.4

You Must Be Joking

1965Movie5.4
The Intruder
7.6

The Intruder

1953Movie7.6
That's Your Funeral
4.3

That's Your Funeral

1972Movie4.3
Penny Princess
6.7

Penny Princess

1952Movie6.7
Play It Cool
6.1

Play It Cool

1962Movie6.1
Left Right and Centre
6.1

Left Right and Centre

1959Movie6.1
Colonel March Investigates
6.3

Colonel March Investigates

1953Movie6.3
I Thank a Fool
6.1

I Thank a Fool

1962Movie6.1
Top of the Form
7.5

Top of the Form

1953Movie7.5
Made in Heaven
5.0

Made in Heaven

1952Movie5.0
I Am a Camera
6.2

I Am a Camera

1955Movie6.2
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
6.8

Blue Murder at St. Trinian's

1957Movie6.8
Appointment in London
6.5

Appointment in London

1953Movie6.5
Jumping for Joy
6.7

Jumping for Joy

1956Movie6.7
Dentist on the Job
6.5

Dentist on the Job

1961Movie6.5
The Ugly Duckling
6.0

The Ugly Duckling

1959Movie6.0
Very Important Person
5.5

Very Important Person

1961Movie5.5
Take Me High
4.8

Take Me High

1973Movie4.8
The Final Test
6.7

The Final Test

1953Movie6.7
A Yank in Ermine
6.0

A Yank in Ermine

1955Movie6.0
Blood Orange
5.5

Blood Orange

1953Movie5.5
Follow That Horse!
10.0

Follow That Horse!

1960Movie10.0
Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1

Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1

1957Movie
Aladdin

Aladdin

1974Movie
The Time of His Life
6.7

The Time of His Life

1955Movie6.7
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers

Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers

1981Movie
Background
7.0

Background

1953Movie7.0
Too Close for Comfort

Too Close for Comfort

1971Movie
The Troublesome Double
9.0

The Troublesome Double

1967Movie9.0

TV Shows (12)

The Avengers
7.8

The Avengers

1961Series7.8
Danger Man
7.3

Danger Man

1960Series7.3
The Prisoner
7.7

The Prisoner

1967Series7.7
Sykes
6.7

Sykes

1972Series6.7
The Goodies
7.7

The Goodies

1970Series7.7
Centre Play
7.0

Centre Play

1973Series7.0
The Dickie Henderson Show

The Dickie Henderson Show

1960Series
Hancock's Half Hour
7.4

Hancock's Half Hour

1956Series7.4
Sykes and a...
7.3

Sykes and a...

1960Series7.3
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
7.5

Colonel March of Scotland Yard

1956Series7.5
Coppers End

Coppers End

1971Series
The Liberace Show
8.0

The Liberace Show

1952Series8.0