Richard Wattis

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

110

Gender

Male

Birthday

1912-02-25

Day of death

1975-02-01 (62 years old)

Place of Birth

Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK

Richard Wattis

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.

Known For

  • The Avengers

    The Avengers

  • Aladdin

    Aladdin

  • Follow That Horse!

    Follow That Horse!

  • Second Fiddle

    Second Fiddle

  • Libel

    Libel

  • The Longest Day

    The Longest Day

  • Wonderwall

    Wonderwall

  • The Prisoner

    The Prisoner

  • The Bargain

    The Bargain

  • Casino Royale

    Casino Royale

  • Games That Lovers Play

    Games That Lovers Play

  • The Silken Affair

    The Silken Affair

  • Danger Man

    Danger Man

  • Sex and the Other Woman

    Sex and the Other Woman

  • Play It Cool

    Play It Cool

  • Up Jumped a Swagman

    Up Jumped a Swagman

  • The Battle of the Villa Fiorita

    The Battle of the Villa Fiorita

  • Colonel March Investigates

    Colonel March Investigates

  • Helter Skelter

    Helter Skelter

  • Penny Princess

    Penny Princess

  • The Goodies

    The Goodies

  • Very Important Person

    Very Important Person

  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

    Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

    Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

  • Top of the Form

    Top of the Form

  • Bon Voyage!

    Bon Voyage!

  • Sykes

    Sykes

  • Diamonds on Wheels

    Diamonds on Wheels

  • That's Your Funeral

    That's Your Funeral

  • Eyewitness

    Eyewitness

  • A Touch of the Sun

    A Touch of the Sun

  • The Man Who Knew Too Much

    The Man Who Knew Too Much

  • Follow a Star

    Follow a Star

  • Colonel March of Scotland Yard

    Colonel March of Scotland Yard

  • I Am a Camera

    I Am a Camera

  • Hancock's Half Hour

    Hancock's Half Hour

  • It's a Wonderful World

    It's a Wonderful World

  • Simon and Laura

    Simon and Laura

  • Take Me High

    Take Me High

  • The Abominable Snowman

    The Abominable Snowman

  • The Clouded Yellow

    The Clouded Yellow

  • Appointment in London

    Appointment in London

  • Egghead's Robot

    Egghead's Robot

  • The Troublesome Double

    The Troublesome Double

  • Operation Crossbow

    Operation Crossbow

  • The Intruder

    The Intruder

  • I Thank a Fool

    I Thank a Fool

  • The Dickie Henderson Show

    The Dickie Henderson Show

  • The Crowded Day

    The Crowded Day

  • Kind Hearts and Coronets

    Kind Hearts and Coronets

  • Made in Heaven

    Made in Heaven

  • Hobson's Choice

    Hobson's Choice

  • The Prince and the Showgirl

    The Prince and the Showgirl

  • High Flight

    High Flight

  • The Ugly Duckling

    The Ugly Duckling

  • Derby Day

    Derby Day

  • The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

    The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

  • The Importance of Being Earnest

    The Importance of Being Earnest

  • The Man Who Never Was

    The Man Who Never Was

  • The V.I.P.s

    The V.I.P.s

  • Bunny Lake Is Missing

    Bunny Lake Is Missing

  • The Liquidator

    The Liquidator

  • Confessions of a Window Cleaner

    Confessions of a Window Cleaner

  • The Ballad of Tam Lin

    The Ballad of Tam Lin

  • The Liberace Show

    The Liberace Show

  • Blue Murder at St. Trinian's

    Blue Murder at St. Trinian's

  • The Alphabet Murders

    The Alphabet Murders

  • Sykes and a...

    Sykes and a...

  • The Colditz Story

    The Colditz Story

  • Barnacle Bill

    Barnacle Bill

  • Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers

    Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers

  • Carry On Spying

    Carry On Spying

  • Come Fly with Me

    Come Fly with Me

  • The Belles of St. Trinian's

    The Belles of St. Trinian's

  • Innocents in Paris

    Innocents in Paris

  • Top Secret

    Top Secret

  • The Iron Petticoat

    The Iron Petticoat

  • The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery

    The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery

  • Appointment with Venus

    Appointment with Venus

  • The Captain's Table

    The Captain's Table

  • Blood Orange

    Blood Orange

  • Ten Seconds to Hell

    Ten Seconds to Hell

  • A Yank at Oxford

    A Yank at Oxford

  • Doctor in the House

    Doctor in the House

  • Coppers End

    Coppers End

  • Venus fra Vestø

    Venus fra Vestø

  • The Green Man

    The Green Man

  • Marry Me

    Marry Me

  • The Happiest Days of Your Life

    The Happiest Days of Your Life

  • The Final Test

    The Final Test

  • A Yank in Ermine

    A Yank in Ermine

  • Park Plaza 605

    Park Plaza 605

  • As Long as They're Happy

    As Long as They're Happy

  • Mother Riley Meets the Vampire

    Mother Riley Meets the Vampire

  • You Must Be Joking

    You Must Be Joking

  • Song of Paris

    Song of Paris

  • Lady Godiva Rides Again

    Lady Godiva Rides Again

  • Jumping for Joy

    Jumping for Joy

  • Dentist on the Job

    Dentist on the Job

  • The Chiltern Hundreds

    The Chiltern Hundreds

  • An Alligator Named Daisy

    An Alligator Named Daisy

  • The Time of His Life

    The Time of His Life

  • Left Right and Centre

    Left Right and Centre

  • Lease of Life

    Lease of Life

  • Background

    Background

  • Small Town Story

    Small Town Story

  • Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1

    Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1

  • Nearly a Nasty Accident

    Nearly a Nasty Accident

  • Too Close for Comfort

    Too Close for Comfort

  • Your Money or Your Wife

    Your Money or Your Wife