Richard Wattis

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

109

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

  • Casino Royale

    Casino Royale

  • The Avengers

    The Avengers

  • Blood Orange

    Blood Orange

  • The Prisoner

    The Prisoner

  • Bon Voyage!

    Bon Voyage!

  • Penny Princess

    Penny Princess

  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

    Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

    Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

  • Operation Crossbow

    Operation Crossbow

  • Eyewitness

    Eyewitness

  • The Longest Day

    The Longest Day

  • Hancock's Half Hour

    Hancock's Half Hour

  • Libel

    Libel

  • The Goodies

    The Goodies

  • Barnacle Bill

    Barnacle Bill

  • The Intruder

    The Intruder

  • Second Fiddle

    Second Fiddle

  • Aladdin

    Aladdin

  • High Flight

    High Flight

  • Derby Day

    Derby Day

  • Wonderwall

    Wonderwall

  • Sykes

    Sykes

  • The Bargain

    The Bargain

  • The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

    The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

  • Bunny Lake Is Missing

    Bunny Lake Is Missing

  • The Man Who Never Was

    The Man Who Never Was

  • Kind Hearts and Coronets

    Kind Hearts and Coronets

  • The Importance of Being Earnest

    The Importance of Being Earnest

  • The Prince and the Showgirl

    The Prince and the Showgirl

  • Blue Murder at St. Trinian's

    Blue Murder at St. Trinian's

  • A Yank at Oxford

    A Yank at Oxford

  • The Colditz Story

    The Colditz Story

  • The Man Who Knew Too Much

    The Man Who Knew Too Much

  • The Troublesome Double

    The Troublesome Double

  • Background

    Background

  • Hobson's Choice

    Hobson's Choice

  • Carry On Spying

    Carry On Spying

  • The Abominable Snowman

    The Abominable Snowman

  • Nearly a Nasty Accident

    Nearly a Nasty Accident

  • Ten Seconds to Hell

    Ten Seconds to Hell

  • The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery

    The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery

  • Sex and the Other Woman

    Sex and the Other Woman

  • The Green Man

    The Green Man

  • Innocents in Paris

    Innocents in Paris

  • Lady Godiva Rides Again

    Lady Godiva Rides Again

  • The Iron Petticoat

    The Iron Petticoat

  • Top Secret

    Top Secret

  • Small Town Story

    Small Town Story

  • Come Fly with Me

    Come Fly with Me

  • The Happiest Days of Your Life

    The Happiest Days of Your Life

  • Park Plaza 605

    Park Plaza 605

  • Colonel March of Scotland Yard

    Colonel March of Scotland Yard

  • It's a Wonderful World

    It's a Wonderful World

  • Mother Riley Meets the Vampire

    Mother Riley Meets the Vampire

  • Song of Paris

    Song of Paris

  • The V.I.P.s

    The V.I.P.s

  • Made in Heaven

    Made in Heaven

  • The Crowded Day

    The Crowded Day

  • The Battle of the Villa Fiorita

    The Battle of the Villa Fiorita

  • The Clouded Yellow

    The Clouded Yellow

  • Simon and Laura

    Simon and Laura

  • An Alligator Named Daisy

    An Alligator Named Daisy

  • The Alphabet Murders

    The Alphabet Murders

  • The Ballad of Tam Lin

    The Ballad of Tam Lin

  • Follow a Star

    Follow a Star

  • Doctor in the House

    Doctor in the House

  • Sykes and a...

    Sykes and a...

  • Venus fra Vestø

    Venus fra Vestø

  • You Must Be Joking

    You Must Be Joking

  • Confessions of a Window Cleaner

    Confessions of a Window Cleaner

  • Very Important Person

    Very Important Person

  • The Belles of St. Trinian's

    The Belles of St. Trinian's

  • Your Money or Your Wife

    Your Money or Your Wife

  • Appointment in London

    Appointment in London

  • The Captain's Table

    The Captain's Table

  • I Am a Camera

    I Am a Camera

  • The Ugly Duckling

    The Ugly Duckling

  • A Yank in Ermine

    A Yank in Ermine

  • Up Jumped a Swagman

    Up Jumped a Swagman

  • Take Me High

    Take Me High

  • The Silken Affair

    The Silken Affair

  • Diamonds on Wheels

    Diamonds on Wheels

  • Lease of Life

    Lease of Life

  • Left Right and Centre

    Left Right and Centre

  • Colonel March Investigates

    Colonel March Investigates

  • I Thank a Fool

    I Thank a Fool

  • Play It Cool

    Play It Cool

  • Games That Lovers Play

    Games That Lovers Play

  • Follow That Horse!

    Follow That Horse!

  • The Chiltern Hundreds

    The Chiltern Hundreds

  • That's Your Funeral

    That's Your Funeral

  • The Dickie Henderson Show

    The Dickie Henderson Show

  • Marry Me

    Marry Me

  • Appointment with Venus

    Appointment with Venus

  • A Touch of the Sun

    A Touch of the Sun

  • Helter Skelter

    Helter Skelter

  • Egghead's Robot

    Egghead's Robot

  • Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers

    Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers

  • The Liberace Show

    The Liberace Show

  • Too Close for Comfort

    Too Close for Comfort

  • Top of the Form

    Top of the Form

  • Coppers End

    Coppers End

  • The Liquidator

    The Liquidator

  • The Time of His Life

    The Time of His Life

  • As Long as They're Happy

    As Long as They're Happy

  • Dentist on the Job

    Dentist on the Job

  • The Final Test

    The Final Test

  • Jumping for Joy

    Jumping for Joy

  • Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1

    Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1