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.
111 acting credits
Acting · 111
The Avengers
1961
Danger Man
1960
The Prisoner
1967
Hancock's Half Hour
1956
The Goodies
1970
Sykes
1972
The Longest Day
1962
Centre Play
1973
Casino Royale
1967
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
1956
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
1968
The Man Who Knew Too Much
1956
The Dickie Henderson Show
1960
Sykes and a...
1960
Coppers End
1971
Kind Hearts and Coronets
1949
Operation Crossbow
1965
The Prince and the Showgirl
1957
The Abominable Snowman
1957
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
1958
Wonderwall
1969
The Belles of St Trinian's
1954
Hobson's Choice
1954
The Liberace Show
1952
Carry On Spying
1964
The V.I.P.s
1963
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
1974
The Colditz Story
1955
The Man Who Never Was
1956
Appointment in London
1953
Bunny Lake Is Missing
1965
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
1966
The Importance of Being Earnest
1952
The Liquidator
1965
The Green Man
1956
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
1957
Barnacle Bill
1957
The Alphabet Murders
1965
The Ballad of Tam Lin
1970
Innocents in Paris
1953
Libel
1959
Doctor in the House
1954
Bon Voyage!
1962
The Iron Petticoat
1956
Background
1953
An Alligator Named Daisy
1955
Lady Godiva Rides Again
1951
Marry Me
1949
Top Secret
1952
Left Right and Centre
1959
The Happiest Days of Your Life
1950
Penny Princess
1952
Eyewitness
1956
Derby Day
1952
I Thank a Fool
1962
High Flight
1957
Blood Orange
1953
Come Fly with Me
1963
Ten Seconds to Hell
1959
Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1
1957
Follow a Star
1959
Take Me High
1973
I Am a Camera
1955
Lease of Life
1954
The Chiltern Hundreds
1949
Helter Skelter
1949
The Clouded Yellow
1950
Simon and Laura
1955
Sex and the Other Woman
1972
Colonel March Investigates
1953
The Prince, The Showgirl and Me
2004
A Yank in Ermine
1955
Dentist on the Job
1961
A Yank at Oxford
1938
The Captain's Table
1959
The Ugly Duckling
1959
Jumping for Joy
1956
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
1965
Appointment with Venus
1951
Park Plaza 605
1953
The Crowded Day
1954
A Touch of the Sun
1956
That's Your Funeral
1972
Up Jumped a Swagman
1965
As Long as They're Happy
1955
The Intruder
1953
Second Fiddle
1957
Very Important Person
1961
Play It Cool
1962
Venus fra Vestø
1962
Aladdin
1974
The Final Test
1953
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
1952
The Silken Affair
1956
Diamonds on Wheels
1973
Bachelor in Paris
1952
You Must Be Joking
1965
The Time of His Life
1955
It's a Wonderful World
1956
Made in Heaven
1952
Games That Lovers Play
1971
Your Money or Your Wife
1960
Nearly a Nasty Accident
1961
Small Town Story
1953
The Troublesome Double
1967
Egghead's Robot
1970
Too Close for Comfort
1971
Follow That Horse!
1960
Top of the Form
1953
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
1981
The Bargain
1965