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Richard Wattis

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
111

Gender
Male

Birthday
February 25, 1912 (114 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

Acting

2004The Prince, The Showgirl and Meas
1981Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupersas Self (archive material)
1974Aladdinas Emperor Nanki
1974Confessions of a Window Cleaneras Mr. Prendergast
1973Take Me Highas Sir Charles Furness
1973Diamonds on Wheelsas Sir Hilary Stanton
1973Centre Playas Arthur
1972Sex and the Other Womanas Presenter
1972That's Your Funeralas Simmonds
1972Sykesas Charles Brown
1971Coppers Endas PC Eddie Edwards
1971Games That Lovers Playas Mr. Lothran
1971Too Close for Comfortas Narrator
1970The Ballad of Tam Linas Elroy
1970The Goodiesas TV Show Host
1970Egghead's Robotas
1969Wonderwallas Perkins
1968Chitty Chitty Bang Bangas Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
1967The Prisoneras Fotheringay
1967Casino Royaleas British Army Officer
1967The Troublesome Doubleas Mr. Wentworth
1966The Great St Trinian's Train Robberyas Manton Bassett
1965The Alphabet Murdersas Wolf
1965Up Jumped a Swagmanas Lever, Music Publisher
1965The Liquidatoras Flying Instructor
1965Bunny Lake Is Missingas Clerk in Shipping Office
1965You Must Be Jokingas Parkins
1965The Battle of the Villa Fioritaas Travel Agent
1965Operation Crossbowas Sir Charles Sims
1965The Bargainas Narrator
1964Carry On Spyingas Cobley
1963The V.I.P.sas Sanders
1963Come Fly with Meas Oliver Garson
1962Venus fra Vestøas
1962The Longest Dayas British Paratrooper
1962I Thank a Foolas Ebblington
1962Play It Coolas Nervous Man
1962Bon Voyage!as Party Guest
1961Dentist on the Jobas Macreedy
1961Nearly a Nasty Accidentas Wagstaffe
1961Very Important Personas Entertainments Officer Woodcock
1961The Avengersas Clarke
1960The Dickie Henderson Showas
1960Danger Manas Hardy
1960Follow That Horse!as
1960Your Money or Your Wifeas Hubert Fry
1960Sykes and a...as
1959Libelas The Judge
1959The Ugly Ducklingas Barclay
1959Left Right and Centreas Harding-Pratt
1959Ten Seconds to Hellas Major Haven
1959The Captain's Tableas Chief Purser Herbert Prittlewell
1959Follow a Staras Dr. W. Chatterway
1958The Inn of the Sixth Happinessas Mr. Murfin
1957Barnacle Billas Registrar of Shipping
1957Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1as Hotelier
1957Blue Murder at St. Trinian'sas Manton Bassett
1957High Flightas Wilson
1957The Abominable Snowmanas Dr. Peter Fox
1957The Prince and the Showgirlas Northbrook
1957Second Fiddleas Bill Turner
1956The Green Manas Doctor
1956The Silken Affairas Worthington
1956A Touch of the Sunas Purchase
1956The Iron Petticoatas Lingerie Clerk
1956It's a Wonderful Worldas Harold
1956Eyewitnessas Anaesthetist
1956Hancock's Half Houras
1956The Man Who Knew Too Muchas Assistant Manager
1956The Man Who Never Wasas Shop Assistant
1956Colonel March of Scotland Yardas Arthur Cabot
1956Jumping for Joyas Carruthers
1955An Alligator Named Daisyas Hoskins
1955Simon and Lauraas Controller of Television Drama
1955I Am a Cameraas Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)
1955As Long as They're Happyas Hippodrome Stage Manager
1955The Colditz Storyas Richard Gordon
1955The Time of His Lifeas Edgar
1955A Yank in Ermineas Boone
1954Lease of Lifeas Solicitor
1954The Crowded Dayas Mr. Christopher
1954The Belles of St Trinian'sas Manton Bassett
1954Hobson's Choiceas Albert Prosser
1954Doctor in the Houseas Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)
1953Small Town Storyas Marsh
1953Backgroundas David Wallace
1953The Intruderas School Master
1953Blood Orangeas Detective Inspector MacLeod
1953Park Plaza 605as Theodore Feather
1953Innocents in Parisas Wilkinson
1953Colonel March Investigatesas Cabot
1953The Final Testas Cricket Fan
1953Appointment in Londonas Pascal
1953Top of the Formas Willoughby-Gore
1952Top Secretas Barnes
1952Made in Heavenas The vicar
1952Mother Riley Meets the Vampireas P.C. Freddie
1952Derby Dayas Editor
1952The Importance of Being Earnestas Seton
1952The Liberace Showas
1952Penny Princessas Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
1952Bachelor in Parisas Carter
1951Lady Godiva Rides Againas Casting Director
1951Appointment with Venusas Carruthers - Higher Executive
1950The Clouded Yellowas Employment Agent
1950The Happiest Days of Your Lifeas Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne
1949The Chiltern Hundredsas Vicar (uncredited)
1949Helter Skelteras Compere of Nick Nack Show (uncredited)
1949Kind Hearts and Coronetsas Defence Counsel (uncredited)
1949Marry Meas Minor Role (uncredited)
1938A Yank at Oxfordas Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)

Production