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Richard Wattis
Born · February 25, 1912
Died · February 1, 1975 (62 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth: Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK
Bio
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.
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
Self (archive material)
0.0
1981
Aladdin
Emperor Nanki
0.0
1974
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
Carole's Father
4.8
1974
Take Me High
Sir Charles Furness
4.9
1973
Diamonds on Wheels
Sir Hilary Stanton
8.0
1973
Sex and the Other Woman
Presenter
5.7
1972
That's Your Funeral
Simmonds
1.5
1972
Sykes
(0 episode)
6.4
1972
Sykes
Charles Brown · (39 episodes)
6.4
1972
Coppers End
(13 episodes)
0.0
1971
Games That Lovers Play
Mr. Lothran
4.2
1971
Too Close for Comfort
Narrator
0.0
1971
The Ballad of Tam Lin
Elroy
5.4
1970
The Goodies
(1 episode)
7.5
1970
The Goodies
TV Show Host · (1 episode)
7.5
1970
Egghead's Robot
3.0
1970
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
6.8
1968
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Secretary at Sweet Factory (Uncredited)
6.8
1968
Wonderwall
Perkins
5.2
1968
The Prisoner
Fotheringay · (1 episode)
7.8
1967
Casino Royale
British Army Officer
5.3
1967
The Troublesome Double
Mr. Wentworth
0.0
1967
The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery
Manton Bassett
5.9
1966
The Alphabet Murders
Wolf
5.8
1965
Up Jumped a Swagman
Lever, Music Publisher
4.0
1965
The Liquidator
Flying Instructor
6.2
1965
Bunny Lake Is Missing
Shipping Clerk
7.2
1965
You Must Be Joking
Parkins
5.6
1965
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
Travel Agent
4.8
1965
Operation Crossbow
Sir Charles Sims
6.7
1965
The Bargain
Narrator
0.0
1965
Carry On Spying
Cobley
6.4
1964
The V.I.P.s
Sanders
6.2
1963
Come Fly with Me
Oliver Garson
4.4
1963
Venus fra Vestø
5.6
1962
The Longest Day
British Paratrooper
7.6
1962
I Thank a Fool
Ebblington
5.5
1962
Bon Voyage!
Party Guest
5.3
1962
Play It Cool
Nervous Man
5.9
1962
Dentist on the Job
Macreedy
6.2
1961
Nearly a Nasty Accident
Wagstaffe
7.0
1961
Very Important Person
Woodcock, Entertainments Officer
5.7
1961
The Avengers
Clarke · (1 episode)
7.7
1961
Follow That Horse!
0.0
1960
Your Money or Your Wife
Hubert Fry
4.0
1960
Sykes and a...
(67 episodes)
6.0
1960
Libel
The Judge
7.0
1959
The Ugly Duckling
Barclay
5.8
1959
Left Right and Centre
Harding-Pratt
6.0
1959
Ten Seconds to Hell
Major Haven
6.1
1959
The Captain's Table
Prittlewell
5.8
1959
Follow a Star
Dr. W. Chatterway
6.1
1959
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Mr. Murfin
6.7
1958
Barnacle Bill
Registrar of Shipping
6.4
1957
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
Manton Bassett
6.4
1957
High Flight
Wilson
5.8
1957
The Abominable Snowman
Dr. Peter Fox
6.2
1957
The Prince and the Showgirl
Northbrook
6.3
1957
Second Fiddle
Bill Turner
5.6
1957
The Green Man
Doctor
7.0
1956
The Silken Affair
Worthington
1.0
1956
A Touch of the Sun
Purchase
5.6
1956
The Iron Petticoat
Lingerie Clerk
5.8
1956
It's a Wonderful World
Harold
5.3
1956
Eyewitness
Anaesthetist
6.7
1956
Hancock's Half Hour
(2 episodes)
7.5
1956
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Assistant Manager
7.5
1956
The Man Who Never Was
Shop Assistant
7.0
1956
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
Arthur Cabot · (1 episode)
7.3
1956
Jumping for Joy
Carruthers
6.5
1956
An Alligator Named Daisy
Hoskins
6.2
1955
Simon and Laura
Controller of Television Drama
5.6
1955
I Am a Camera
Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)
6.0
1955
As Long as They're Happy
Hippodrome Stage Manager
7.7
1955
The Colditz Story
Richard Gordon
6.6
1955
The Time of His Life
Edgar
6.5
1955
A Yank in Ermine
Boone
4.0
1955
Lease of Life
Solicitor
7.4
1954
The Crowded Day
Mr. Christopher
5.4
1954
The Belles of St. Trinian's
Manton Bassett
6.3
1954
Hobson's Choice
Albert Prosser
7.4
1954
Doctor in the House
Medical Book Salesman
6.4
1954
Small Town Story
Marsh
5.2
1953
Background
David Wallace
6.0
1953
The Intruder
School Master
7.2
1953
Blood Orange
Detective Inspector MacLeod
5.3
1953
Park Plaza 605
Theodore Feather
5.2
1953
Innocents in Paris
Wilkinson
5.1
1953
Colonel March Investigates
Cabot
6.0
1953
The Final Test
Cricket Fan
6.7
1953
Appointment in London
Pascal
6.2
1953
Top of the Form
5.0
1953
Top Secret
Barnes
6.0
1952
Made in Heaven
The vicar
4.0
1952
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
P.C. Freddie
4.2
1952
Derby Day
Editor
6.5
1952
The Importance of Being Earnest
Seton
7.2
1952
The Liberace Show
(1 episode)
0.0
1952
Penny Princess
Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
6.4
1952
Song of Paris
Carter
5.5
1952
Lady Godiva Rides Again
Casting Director
5.8
1951
Appointment with Venus
Carruthers - Higher Executive
5.1
1951
The Clouded Yellow
Employment Agent
6.1
1950
The Happiest Days of Your Life
Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne
6.4
1950
The Chiltern Hundreds
Vicar (uncredited)
5.0
1949
Kind Hearts and Coronets
Defence Counsel (uncredited)
7.7
1949
Marry Me
Minor Role (uncredited)
4.3
1949
Helter Skelter
Compere of Nick Nack Show
6.2
1949
A Yank at Oxford
Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)
6.7
1938