Cast

Richard Wattis

Acting

Cast

Richard Wattis

Known for

Acting

Born

1912-02-25

From

Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK

Died

1975-02-01

Also known as Richard Cameron 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.

Richard Wattis

Richard Wattis

Biography

The Longest Day

Casino Royale

The Man Who Knew Too Much

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Helter Skelter

Kind Hearts and Coronets

It's a Wonderful World

Second Fiddle

That's Your Funeral

A Touch of the Sun

The Ballad of Tam Lin

Bunny Lake Is Missing

Operation Crossbow

Sex and the Other Woman

A Yank at Oxford

Ten Seconds to Hell

The Abominable Snowman

The Happiest Days of Your Life

A Yank in Ermine

Doctor in the House

The Crowded Day

Blood Orange

Come Fly with Me

Bon Voyage!

The Captain's Table

I Thank a Fool

The Final Test

Hobson's Choice

The Battle of the Villa Fiorita

I Am a Camera

The Silken Affair

Play It Cool

Egghead's Robot

Left Right and Centre

Top Secret

Dentist on the Job

Innocents in Paris

Penny Princess

Diamonds on Wheels

The Prince, The Showgirl and Me

The Colditz Story

Simon and Laura

You Must Be Joking

The Intruder

The Prince and the Showgirl

The Man Who Never Was

Very Important Person

Appointment in London

An Alligator Named Daisy

Marry Me

Up Jumped a Swagman

Confessions of a Window Cleaner

The Importance of Being Earnest

Top of the Form

Lady Godiva Rides Again

The V.I.P.s

Libel

The Green Man

Barnacle Bill

Bachelor in Paris

The Alphabet Murders

Wonderwall

Jumping for Joy

The Belles of St Trinian's

The Ugly Duckling

Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers

Park Plaza 605

Nearly a Nasty Accident

The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

Lease of Life

Made in Heaven

As Long as They're Happy

High Flight

Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1

Carry On Spying

The Chiltern Hundreds

The Bargain