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.
The Man Who Knew Too Much
(Assistant Manager)
Nearly a Nasty Accident
(Wagstaffe)
The Importance of Being Earnest
(Seton)
The Prince and the Showgirl
(Northbrook)
Ten Seconds to Hell
(Major Haven)
Carry On Spying
(Cobley)
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
(Carole's Father)
Colonel March Investigates
(Cabot)
The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery
(Manton Bassett)
Operation Crossbow
(Sir Charles Sims)
The V.I.P.s
(Sanders)
The Abominable Snowman
(Dr. Peter Fox)
The Iron Petticoat
(Lingerie Clerk)
The Clouded Yellow
(Employment Agent)
Barnacle Bill
(Registrar of Shipping)
Hobson's Choice
(Albert Prosser)
Wonderwall
(Perkins)
Come Fly with Me
(Oliver Garson)
The Happiest Days of Your Life
(Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne)
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
(Self (archive material))
I Thank a Fool
(Ebblington)
A Yank at Oxford
(Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited))
Made in Heaven
(The vicar)
Too Close for Comfort
(Narrator)
The Bargain
(Narrator)
The Ballad of Tam Lin
(Elroy)
The Belles of St. Trinian's
(Manton Bassett)
Top Secret
(Barnes)
Take Me High
(Sir Charles Furness)
An Alligator Named Daisy
(Hoskins)
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
(Travel Agent)
Song of Paris
(Carter)
Dentist on the Job
(Macreedy)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
(Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited))
Play It Cool
(Nervous Man)
A Touch of the Sun
(Purchase)
That's Your Funeral
(Simmonds)
You Must Be Joking
(Parkins)
The Captain's Table
(Prittlewell)
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
(Mr. Murfin)
Left Right and Centre
(Harding-Pratt)
The Time of His Life
(Edgar)
The Chiltern Hundreds
(Vicar (uncredited))
As Long as They're Happy
(Hippodrome Stage Manager)
Venus fra Vestø
Your Money or Your Wife
(Hubert Fry)
Diamonds on Wheels
(Sir Hilary Stanton)
Games That Lovers Play
(Mr. Lothran)
Bunny Lake Is Missing
(Shipping Clerk)
Up Jumped a Swagman
(Lever, Music Publisher)
High Flight
(Wilson)
Second Fiddle
(Bill Turner)
Lease of Life
(Solicitor)
Libel
(The Judge)
The Liquidator
(Flying Instructor)
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
(P.C. Freddie)
The Ugly Duckling
(Barclay)
Innocents in Paris
(Wilkinson)
Doctor in the House
(Medical Book Salesman (uncredited))
Small Town Story
(Marsh)
Top of the Form
The Colditz Story
(Richard Gordon)
Simon and Laura
(Controller of Television Drama)
Egghead's Robot
Follow a Star
(Dr. W. Chatterway)
Background
(David Wallace)
Blood Orange
(Detective Inspector MacLeod)
The Troublesome Double
(Mr. Wentworth)
Follow That Horse!
Casino Royale
(British Army Officer)
Appointment in London
(Pascal)
Kind Hearts and Coronets
(Defence Counsel (uncredited))
A Yank in Ermine
(Boone)
The Green Man
(Doctor)
It's a Wonderful World
(Harold)
Lady Godiva Rides Again
(Casting Director)
The Intruder
(School Master)
Eyewitness
(Anaesthetist)
The Final Test
(Cricket Fan)
I Am a Camera
(Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited))
Derby Day
(Editor)
The Silken Affair
(Worthington)
Sex and the Other Woman
(Presenter)
Park Plaza 605
(Theodore Feather)
Bon Voyage!
(Party Guest)
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
(Manton Bassett)
Very Important Person
(Woodcock, Entertainments Officer)
The Alphabet Murders
(Wolf)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
(Secretary at Sweet Factory (Uncredited))
Helter Skelter
(Compere of Nick Nack Show)
The Crowded Day
(Mr. Christopher)
The Longest Day
(British Paratrooper)
Jumping for Joy
(Carruthers)
Marry Me
(Minor Role (uncredited))
The Man Who Never Was
(Shop Assistant)
Appointment with Venus
(Carruthers - Higher Executive)
The Prisoner
(Fotheringay)
The Goodies
Sykes and a...
Sykes
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
(Arthur Cabot)
Hancock's Half Hour
The Liberace Show
Coppers End
The Goodies
(TV Show Host)
Sykes
(Charles Brown)
The Avengers
(Clarke)