Richard Wattis

Richard Wattis (62)

1912-02-25 - 1975-02-01 | Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK

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.

On Movies

  • Aladdin
  • Confessions of a Window Cleaner
  • Take Me High
  • Diamonds on Wheels
  • Sex and the Other Woman
  • That's Your Funeral
  • Games That Lovers Play
  • The Ballad of Tam Lin
  • Egghead's Robot
  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
  • Wonderwall
  • Casino Royale
  • The Troublesome Double
  • The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery
  • The Alphabet Murders
  • Up Jumped a Swagman
  • The Liquidator
  • Bunny Lake Is Missing
  • You Must Be Joking
  • The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
  • Operation Crossbow
  • The Bargain
  • Carry On Spying
  • The V.I.P.s
  • Come Fly with Me
  • Venus fra Vestø
  • The Longest Day
  • I Thank a Fool
  • Bon Voyage!
  • Play It Cool
  • Dentist on the Job
  • Nearly a Nasty Accident
  • Very Important Person
  • Follow That Horse!
  • Your Money or Your Wife
  • Libel
  • The Ugly Duckling
  • Left Right and Centre
  • Ten Seconds to Hell
  • The Captain's Table
  • Follow a Star
  • The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
  • Barnacle Bill
  • Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
  • High Flight
  • The Abominable Snowman
  • The Prince and the Showgirl
  • Second Fiddle
  • The Green Man
  • The Silken Affair
  • A Touch of the Sun
  • The Iron Petticoat
  • It's a Wonderful World
  • Eyewitness
  • The Man Who Knew Too Much
  • The Man Who Never Was
  • Jumping for Joy
  • An Alligator Named Daisy
  • Simon and Laura
  • I Am a Camera
  • As Long as They're Happy
  • The Colditz Story
  • The Time of His Life
  • A Yank in Ermine
  • Lease of Life
  • The Crowded Day
  • The Belles of St. Trinian's
  • Hobson's Choice
  • Doctor in the House
  • Small Town Story
  • Background
  • The Intruder
  • Blood Orange
  • Park Plaza 605
  • Innocents in Paris
  • Colonel March Investigates
  • The Final Test
  • Appointment in London
  • Top of the Form
  • Top Secret
  • Made in Heaven
  • Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
  • Derby Day
  • The Importance of Being Earnest
  • Penny Princess
  • Song of Paris
  • Lady Godiva Rides Again
  • Appointment with Venus
  • The Clouded Yellow
  • The Happiest Days of Your Life
  • The Chiltern Hundreds
  • Kind Hearts and Coronets
  • Marry Me
  • Helter Skelter
  • A Yank at Oxford

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