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Richard Wattis

Richard Wattis

Known For Acting
Birthday Feb 25, 1912
Died Feb 01, 1975 (62)
Birthplace Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK
Popularity 1 (history)
Updated Dec 19, 2024
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
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 Oxfor ... d (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

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Filmography

Confessions of a Window Cleaner

Confessions of a Window Cleaner

1974

as Carole's Father

Take Me High

Take Me High

1973

as Sir Charles Furness

That's Your Funeral

That's Your Funeral

1972

as Simmonds

Sex and the Other Woman

Sex and the Other Woman

1972

as Presenter

Too Close for Comfort

Too Close for Comfort

1971

as Narrator

Games That Lovers Play

Games That Lovers Play

1971

as Mr. Lothran

Tam Lin

Tam Lin

1970

as Elroy

Wonderwall

Wonderwall

1968

as Perkins

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

1968

as Secretary at Sweet Factory (Uncredited)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

1968

as Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)

The Troublesome Double

The Troublesome Double

1967

as Mr. Wentworth

Casino Royale

Casino Royale

1967

as British Army Officer

The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery

The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery

1966

as Manton Bassett

Up Jumped a Swagman

Up Jumped a Swagman

1965

as Lever, Music Publisher

The Battle of the Villa Fiorita

The Battle of the Villa Fiorita

1965

as Travel Agent

You Must Be Joking

You Must Be Joking

1965

as Parkins

The Alphabet Murders

The Alphabet Murders

1965

as Wolf

The Liquidator

The Liquidator

1965

as Flying Instructor

Bunny Lake Is Missing

Bunny Lake Is Missing

1965

as Shipping Clerk

Operation Crossbow

Operation Crossbow

1965

as Sir Charles Sims

Carry On Spying

Carry On Spying

1964

as Cobley

Come Fly with Me

Come Fly with Me

1963

as Oliver Garson

The V.I.P.s

The V.I.P.s

1963

as Sanders

Play It Cool

Play It Cool

1962

as Nervous Man

I Thank a Fool

I Thank a Fool

1962

as Ebblington

Bon Voyage!

Bon Voyage!

1962

as Party Guest

The Longest Day

The Longest Day

1962

as British Paratrooper

Very Important Person

Very Important Person

1961

as Woodcock, Entertainments Officer

Dentist on the Job

Dentist on the Job

1961

as Macreedy

Nearly a Nasty Accident

Nearly a Nasty Accident

1961

as Wagstaffe

Your Money or Your Wife

Your Money or Your Wife

1960

as Hubert Fry

Left Right and Centre

Left Right and Centre

1959

as Harding-Pratt

Follow a Star

Follow a Star

1959

as Dr. W. Chatterway

The Ugly Duckling

The Ugly Duckling

1959

as Barclay

The Captain's Table

The Captain's Table

1959

as Prittlewell

Libel

Libel

1959

as The Judge

Ten Seconds to Hell

Ten Seconds to Hell

1959

as Major Haven

The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

1958

as Mr. Murfin

Second Fiddle

Second Fiddle

1957

as Bill Turner

The Prince and the Showgirl

The Prince and the Showgirl

1957

as Northbrook

The Abominable Snowman

The Abominable Snowman

1957

as Dr. Peter Fox

High Flight

High Flight

1957

as Wilson

Blue Murder at St. Trinian's

Blue Murder at St. Trinian's

1957

as Manton Bassett

Barnacle Bill

Barnacle Bill

1957

as Registrar of Shipping

A Touch of the Sun

A Touch of the Sun

1956

as Purchase

It's a Wonderful World

It's a Wonderful World

1956

as Harold

The Silken Affair

The Silken Affair

1956

as Worthington

Eyewitness

Eyewitness

1956

as Anaesthetist

Jumping for Joy

Jumping for Joy

1956

as Carruthers

The Green Man

The Green Man

1956

as Doctor

The Man Who Knew Too Much

The Man Who Knew Too Much

1956

as Assistant Manager

The Iron Petticoat

The Iron Petticoat

1956

as Lingerie Clerk

The Man Who Never Was

The Man Who Never Was

1956

as Shop Assistant

The Time of His Life

The Time of His Life

1955

as Edgar

A Yank in Ermine

A Yank in Ermine

1955

as Boone

Simon and Laura

Simon and Laura

1955

as Controller of Television Drama

The Colditz Story

The Colditz Story

1955

as Richard Gordon

An Alligator Named Daisy

An Alligator Named Daisy

1955

as Hoskins

As Long as They're Happy

As Long as They're Happy

1955

as Hippodrome Stage Manager

I Am a Camera

I Am a Camera

1955

as Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)

Hobson's Choice

Hobson's Choice

1954

as Albert Prosser

Lease of Life

Lease of Life

1954

as Solicitor

The Crowded Day

The Crowded Day

1954

as Mr. Christopher

The Belles of St. Trinian's

The Belles of St. Trinian's

1954

as Manton Bassett

Doctor in the House

Doctor in the House

1954

as Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)

Park Plaza 605

Park Plaza 605

1953

as Theodore Feather

Blood Orange

Blood Orange

1953

as Detective Inspector MacLeod

Small Town Story

Small Town Story

1953

as Marsh

Appointment in London

Appointment in London

1953

as Pascal

Background

Background

1953

as David Wallace

The Intruder

The Intruder

1953

as School Master

Innocents in Paris

Innocents in Paris

1953

as Wilkinson

The Final Test

The Final Test

1953

as Cricket Fan

Mother Riley Meets the Vampire

Mother Riley Meets the Vampire

1952

as P.C. Freddie

Top Secret

Top Secret

1952

as Barnes

Made in Heaven

Made in Heaven

1952

as The vicar

Song of Paris

Song of Paris

1952

as Carter

Derby Day

Derby Day

1952

as Editor

Appointment with Venus

Appointment with Venus

1951

as Carruthers - Higher Executive

Lady Godiva Rides Again

Lady Godiva Rides Again

1951

as Casting Director

The Happiest Days of Your Life

The Happiest Days of Your Life

1950

as Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne

The Clouded Yellow

The Clouded Yellow

1950

as Employment Agent

The Chiltern Hundreds

The Chiltern Hundreds

1949

as Vicar (uncredited)

Kind Hearts and Coronets

Kind Hearts and Coronets

1949

as Defence Counsel (uncredited)

Marry Me

Marry Me

1949

as Minor Role (uncredited)

Helter Skelter

Helter Skelter

1949

as Compere of Nick Nack Show

A Yank at Oxford

A Yank at Oxford

1938

as Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)

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Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

Sykes

as Charles Brown

Episodes: 39

First Aired: Sep 14, 1972

The Prisoner

as Fotheringay

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 29, 1967

Colonel March of Scotland Yard

as Arthur Cabot

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 22, 1956

The Avengers

as Clarke

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 07, 1961

Sykes and a...

Episodes: 67

First Aired: Jan 29, 1960

Coppers End

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Feb 19, 1971

Hancock's Half Hour

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Jul 06, 1956

The Goodies

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Nov 08, 1970

The Liberace Show

Episodes: 1

First Aired: May 16, 1952

The Goodies

as TV Show Host

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Nov 08, 1970

Sykes

Episodes: 0

First Aired: Sep 14, 1972

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 8 14 5
2024 7 16 30 4
2024 8 12 43 4
2024 9 5 15 1
2024 10 3 9 1
2024 11 2 6 1
2024 12 3 6 1
2025 1 7 16 2
2025 2 3 5 1
2025 3 3 4 2
2025 5 1 2 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 2 9 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 1 1 1

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
No trending metrics available.

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