Acting
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.
Filmography
The Prince, The Showgirl and Me
Film · 2004
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
Film · 1981
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
Film · 1974
Aladdin
Film · 1974
Take Me High
Film · 1973
Diamonds on Wheels
Film · 1973
Centre Play
Series · 1973
That's Your Funeral
Film · 1972
Sex and the Other Woman
Film · 1972
Sykes
Series · 1972
Too Close for Comfort
Film · 1971
Games That Lovers Play
Film · 1971
Coppers End
Series · 1971
The Ballad of Tam Lin
Film · 1970
Egghead's Robot
Film · 1970
The Goodies
Series · 1970
Wonderwall
Film · 1969
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Film · 1968
The Troublesome Double
Film · 1967
Casino Royale
Film · 1967
The Prisoner
Series · 1967
Misleading Cases
Series · 1967
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
Film · 1966
Operation Crossbow
Film · 1965
The Bargain
Film · 1965
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
Film · 1965
You Must Be Joking
Film · 1965
Bunny Lake Is Missing
Film · 1965
Up Jumped a Swagman
Film · 1965
The Liquidator
Film · 1965
The Alphabet Murders
Film · 1965
Carry On Spying
Film · 1964
The V.I.P.s
Film · 1963
Come Fly with Me
Film · 1963
I Thank a Fool
Film · 1962
Play It Cool
Film · 1962
Venus fra Vestø
Film · 1962
Bon Voyage!
Film · 1962
The Longest Day
Film · 1962
Nearly a Nasty Accident
Film · 1961
Dentist on the Job
Film · 1961
Very Important Person
Film · 1961
The Avengers
Series · 1961
Your Money or Your Wife
Film · 1960
Follow That Horse!
Film · 1960
Sykes and a...
Series · 1960
The Dickie Henderson Show
Series · 1960
Danger Man
Series · 1960
Ten Seconds to Hell
Film · 1959
The Captain's Table
Film · 1959
Left Right and Centre
Film · 1959
Libel
Film · 1959
The Ugly Duckling
Film · 1959
Follow a Star
Film · 1959
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Film · 1958
The Prince and the Showgirl
Film · 1957
The Abominable Snowman
Film · 1957
Barnacle Bill
Film · 1957
High Flight
Film · 1957
Second Fiddle
Film · 1957
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
Film · 1957
Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1
Film · 1957
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Film · 1956
The Iron Petticoat
Film · 1956
A Touch of the Sun
Film · 1956
The Green Man
Film · 1956
It's a Wonderful World
Film · 1956
Eyewitness
Film · 1956
The Silken Affair
Film · 1956
Jumping for Joy
Film · 1956
The Man Who Never Was
Film · 1956
Colonel March of Scotland Yard
Series · 1956
Hancock's Half Hour
Series · 1956
An Alligator Named Daisy
Film · 1955
The Time of His Life
Film · 1955
As Long As They're Happy
Film · 1955
The Colditz Story
Film · 1955
Simon and Laura
Film · 1955
A Yank in Ermine
Film · 1955
I Am a Camera
Film · 1955
Hobson's Choice
Film · 1954
The Belles of St Trinian's
Film · 1954
Lease of Life
Film · 1954
Doctor in the House
Film · 1954
The Crowded Day
Film · 1954
Colonel March Investigates
Film · 1953
Innocents in Paris
Film · 1953
Small Town Story
Film · 1953
Top of the Form
Film · 1953
Background
Film · 1953
Blood Orange
Film · 1953
Appointment in London
Film · 1953
The Intruder
Film · 1953
The Final Test
Film · 1953
Park Plaza 605
Film · 1953
The Importance of Being Earnest
Film · 1952
Made in Heaven
Film · 1952
Top Secret
Film · 1952
Song of Paris
Film · 1952
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
Film · 1952
Derby Day
Film · 1952
Penny Princess
Film · 1952
The Liberace Show
Series · 1952
Lady Godiva Rides Again
Film · 1951
Appointment with Venus
Film · 1951
The Clouded Yellow
Film · 1950
The Happiest Days of Your Life
Film · 1950
The Chiltern Hundreds
Film · 1949
Kind Hearts and Coronets
Film · 1949
Helter Skelter
Film · 1949
Marry Me
Film · 1949
A Yank at Oxford
Film · 1938