Acting · Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK · Born February 25, 1912
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 Prince, The Showgirl and Me
2004
as Self (archive footage)
MovieEric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
1981
as Self (archive material)
Aladdin
1974
as Emperor Nanki
MovieConfessions of a Window Cleaner
1974
as Mr. Prendergast
MovieTake Me High
1973
as Sir Charles Furness
MovieDiamonds on Wheels
1973
as Sir Hilary Stanton
TVCentre Play
1973
as Arthur
MovieSex and the Other Woman
1972
as Presenter
MovieThat's Your Funeral
1972
as Simmonds
TVSykes
1972
as Charles Brown
Coppers End
1971
as PC Eddie Edwards
MovieGames That Lovers Play
1971
as Mr. Lothran
MovieToo Close for Comfort
1971
as Narrator
MovieThe Ballad of Tam Lin
1970
as Elroy
TVThe Goodies
1970
as TV Show Host
MovieEgghead's Robot
1970
MovieWonderwall
1969
as Perkins
MovieChitty Chitty Bang Bang
1968
as Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
TVThe Prisoner
1967
as Fotheringay
MovieCasino Royale
1967
as British Army Officer
The Troublesome Double
1967
as Mr. Wentworth
MovieThe Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
1966
as Manton Bassett
MovieThe Alphabet Murders
1965
as Wolf
MovieUp Jumped a Swagman
1965
as Lever, Music Publisher
MovieThe Liquidator
1965
as Flying Instructor
MovieBunny Lake Is Missing
1965
as Clerk in Shipping Office
MovieYou Must Be Joking
1965
as Parkins
MovieThe Battle of the Villa Fiorita
1965
as Travel Agent
MovieOperation Crossbow
1965
as Sir Charles Sims
The Bargain
1965
as Narrator
MovieCarry On Spying
1964
as Cobley
MovieThe V.I.P.s
1963
as Sanders
MovieCome Fly with Me
1963
as Oliver Garson
MovieVenus fra Vestø
1962
MovieThe Longest Day
1962
as British Paratrooper
MovieI Thank a Fool
1962
as Ebblington
MoviePlay It Cool
1962
as Nervous Man
MovieBon Voyage!
1962
as Party Guest
MovieDentist on the Job
1961
as Macreedy
MovieNearly a Nasty Accident
1961
as Wagstaffe
MovieVery Important Person
1961
as Entertainments Officer Woodcock
TVThe Avengers
1961
as Clarke
The Dickie Henderson Show
1960
TVDanger Man
1960
as Hardy
Follow That Horse!
1960
MovieYour Money or Your Wife
1960
as Hubert Fry
TVSykes and a...
1960
MovieLibel
1959
as The Judge
MovieThe Ugly Duckling
1959
as Barclay
MovieLeft Right and Centre
1959
as Harding-Pratt
MovieTen Seconds to Hell
1959
as Major Haven
MovieThe Captain's Table
1959
as Chief Purser Herbert Prittlewell
MovieFollow a Star
1959
as Dr. W. Chatterway
MovieThe Inn of the Sixth Happiness
1958
as Mr. Murfin
MovieBarnacle Bill
1957
as Registrar of Shipping
MovieHancock's Half Hour: Volume 1
1957
as Hotelier
MovieBlue Murder at St. Trinian's
1957
as Manton Bassett
MovieHigh Flight
1957
as Wilson
MovieThe Abominable Snowman
1957
as Dr. Peter Fox
MovieThe Prince and the Showgirl
1957
as Northbrook
MovieSecond Fiddle
1957
as Bill Turner
MovieThe Green Man
1956
as Doctor
MovieThe Silken Affair
1956
as Worthington
MovieA Touch of the Sun
1956
as Purchase
MovieThe Iron Petticoat
1956
as Lingerie Clerk
MovieIt's a Wonderful World
1956
as Harold
MovieEyewitness
1956
as Anaesthetist
TVHancock's Half Hour
1956
MovieThe Man Who Knew Too Much
1956
as Assistant Manager
MovieThe Man Who Never Was
1956
as Shop Assistant
TVColonel March of Scotland Yard
1956
as Arthur Cabot
MovieJumping for Joy
1956
as Carruthers
MovieAn Alligator Named Daisy
1955
as Hoskins
MovieSimon and Laura
1955
as Controller of Television Drama
MovieI Am a Camera
1955
as Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)
MovieAs Long as They're Happy
1955
as Hippodrome Stage Manager
MovieThe Colditz Story
1955
as Richard Gordon
MovieThe Time of His Life
1955
as Edgar
MovieA Yank in Ermine
1955
as Boone
MovieLease of Life
1954
as Solicitor
MovieThe Crowded Day
1954
as Mr. Christopher
MovieThe Belles of St Trinian's
1954
as Manton Bassett
MovieHobson's Choice
1954
as Albert Prosser
MovieDoctor in the House
1954
as Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)
MovieSmall Town Story
1953
as Marsh
MovieBackground
1953
as David Wallace
MovieThe Intruder
1953
as School Master
MovieBlood Orange
1953
as Detective Inspector MacLeod
MoviePark Plaza 605
1953
as Theodore Feather
MovieInnocents in Paris
1953
as Wilkinson
MovieColonel March Investigates
1953
as Cabot
MovieThe Final Test
1953
as Cricket Fan
MovieAppointment in London
1953
as Pascal
MovieTop of the Form
1953
as Willoughby-Gore
MovieTop Secret
1952
as Barnes
MovieMade in Heaven
1952
as The vicar
MovieMother Riley Meets the Vampire
1952
as P.C. Freddie
MovieDerby Day
1952
as Editor
MovieThe Importance of Being Earnest
1952
as Seton
The Liberace Show
1952
MoviePenny Princess
1952
as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
MovieBachelor in Paris
1952
as Carter
MovieLady Godiva Rides Again
1951
as Casting Director
MovieAppointment with Venus
1951
as Carruthers - Higher Executive
MovieThe Clouded Yellow
1950
as Employment Agent
MovieThe Happiest Days of Your Life
1950
as Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne
MovieThe Chiltern Hundreds
1949
as Vicar (uncredited)
MovieHelter Skelter
1949
as Compere of Nick Nack Show (uncredited)
MovieKind Hearts and Coronets
1949
as Defence Counsel (uncredited)
MovieMarry Me
1949
as Minor Role (uncredited)
MovieA Yank at Oxford
1938
as Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)
