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.
Movie | Confessions of a Window Cleaner | Carole's Father | 1974-08-16 |
Movie | Diamonds on Wheels | 1973-08-19 | |
Movie | Take Me High | Sir Charles Furness | 1973-12-07 |
Series | Sykes | 1972-09-14 | |
Movie | That's Your Funeral | Simmonds | 1972-12-01 |
Movie | Sex and the Other Woman | Presenter | 1972-12-30 |
Movie | Games That Lovers Play | Mr. Lothran | 1971-01-25 |
Series | Coppers End | 1971-02-19 | |
Movie | Egghead's Robot | 1970-01-01 | |
Series | The Goodies | Unknown | 1970-11-08 |
Movie | Tam Lin | Elroy | 1970-12-01 |
Movie | Wonderwall | Perkins | 1968-05-17 |
Movie | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited) | 1968-12-17 |
Movie | The Troublesome Double | Mr. Wentworth | 1967-01-01 |
Movie | Casino Royale | British Army Officer | 1967-04-13 |
Series | The Prisoner | Unknown | 1967-09-29 |
Movie | The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery | Manton Bassett | 1966-03-11 |
Movie | You Must Be Joking | Parkins | 1965-08-03 |
Movie | Bunny Lake Is Missing | Shipping Clerk | 1965-10-03 |
Movie | The Battle of the Villa Fiorita | Travel Agent | 1965-05-26 |
Movie | Operation Crossbow | Sir Charles Sims | 1965-04-01 |
Movie | The Alphabet Murders | Wolf | 1965-12-26 |
Movie | Up Jumped a Swagman | Lever, Music Publisher | 1965-12-21 |
Movie | The Liquidator | Flying Instructor | 1965-11-01 |
Movie | Carry On Spying | Cobley | 1964-06-01 |
Movie | Come Fly with Me | Oliver Garson | 1963-03-27 |
Movie | The V.I.P.s | Sanders | 1963-09-01 |
Movie | Bon Voyage! | Party Guest | 1962-05-17 |
Movie | Play It Cool | Nervous Man | 1962-03-01 |
Movie | I Thank a Fool | Ebblington | 1962-09-14 |
Movie | The Longest Day | British Paratrooper | 1962-09-25 |
Movie | Venus fra Vestø | 1962-12-21 | |
Movie | Very Important Person | Woodcock, Entertainments Officer | 1961-04-24 |
Movie | Nearly a Nasty Accident | Wagstaffe | 1961-05-01 |
Movie | Dentist on the Job | Macreedy | 1961-06-01 |
Movie | Your Money or Your Wife | Hubert Fry | 1960-03-01 |
Series | Sykes and a... | 1960-01-29 | |
Movie | Follow That Horse! | 1960-07-11 | |
Movie | The Captain's Table | Prittlewell | 1959-01-06 |
Movie | Follow a Star | Dr. W. Chatterway | 1959-01-01 |
Movie | Ten Seconds to Hell | Major Haven | 1959-06-16 |
Movie | Left Right and Centre | Harding-Pratt | 1959-06-23 |
Movie | Libel | The Judge | 1959-10-23 |
Movie | The Ugly Duckling | Barclay | 1959-09-09 |
Movie | The Inn of the Sixth Happiness | Mr. Murfin | 1958-12-11 |
Movie | The Prince and the Showgirl | Northbrook | 1957-06-13 |
Movie | Second Fiddle | Bill Turner | 1957-06-10 |
Movie | The Abominable Snowman | Dr. Peter Fox | 1957-08-26 |
Movie | Barnacle Bill | Registrar of Shipping | 1957-12-17 |
Movie | High Flight | Wilson | 1957-09-17 |
Movie | Blue Murder at St. Trinian's | Manton Bassett | 1957-12-01 |
Movie | The Man Who Knew Too Much | Assistant Manager | 1956-05-16 |
Series | Colonel March of Scotland Yard | Unknown | 1956-02-22 |
Movie | Jumping for Joy | Carruthers | 1956-01-01 |
Movie | Eyewitness | Anaesthetist | 1956-08-14 |
Movie | The Man Who Never Was | Shop Assistant | 1956-04-03 |
Movie | It's a Wonderful World | Harold | 1956-08-28 |
Movie | The Silken Affair | Worthington | 1956-10-02 |
Movie | A Touch of the Sun | Purchase | 1956-10-01 |
Movie | The Iron Petticoat | Lingerie Clerk | 1956-09-01 |
Movie | The Green Man | Doctor | 1956-12-21 |
Movie | The Time of His Life | Edgar | 1955-01-01 |
Movie | A Yank in Ermine | Boone | 1955-01-01 |
Movie | The Colditz Story | Richard Gordon | 1955-01-25 |
Movie | Simon and Laura | Controller of Television Drama | 1955-11-02 |
Movie | As Long as They're Happy | Hippodrome Stage Manager | 1955-03-15 |
Movie | An Alligator Named Daisy | Hoskins | 1955-12-13 |
Movie | I Am a Camera | Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited) | 1955-07-21 |
Movie | Hobson's Choice | Albert Prosser | 1954-04-19 |
Movie | The Belles of St. Trinian's | Manton Bassett | 1954-09-28 |
Movie | Doctor in the House | Medical Book Salesman (uncredited) | 1954-03-23 |
Movie | Lease of Life | Solicitor | 1954-10-18 |
Movie | The Crowded Day | Mr. Christopher | 1954-10-01 |
Movie | The Final Test | Cricket Fan | 1953-04-09 |
Movie | Appointment in London | Pascal | 1953-02-17 |
Movie | Top of the Form | 1953-02-01 | |
Movie | Colonel March Investigates | Cabot | 1953-07-01 |
Movie | Park Plaza 605 | Theodore Feather | 1953-09-11 |
Movie | Small Town Story | Marsh | 1953-12-21 |
Movie | The Intruder | School Master | 1953-10-18 |
Movie | Background | David Wallace | 1953-11-09 |
Movie | Blood Orange | Detective Inspector MacLeod | 1953-10-10 |
Series | The Liberace Show | Unknown | 1952-05-16 |
Movie | Song of Paris | Carter | 1952-02-10 |
Movie | The Importance of Being Earnest | Seton | 1952-06-02 |
Movie | Mother Riley Meets the Vampire | P.C. Freddie | 1952-07-11 |
Movie | Derby Day | Editor | 1952-06-09 |
Movie | Top Secret | Barnes | 1952-11-10 |
Movie | Made in Heaven | The vicar | 1952-11-01 |
Movie | Appointment with Venus | Carruthers - Higher Executive | 1951-10-08 |
Movie | Lady Godiva Rides Again | Casting Director | 1951-10-25 |
Movie | The Happiest Days of Your Life | Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne | 1950-03-08 |
Movie | The Clouded Yellow | Employment Agent | 1950-11-21 |
Movie | Helter Skelter | Compere of Nick Nack Show | 1949-01-07 |
Movie | The Chiltern Hundreds | Vicar (uncredited) | 1949-09-27 |
Movie | Marry Me | Minor Role (uncredited) | 1949-06-07 |
Movie | Kind Hearts and Coronets | Defence Counsel (uncredited) | 1949-06-21 |
Movie | A Yank at Oxford | Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited) | 1938-02-18 |