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.
99 movies · 12 shows
The Prince, The Showgirl and Me
2004·0.0
Eric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers
1981·0.0
Aladdin
1974·0.0
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
1974·5.0
Take Me High
1973·4.8
Diamonds on Wheels
1973·8.0
Sex and the Other Woman
1972·5.0
That's Your Funeral
1972·4.3
Games That Lovers Play
1971·4.0
Too Close for Comfort
1971·0.0
The Ballad of Tam Lin
1970·5.1
Egghead's Robot
1970·6.0
Wonderwall
1969·5.2
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
1968·6.8
Casino Royale
1967·5.3
The Troublesome Double
1967·9.0
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
1966·6.2
The Alphabet Murders
1965·5.9
Up Jumped a Swagman
1965·7.0
The Liquidator
1965·6.3
Bunny Lake Is Missing
1965·7.2
You Must Be Joking
1965·5.4
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
1965·4.4
Operation Crossbow
1965·6.7
The Bargain
1965·0.0
Carry On Spying
1964·6.4
The V.I.P.s
1963·6.1
Come Fly with Me
1963·5.0
Venus fra Vestø
1962·6.2
The Longest Day
1962·7.6
I Thank a Fool
1962·6.1
Play It Cool
1962·6.1
Bon Voyage!
1962·5.6
Dentist on the Job
1961·6.5
Nearly a Nasty Accident
1961·7.0
Very Important Person
1961·5.5
Follow That Horse!
1960·10.0
Your Money or Your Wife
1960·4.5
Libel
1959·6.8
The Ugly Duckling
1959·6.0
Left Right and Centre
1959·6.1
Ten Seconds to Hell
1959·6.2
The Captain's Table
1959·6.0
Follow a Star
1959·6.2
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
1958·6.8
Barnacle Bill
1957·6.6
Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1
1957·0.0
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
1957·6.8
High Flight
1957·6.2
The Abominable Snowman
1957·6.2
The Prince and the Showgirl
1957·6.3
Second Fiddle
1957·6.3
The Green Man
1956·7.0
The Silken Affair
1956·3.3
A Touch of the Sun
1956·6.0
The Iron Petticoat
1956·5.8
It's a Wonderful World
1956·5.8
Eyewitness
1956·6.8
The Man Who Knew Too Much
1956·7.4
The Man Who Never Was
1956·7.0
Jumping for Joy
1956·6.7
An Alligator Named Daisy
1955·6.4
Simon and Laura
1955·5.9
I Am a Camera
1955·6.2
As Long as They're Happy
1955·7.5
The Colditz Story
1955·6.8
The Time of His Life
1955·6.7
A Yank in Ermine
1955·6.0
Lease of Life
1954·7.4
The Crowded Day
1954·5.8
The Belles of St Trinian's
1954·6.4
Hobson's Choice
1954·7.4
Doctor in the House
1954·6.5
Small Town Story
1953·5.9
Background
1953·7.0
The Intruder
1953·7.6
Blood Orange
1953·5.5
Park Plaza 605
1953·4.7
Innocents in Paris
1953·5.2
Colonel March Investigates
1953·6.3
The Final Test
1953·6.7
Appointment in London
1953·6.5
Top of the Form
1953·7.5
Top Secret
1952·8.0
Made in Heaven
1952·5.0
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
1952·4.3
Derby Day
1952·6.8
The Importance of Being Earnest
1952·7.2
Penny Princess
1952·6.7
Bachelor in Paris
1952·7.8
Lady Godiva Rides Again
1951·5.9
Appointment with Venus
1951·5.7
The Clouded Yellow
1950·6.3
The Happiest Days of Your Life
1950·6.7
The Chiltern Hundreds
1949·6.0
Helter Skelter
1949·6.4
Kind Hearts and Coronets
1949·7.6
Marry Me
1949·5.8
A Yank at Oxford
1938·6.7