Richard Wattis Biography

English actor (1912–1975)

Richard Cameron Wattis (25 February 1912 – 1 February 1975) was an English actor, co-starring in many popular British comedies of the 1950s and 1960s.

Early life

Richard Cameron Wattis was born on 25 February 1912 in Wednesbury, Staffordshire, the elder of two sons born to Cameron Tom Wattis and Margaret Janet, née Preston. He attended King Edward's School and Bromsgrove School, after which he worked for the electrical engineering firm William Sanders & Co (Wednesbury) Ltd. His uncle, William Preston (1874–1941), was the managing director and was the Conservative MP for Walsall from 1924 to 1929.

Career

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).

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 the Second World War (James Bond author Ian Fleming worked in the same section).

Wattis 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. 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 B*ett, 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, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, 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. Operation Crossbow as Sir Charles Sims. He also appeared on television, including a long-running role in Sykes and as a storyteller on the BBC children's programme Jackanory, narrating in 14 episodes between 1971 and 1972. Other television credits include appearances in Danger Man, The Prisoner, The Goodies, Han*'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 *ss.

Personal life and death

On 1 February 1975, Wattis suffered a heart attack while dining at Berwick's Restaurant in Walton Street, London. He was taken to hospital, but was dead on arrival. He was 62 years old. A memorial service was held for him at St Paul's, Covent Garden, the "Actor's Church", and a plaque near his grave.

In 1999, twenty-four years after Wattis’ death, writer Dan Rebellato claimed Wattis was *sexual.

In fiction

Wattis was played by Richard Clifford in the 2011 film My Week with Marilyn, which depicts the making of the 1957 film The Prince and the Showgirl.

Selected filmography

A Yank at Oxford (1938) as Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)
Marry Me! (1949) as Minor Role (uncredited)
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) as Defence Counsel (uncredited)
Helter Skelter (1949) as Compere of Nick Nack show (uncredited)
The Chiltern Hundreds (1949) as Vicar (uncredited)
Your Witness (1950) as Minor Role (uncredited)
The Happiest Days of Your Life (1950) as Arnold Billings
The Clouded Yellow (1950) as Employment Agent
The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) as Opposition MP (uncredited)
Appointment with Venus (1951) as Carruthers – Higher Executive
Lady Godiva Rides Again (1951) as Otto Mann (casting director)
The Happy Family (1952) as M.P.
Song of Paris (1952) as Carter
Stolen Face (1952) as Mr. Wentworth, Store Manager
The Importance of Being Earnest (1952) as Seton
Derby Day (1952) as Editor (uncredited)
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire (1952) as P.C. Freddie
Penny Princess (1952) as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Made in Heaven (1952) as The Vicar, Hayworth Honeycroft
Top Secret (1952) as Barnes
Top of the Form (1953) as Willoughby-Gore
Appointment in London (1953) as Pascal
Innocents in Paris (1953) as Secretary
Colonel March Investigates (1953) as Cabot
The Final Test (1953) as Cricket Fan in the Stand. (uncredited)
Park Plaza 605 (1953) as Theodore Feather
Blood Orange (1953) as Detective Inspector MacLeod
The Intruder (1953) as School Master
Background (1953) as David Wallace
Small Town Story (1953) as Marsh (uncredited)
Doctor in the House (1954) as Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)
Hobson's Choice (1954) as Albert Prosser
The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954) as Manton B*ett
The Crowded Day (1954) as Mr. Christopher
Lease of Life (1954) as The Solicitor
The Colditz Story (1955) as Richard Gordon
As Long as They're Happy (1955) as Theatre Stage Manager (uncredited)
See How They Run (1955) as Rev. Lionel Toop
I Am a Camera (1955) as Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)
Escapade (1955) as Peace committee member (uncredited)
Simon and Laura (1955) as Controller of Television Drama ('CT')
An Alligator Named Daisy (1955) as Hoskins
The Time of His Life (1955) as John Edgar
A Yank in Ermine (1955) as Boone
Jumping for Joy (1956) as Carruthers
The Man Who Never Was (1956) as Shop *istant
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) as *istant Manager
The Iron Petticoat (1956) as Lingerie Clerk
Eyewitness (1956) as Anesthetist
It's a Wonderful World (1956) as Harold
The Green Man (1956) as Doctor
A Touch of the Sun (1956) as Purchase
Death in the Dressing Room (1956 episode of Colonel March of Scotland Yard) as D. W. Cabot
The Silken Affair (1956 as Worthington
Around the World in 80 Days (1956) as Inspector Hunter of Scotland Yard (uncredited)
The Little Hut (1957) as Official
Second Fiddle (1957) as Bill Turner
The Prince and the Showgirl (1957) as Northbrook
The Abominable Snowman (1957) as Peter Fox
High Flight (1957) as Chauffeur Wilson
Barnacle Bill (1957) as Registrar of Shipping
Blue Murder at St Trinian's (1957) as Manton B*ett
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958) as Mr. Murfin
The Captain's Table (1959) as Prittlewell
Ten Seconds to Hell (1959) as Major Haven
Left Right and Centre (1959) as Harding-Pratt
The Ugly Duckling (1959) as Barclay
Libel (1959) as The Judge
Follow a Star (1959) as Dr. Chatterway
Your Money or Your Wife (1960) as Hubert Fry
Follow That Horse! (1960) as Hugh Porlock
Very Important Person (1961) as Wood*, Entertainments Officer
Nearly a Nasty Accident (1961) as Wagstaffe
Dentist on the Job (1961) as Macreedy
Play It Cool (1962) as Nervous Man
Bon Voyage! (1962) as Party guest
I Thank a Fool (1962) as Ebblington
The Longest Day (1962) as Maj. Whaley, British Paratrooper
Venus fra Vestø (1962) as Englænder
Come Fly with Me (1963) as Oliver Garson
The V.I.P.s (1963) as Sanders
Carry On Spying (1964) as Cobley
The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (1965) as Jeweler
Operation Crossbow (1965) as Sir Charles Sims
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita (1965) as Travel Agent
The Alphabet Murders (1965) as Wolf
You Must Be Joking! (1965) as Parkins
Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965) as Clerk in Shipping Office
The Liquidator (1965) as Flying Instructor
Up Jumped a Swagman (1965) as Lever, Music Publisher
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery (1966) as Manton B*ett
Casino Royale (1967) as British Army Officer
Wonderwall (1968) as Perkins
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) as Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)
Monte Carlo or Bust! (1969) as Golf Club Secretary
Tam-Lin (1970) as Elroy
Games That Lovers Play (1971) as Mr. Lothran
Sex and the Other Woman (1972) as Presenter
That's Your Funeral (1972) as Simmonds
Diamonds on Wheels (1974) as Sir Hilary Stanton
Take Me High (1974) as Sir Charles Furness
Confessions of a Window Cleaner (1974) as Carole's Father

References

External links

Richard Wattis at IMDb

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