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Richard Wattis

Richard Wattis

Actor · Died February 1, 1975, aged 62 · Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK

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.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 25, 1912
Died
February 1, 1975 (aged 62)
From
Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
50 on MovieCove · 110 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 64 days to Oct 27Up 13% in 30 days

What are Richard Wattis' films like?

Across their 25 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Comedy15 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
25%
Self
21%
Bonds
21%
Power
15%
Society
10%
Survival
8%
Ideas
1%
Deception8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTradition vs change3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 24 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 16 · Serious 3 · Dark 5

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 9 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 4

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 11 · Charged 7 · Intense 6

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 12 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 10

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 17 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 16 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 19 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 7 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 7
Threshold guardian
2 of 7
Trickster
1 of 7
Mentor
1 of 7
Shadow
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
11
Joyful
9
Absurd
9
Warm
10
Melancholic
7
Other
16

How their films linger

Feel-good14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet9
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Richard Wattis' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 50 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Richard Wattis' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

110 credits, 50 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Aladdin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Emperor Nanki

  • Confessions of a Window Cleaner(1974)

    as Mr. Prendergast

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Take Me High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Sir Charles Furness

  • Diamonds on Wheels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Sir Hilary Stanton

  • Centre Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Arthur

  • Sex and the Other Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Presenter

  • That's Your Funeral(1972)

    as Simmonds

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Sykes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 39 episodes · as Charles Brown

  • Coppers End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 13 episodes · as PC Eddie Edwards

  • Games That Lovers Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Mr. Lothran

  • Too Close for Comfort (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Narrator

  • Tam Lin(1970)

    as Elroy

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Goodies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as TV Show Host

  • Egghead's Robot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • Wonderwall(1968)

    as Perkins

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang(1968)

    as Secretary at Sweet Factory (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Prisoner(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Fotheringay

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Misleading Cases (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr Grout

  • Casino Royale(1967)

    as British Army Officer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Troublesome Double (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Mr. Wentworth

  • The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery(1966)

    as Manton Bassett

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Alphabet Murders(1965)

    as Wolf

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Up Jumped a Swagman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Lever, Music Publisher

  • The Liquidator(1965)

    as Flying Instructor

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Bunny Lake Is Missing(1965)

    as Clerk in Shipping Office

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • You Must Be Joking!(1965)

    as Parkins

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Battle of the Villa Fiorita(1965)

    as Travel Agent

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Operation Crossbow(1965)

    as Sir Charles Sims

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Bargain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Narrator

  • Carry on Spying(1964)

    as Cobley

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The V.I.P.s(1963)

    as Sanders

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Come Fly with Me(1963)

    as Oliver Garson

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Venus fra Vestø (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • The Longest Day(1962)

    as British Paratrooper

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • I Thank a Fool(1962)

    as Ebblington

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Play It Cool (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Nervous Man

  • Bon Voyage!(1962)

    as Party Guest

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Dentist on the Job (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Macreedy

  • Nearly a Nasty Accident (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Wagstaffe

  • Very Important Person (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Entertainments Officer Woodcock

  • The Avengers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Clarke

  • The Dickie Henderson Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 119 episodes · Actor

  • Danger Man(1960)

    Show 5 episodes · as Hardy

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Follow That Horse! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • Your Money or Your Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Hubert Fry

  • Sykes and a... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 67 episodes · Actor

  • Libel(1959)

    as The Judge

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Ugly Duckling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Barclay

  • Left Right and Centre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Harding-Pratt

  • Ten Seconds to Hell(1959)

    as Major Haven

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Captain's Table(1959)

    as Chief Purser Herbert Prittlewell

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Follow a Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Dr. W. Chatterway

  • The Inn of the Sixth Happiness(1958)

    as Mr. Murfin

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • All at Sea(1957)

    as Registrar of Shipping

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Hotelier

  • Blue Murder at St. Trinian's(1957)

    as Manton Bassett

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • High Flight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Wilson

  • The Abominable Snowman(1957)

    as Dr. Peter Fox

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Prince and the Showgirl(1957)

    as Northbrook

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Second Fiddle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Bill Turner

  • The Green Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Doctor

  • The Silken Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Worthington

  • A Touch of the Sun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Purchase

  • The Iron Petticoat(1956)

    as Lingerie Clerk

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • It's a Wonderful World(1956)

    as Harold

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Eyewitness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Anaesthetist

  • Hancock's Half Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • The Man Who Knew Too Much(1956)

    as Assistant Manager

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Man Who Never Was(1956)

    as Shop Assistant

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Colonel March of Scotland Yard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Arthur Cabot

  • Jumping for Joy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Carruthers

  • An Alligator Named Daisy(1955)

    as Hoskins

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Simon and Laura(1955)

    as Controller of Television Drama

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • I Am a Camera(1955)

    as Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • As Long as They're Happy(1955)

    as Hippodrome Stage Manager

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Colditz Story(1955)

    as Richard Gordon

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • A Yank in Ermine(1955)

    as Boone

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • The Time of His Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Edgar

  • Lease of Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Solicitor

  • The Crowded Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Mr. Christopher

  • The Belles of St. Trinian's(1954)

    as Manton Bassett

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Hobson's Choice(1954)

    as Albert Prosser

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Doctor in the House(1954)

    as Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Small Town Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Marsh

  • Background (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as David Wallace

  • The Intruder(1953)

    as School Master

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Blood Orange (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Detective Inspector MacLeod

  • Park Plaza 605 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Theodore Feather

  • Innocents in Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Wilkinson

  • Colonel March Investigates (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Cabot

  • The Final Test (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Cricket Fan

  • Appointment in London (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Pascal

  • Top of the Form (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Willoughby-Gore

  • Top Secret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Barnes

  • Made in Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as The vicar

  • Vampire Over London(1952)

    as P.C. Freddie

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Derby Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Editor

  • The Importance of Being Earnest(1952)

    as Seton

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Liberace Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Penny Princess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)

  • Song of Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Carter

  • Bikini Baby(1951)

    as Casting Director

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Appointment with Venus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Carruthers - Higher Executive

  • The Clouded Yellow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Employment Agent

  • The Happiest Days of Your Life(1950)

    as Arnold Billings: Staff of Nutbourne

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Chiltern Hundreds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Vicar (uncredited)

  • Helter Skelter(1949)

    as Compere of Nick Nack Show (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Kind Hearts and Coronets(1949)

    as Defence Counsel (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Marry Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Minor Role (uncredited)

  • A Yank at Oxford(1938)

    as Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 110 titles from 1938 to 1974; peak year 1965.

Biggest box office

The Prince and the Showgirl (1957)

$8.4K worldwide

Highest rated

Hobson's Choice (1954)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

Danger Man (1960)

Film career

19381974

Peak 1965 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting110 of 110: 110 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score55th

By decade

1930s1 · acting1940s4 · acting1950s59 · acting1960s32 · acting1970s14 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 25 roles
4959

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Richard Wattis' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of all 48; across their 24 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 50th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Approval · how many liked their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Reach · how many have seen their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Midcredits score across 50 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

22 of their 50 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Crowd Pleaser22
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed18

Most divisive · actor

That's Your Funeral (1972)

74th percentile spread · 45% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 24 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Richard Wattis' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 24 · mildMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Richard Wattis work with?

People who share at least 2 of Richard Wattis' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Earl St. John shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles