Richard Wattis

Richard Wattis Trailers

The Prince, The Showgirl and Me TrailerEric Sykes: One of the Great Troupers TrailerAladdin Trailer

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.

Most Popular Richard Wattis Trailers

Total trailers found: 99

The Time of His Life Trailer (1955)

01 January 1955

Mr Pastry's social climbing daughter, president of a society for the rehabilitation for ex-convicts, hides the fact that her father is himself a prisoner.

The Chiltern Hundreds Trailer (1949)

27 September 1949

Young Viscount Tony Pym wangles National Service leave on the pretext of standing as a Tory candidate for a local seat held by his family for generations.

Nearly a Nasty Accident Trailer (1961)

01 May 1961

The RAF Group Captain has a hard job to restrain the aircraft-man from tinkering with everything he n

Jumping for Joy Trailer (1956)

01 January 1956

At the racetrack, cleaner, Willy Joy is tricked into buying Lindy Lou, a useless greyhound, who's not too healthy either.

The Intruder Trailer (1953)

18 October 1953

When Ex Colonel Merton discovers a burglar ransacking his home, he is shocked to find out that the thief is a former soldier from his tank regiment.

An Alligator Named Daisy Trailer (1955)

13 December 1955

Returning from a cricket match in Ireland, Peter Weston gains a pet alligator from another passenger who abandons it with him.

The Longest Day Trailer (1962)

25 September 1962

The retelling of June 6, 1944, from the perspectives of the Germans, US, British, Canadians, and the Free French.

Helter Skelter Trailer (1949)

07 August 1949

A detective gets involved with a wealthy socialite who can't seem to stop hiccuping.

The Final Test Trailer (1953)

09 April 1953

Legendary England cricketer Sam Palmer (Jack Warner) is due to bat in his final test match against Australia.

Appointment with Venus Trailer (1951)

08 October 1951

At the outbreak of WWII the British realise they can't prevent the invasion of the Channel Islands. However, someone realises that a prize cow is on the islands and the Nazis mustn't get hold of her.

Casino Royale Trailer (1967)

18 April 1967

Sir James Bond is called back out of retirement to stop SMERSH. In order to trick SMERSH, James thinks up the ultimate plan - that every agent will be named 'James Bond'.

That's Your Funeral Trailer (1972)

01 December 1972

Two funeral parlours fight one another for business, one of whom is more shady than the other.

Marry Me Trailer (1949)

07 June 1949

The stories of several individuals who consult a marriage bureau, including a peer of the realm, his butler, a lonely school teacher, a French girl on the run from a violent boyfriend, a country vicar, and a newspaper reporter, sent by his editor, to do an undercover story.

Operation Crossbow Trailer (1965)

01 April 1965

Allied agents infiltrate the Nazi rocket complex at Peenemunde in order to obtain their secrets and sabotage the plant.

Second Fiddle Trailer (1957)

10 June 1957

Deborah and Charles, young executives at the thriving Pontifex Advertising Agency, are very much in love.

High Flight Trailer (1957)

17 September 1957

The Commanding Officer of an RAF Training School must deal with a difficult cadet, but the cadet reminds the C.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Trailer (1968)

17 December 1968

A hapless inventor finally finds success with a flying car, which a dictator from a foreign government sets out to take for himself.

Lady Godiva Rides Again Trailer (1951)

25 October 1951

Marjory Clark wins a competition in her Midland town and finds herself in a Festival of Britain procession as Lady Godiva - though not in the buff.

Innocents in Paris Trailer (1953)

22 July 1953

Romantic comedy about a group of Britons flying to Paris for the weekend.

It's a Wonderful World Trailer (1956)

28 August 1956

Two aspiring songwriters finally manage to sell a tune by claiming that it was composed by a reclusive musical genius.

Come Fly with Me Trailer (1963)

27 March 1963

Three airline hostesses combine their work crossing the Atlantic with searching for a rich handsome man to marry.

The Man Who Knew Too Much Trailer (1956)

16 May 1956

An American doctor and his wife, a former singing star, witness a murder while vacationing in Morocco, and are drawn into a twisting plot of international intrigue when their young son is kidnapped.

I Thank a Fool Trailer (1962)

14 September 1962

After mercifully killing her terminally ill lover, Dr. Christine Allison loses her medical license and spends two years in prison.

Simon and Laura Trailer (1955)

02 November 1955

A couple of bickering, married performers agree to star in a "Mr. and Mrs." TV show.

The Inn of the Sixth Happiness Trailer (1958)

23 November 1958

All her life, Englishwoman Gladys Aylward knew that China was the place where she belonged. Not qualified to be sent there as a missionary, Gladys works as a domestic to earn the money to send herself to a poor, remote village.

The Clouded Yellow Trailer (1950)

21 November 1950

After leaving the British Secret Service, David Somers finds work catalouging butterflies at the country house of Nicholas and Jess Fenton.

The Captain's Table Trailer (1959)

06 January 1959

A captain is promoted by his company from tramp steamers to their flagship passenger liner. Although he is a thoroughly competent sailor ready to take charge of such a ship, he is less prepared for the social duties his new position involves, not least the way he in which becomes the target for all the unattached women on board.

The Colditz Story Trailer (1955)

25 January 1955

The Germans believed that no man could escape from Colditz Castle, set as it was in the heart of the Reich, 400 miles from any neutral frontier.

Sex and the Other Woman Trailer (1972)

30 December 1972

A series of vignettes exposing how women manipulate their men into submission.

Background Trailer (1953)

09 November 1953

Two years of deterioration sees John and Barbara Lomax's marriage reduced to bitter sniping and "keeping up appearances" for the sake of the children.

Kind Hearts and Coronets Trailer (1949)

21 June 1949

When his mother eloped with an Italian opera singer, Louis Mazzini was cut off from her aristocratic family.

Take Me High Trailer (1973)

07 December 1973

Tim (Cliff Richard) is a successful ambitious young financier working for a London Merchant bank, but even his happy-go-lucky attitude is severely jolted when he is sent to Birmingham instead of his promised New York for his posting!

Confessions of a Window Cleaner Trailer (1974)

16 August 1974

Young Timmy starts as a window cleaner in the little company of his brother. Soon he learns that some female customers expect additional service.

You Must Be Joking Trailer (1965)

03 August 1965

A motley group of soldiers are set loose on swinging England in an initiative test to collect a selection of esoteric items.

The Importance of Being Earnest Trailer (1952)

02 June 1952

Two young gentlemen living in 1890s England use the same pseudonym ('Ernest') on the sly, which is fine until they both fall in love with women using that name, which leads to a comedy of mistaken identities.

Diamonds on Wheels Trailer (1973)

19 August 1973

Three kids get mixed up with jewel thieves and stolen diamonds in a 24-hour road rally.

Colonel March Investigates Trailer (1953)

01 July 1953

This is a feature-length compilation of three short episodes taken from a TV series called 'Colonel March of Scotland Yard' (1954-56, 26 episodes) starring Boris Karloff as Colonel March, head of Scotland Yard's Department D.

The Abominable Snowman Trailer (1957)

26 August 1957

A kindly English botanist and a gruff American promoter lead an expedition to the Himalayas in search of the legendary Yeti.

The Iron Petticoat Trailer (1956)

01 September 1956

Captain Vinka Kovalenko defects from Russia, but not for political reasons. She defects because she feels discriminated against as a woman.

Bunny Lake Is Missing Trailer (1965)

03 October 1965

A woman reports that her young daughter is missing, but there seems to be no evidence that she ever existed.

Follow a Star Trailer (1959)

01 January 1959

Norman Truscott is a store worker who dreams of stardom. Vernon Carew is a singer whose star is fading.

Your Money or Your Wife Trailer (1960)

01 March 1960

Newly wed couple Gay and Pel Butterworth are forced to take in some strange paying guests when their inheritance proves troublesome, but all is not as straight forward as it seems, when they discover they may have to divorce to get their hands on half the money.

Libel Trailer (1959)

23 October 1959

A California commercial pilot sees a telecast in London of an interview with Sir Mark Lodden at his home.

The Liquidator Trailer (1965)

01 November 1965

Lighthearted spy drama about Boysie Oakes, who takes a nice job with the British Secret Service, enjoys all the perks, and signs all the forms before learning that his job depends on murdering people, and not romancing all the beautiful civilian staff in Whitehall.

Dentist on the Job Trailer (1961)

01 June 1961

Colonel Proudfoot of Proudfoot Industries tries to entice a couple of newly qualified dentists to advertise "Dreem", a revolutionary type of toothpaste, but he knows that if the dentists learn that they are part of an advertising campaign, they will be struck off, and the campaign will be a disaster.

The Prince and the Showgirl Trailer (1957)

13 June 1957

An American showgirl becomes entangled in political intrigue when the Prince Regent of a foreign country attempts to seduce her.

A Yank in Ermine Trailer (1955)

01 January 1955

An American airman inherits an Earldom in England along with the small matter of $3 million on the proviso that he gives up his US citizenship.

Wonderwall Trailer (1969)

12 January 1969

The eccentric professor Collins lives completely secluded in his chaotic apartment. When the model Penny moves in next to him, he becomes fascinated by her.

Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1 Trailer (1957)

16 December 1957

Thirty-five years after his premature death in 1968 Tony Hancock was voted Britain's best-ever comedy performer.

Hobson's Choice Trailer (1954)

19 April 1954

A widower refuses to let his three daughters marry in order to avoid paying settlements, so they'll just have to outsmart him.

The Ballad of Tam Lin Trailer (1970)

01 December 1970

Based upon the Celtic legend Tam Lin, a young man is bewitched by a beautiful, heartless, aging sorceress to become her lover.

Top Secret Trailer (1952)

10 November 1952

A British Sanitary Engineer, goes on holiday with a set of plans for a new secret weapon which he has mistaken for his new plumbing invention.

The Belles of St Trinian's Trailer (1954)

28 September 1954

The unruly schoolgirls of St Trinian's are more interested in men and mischief than homework and hockey.

The V.I.P.s Trailer (1963)

01 September 1963

Wealthy passengers fogged in at London's Heathrow Airport fight to survive a variety of personal trials.

The Man Who Never Was Trailer (1956)

03 April 1956

The true story of a British effort to trick the Germans into weakening Sicily's defenses before the 1943 attack.

I Am a Camera Trailer (1955)

21 July 1955

Just before the Nazis ascend to power in Berlin, Chris, an aspiring novelist from England, meets flamboyant cabaret entertainer Sally Bowles and an unusual friendship is born.

Too Close for Comfort Trailer (1971)

01 January 1971

An extended humorous public information film (lasting around fifteen minutes) narrated by Richard Wattis.

Bon Voyage! Trailer (1962)

17 May 1962

The Willards from Terre Haute, Indiana travels abroad for the once-in-a-lifetime vacation in Paris, France.

Games That Lovers Play Trailer (1971)

25 January 1971

Joanna Lumley and Penny Brahms star as notorious prostitutes Fanny Hill and Lady Chatterley faced wiy

The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery Trailer (1966)

11 March 1966

The all-girl school foil an attempt by train robbers to recover £2.5 million hidden in their school.