Richard Wattis - Revision history

Kurt at 04:25, 18 February 2023

2023-02-18T04:25:24Z

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	~~{{Short description\|English actor (1912–1975)}}~~
	~~{{EngvarB\|date=November 2017}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=November 2017}}~~
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	~~\| name = Richard Wattis~~
	\| image = Richard Wattis.jpg		\| image = Richard Wattis.jpg
	\| caption = Wattis circa 1955		\| caption = Wattis circa 1955
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	== Personal life and death ==		== Personal life and death ==
	Wattis was gay in an era when this was a taboo subject, and when homosexual acts were [[w:LGBT rights in the United Kingdom#Homosexuality as an offence\|criminal offences in the UK]].<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Rebellato \|first1=Dan \|title=1956 and All That: The Making of Modern British Drama \|url=https://archive.org/details/1956allthatmakin0000rebe \|url-access=registration \|date=1999 \|publisher=Routledge \|location=London \|isbn=9780415189385}}</ref>		Wattis was gay in an era when this was a taboo subject, and when homosexual acts were [[LGBT rights in the United Kingdom#Homosexuality as an offence\|criminal offences in the UK]].<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Rebellato \|first1=Dan \|title=1956 and All That: The Making of Modern British Drama \|url=https://archive.org/details/1956allthatmakin0000rebe \|url-access=registration \|date=1999 \|publisher=Routledge \|location=London \|isbn=9780415189385}}</ref>

	On 1 February 1975, Wattis suffered a [[w:heart attack\|heart attack]] while dining at Berwick's Restaurant in [[w:Walton Street, London\|Walton Street]]. He was taken to hospital, but was dead on arrival. He was 62 years old. A memorial service was held for him at [[w:St Paul's, Covent Garden\|St Paul's]], the "Actor's Church." There is a plaque in his memory, close to one for fellow actress [[Hattie Jacques]].<ref>{{cite web\|title=Obituaries\|url=https://televisionheaven.co.uk/biographies/richard-wattis\|website=Television Heaven\|access-date=10 August 2021}}</ref>		On 1 February 1975, Wattis suffered a [[heart attack\|heart attack]] while dining at Berwick's Restaurant in [[Walton Street, London\|Walton Street]]. 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\|St Paul's]], the "Actor's Church." There is a plaque in his memory, close to one for fellow actress [[Hattie Jacques]].<ref>{{cite web\|title=Obituaries\|url=https://televisionheaven.co.uk/biographies/richard-wattis\|website=Television Heaven\|access-date=10 August 2021}}</ref>

	==In fiction==		==In fiction==
	Wattis was played by Richard Clifford in the 2011 film ''[[w:My Week with Marilyn\|My Week with Marilyn]]'', which depicts the making of the 1957 film ''[[w:The Prince and the Showgirl\|The Prince and the Showgirl]]''.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://filmography.bfi.org.uk/film/153999296\|title=My Week with Marilyn - BFI Filmography}}</ref>		Wattis was played by Richard Clifford in the 2011 film ''[[My Week with Marilyn\|My Week with Marilyn]]'', which depicts the making of the 1957 film ''[[The Prince and the Showgirl\|The Prince and the Showgirl]]''.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://filmography.bfi.org.uk/film/153999296\|title=My Week with Marilyn - BFI Filmography}}</ref>

	==Selected filmography==		==Selected filmography==

Kurt: /* In fiction */

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In fiction

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	==In fiction==		==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]]''.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://filmography.bfi.org.uk/film/153999296\|title=My Week with Marilyn - BFI Filmography}}</ref>		Wattis was played by Richard Clifford in the 2011 film ''[[w:My Week with Marilyn\|My Week with Marilyn]]'', which depicts the making of the 1957 film ''[[w:The Prince and the Showgirl\|The Prince and the Showgirl]]''.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://filmography.bfi.org.uk/film/153999296\|title=My Week with Marilyn - BFI Filmography}}</ref>

	==Selected filmography==		==Selected filmography==

Kurt: /* Personal life and death */

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Personal life and death

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	== Personal life and death ==		== Personal life and death ==
	Wattis was gay in an era when this was a taboo subject, and when homosexual acts were [[LGBT rights in the United Kingdom#Homosexuality as an offence\|criminal offences in the UK]].<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Rebellato \|first1=Dan \|title=1956 and All That: The Making of Modern British Drama \|url=https://archive.org/details/1956allthatmakin0000rebe \|url-access=registration \|date=1999 \|publisher=Routledge \|location=London \|isbn=9780415189385}}</ref>		Wattis was gay in an era when this was a taboo subject, and when homosexual acts were [[w:LGBT rights in the United Kingdom#Homosexuality as an offence\|criminal offences in the UK]].<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Rebellato \|first1=Dan \|title=1956 and All That: The Making of Modern British Drama \|url=https://archive.org/details/1956allthatmakin0000rebe \|url-access=registration \|date=1999 \|publisher=Routledge \|location=London \|isbn=9780415189385}}</ref>

	On 1 February 1975, Wattis suffered a [[heart attack]] while dining at Berwick's Restaurant in [[Walton Street, London]].~~{{citation needed\|date=November 2021}}~~ 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." There is a plaque in his memory, close to one for fellow actress [[Hattie Jacques]].<ref>{{cite web\|title=Obituaries\|url=https://televisionheaven.co.uk/biographies/richard-wattis\|website=Television Heaven\|access-date=10 August 2021}}</ref>		On 1 February 1975, Wattis suffered a [[w:heart attack\|heart attack]] while dining at Berwick's Restaurant in [[w:Walton Street, London\|Walton Street]]. He was taken to hospital, but was dead on arrival. He was 62 years old. A memorial service was held for him at [[w:St Paul's, Covent Garden\|St Paul's]], the "Actor's Church." There is a plaque in his memory, close to one for fellow actress [[Hattie Jacques]].<ref>{{cite web\|title=Obituaries\|url=https://televisionheaven.co.uk/biographies/richard-wattis\|website=Television Heaven\|access-date=10 August 2021}}</ref>

	==In fiction==		==In fiction==

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External links

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	==External links==		==External links==
	~~{{Portal\|Biography}}~~
	* {{IMDb name\|915077}}		* {{IMDb name\|915077}}

	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Wattis, Richard}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Wattis, Richard}}

Kurt at 03:17, 1 October 2022

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	{{EngvarB\|date=November 2017}}		{{EngvarB\|date=November 2017}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=November 2017}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=November 2017}}
	~~{{More citations needed\|date=July 2012}}~~
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| name = Richard Wattis		\| name = Richard Wattis

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2022-07-21T18:23:00Z

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Personal life and death

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{{Short description|English actor (1912–1975)}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Richard Wattis
| image = Richard Wattis.jpg
| caption = Wattis circa 1955
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1912|02|25}}
| birth_place = [[Wednesbury]], [[Staffordshire]], England
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1975|02|01|1912|02|25}}
| death_place = [[Kensington]], [[London]], England
| occupation = Actor
| yearsactive = 1938–1975
| spouse =
}}

'''Richard Wattis''' (25 February 1912 – 1 February 1975) was an English actor, co-starring in many popular British [[Comedy film|comedies]] of the 1950s and 1960s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b9fc336a8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711190441/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b9fc336a8 |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 July 2012 |title=Richard Wattis | BFI |publisher=Explore.bfi.org.uk |access-date=12 May 2014}}</ref>

==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, Birmingham|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 (UK politician)|William Preston]] (1874–1941), was the managing director and was the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Member of Parliament|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 [[London's West End|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 [[List of SOE establishments|Station VI]] during the [[Second World War]] ([[James Bond]] author, [[Ian Fleming]] worked in the same section).<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/secret-war-role-of-popular-and-talented-member-of-drama-society-1-2634458|title=Secret war role of popular and talented member of drama society|newspaper=Harrogate Advertiser|date= 9 July 2007|access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref>

Wattis is best known for his appearances, wearing his thick-rimmed round spectacles, in British comedies of the 1950s and 1960s, often as a "[[Civil service|Man from the Ministry]]" or similar character. Such appearances included the [[St Trinian's School|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 (United Kingdom)|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 (film)|Games That Lovers Play]]''.

Wattis's other films included ''[[Hobson's Choice (1954 film)|Hobson's Choice]]'', ''[[The Inn of the Sixth Happiness]]'', ''[[Chitty Chitty Bang Bang]]'', ''[[Carry On Spying]]'',<ref name="Stevens"/> ''[[The Colditz Story]]'', ''[[Dentist on the Job]]'', ''[[Very Important Person (film)|Very Important Person]]'', ''[[The Happiest Days of Your Life (film)|The Happiest Days of Your Life]]'', and ''[[The Longest Day (film)|The Longest Day]]''. He also appeared on television, including a long-running role in ''[[Sykes (TV series)|Sykes]]'' and as a storyteller on the BBC children's programme ''[[Jackanory]]'', narrating in [[List of Jackanory episodes|14 episodes]] between 1971 and 1972. Other television credits include appearances in ''[[Danger Man]]'', ''[[The Prisoner]]'', ''[[The Goodies (TV series)|The Goodies]]'', ''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]'', and ''[[Father, Dear Father]]''.<ref name="Stevens">{{cite book
|last= Stevens
|first= Christopher
|title= Born Brilliant: The Life Of Kenneth Williams
|publisher= John Murray
|year= 2010
|isbn = 978-1-84854-195-5
}}</ref> From 1957 to 1958, he appeared as Peter Jamison in three episodes of the American sitcom ''[[Dick and the Duchess]]''.

== Personal life and death ==
Wattis was gay in an era when this was a taboo subject, and when homosexual acts were [[LGBT rights in the United Kingdom#Homosexuality as an offence|criminal offences in the UK]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rebellato |first1=Dan |title=1956 and All That: The Making of Modern British Drama |url=https://archive.org/details/1956allthatmakin0000rebe |url-access=registration |date=1999 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=9780415189385}}</ref>

On 1 February 1975, Wattis suffered a [[heart attack]] while dining at Berwick's Restaurant in [[Walton Street, London]].{{citation needed|date=November 2021}} 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." There is a plaque in his memory, close to one for fellow actress [[Hattie Jacques]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Obituaries|url=https://televisionheaven.co.uk/biographies/richard-wattis|website=Television Heaven|access-date=10 August 2021}}</ref>

==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]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://filmography.bfi.org.uk/film/153999296|title=My Week with Marilyn - BFI Filmography}}</ref>

==Selected filmography==
{{div col}}
* ''[[A Yank at Oxford]]'' (1938) as Latin Speaker at Dinner (uncredited)
* ''[[Marry Me! (1949 film)|Marry Me!]]'' (1949) as Minor Role (uncredited)
* ''[[Kind Hearts and Coronets]]'' (1949) as Defence Counsel (uncredited)
* ''[[Helter Skelter (1949 film)|Helter Skelter]]'' (1949) as Compere of Nick Nack show (uncredited)
* ''[[The Chiltern Hundreds (film)|The Chiltern Hundreds]]'' (1949) as Vicar (uncredited)
* ''[[Your Witness (film)|Your Witness]]'' (1950) as Minor Role (uncredited)
* ''[[The Happiest Days of Your Life (film)|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 (film)|Appointment with Venus]]'' (1951) as Carruthers – Higher Executive
* ''[[Lady Godiva Rides Again]]'' (1951) as Otto Mann (casting director)
* ''[[The Happy Family (1952 film)|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 film)|The Importance of Being Earnest]]'' (1952) as Seton
* ''[[Derby Day (1952 film)|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 film)|Made in Heaven]]'' (1952) as The Vicar, Hayworth Honeycroft
* ''[[Top Secret (1952 film)|Top Secret]]'' (1952) as Barnes
* ''[[Top of the Form (film)|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 film)|Blood Orange]]'' (1953) as Detective Inspector MacLeod
* ''[[The Intruder (1953 film)|The Intruder]]'' (1953) as School Master
* ''[[Background (1953 film)|Background]]'' (1953) as David Wallace
* ''[[Small Town Story (film)|Small Town Story]]'' (1953) as Marsh (uncredited)
* ''[[Doctor in the House]]'' (1954) as Medical Book Salesman (uncredited)
* ''[[Hobson's Choice (1954 film)|Hobson's Choice]]'' (1954) as Albert Prosser
* ''[[The Belles of St. Trinian's]]'' (1954) as Manton Bassett
* ''[[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 film)|See How They Run]]'' (1955) as Rev. Lionel Toop
* ''[[I Am a Camera (film)|I Am a Camera]]'' (1955) as Bespectacled Man at Book Launch (uncredited)
* ''[[Escapade (1955 film)|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 Assistant
* ''[[The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956 film)|The Man Who Knew Too Much]]'' (1956) as Assistant Manager
* ''[[The Iron Petticoat]]'' (1956) as Lingerie Clerk
* ''[[Eyewitness (1956 film)|Eyewitness]]'' (1956) as Anesthetist
* ''[[It's a Wonderful World (1956 film)|It's a Wonderful World]]'' (1956) as Harold
* ''[[The Green Man (film)|The Green Man]]'' (1956) as Doctor
* ''[[A Touch of the Sun (1956 film)|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 film)|Around the World in 80 Days]]'' (1956) as Inspector Hunter of Scotland Yard (uncredited)
* ''[[The Little Hut]]'' (1957) as Official
* ''[[Second Fiddle (1957 film)|Second Fiddle]]'' (1957) as Bill Turner
* ''[[The Prince and the Showgirl]]'' (1957) as Northbrook
* ''[[The Abominable Snowman (film)|The Abominable Snowman]]'' (1957) as Peter Fox
* ''[[High Flight (film)|High Flight]]'' (1957) as Chauffeur Wilson
* ''[[Barnacle Bill (1957 film)|Barnacle Bill]]'' (1957) as Registrar of Shipping
* ''[[Blue Murder at St Trinian's]]'' (1957) as Manton Bassett
* ''[[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 film)|The Ugly Duckling]]'' (1959) as Barclay
* ''[[Libel (film)|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 (film)|Very Important Person]]'' (1961) as Woodcock, Entertainments Officer
* ''[[Nearly a Nasty Accident]]'' (1961) as Wagstaffe
* ''[[Dentist on the Job]]'' (1961) as Macreedy
* ''[[Play It Cool (film)|Play It Cool]]'' (1962) as Nervous Man
* ''[[Bon Voyage! (1962 film)|Bon Voyage!]]'' (1962) as Party guest
* ''[[I Thank a Fool]]'' (1962) as Ebblington
* ''[[The Longest Day (film)|The Longest Day]]'' (1962) as British Paratrooper
* ''[[Venus fra Vestø]]'' (1962) as Englænder
* ''[[Come Fly with Me (film)|Come Fly with Me]]'' (1963) as Oliver Garson
* ''[[The V.I.P.s (film)|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 (film)|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 film)|You Must Be Joking!]]'' (1965) as Parkins
* ''[[Bunny Lake Is Missing]]'' (1965) as Clerk in Shipping Office
* ''[[The Liquidator (1965 film)|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 Bassett
* ''[[Casino Royale (1967 film)|Casino Royale]]'' (1967) as British Army Officer
* ''[[Wonderwall (film)|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 (film)|Tam-Lin]]'' (1970) as Elroy
* ''[[Games That Lovers Play (film)|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
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* {{IMDb name|915077}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wattis, Richard}}
[[Category:1912 births]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:People educated at Bromsgrove School]]
[[Category:People educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham]]
[[Category:People from Wednesbury]]
[[Category:Royal Army Medical Corps officers]]
[[Category:British Special Operations Executive personnel]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:British male comedy actors]]
[[Category:English gay actors]]
[[Category:20th-century LGBT people]]