Richard Wattis was born 25th February 1912 in Staffordshire.  After leaving the family business, Wattis became an actor,making many stage appearances before his film debut in 1938 when he appeared in A Yank at Oxford.  War service interrupted his career as an actor. 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.

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. He is also well 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 The happiest days of Your Life, Hobson's Choice – he played the part of Albert Prosser, 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.

For fans of Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne, Richard Wattis appeared in Helter Skelter in 1949 – he played the role of the compere of the ‘Nick Nack Show.’

He also appeared on television, including a long-running role as Charles Brown in Sykes, and appearances in Danger Man, The Prisoner, The Goodies, Hancock's Half Hour, and Father, Dear Father, Jackanory and Coppers End.  From 1957 to 1958, he appeared as Peter Jamison in three episodes of the American sitcom Dick and the Duchess.

The actor died 1st February 1975.

A small residential development, Richard Wattis Drive, is named in his honour in his home town of Wednesbury.