RISING DAMP
Rupert
Rigsby would have been a good neighbour for Albert Steptoe - both
filthy!
Eric
Chappell's 'Rising Damp' is arguably the best sitcom ever
broadcast by ITV. That channel's paucity of quality comedy has
been embarrassing for years, which just makes the outstanding
comedies like 'Rising Damp' and 'Shelley' seem all the greater.
Leonard
Rossiter played two of the greatest-ever comedy characters -
Reggie Perrin and Rigsby. Whereas Perrin had some admirable
qualities, Rigsby was seedy and lascivious, with ideas above his
station in the shape of the posh Miss (Ruth) Jones (Frances de la
Tour). He was also jealous of young guns Alan (Richard Beckinsale)
and Philip (Don Warrington), because HE wasn't getting any... The
two happily tormented him, but it was all very playful. Another
star of the series was Rigsby's black and white cat, Vienna, who
was probably Rigsby's only friend - and that was debatable!
Though he
had just left the show, Beckinsale's tragic early death in 1979
really put the kybosh on any future series, though the best bits
of the TV series were squeezed into a movie, with Christopher
Strauli from 'Only When I Laugh' fame drafted in to play Alan.
With Leonard Rossiter's death in 1984, there was no chance of,
maybe, reviving the old show in a desperate effort to boost
ratings. As with 'Fawlty Towers', less is more, and 'Rising Damp'
ended with its audience not fully satiated. It ran for 28 half
hour episodes from 1974 to 1978, plus the 1980 movie.
- Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.
Rising Damp Main
Cast List
Leonard Rossiter - Rupert Rigsby
Frances de la Tour - Miss Ruth Jones
Richard Beckinsale - Alan Moore
Don Warrington - Philip Smith
| Rising Damp DVDs available from
booksmusicfilmstv.com - in association with Amazon.co.uk
Watch 'Rising Damp' videos free at classicbritishsitcomvideos
Rising Damp Videos available from
booksmusicfilmstv.com - in association with Amazon.co.uk
Rising
Damp - Series 1 - Episodes 1 To 3 Rising Damp - Series 1 - Episodes 4 To 6 Rising
Damp - Series 2 - Episodes 1 To 4 Rising Damp - Series 2 - Episodes 5 To 7 Rising
Damp - The Complete First Series [19, 1974] Rising Damp - The Complete Fourth Series Rising
Damp - The Complete Second Series [19, 1975] Rising Damp - The Complete Series 1 And 2
[19, 1974] Rising
Damp - The Complete Third Series Rising Damp - The Very Best Of Rising Damp: The Movie [1980]
Rising Damp Episode List
Pilot
- The Lodgers Broadcast (2nd September, 1974)
Series 1
- Black Magic (13th December, 1974)
- Charisma (20th December, 1974)
- A Night Out (27 December, 1974)
- All Our Yesterdays (3rd January, 1975)
- The Prowler (10th January, 1975)
- Stand Up And Be Counted (17th January, 1975)
Series 2
- Permissive Society (7th November, 1975)
- Food Glorious Food (14th November, 1975)
- A Body Like Mine (21st November, 1975)
- Moonlight And Roses (28th November, 1975)
- The Perfect Gentleman (5th December, 1975)
- The Last Of The Big Spenders (12th December, 1975)
- Things That Go Bump In The Night (19th December, 1975)
Christmas Special
- For The Man Who Has Everything (26th December, 1975)
Series 3
- That's My Boy (12th April, 1977)
- Stage Struck (19th April, 1977)
- Clunk Click (26th April, 1977)
- The Good Samaritans (3rd May, 1977)
- Fawcetts Python (10th May, 1977)
- The Cocktail Hour (17th May, 1977)
- Suddenly At Home (24th May, 1977)
Series 4
- Hello Young Lovers (4th April, 1978)
- Fire And Brimstone (11th April, 1978)
- Great Expectations (18th April, 1978)
- Pink Carnations (25th April, 1978)
- Under The Influence (2nd May, 1978)
- Come On In, The Water's Lovely (9th May, 1978)
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