Each week, we will be taking an in depth look at some of the best sitcoms and comedy shows from both the UK and the USA.

Today we will be looking at a comedy that was based on the play Banana Box – Rising Damp

Opening Sequence / Theme Tune

About the Show

Summary of Plot

Popular sitcom set in a seedy bedsit lorded over by the mean, vain, boastful, cowardly landlord Rigsby. In each episode, his conceits are debunked by his long suffering tenants. –IMDb

Number of Seasons / Episodes

4 seasons

Characters:

Leonard Rossiter – Rigsby

Don Warrington – Philip

Frances de la Tour – Ruth

Richard Beckingsale – Alan

Trivia

• The series was recorded entirely in the Yorkshire Television studios, in front of an audience, and featured no scenes on location.
• Writer Eric Chappell often had to write extra lines of dialogue during production for Leonard Rossiter as his delivery was so fast that the episodes were finishing under time.
• As he was starring in Porridge (1973) at around the same time, Richard Beckinsale had to wear a rather obvious wig for most of the series, to make him look more like a student and different from Lennie Godber.
• The original name of Leonard Rossiter’s character was Rooksby. This was changed to Rigsby after complaints and threats of legal action from a real-life Mr. Rooksby who objected to the unflattering portrayal of a character with the same name as him

Classic Clips

Funniest Clips