Rising Damp - Series 1 To 4 - The Complete Works (DVD)

Rising Damp.
===========

~Introduction~
Some points of interest before we start. First broadcast in 1974 Rising Damp was an instant success. Not just because of the wonderful casting or the writing but because of the chemistry between all the cast members.

Cast and Crew
===========
~Eric Chappell~
originally working for the gas board, Eric quit his job and took to writing.
His ...
.../> Eric went on write Rising Damp but after a complaint from an actual landlord called Rooksby he changed the name to Rigsby.

RIGSBY - Leonard Rossiter.
Miserly landlord who was married during the war and once said," It was a blunder on the scale of Anzio"

Miss JONES - Frances de la Tour.
Frustrated spinster who is a sufferer of headaches resulting in her having to wear 'blue glasses'.
... more

Rising Damp.
===========

~Introduction~
Some points of interest before we start. First broadcast in 1974 Rising Damp was an instant success. Not just because of the wonderful casting or the writing but because of the chemistry between all the cast members.

Cast and Crew
===========
~Eric Chappell~
originally working for the gas board, Eric quit his job and took to writing.
His first play was 'The Banana Box'. This was a moderate success and coincidentally starred Leonard Rossiter, Frances de la Tour and Don Warrington.
Points of interest, in the banana box the landlord was actually called Rooksby.
Philip was already a tenant with his own flat.
Eric went on write Rising Damp but after a complaint from an actual landlord called Rooksby he changed the name to Rigsby.

RIGSBY - Leonard Rossiter.
Miserly landlord who was married during the war and once said," It was a blunder on the scale of Anzio"

Miss JONES - Frances de la Tour.
Frustrated spinster who is a sufferer of headaches resulting in her having to wear 'blue glasses'.

PHILIP - Don Warrington.
'Son of a Chief' allegedly.
Married with 10 wives, allegedly.
The 2 marks on his cheek where part of an initiation ceremony on his 14th birthday. 1 for becoming a man and the other for his first sexual experience, or so he claimed.

ALAN - Richard Beckinsale.
Scruffy, desperate, long haired student.
Because he is always eating, Rigsby believes he has a tape worm.
Alan sadly died of a heart attack in 1979. Aged only 28.

Some classic "Dampism's".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alan points to skeleton hanging in the corner,
"Don't you recognise him? He had this room before me"
"He was the one who kept saying how cold it was up here".

"There's nothing between this house and the Urals"

"You're so lazy you even shave lying down".

"Miss Jones has just had an intruder and she's very upset about it"
"Why, did he get away?"

Rising Damp Episodes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Pilot episode was aired on the 2nd Sept 1974.

Pilot episode - The New Tenant.
Philip arrives and moves in, eventually, with Alan.
This was a huge hit and Rising Damp was commissioned instantly.

Series one ran from 13th Dec 1974 till 17th Jan 1975.

Series one.
~~~~~~~
Episode 1. - Black Magic.
Philip bangs on floor with his spear and Ruth magically appears at the door.

Episode 2. - A Night Out.
It's Ruth's birthday, so they all go to the 'Grange' for a meal.

Episode 3. - Charisma.
Rigsby burns some 'Love Wood' outside Miss Jones's door.

Episode 4. - All Our Yesterdays.
Spooner won't turn his radio down so Rigsby shoots him.

Episode 5. - The Prowler.
Somebody is sneaking around the house and then a detective magically appears.

Episode 6. - Stand Up And Be Counted.
With Rigsby conservative and Philip/Alan labour, which way will Ruth vote?

=========================================

Series two ran from 7th Nov 1975 till 12th Dec 1975.
With a Christmas Special as well.
But because of delays and stage commitments Frances de la tour had to be written out.
She left the show at the end of episode 4.
She was replaced by Brenda in episode 5.

Series Two.
~~~~~~~
Episode 1. - The Permissive Society.
Rigsby, "Erogenous zones, somewhere near the equator"?

Episode 2. - Food glorious Food.
Ruth's got the collecting tin out and Rigsby bets he can go without food for 48hrs.

Episode 3. - A Body like Mine.
The Famous BOXING match between Rigsby and Philip.

Episode 4. - Moonlight and Roses.
Desmond arrives, Desmond leaves with Ruth. And Brenda arrives.

Episode 5. - A Perfect Gentleman.
Rigsby gets ideas above his abilities

Episode 6 - The Last of the Big Spenders.
Rigsby buys new furniture to impress Brenda.

Episode 7 - Things that go Bump in the Night.
A ghost story featuring The Grey lady.

Christmas Special - For the Man who has Everything.
Rigsby basically playing 'Scrooge'.

=======================================

Series Three.
Miss Jones re-enters the series
BUT this would be Richard Beckinsales last Series.

Series Three.
~~~~~~~~
Episode 1 - That's My Boy.
Who does the baby belong to?, is it the returning Ruth's

Episode 2. - Stage Struck.
Hilary makes a pass at Rigsby.

Episode 3. - Clunk Click.
(Leonard Rossiters favourite episode)
Has Rigsby run over his beloved Vienna?

Episode 4. - The Good Samaritan.
Will Mr Grey commit suicide?

Episode 5. - Fawcett's Python.
There's a snake loose about this hoose.

Episode 6 - The Cocktail Hour.
Rigsby is social climbing, with disastrous results.

Episode 7 - Suddenly at Home.
Roger the Hypochondriac, I told you I was ill!

=====================================

Series Four.
No Alan this series because of commitments in the West End.

Series Four.
~~~~~~~
Episode 1. - Hello Young Lovers.
Ruth helps a young couple who move into the house.

Episode 2. - Fire and Brimstone.
The welsh student arrives. He was to be Alans replacement but it didn't work out that way.

Episode 3. - Great Expectations.
Rigsbys wife makes an appearance.

Episode 4. - Pink Carnations.
Dating and meeting in the pub brings Ruth and Rigsby together.

Episode 5. - Under the Influence.
Hypnotising Rigsby to give him more confidence?!!

Episode 6 - Come on in, the Water's lovely.
Finally Rigsby proposes to Ruth.

~Opinions~
Was Rigsby a racist, well the comments could be nothing else but he was actually jealous of Alan and Philip, believing them to be living great lives, free and unhampered.

Remember Philip always had the last laugh and showed Rigsby up.
It held a light up to society showing how despicably awful racism was/still is.

Why is it still endlessly repeated when other comedies such as 'Love thy neighbour' have gone to oblivion?
My theory is that it must be in the writing?
And that the comedy didn't hinge on the racial aspects, there where lots of interplay between all of the other characters.

The series will last the test of time both as a great comedy and a warning of how things should not be.

When comedy was actually funny!

~DVD Features~
Main Language: English
No of Discs: 4
Region 2
Classification: PG
Running Time: 11 hours 12 minutes

Greg. 

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