Uploaded October 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Rising Damp is a British sitcom, written by Eric Chappell and produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV, which was originally broadcast from 2 September 1974 until 9 May 1978. Chappell adapted the story from his 1973 stage play The Banana Box. Rossiter played Rupert Rigsby (originally Rooksby in the stage play), the miserly, seedy, and ludicrously self-regarding landlord of a run-down Victorian townhouse who rents out his shabby bedsits to a variety of tenants.
It is Ruth's birthday and Rigsby plans to take her to up-market restaurant the Grange. When Alan and Philip tell him his dapper clothes are old-fashioned he borrows a tuxedo from another lodger Spooner, a violent wrestler, without asking his permission. At the Grange Rigsby expects Philip will have trouble getting in but in fact Philip has to vouch for Rigsby, whose efforts to woo Ruth go awry when he stamps on her false eye-lash, mistaking it for a spider. As the band strikes up a waltz Rigsby prepares to dazzle Ruth with his fancy foot-work but is prevented by the appearance of Spooner, who tussles with Rigsby to get his tuxedo back and rips the sleeve off. They are ejected and, as Philip takes Ruth home, Rigsby and Alan end up with a bag of chips from the take-away.
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Rising Damp is a British sitcom, written by Eric Chappell and produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV, which was originally broadcast from 2 September 1974 until 9 May 1978. Chappell adapted the story from his 1973 stage play The Banana Box. Rossiter played Rupert Rigsby (originally Rooksby in the stage play), the miserly, seedy, and ludicrously self-regarding landlord of a run-down Victorian townhouse who rents out his shabby bedsits to a variety of tenants.
It is Ruth's birthday and Rigsby plans to take her to up-market restaurant the Grange. When Alan and Philip tell him his dapper clothes are old-fashioned he borrows a tuxedo from another lodger Spooner, a violent wrestler, without asking his permission. At the Grange Rigsby expects Philip will have trouble getting in but in fact Philip has to vouch for Rigsby, whose efforts to woo Ruth go awry when he stamps on her false eye-lash, mistaking it for a spider. As the band strikes up a waltz Rigsby prepares to dazzle Ruth with his fancy foot-work but is prevented by the appearance of Spooner, who tussles with Rigsby to get his tuxedo back and rips the sleeve off. They are ejected and, as Philip takes Ruth home, Rigsby and Alan end up with a bag of chips from the take-away.
Show your support:
ko-fi.com/thecomedyseriesinc
