Who was Leonard Rossiter?
Leonard Rossiter was a very much-respected and greatly-missed British character actor who had a very busy career in all media of entertainment - theatre, television, radio and film.

What is he most famous for?
His most famous roles (on television at least) were as the landlord Rigsby in Yorkshire Television's series 'Rising Damp', written by Eric Chappell, and also for his portrayal of Reginald (or 'Reggie') Perrin in the BBC's 'The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin', from the novels by David Nobbs. These programmes have been shown worldwide and both series are now regarded as 'classic television', thanks largely to the brilliant acting of Leonard. Theatre fans will also remember him for stunning stage performances as Arturo Ui, B.R. Haydon, King John, Richard III, and Fred Midway in 'Semi-Detached'. On film, his appearances in 'Billy Liar', 'Otley' and as the fartiste Monsieur Pujol in 'Le Petomane' will be long-remembered for their excellence and professionalism.

How many performances did he make?
Over 150 roles on stage, with productions selling out for months and Leonard making sometimes a dozen appearances a week; over 80 television appearances, from one-off plays to long-running series; 25 films, plus business training videos, and TV and radio commercials.

Where and When was he born?
Leonard was born in Liverpool on October 21st 1926, a second son to John and Elizabeth Rossiter.
He grew up living in the flat above his father's barber's shop. See the biography for more detailed information.

How did he get into acting?
By accident. He arrived to pick up his amateur actress girlfriend one night, but their rehearsals were running late. Leonard was not very impressed by what he saw, and he told her so! She challenged him to do better. His first ever acting role was as Flight Lieutenant Graham in 'Flight Path'. A local writer criticised his tendency to speak his lines too fast (this was to become one of Leonard's trademarks in later life). He left his insurance company office job soon after.

Which roles made him a star?
It was his portrayal of Adolf Hitler in Bertolt Brecht's 'The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui' that made him a West-End star. In it, he played the dictator in the manner of an Al Capone-style American gangster. His performance has been described as one of the great virtuoso performances of modern times. His occasional television appearances became more regular from the mid-1970s when 'Rising Damp' and 'The Fall and Rise Of Reginald Perrin' hit our screens for four and three series respectively, until 1979. These series, particularly 'Rising Damp', became a hallmark of 1970s television and are still repeated regularly today. Even more regular appearances were to follow when Leonard teamed up with Joan Collins to promote Cinzano's new liquor in a series of hugely popular commercials from 1978 to 1983. Leonard never pigeon-holed himself into any type of role, and would probably have cringed at being labelled 'a star'.

What is known about his private life?
Very little. Leonard was a very private man, and almost timid when not speaking in a professional capacity. His marriage to actress Josephine Tewson was dissolved and he went on to marry another co-star of his theatre performances, Gillian Raine. They had a daughter, Camilla. Leonard was a keen sportsman, and could see off some of the fittest athletes of his time at squash, cricket and football. He used this talent for sports, mixed with his celebrity, to raise thousands of pounds for charity, his favourite being the Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund For Children.

How did critics and colleagues rate him?
It is rare these days to hear the words Leonard Rossiter mentioned without the word 'genius' being included also. He was undoubtedly a master of his craft, and gave 110% to every performance, regardless of the medium. His ability to reel off enormous amounts of dialogue from memory, coupled with his expert eye for location in front of cameras, the perfect inflection of every line, and the sheer energy and intensity he put into his roles were admired and envied around the world. He had the rare ability to speak faster than most actors and yet still be completely understood by all. He did not suffer fools gladly, and often not at all. He was a perfectionist, and in being so, would be frank about substandard performances by his co-stars, sometimes losing his temper when he felt lines were delivered incorrectly, even if the director disagreed. During the height of his popularity, there was hardly a negative word written about Leonard's performances. After the giant successes of Rigsby and Reggie, however, his subsequent roles, such as Sydney Foskett in 'The Losers' and Norman Tripper in 'Tripper's Day', received only luke-warm reviews. Nonetheless, any mention of Leonard Rossiter in a programme, play or theatre role would always guarantee an audience of millions.

How and where did he die?
The phenomenal success and huge popularity of Leonard Rossiter only added to the nationwide shock and disbelief of his tragic death at the age of just 57. He was appearing as Inspector Truscott in 'Loot', a play by Joe Orton at the Lyric Theatre in London's West End. On Friday, October 5th 1984, Leonard was in his dressing room preparing for his role. His co-stars on stage had started to improvise after his missed entrance, and everyone knew something was wrong. Fellow actor David John rushed to his dressing room and found Leonard slumped in an armchair. First Aid was administered but Leonard was pronounced dead on arrival at Middlesex Hospital. Only the day before, he had visited his doctor complaining of chest pains, but had been given a clean bill of health. It was widely agreed by those that knew him and had worked with him that the cause of his early death was due to the immense amount of energy and concentration he put into every part of his every role. He knew what was expected of him and strove to deliver that to his audience, lest he fail. His absolute professionalism was, ultimately, his downfall. This most private, yet most popular of men, a rare giant of both theatre and  television, and ambassador to all that is great about British talent, had been killed by a condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a congenital disease of the heart muscles.

What is his legacy?
Contemporary actors, especially those in theatre, are still being compared to Leonard Rossiter, but usually only in one respect - either in mannerisms, rate of delivery, acting style or intensity of performance, but never in combination. Leonard was unique in the elements he brought to every performance, and remains so even today. In television, in a world where sex, sexual innuendo, violence and bad language seem to have taken over from good writing, there is hardly ever a vehicle for a television actor to come even close to matching Leonard's energy and drive, with perhaps Rowan Atkinson and David Jason coming the closest. Leonard Rossiter has left us with a rich heritage of superb performances in all the media in which he played a part. Best known for his comedy roles, yet never a comedy actor; introspective, yet famous for speaking his mind; a charmer, and yet famous for being a tough act to work with. Leonard Rossiter was a perfectionist, a true professional, a master craftsman in his trade and, quite simply, a genius.
 

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Text (c) Paul Fisher 2007