Mr. Travers' Nightmare
November 1957
 

Semi-Detached
September 1963
Written by David Turner

One of Leonard's great theatre performances, Semi-Detached has a special section on this web site.
 
 
 

Paths Of Glory
January 1965
Written by Humphrey Cobb

Stanley Kubrick had earlier made Paths Of Glory into a successful film starring Kirk Douglas in 1957, and Leonard starred in this radio adaptation. The anti-war story tells of the insanity of war and the politics of privilege. Leonard went on to work with Kubrick himself in 1968's 2001: A Space Odyssey and 1975's Barry Lyndon.

See also: 2001: A Space Odyssey; Barry Lyndon.

Links:  Paths Of Glory

Steptoe And Son: The Lead Man Cometh
February 1966
Written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson

Leonard repeated his role of Welsh Hughie in this radio adaptation of the hugely successful TV series Steptoe And Son. This episode had been broadcast on TV in January 1964.

See also: Steptoe And Son: The Lead Man Cometh (TV).

Links:
Buy this episode from the BBC Radio Collection
Steptoe And Son Appreciation Society

Leonard was a guest on this celebrity music choice show.

No Exit
April 1973

No details available.

Desert Island Discs
March 1980
Hosted by Roy Plumley

Leonard was a celebrity guest on this long-running Radio 4 show. Guests talk about their lives and works and are asked to select seven records, a book, and a luxury item they would take with them if they were to be stranded on a desert island.

In A Nutshell
1981

Leonard read a series of author Barry Pilton's mercurial musings:
     Power Struggles - A breakthrough in 'ecological physics' is scandalously ignored.
     An Instant Option - Musings on the effect of slogans on badges, T-shirts, etc.
     Dear Mother Of God - If the Son of Man returned, how would Christianity celebrate.
     Double Cross Benchers - Musings on the shock of disloyalty in politics.
     Einstein Watchmaker - Technological advances in society as seen in the humble wristwatch.
     The Back Page - A disastrous foray into journalism is recounted in embarrassment.
     New York New York - A snapshot of the unique city.

With Great Pleasure
May 1981

Another long-running Radio 4 celebrity interview show. Leonard was asked to divulge his favourite prose and poetry.

Close Encounters Of The Worst Kind
July 1983

No details available.

Audio Books:

Jeeves: A Gentleman's Personal Gentleman
1980
Written by C. Northcote Parkinson

A star-studded recording of one of Northcote-Parkinson's 'Jeeves', narrated by Gerald Harper with Frank Duncan as Jeeves and Keith Alexander as Bertie Wooster. Andrew Sachs, Kenny Lynch, Norris McWhirter, Wilfrid Brambell, Leonard Rossiter, Annie Haslam and others make guest appearances.

A Christmas Carol
1981
Written by Charles Dickens

Leonard narrated an abridged version of Dickens' classic tale. It was released as a two-box set.
 
 

'Rising Damp'
January 1980
Released on the Chips label. Catalogue No. CHI101
'Rising Damp' b/w 'Damp Disco'.
Credited as Leonard Rossiter & The Rigsbyettes
Music by Brian Wade
Lyrics by Eric Chappell

This was the theme song accompanying the closing credits of Rising Damp: The Movie in 1980.

This was the Original Cast Recording on LP of the play Free As Air at the Savoy Theatre.
This play was Leonard's London stage debut, in which he appeared with his first wife, Josephine Tewson.

Hooray For Daisy!
December 1959
Released on His Master's Voice label. Catalogue No. 7EG 8569

An EP of twelve songs from the Bristol Old Vic performance, released in 1960, featuring Leonard on most tracks, and also Anette Crosbie, Peter Gilmore and Angus Mackay.

Music by Julian Slade, lyrics by Dorothy Reynolds and Julian Slade.
 
 
 

The Devil's Bedside Book: A Cynic's Survival Guide
1980
Compiled by Leonard Rossiter
Published by Hamlyn

A resume of Ambrose Bierce's definitions from his Devils' Dictionary is followed by Leonard's own definitions for everyday phrases and situations, for example: abundance - enough for me; business - organised cheating; and tourist - a foreigner who is not where he belongs. The book also contains a brilliant guide to laws such as Murphy's law, The Peter Principle and many lesser-known ones such as Bucy's Law: Nothing is ever accomplished by being reasonable. Leonard then lists his own laws, based on experience, including Rossiter's Law Of Darkness: "Lights only ever fail at night", and Rossiter's Social Law: "Guests always ask for the alcoholic drink that you have least, or none, of".
 
 

The Lowest Form Of Wit
1981
Written by Leonard Rossiter
Published by Michael Joseph

From the jacket cover: "A treasury of biting bon mots and stinging retorts collected by Leonard Rossiter, a prime exponent of the art both on and off stage. By means of anecdote, illustration (by Honeysett) and quotation, this is the definitive guide to the kind of wit that may be the lowest, but also the most satisfying. This is a book that explores the lowest kind of wit in the highest kind of style." It includes such treasures as "I find television very educational. Whenever someone turns it on, I go into the library and read a good book." - Groucho Marx; and "I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back." - Zsa Zsa Gabor.

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Text (c) Paul Fisher 2004
Pictures (c) their respective owners.