The movie review series presented by Chris Kelly has reviews of the Rising Damp movie and Black Jack.

Leonard was an interviewee discussing the Rising Damp movie.

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A 'Play For Today' about a factory and its workers, most of whom had moved out to the country. A manager, foreman and two workers were all that were left. But the them-and-us syndrome of British work relations was still very much in evidence. Co-starred Ray Winstone (pictured) and Benjamin Whitrow.

Leonard played the foreman and trade unionist Harry Meadows.

Leonard's Role Remembered:
"Leonard Rossiter was awkward to work with - he was a perfectionist, which means he was more awkward to himself than anyone else. But he was professional. He knew the lines, didn't alter a word unless he asked; I don't think, also, on take, that I ever saw him dry or be anything other than rock solid." - David Hopkins.
"...For the play it was essential to have an actor with bite, humour, and the air of a marauding predator, the qualities which Leonard Rossiter so perfectly could play." - Innes Lloyd.
"He was extremely friendly and kind, but daunting; he had reached a peak of professionalism that made no allowance for fumbles..." - Benjamin Whitrow.

A distinguished company of British actors recount their experiences-on stage and off to create a collective impression of theatrical life. Co-starred Jane Asher, Anna Massey and Dennis Quilley among others.

Shown as part of the BBC Omnibus arts series.

Leonard was an interviewee

The Russell Harty Show
8th December 1981
Directed by Peter Hamilton
Produced by Tom Gutteridge
Broadcast on BBC

Leonard was a guest on this prime-time chat show for the BBC. Other guests (pictured here) were Tommy Docherty and Isla St. Clair.

- Watch video clip -

London Docklands Development commercial
1982
Directed by Ken Turner
Broadcast on ITV.

Two puppet crows extol the virtues of the new East London office and commerce developments known as Docklands.

Leonard did the voice-over for one of the puppets.

Notes: The other puppet crow was voiced by John Barron (who played Reginald Perrin's boss C.J. in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin). The dialogue was based on that prevalent in the series.
 

Escape To The West
Sunday 18th July 1982
Written by Dave Martin
Directed by Alex Kirby
Produced by Patrick Dromgoole
Broadcast by HTV

A play within a play, following a team of documentary makers producing a film about life in the Soviet Union. Tenuously linked was the story of an unsuccessful pub entertainer with marriage problems, earning extra pennies by being a film extra. Co-starred Joss Ackland and Patricia Brake (pictured).

Leonard played the pub entertainer, Gerry Gee.

Xerox Corporate film - An historical analogy of the Battle of Waterloo is used to emphaxize the importance of fast, efficient communication, in the successful running of a business. Intended for current and potential users of the sponsor's office equipment.

This show featured special short sketches of contemporary sitcoms, including Butterflies, Sorry!, Yes, Minister and Only Fools and Horses, with a common theme of Christmas. There was also a segment of The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.

Leonard played Reginald Perrin. See the Reginald Perrin site for more details.

TV commercial - Using a storyline about a young couple intending to marry to describe Barclays Bank's 'Getting Married Scheme'. Co-starred Mick Ford and Vivienne Ritchie.

Leonard starred in this commercial for Barclays Bank.

Leonard was a guest on ITV's breakfast show.

A tribute to the stars of yesteryear, with contemporary artists (including Maureen Lipman, Julie Walters, Arthur Askey and Barry Cryer) reciting monologues from such favourites as Joyce Grenfell, Gracie Fields, Stanley Holloway, Jack Warner and Chesney Allen.

Leonard was one of the actors reciting the material.

Notes: This series featured the last television performance by Arthur Askey.

A 'Play For Today' but set in the future, regarding a society in which euthanasia is common. When an elderly relative becomes senile, or just becomes too much of a liability, they are put to sleep as easily as a dog or cat. Co-starred David Threlfall and Bryan Pringle (pictured).

Leonard played Arthur, a guilt-ridden man who had just signed the necessary paperwork to end his father's life.

Leonard's Role Remembered:
"He had the reputation of being difficult to work with - I found him quite the opposite, but if things weren't going as they should, he made no bones about letting his opinions be known. He applied himself totally and expected the commitment from others. He didn't suffer those he considered fools gladly...In rehearsal he was unselfish and very inventive. And -a great pleasure to me - he very much respected the writer's craft. If it deserved his respect." - Richard Harris.
"The depth of his insight into what makes comedy was unerring...He was as painstaking with himself as he was generous to others. Only perfection satisfied him. And once he had achieved this, he was able to retain and recreate it through any number of takes."
- Carol Wiseman.

Leonard was a guest on this Sunday tea-time chat show.
 
 
 

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A Northern retail manager is relocated to a London supermarket, Supafare. In his charge is a bunch of rude, chain-smoking layabouts, a belligerent shop-steward, and bored, nail-filing checkout girls. Not to mention VAT inspectors, bomb alerts, faulty fire alarms and floods. Co-starred Pat Ashton, Gordon Gostelow, Liz Crowther and Paul Clarkson (pictured far right).

Leonard played the title role of Norman Tripper, the manager of the Supafare supermarket.

Notes: This series, sadly, was to be Leonard Rossiter's epitaph to British comedy. He died between the broadcast of the second and third episodes, on October 5th. Many critics lamented this fact, as much as the tragic death of the actor himself. However, the subject matter was thought to be strong enough for another series two years later, starring Bruce Forsyth as Cecil Slinger in the retitled Slinger's Day.

Leonard's Role Remembered:
"Personally, I cannot speak too highly of Leonard. In the short time I knew him I found him to be a marvellously professional and sensitive actor, and a very funny, approachable and down-to-earth person." - Paul Clarkson.

Links:
 Internet Movie Database
 TV Comedy Index

Part of the BBC Television Shakespeare series, this was the rarely- performed story of King John, famous for signing the Magna Carta, and in particular his battles, his disputes with the Pope and the illegitimacy of his reign. It featured Claire Bloom as Constance, George Costigan as Philip The Bastard, Jonathan Coy as Lewis, John Thaw as Hubert, Mary Morris as Queen Elinor and Janet Maw as Blanch.

Leonard played the title role of King John.

Leonard's Role Remembered:
"I found Leonard enormously interesting to work with, like a coiled spring, always sniffing about for a way of enlivening every second of the performance..." - David Giles.

Critical Reviews:
"His fluttering flight into bravado and retreats into a more natural cowardice - characteristics which, in comic vein, can be seen in Rising Damp still running on ITV - were entirely appropriate." - Denis Hackett, The Times.
"He gave a gloriously eccentric and really very human performance making a funny, pitiful fellow creature out of a cypher." - Nancy Banks-Smith, The Guardian.

Links:
 Internet Movie Database
 King John dialogue

The tale of a German Jew, publisher of a film magazine featuring the woman he loved. After her death, the magazine folded, and while trying to keep the bank manager at bay, decided to write himself threatening letters, in the hope his mother will meet the 'demands' and give him the money he required. Co-starred Ivor Roberts and Mary Morris (pictured).

Leonard played the lead role of Max von Konisberg, the German Jew.

Leonard's Role Remembered:
"One of Leonard's outstanding talents was an apparent manifestation of anarchy which was in fact a meticulously organised and controlled interpretation of the character the author intended...I'm glad some of his work is recorded on film or tape - he should remain a compelling study for actors of the future." - Stuart Burge.
"The dedication he brought to his acting is well known, as is the enormous energy with which his creations came to life. Less familiar (at least to me) was the apparent ease by which he could convey stillness, calm, directly, with no hint of sentiment, usually in just one take." - Peter Ansorge.

A puppet-animation version of the classic children's tale. Co-starred Paul Eddington, Joan Sanderson and Eric Sykes.

Leonard voiced one or more of the characters.
 

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