COME ON IN, THE WATER’S LOVELY

Rehearsals: 16^th – 19^th April 1978 at The Sulgrave Boys Club, 287 Goldhawk Road, London, W12

1:30pm – 5:30pm

Walk-Through: 20^th April 1978 at Yorkshire Television Centre, Leeds

Recorded: 21^st April 1978 at Yorkshire Television Centre, Studio 4, Leeds

Broadcast: Tuesday 8pm 9^th May 1978

CAST

Leonard Rossiter – Rigsby

Frances de la Tour – Ruth

Don Warrington – Philip

Brian Peck – Ron

Fanny Rowe – Mother

CREW

Creator/Writer – Eric Chappell

Producer/Director – Vernon Lawrence

Designer – Peter Caldwell

Music – Dennis Wilson

Casting – Liz Evett

Floor Manager – Pat Richards

Stage Manager – Olive Simpson and Terry Knowles

Production Asst – Ellie Kyle

Lighting – Bob Gray

Cameras – Dave Ramsey

Sound – Chris Warner

Vision Mixer – Kay Harrington

Tech Supervisor – Harry Nicholson

Wardrobe – June Casham

Make-up – Judy Binns

Asst Stage Manager – Vanessa Ford

Props – Arthur Lake

Production Buyer – Gil Procter

Scenes – Wilf Bradshaw

Call Boy – Val Lawson

Warm-up Felix Bowness

Episode Review

Rigsby proposes – and Miss Jones accepts, in….RISING DAMP

Landlord Rigsby’s decree absolute has come through and, in the last edition, he is free to propose to his beloved Miss Jones.

And, surprise, surprise, she accepts!

So, it isn’t long before the scent of orange blossom fills the normally moulder atmosphere at the Rigsby boardinghouse as Rupert and Ruth prepare to take that all-important trip to the altar. But where Rigsby is concerned, when those wedding bells start to ring out, there’s sure to be some resounding clangers, especially when Rigsby’s brother, Ron, is the best man!

Alternate review from April, 1983

Rigsby proposes – and Miss Jones accepts, in….RISING DAMP

Landlord Rigsby’s decree absolute has come through and, in the last edition in the present series of Yorkshire Television’s award-winning “Rising Damp” – first seen on ITV in 1978 – he is free to propose to his beloved Miss Jones. And, surprise, surprise, she accepts!

So, it isn’t long before the scent of orange blossom fills the normally moulder atmosphere at the Rigsby boardinghouse as Rupert and Ruth prepare to take that all-important trip to the altar. But where Rigsby is concerned, when those wedding bells start to ring out, there’s sure to be some resounding clangers…

Interesting to note:

• Production# 2938
• Tuesdays at 8.00pm, opposite new BBC Scotland drama serial The Standard starring Colette O’Neil and Patrick Malahide.  No Richard Beckinsale in this last run – he was busy with West End musical comedy “I Love My Wife” and Porridge sequel Going Straight.
• ‘Come On In, The Water’s Lovely’ – 15.10m (6th)
• During the closing scenes, Leonard Rossiter inhales a piece of confetti which gets caught inside his nose. You can hear him trying to release the pice by coughing and, when he turns his back to camera, spitting.
• Leonard finally clears his nose/throat back in his dressing room after filming.

“The series has been a personal triumph for Leonard Rossiter.  He plays it so frantically that at times it seems he’ll spoil everything by going right over the top.  But he knows just what he is doing and always stops short by a hairsbreadth.”

Peter Knight, The Daily Telegraph (11 May 1978)

Did you know?

• The food was provided by the YTV staff canteen in Rigsby’s flat.
• Black grease paint was applied to Brian Peck’s eye to suggest that he had received a ‘shiner’.

Dressing Rooms:-

Leonard Rossiter #12

Frances de la Tour #6

Don Warrington #8

Brian Peck #8

Fanny Rowe #9

THE END OF THE SERIES, THE END OF RISING DAMP ON TV.

And so the final series and final episode ended. Whilst there was possible scope to continue, it was fitting that Rising Damp ended on a high, commanding enormous viewing figures, leaving an iconic sitcom that, to this day, is still repeated.

Eric Chappell moved on to write the hospital comedy Only When I Laugh, starring James Bolam, which proved almost as popular.