STAGE STRUCK

Rehearsals: 27^th – 30^th March 1977 at The Sulgrave Boys Club, 287 Goldhawk Road, London, W12

1:30pm – 5:30pm

Walk-Through: 31^st March 1977 at Yorkshire Television Centre, Leeds

Recorded: 1^st April 1977 at Yorkshire Television Centre, Studio 4, Leeds

Broadcast: Tuesday 8:30pm 19^th April 1977

CAST

Leonard Rossiter – Rigsby

Richard Beckinsale – Alan

Frances de la Tour – Ruth

Don Warrington – Philip

Peter Bowles – Hilary

CREW

Creator/Writer – Eric Chappell

Producer/Director – Ronnie Baxter

Designer – Colin Pigott

Music – Dennis Wilson

Casting – James Ligatt

Floor Manager – Don Clayton

Stage Manager – Olive Simpson

Production Asst – Evelyn Hirschstein

Lighting – Peter Hardman

Cameras – Gerry Lord

Sound – Mike Naylor

Vision Mixer – Chris Foles

Tech Supervisor – Mike Wilkinson

Wardrobe – Brenda Fox

Make-up – Pam Fox

Props – Andy Rae

Production Buyer – Gil Procter

Scenes – Bill Donnelly

Call Boy – Tim Dowd

Warm-up – Felix Bowness

Episode Review

Far from being ‘Stage Struck’ Rigsby has little time for actors – especially Hilary, the camp thespian ‘resting’ at his establishment between roles. But when the limp-wristed lodger writes a romantic play and soon persuades the other occupants to take part in a psychological drama. All, that is, except Rigsby who has nothing but contempt for Hilary’s contemporary arts. But Rigsby soon changes his mind when he learns the play contains a fair measure of torrid love scenes – and Hilary has picked Miss Jones to play the heroine! Then suddenly the play’s the thing as Rigsby decides the time has come for him to take part in he proceedings. Enter Rigbsy, on cue – and it’s hard lines for everyone else!

Alt Review from January, 1978

It’s back to battle in bed-sitter land with a lowdown landlord and his luckless lodgers in another outbreak of…RISING DAMP

There’s plenty of drama at landlord Rigsby’s run-down boarding house in ‘Stage Struck’, tonight’s repeated episode of Yorkshire Television’s highly successful situation comedy series, “RISING DAMP”. A ‘resting’ actor called Hillary takes up residence and soon persuades the other occupants to take part in a psychological drama he has written – all, that is, except Rigsby who has nothing but contempt for Hillary’s contemporary arts. But Rigsby (played by LEONARD ROSSITER) soon changes his mind when he learns the play contains a fair measure of torrid love scenes – and Hillary has picked Miss Jones to play the heroine!

Alt Review from December, 1980

‘Stage Struck’ a riotous episode of Yorkshire Television’s award-winning situation comedy, “RISING DAMP” which has been chosen for tonight’s second programme in ITV’s “COMEDY CLASSICS” series.

Rigsby is not impressed by Hillary – until he learns that the actor has written a play and has chosen one of Rigsby’s lodgers, Alan (played by the late RICHARD BECKINSALE) to play some torrid love scenes with the apple of Rigsby’s eye, Miss Jones (FRANCES DE LA TOUR). Then suddenly the play’s the thing as Rigsby decides the time has come for him to take part in the proceedings. Enter Rigsby, on cue – and it’s hard lines for everyone else!

“Not since the association of Tony Hancock with Galton and Simpson has such a comic-tragic figure emerged.  Rigsby is a delightful fool and the characters spread around him by producer Ronnie Baxter add so well and unobtrusively to the humour.”

James Thomas, Daily Express (13 April 1977)

Interesting to note:

• Production# 2879
• Tuesdays at 8.30pm, opposite the penultimate series of long-running police drama Z Cars.
• ‘Stage Struck’ – 8.40m (5th)
• ‘Stage Struck’ won the BAFTA for Situation Comedy in 1978

Did you know?

• After writing Peter Bowles into this episode, Peter went to Eric to inform him that he’d like to have his own show at some point, as the lead. Peter was already starring in Eric’s other sitcom, ‘Only when I Laugh’. For the first time in Eric’s career, he went away and made up a story about a con man, entitled ‘The Bounder’ just for Peter. 14 episodes were written.
• This episode was one of Eric Chappell’s and Ronnie Baxter’s favourite. Submitted to BAFTA to represent the series for the 1978 awards – whey they won!
• Additional rows of seats were added to the studio recording of this episode, such was the show’s growing popularity.
• Richard revealed his real hair near the end of the episode. Removing his Parker hood to show his new hair in the attempt to repel the attention of Hilary. In fact, Richard wore a wig for the entire series, other than this single scene.
• The scripts seen in the episode look like the actual rehearsal scripts for this episode, not Hilary’s!
• The end credits were superimposed partly over the closing scene of the story, and partly over the “RISING DAMP” caption slide.

Dressing Rooms:-

Leonard Rossiter #12

Richard Beckinsale #11

Frances de la Tour #6

Don Warrington #8