THE PROWLER

Rehearsals: 26^th – 29^th November 1974 at St Paul’s Church Hall, Sussex Place, London W6

9:30 – 1:30pm

Walk-Through: 1^st December 1974 at Yorkshire Television Centre, Leeds

Recorded: 1^st December 1974 at Yorkshire Television Centre, Studio 4, Leeds

Broadcast: Friday 8:30pm 10^th January 1975

CAST

Leonard Rossiter – Rigsby

Richard Beckinsale – Alan

Frances de la Tour – Ruth

Don Warrington – Philip

George Sewell – Baker

Michael Stainton – Policeman

Extra: Kelwyn Harrison – Non-speaking Policeman

CREW

Creator/Writer – Eric Chappell

Producer/Director – Ronnie Baxter

Designer – Colin Pigott

Music – Dennis Wilson

Casting – James Ligatt

Floor Manager – Mike Purcell

Stage Manager – Terry Knowles

Production Asst – Mary Byrne

Lighting – Peter Squires

Cameras – Gerry Lord

Sound – Ian Hughes

Vision Mixer – Kay Harrington

Tech Supervisor – Gordon Quin

Wardrobe – Brenda Fox

Make-up – Diana Caplin

Prop Buyer – Rod Saul

Call Boy – John Heaton

Warm-up – Felix Bowness

Episode Review

With landlord Rigsby, it’s one long bed-sitter battle in….RISING DAMP

It’s the return of Rigsby and the bleakest boardinghouse in bed-sit land, in another outbreak of….

It’s a bleak, foggy night….not fit enough, to turn a cat out. Except Rigsby’s cat, Vienna, that is. He’s not too bothered about a spot of inclement weather because he’s got other things on his mind.

Suddenly, there’s a scream, followed by another. It’s Ruth – she’s seen a prowler in her room. Rigsby, Sir Galahad that he is, rushes eagerly to protect her. But then the police arrive, and by the time the Agatha Christie-type investigations have got under way it’s Rigsby who appears to need protection…from the police! GEORGE SEWELL, star of such television series as “Special Branch”, “UFO”, “Paul Temple” and “The Power Game”, and films like “Get Carter”, “Robbery”, “Sparrows Can’t Sing” appears in the guest role of ‘Detective Constable Baker, Regional Crime Squad’.

Did you know?

• Two mews were ‘fed-in’ during the sequence in which Rigsby attempts to call Vienna into the house.
• The peep-hole through which Richard is seen looking into was illuminated from beneath the set by a light bulb.
• A special compartment was constructed in the floor of the second floor flat set, where Rigsby’s cash box is removed.
• A sound effect to suggest a train was passing close to the house was also fed in.
• Two police uniforms were hired for Michael Stainton and Kelwyn Harrison
• The number of Rigsby’s boarding house is shown to be 917
• Alan is seen reading erotic novel entitled ‘Peephole Pervert’ by David Andre.
• End credits were superimposed over the “RISING DAMP” caption slide.

Interesting to note:

• Production# 2756
• Rigsby’s account of witnessing an incident between a drunken motorist and a woman cyclist, and the plot device of the peep-hole in the floor of the attic flat, both have their origins in the stage play ‘The Banana Box’.
• Fridays at 8.30pm, opposite the sitcom Second Time Around starring Michael Craig
• ‘The Prowler’ – 7.10m (15th=)

Dressing Rooms:-

Leonard Rossiter #12

Richard Beckinsale #11

Frances de la Tour #6

Don Warrington #8

George Sewell #9

Michael Stainton #7

Kelwyn Harrison #5