Person
Leonard Rossiter
Acting · 1926–1984 · Wavertree, Liverpool, England, UK
Biography
Leonard Rossiter (21 October 1926 – 5 October 1984) was an English actor known for his roles as Rupert Rigsby, in the British comedy television series Rising Damp (1974–78), and Reginald Iolanthe Perrin, in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976–79). He also had a long and distinguished career in the theatre and gained some notoriety for a series of Cinzano commercials (1978–1983), with Joan Collins.
Known for
BBC Play of the Month
The Prime Minister
Play for Today
1970
Theatre 625
Doctor Knock
ITV Playhouse
Fred Tomlinson
Z-Cars
1962
The Wednesday Play
Mr. Marcus
2001: A Space Odyssey
Dr. Andrei Smyslov
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
'X'
Thirty-Minute Theatre
Mike Schofield
BBC2 Play of the Week
Frank Harris
Filmography
- 2022Leonard Rossiter: Comedy GreatSelf (Archive footage)
- 2005The Funny Blokes of British ComedyReginald Perrin (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2000The Unforgettable Leonard RossiterVarious (archive footage)
- 1996'Oh, Miss Jones!': The Very Best of Leonard RossiterSelf
- 1985The Moon Over SohoMax von Konigsberg
- 1985Alice in WonderlandKing (voice)
- 1985Alice in WonderlandKing of Hearts
- 1985WaterSir Malcolm Leveridge
- 1984The Life and Death of King JohnKing John
- 1984Tripper's DayNorman Tripper
- 1984Dog EndsArthur
- 1983The Fall and Rise of Reginald PerrinReginald Perrin
- 1982The Funny Side of ChristmasReginald Perrin
- 1982Trail of the Pink PantherSuperintendant Quinlan
- 1982Britannia HospitalVincent Potter
- 1981The FactoryHarry Meadows
- 1980Rising DampRigsby
- 1979Le PetomaneMonsieur Joseph Pujol
- 1979The PerishersBoot (voice)
- 1978The Waterloo Bridge HandicapCharles Barker
- 1978The BBC Television ShakespeareKing John
- 1978The Losers
- 1978Fearless Frank
- 1977BBC2 Play of the WeekFrank Harris
- 1977The Galton & Simpson PlayhouseJim
- 1976Voyage of the DamnedCommander von Bonin
- 1976The Pink Panther Strikes AgainQuinlan
- 1976The Fall and Rise of Reginald PerrinReginald 'Reggie' Iolanthe Perrin
- 1976MachinegunnerCyril Dugdale
- 1975Barry LyndonCaptain Quin
- 1975After the SoloDawson
- 1974Rising DampRigsby
- 1974MasqueradeLeslie Lewis
- 1974The Carnforth PracticeAaros Boswell
- 1974If There Weren't Any Blacks You'd Have to Invent ThemThe Blind Man
- 1974LutherBrother Weinand
- 1973After Loch LomondMickey Grant
- 1970Play for Today
- 1970The Italian TableMr. Jeffs
- 1969The Double AgentNikolai Krobnevsky
- 1969OtleyJohnson
- 1969ITV Saturday Night Theatre'X'
- 1968Diamonds for BreakfastInspector Dudley
- 1968Oliver!Sowerberry
- 1968DeadfallFillmore
- 1968The Year of the Sex OlympicsCo-ordinator Ugo Priest
- 1968The FanaticsVoltaire
- 19682001: A Space OdysseyDr. Andrei Smyslov
- 1967ITV PlayhouseFred Tomlinson
- 1967The WhisperersAssistance Board Officer
- 1967Drums Along The AvonMr. Marcus
- 1967Half Hour StoryOwen
- 1967Deadlier Than the MaleHenry Bridgenorth
- 1966The WitchesDr. Wallis
- 1966You Can't Win
- 1966The Devil's EggshellPrime Minister
- 1966The Wrong BoxVyvyan Alistair Montague
- 1966Death is a Good Living
- 1966Hotel ParadisoInspector
- 1965King RatMcCoy
- 1965BBC Play of the MonthThe Prime Minister
- 1965Thirty-Minute TheatreMike Schofield
- 1964RedcapSergeant Rolfe
- 1964Thursday TheatreFrank Broadbent
- 1964The Wednesday PlayMr. Marcus
- 1964Theatre 625Doctor Knock
- 1964The Long ShipsPersian Soldier Who Falls On Sword (uncredited)
- 1964A Jolly Bad FellowDr. Fisher
- 1963FestivalDaudet
- 1963Billy LiarEmanuel Shadrack
- 1963This Sporting LifePhillips, Sports Writer
- 1962A Kind of LovingWhymper
- 1962Studio 4Gerard Moustier
- 1962Steptoe and SonJohnny Spooner
- 1962Z-Cars
- 1961You Can't WinFenny
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