I agree. I love the Henry McGee episode with him as Seymour. I also like the episode where they suspect that someone has broken into the house. Actually some of the best episodes take place in the final series, by which time Richard Beckinsale had already left the show.
It proves that they should have done that final series regardless, as it was still good. Just a shame he wasn't in it, but the idea still had places to go without him so it was all good.
Quote: Lord Meldrum @ January 17 2011, 11:27 AM GMTI agree. I love the Henry McGee episode with him as Seymour. I also like the episode where they suspect that someone has broken into the house. Actually some of the best episodes take place in the final series, by which time Richard Beckinsale had already left the show.
It proves that they should have done that final series regardless, as it was still good. Just a shame he wasn't in it, but the idea still had places to go without him so it was all good.
Beckinsale was unable to appear in the final series as he was appearing in a West End play, according to Wikipedia.
Quote: peter gazzard @ January 17 2011, 10:18 PM GMTBeckinsale was unable to appear in the final series as he was appearing in a West End play, according to Wikipedia.
He died shortly after. R.I.P.
Quote: WeakFlesh @ January 17 2011, 10:19 PM GMTHe died shortly after. R.I.P.
He did indeed. His last completed work was the Porridge movie although he was working on a sitcom entitled Bloomers at the time of his death which also featured David Swift who was Gray the suicidal tenant in RD and who was later in Drop The Dead Donkey.
Quote: peter gazzard @ January 17 2011, 10:27 PM GMTHe did indeed. His last completed work was the Porridge movie although he was working on a sitcom entitled Bloomers at the time of his death which also featured David Swift who was Gray the suicidal tenant in RD and who was later in Drop The Dead Donkey.
He never gets enough credit compared to his daughter.
Quote: WeakFlesh @ January 17 2011, 10:30 PM GMTHe never gets enough credit compared to his daughter.
I don't know, I think anyone who appreciates great comedy knows he was a great talent, even if like me they don't rate everything he did.
Quote: peter gazzard @ January 17 2011, 10:34 PM GMTI don't know,I think anyone who appreciates great comedy knows he was a great talent, even if like me they don't rate everything he did
I do admit that his work on Rising Damp and Porridge was brilliant, just think how good he would be if he ever got cast to play Rodney Trotter instead of Nicholas Lyndhurst.
Quote: WeakFlesh @ January 17 2011, 10:39 PM GMTI do admit that his work on Rising Damp and Porridge was brilliant, just think how good he would be if he ever got cast to play Rodney Trotter instead of Nicholas Lyndhurst.
Could have been interesting, he would have been just as believable as he was only 7 years David Jason's junior as opposed to Lyndhurst's 21 years. Or he could have been cast as Del...
Quote: peter gazzard @ January 17 2011, 10:44 PM GMTCould have been interesting, he would have been just as believable as he was only 7 years David Jason's junior as opposed to Lyndhurst's 21 years. Or he could have been cast as Del...
I do know that they were thinking of casting the actor (can't remember his name?) who played Slater, as Del.
Quote: peter gazzard @ January 17 2011, 10:27 PM GMThe was working on a sitcom entitled Bloomers at the time of his death which also featured David Swift
And, sadly, wasn't very good.
There were some fantastic episodes of Rising Damp, with only about three duds, I think.
A couple of many great ones were ...
Suddenly at Home (Beckinsale's last one, Series 3): A hypochondriac tenant falls ill and everyone believes he's died when he hasn't.
Pink Carnations (Series 4): A take on James Stewart's 'The Shop Around the Corner' (or, latterly, You've Got Mail) when Miss Jones and Rigsby put ads in the singles column of a paper, embellish their descriptions and are mutually attracted without knowing it's really each other.
Quote: WeakFlesh @ January 17 2011, 10:48 PM GMTI do know that they were thinking of casting the actor (can't remember his name?) who played Slater, as Del.
Jim Broadbent. Slater was possibly his first big TV role. Not sure on that though.
Quote: Dave @ January 17 2011, 10:57 PM GMTThere were some fantastic episodes of Rising Damp, with only about three duds, I think.
A couple of many great ones were ...
Suddenly at Home (Beckinsale's last one, Series 3): A hypochondriac tenant falls ill and everyone believes he's died when he hasn't.
Pink Carnations (Series 4): A take on James Stewart's 'The Shop Around the Corner' (or, latterly, You've Got Mail) when Miss Jones and Rigsby put ads in the singles column of a paper, embellish their descriptions and are mutually attracted without knowing it's really each other.
Oh yes, I saw that the other day. It also featured John Quayle. I'm sure him and Robert Gillespie appeared in every sitcom made in the late 70s - or it certainly seems that way now.
Saw three episodes of it this evening. Haven't seen it in a long while, and it's still as fresh as ever. The imagery of the anecdotes are especially evocative. Rigsby mentioned (but was probably lying) when he said a wife comitted suicide on her wedding night, and the husband was in the bar downstairs at the time and saw her flying past the window. Things like that paint a picture in the mind, and it's very clever how Eric Chapell managed to do that so many times.
Quote: Dave @ March 8 2011, 9:14 PM GMTSaw three episodes of it this evening. Haven't seen it in a long while, and it's still as fresh as ever. The imagery of the anecdotes are especially evocative. Rigsby mentioned (but was probably lying) when he said a wife comitted suicide on her wedding night, and the husband was in the bar downstairs at the time and saw her flying past the window. Things like that paint a picture in the mind, and it's very clever how Eric Chapell managed to do that so many times.
Chappell is a great writer. I'm surprised he isn't held in such high regard as, for example, Galton and Simpson. If there's any justice he will get a lifetime achievement award at the BCAs next year, I mean it was Roy Clarke this year and Eric is only 3 years Clarke's junior.
True story but back in the 1980s when I was working in Muswell Hill I ran into Frances de la Tour when I rear-ended her bumper. As tempted as I was to say "Bit of trouble there I see Miss Jones" to lighten the mood, she was a real sweetheart as luckily there was no damage to her car.
