Rising Damp his wife. Seedy and furtive, Rigsby has poor interpersonal skills. His professed love of Miss Jones is mostly sexual. She rejects him due to him being married, until his marriage ends and Miss Jones accepts his proposal. As he pries and spies upon his tenants, Rigsby often carries Vienna, his large, fluffy, black-and-white tomcat. Rigsby's amiable pet, and confidant, is so named because - as Rigsby tells it - when he goes to put him out on a cold dark night, if there is another set of eyes out there, then it's Good Night, Vienna. Ruth Jones (Frances de la
Rising Damp (film) Rising Damp (film) Rising Damp is a 1980 comedy film based on the British situation comedy "Rising Damp", which aired on ITV from 1974 to 1978. The television series was, in turn, adapted from Eric Chappell's stage play "The Banana Box". Chappell adapted the play to television, and wrote the screenplay for this feature film. The film's director was Joseph McGrath. Leonard Rossiter plays Rupert Rigsby, the middle-aged landlord of a decrepit townhouse. Rigsby has fallen for his only female tenant, Ruth Jones (Frances de la Tour). Ruth, however, prefers Philip, who is much younger, more attractive, and more sophisticated