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
British African-Caribbean people (Rudolph Walker) and "Rising Damp" (Don Warrington) when their role was often to act simply as either the butt of, or foil to, racist jokes made by White characters. The most influential programme in moving away from this formula was the 1989–94 Channel Four barbershop sitcom "Desmond's", starring Norman Beaton and Carmen Munroe. One of the biggest African-Caribbean names in comedy is Lenny Henry, who began his career as a stand-up comedian but whose television sketch shows, where he often caricatured Caribbean émigrés, made him popular enough to headline numerous primetime comedy shows from, for instance, "Lenny Henry" in 1984