Leonard Rossiter

[pelam123]

I was watching a repeat of Heroes Of Comedy recently in which Vernon Lawrence, the producer of Rising Damp, mentioned the reason Rossiter and Frances de la Tour didn't get on personally was because she was fairly non-political and he was very left-wing. Is this correct, because I was always under the impression and definitely read somewhere, that it was the complete opposite, that De La Tour, was very left-wing and Rossiter a right-wing Tory?

(And no, I'm not confusing them with Bill Owen (Left) and Michael Bates(Right) from Last Of The Summer Wine and their bust-ups as told by Peter Sallis).

[will.15]

His daughter wrote:

adults and would happily stay up and join in the conversation. As well as theatrical stories and charades, there would often be political arguments. Dad was a staunch Conservative whereas most of his friends were firmly Labour, which led to heated but good-natured rows, usually fuelled by vintage wine

[Windthrop]

A colour supplement interview I remember reading about him mentioned his politics. IIRC he said he was right of centre because he was self-made and had achieved his success on his own talents. I seem to remember the article was plugging Water which was released posthumously.

[CaptainWaggett]

I was watching a repeat of Heroes Of Comedy recently in which Vernon Lawrence, the producer of Rising Damp, mentioned the reason Rossiter and Frances de la Tour didn't get on personally was because she was fairly non-political and he was very left-wing. Is this correct, because I was always under the impression and definitely read somewhere, that it was the complete opposite, that De La Tour, was very left-wing and Rossiter a right-wing Tory?

(And no, I'm not confusing them with Bill Owen (Left) and Michael Bates(Right) from Last Of The Summer Wine and their bust-ups as told by Peter Sallis).

Given that Frances De la Tour was for years a member of the WRP, I'd say that's pretty libellous

[Tonch]

I have read that Rossiter and De La Tour gave each other a wide berth when not in front of the camera because of their polarised politics (Leonard on the right, Frances on the left) fearing that sparks would inevitably fly and not wanting this to sour their brilliant on screen chemistry. I believe that they did hold one another in high regard on a professional level.

Wasn't there supposedly a lot of prickliness on the set of Dad's Army between staunch Conservative Arthur Lowe and proud Socialist Clive Dunn? Tory actors... they don't like it up 'em!!