---
name: "Leonard Rossiter"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/leonard-rossiter"
fi1m_id: "leonard-rossiter"
imdb_id: "nm0744436"
tmdb_id: 249
wikidata_id: "Q967062"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "21 October 1926"
died: "5 October 1984"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 84
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-10-07T10:16:45.034011+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Leonard Rossiter

## Identity

Leonard Rossiter

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/leonard-rossiter
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** leonard-rossiter
- **IMDb ID:** nm0744436
- **TMDB ID:** 249
- **Wikidata ID:** Q967062
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Rossiter, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q967062, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0744436/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/249

Actor. Born 21 October 1926 in Wavertree, Liverpool, England, UK. Died 5 October 1984.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 21 October 1926, Wavertree, Liverpool, England, UK
- **Died:** 5 October 1984
- **Active:** 1962–1976
- **Also known as:** Len Rossiter
- **Average Fi1m score:** 84, as actor, over 6 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 84 (3), 1970s 84 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 84 to 75 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 2 of 5 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 3, Drama 2, Adventure 1, Family 1, History 1, Mystery 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $141m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Rossiter, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q967062, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0744436/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/249

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*2001: A Space Odyssey*](https://film.one/film/2001-a-space-odyssey.md) (92)
- **BritBox:** [*Rising Damp*](https://film.one/tv/rising-damp.md) (84)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Oliver!*](https://film.one/film/oliver.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Leonard Rossiter

> Leonard Rossiter made comic self-importance look like hard physical labour, with stiff limbs, rapid speech and a stare that could turn nasty. We rate the precision; the danger was always doing too much.

The arms revolve, the joints seem reluctant to bend, and the words keep coming. Leonard Rossiter's comedy often begins with the effort of getting through a conversation. We rate the precision: rapid speech, mobile features and a hard stare could make a man funny and faintly threatening at once. He was also capable of doing too much, particularly when the physical activity began to compete with the dialogue.

*Steptoe and Son*, in which he appears as Johnny Spooner, places him in a comedy whose father-and-son quarrels can be funny enough to hurt. Harry H. Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell are the reason we recommend the programme, and Rossiter's contribution should be kept in proportion. The repeated arguments can become wearing. It is a reservation worth remembering when considering his own taste for comic unpleasantness: making someone objectionable is only the beginning of making them funny.

In *2001: A Space Odyssey* (1968), he plays Dr. Andrei Smyslov for Stanley Kubrick. The exact, unsettling filmmaking earns its slow pace, and we would recommend it even to people who normally leave science fiction alone. Its people can feel remote, however, so this supporting appearance is hardly the place to seek the full force of Rossiter's comedy. It does usefully complicate the familiar picture of him, placing an actor associated with rapid speech and busy limbs inside a film we admire for its patience.

The television leads made that physical agitation the main attraction. As the seedy, obnoxious landlord Rigsby in *Rising Damp* (1974–78), Rossiter had a character well suited to his ability to put menace into comedy. The title role in *The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin* (1976–79) gave him a mid-life crisis to work through instead. These were the parts that made him a major television presence, though the speed and movement are worth watching as carefully as the jokes.

Kubrick also cast him as Captain John Quin in *Barry Lyndon* (1975). We laughed at the comically staged duel because Quin's haughty foolishness makes the confrontation so ridiculous. Start with *Rising Damp* for Rossiter at length; try *Barry Lyndon* for what he could do with a supporting part.

## Biography

Leonard Rossiter (21 October 1926 – 5 October 1984) was an English actor. Born in Wavertree, Liverpool, he worked in an insurance office before joining Preston repertory company in his late twenties and making his professional stage debut there.

He appeared in supporting roles in films including *Billy Liar* (1963), *Oliver!* (1968) as Mr Sowerberry, *2001: A Space Odyssey* (1968) as Dr Andrei Smyslov, *Barry Lyndon* (1975) as Captain Quin, and *The Pink Panther Strikes Again* (1976) as Superintendent Quinlan. On television he starred as Rupert Rigsby in the sitcom *Rising Damp* (1974–78) and as Reginald Perrin in *The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin* (1976–79). He also featured in a series of Cinzano television commercials with Joan Collins from 1978 to 1983.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, screenonline.org.uk.*

## On Fi1m (6)

- *The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin* (1976), Fi1m 83, as Reginald 'Reggie' Iolanthe Perrin — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-fall-and-rise-of-reginald-perrin.md)
- *Barry Lyndon* (1975), Fi1m 85, as Captain Quin — [page](https://film.one/film/barry-lyndon.md)
- *Rising Damp* (1974), Fi1m 84, as Rigsby — [page](https://film.one/tv/rising-damp.md)
- *2001: A Space Odyssey* (1968), Fi1m 92, as Dr. Andrei Smyslov — [page](https://film.one/film/2001-a-space-odyssey.md)
- *Oliver!* (1968), Fi1m 76, as Sowerberry — [page](https://film.one/film/oliver.md)
- *Steptoe and Son* (1962), Fi1m 83, as Johnny Spooner — [page](https://film.one/tv/steptoe-and-son.md)

## Complete filmography (75)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Funny Blokes of British Comedy* (2005), as Reginald Perrin (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *The Unforgettable Leonard Rossiter* (2000), as Various (archive footage)
- *The Moon Over Soho* (1985), as Max von Konigsberg
- *Alice in Wonderland* (1985), as King (voice)
- *Alice in Wonderland* (1985), series, as King of Hearts
- *Water* (1985), as Sir Malcolm Leveridge
- *The Life and Death of King John* (1984), as King John
- *Tripper's Day* (1984), series, as Norman Tripper
- *Dog Ends* (1984), as Arthur
- *The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin* (1983), as Reginald Perrin
- *The Funny Side of Christmas* (1982), as Reginald Perrin
- *Trail of the Pink Panther* (1982), as Superintendant Quinlan
- *Britannia Hospital* (1982), as Vincent Potter
- *The Factory* (1981), as Harry Meadows
- *Rising Damp* (1980), as Rigsby
- *Le Petomane* (1979), as Monsieur Joseph Pujol
- *The Perishers* (1979), series, as Boot (voice)
- *The Waterloo Bridge Handicap* (1978), as Charles Barker
- *The BBC Television Shakespeare* (1978), series, as King John
- *The Losers* (1978), series, Actor
- *Fearless Frank* (1978), Actor
- *BBC2 Play of the Week* (1977), series, as Frank Harris
- *The Galton & Simpson Playhouse* (1977), series, as Jim
- *Voyage of the Damned* (1976), as Commander von Bonin
- *The Pink Panther Strikes Again* (1976), as Quinlan
- *The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin* (1976), series, as Reginald 'Reggie' Iolanthe Perrin — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-fall-and-rise-of-reginald-perrin.md)
- *Machinegunner* (1976), as Cyril Dugdale
- *Barry Lyndon* (1975), as Captain Quin — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/barry-lyndon.md)
- *After the Solo* (1975), as Dawson
- *Rising Damp* (1974), series, as Rigsby — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/rising-damp.md)
- *Masquerade* (1974), series, as Leslie Lewis
- *The Carnforth Practice* (1974), series, as Aaros Boswell
- *If There Weren't Any Blacks You'd Have to Invent Them* (1974), as The Blind Man
- *Luther* (1974), as Brother Weinand
- *After Loch Lomond* (1973), as Mickey Grant
- *Play for Today* (1970), series, as Arthur
- *The Italian Table* (1970), as Mr. Jeffs
- *The Double Agent* (1969), as Nikolai Krobnevsky
- *Otley* (1969), as Johnson
- *ITV Saturday Night Theatre* (1969), series, as 'X'
- *Diamonds for Breakfast* (1968), as Inspector Dudley
- *Oliver!* (1968), as Sowerberry — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/oliver.md)
- *Deadfall* (1968), as Fillmore
- *The Year of the Sex Olympics* (1968), as Co-ordinator Ugo Priest
- *The Fanatics* (1968), as Voltaire
- *2001: A Space Odyssey* (1968), as Dr. Andrei Smyslov — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/2001-a-space-odyssey.md)
- *ITV Playhouse* (1967), series, as Fred Tomlinson, Nikolai Krobnevsky
- *The Whisperers* (1967), as Assistance Board Officer
- *Drums Along The Avon* (1967), as Mr. Marcus
- *Half Hour Story* (1967), series, as Owen
- *Deadlier Than the Male* (1967), as Henry Bridgenorth
- *The Witches* (1966), as Dr. Wallis
- *Out of Town Theatre* (1966), series, as Man
- *You Can't Win* (1966), series, Actor
- *The Devil's Eggshell* (1966), as Prime Minister
- *The Wrong Box* (1966), as Vyvyan Alistair Montague
- *Death is a Good Living* (1966), series, Actor
- *Hotel Paradiso* (1966), as Inspector
- *King Rat* (1965), as McCoy
- *BBC Play of the Month* (1965), series, as The Prime Minister, Colonel Lukyn
- *Thirty-Minute Theatre* (1965), series, as Mike Schofield, Andrew, Sergeant Tax
- *Redcap* (1964), series, as Sergeant Rolfe
- *Thursday Theatre* (1964), series, as Frank Broadbent
- *The Wednesday Play* (1964), series, as Mr. Marcus, Mr. Jeffs
- *Theatre 625* (1964), series, as Doctor Knock, Fred Midway, François-Marie Aroue / Voltaire · Co-Ordinator Ugo Priest
- *The Long Ships* (1964), as Persian Soldier Who Falls On Sword (uncredited)
- *A Jolly Bad Fellow* (1964), as Dr. Fisher
- *Festival* (1963), series, as Daudet
- *Billy Liar* (1963), as Emanuel Shadrack
- *This Sporting Life* (1963), as Phillips · Sports Writer
- *A Kind of Loving* (1962), as Whymper
- *Studio 4* (1962), series, as Gerard Moustier
- *Steptoe and Son* (1962), series, as Johnny Spooner, Welsh Hughie — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/steptoe-and-son.md)
- *Z-Cars* (1962), series, Actor
- *You Can't Win* (1961), series, as Fenny

## Gallery

- ![Leonard Rossiter](https://film.one/media/person/6/gallery-1395d4abb027.jpg) Leonard Rossiter — The Bright Thoughts Company Limited - https://www.bright-thoughts.co.uk/creative-commons-greentie.html, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Leonard_Rossiter.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Leonard Rossiter](https://film.one/media/person/6/gallery-b898b498c0b8.jpg) Leonard Rossiter — Image via TMDB
- ![Leonard Rossiter](https://film.one/media/person/6/gallery-8008adc2048c.jpg) Leonard Rossiter — Image via TMDB

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© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/leonard-rossiter