"The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin" (1976) TV series 1976-1979

Director:

John Howard Davies

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

8 September 1976 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

BBC Television comedy detailing the fortunes of Reginald Iolanthe Perrin. Disillusioned after a long career at Sunshine Desserts...

Plot Keywords:

Flight Of Fancy | Office | Suburbia | Faked Death | Midlife Crisis

Awards:

7 nominations

Cast

Leonard Rossiter	...	Reginald Perrin (21 episodes, 1976-1979)
Pauline Yates	...	Elizabeth Perrin (21 episodes, 1976-1979)
John Barron	...	C.J. (20 episodes, 1976-1979)
Sue Nicholls	...	Joan Greengross (20 episodes, 1976-1979)
Trevor Adams	...	Tony Webster (20 episodes, 1976-1979)
Bruce Bould	...	David Harris-Jones (20 episodes, 1976-1979)
Sally-Jane Spencer	...	Linda Patterson (16 episodes, 1976-1979)
John Horsley	...	Doc Morrissey (14 episodes, 1976-1979)
Geoffrey Palmer	...	Jimmy Anderson (13 episodes, 1976-1979)
Tim Preece	...	Tom Patterson (9 episodes, 1976-1977)

Runtime:

30 min (21 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Creator David Nobbs originally wanted Ronnie Barker to play Reginald Perrin, having written a lot of material for "The Two Ronnies" (1971).

Quotes:

Reginald Perrin: [On the phone] Uh-hmmm. Oh, dear. Oh, dear, oh, dear. Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh dear. Yes, right, certainly, officer, right. OK, goodbye.
[Hangs up]
Elizabeth Perrin: Reggie, what's the matter?
Reginald Perrin: Oh, McBlane broke an arm last night. I have to go and bail him out.
Elizabeth Perrin: Bail? I didn't know breaking an arm was an offense.
Reginald Perrin: Oh, yes, if it's someone else's arm, darling.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Comedy Connections: The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (#2.4)" (2004)

Rule Brittania

From what I gather this was a 1970's British television series. What I saw was a 100 minute film, albeit with a laughtrack, so it may well have been a condensation of several programmes of the series.

No matter. This was FUNNY. I don't mean quiet chortle funny; I mean laugh out loud, uncontrollable giggle, hearty guffaw funny.

Leonard Rossiter of "Rising Damp" fame (a television series that I DID see) is Reginald Iolanthe Perrin, a middle aged marketing executive suffering a severe midlife crisis. He fantasises about having an affair with his secretary, torturing his overbearing boss (John Barron giving a marvellous performance) and escaping from the drudgery which is his life. After drinking too much wine before giving an embarrasing luncheon speech he effects his escape by faking his own death. Away from the constraints of work and family life he finds that his new found freedom is not all it's cracked up to be and he finds himself longing for his wife. Now he has to find a way to come back...

The situations and dialogue are hilarious, while the performances of very British characters are uniformly excellent. Even after repeated viewings the bittersweet ending still gives me goosepimples.

Highly recommended.