The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin - David Nobbs

The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin was a hugely popular television series, first broadcast in 1976. The series starred Leonard Rossiter as Reginald Perrin, a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown, driven by the boredom of his office job at Sunshine Desserts to fake his own suicide by leaving his clothes on a beach and assuming a new identity. John Barron plays the part of Reggie's boss, CJ, who is a formidable, overbearing character, full of useless mixed-metaphors and business clichés. His favourite phrase to use is 'I didn't get where I am today...' (insert part of previous conversation spoken by another character). For example, when Reggie ...  Read the complete review

Most people over the age of 35 who watched telly in the 70’s can probably quote from one of the late, great Leonard Rossiter’s best roles; the inimitable Reginald Iolanthe Perrin. You youngsters may well have suffered an overuse of the axiom beginning “I didn’t get where I am today…” from your parents. This wonderful BBC adaptation seemed to ooze its way into the nations psyche with schools across the country resounding with people ejaculating “great” and “super” in response to a variety of situations. All this was started by comedy writer David Nobbs with his 1975 novel The Death of Reginald Perrin, retitled The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin Whether or not ...  Read the complete review