British Comedy Guide
Fawlty Towers. Image shows from L to R: Manuel (Andrew Sachs), Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), Sybil Fawlty (Prunella Scales), Polly (Connie Booth). Copyright: BBC
Fawlty Towers

Fawlty Towers

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC Two
  • 1975 - 1979
  • 12 episodes (2 series)

Comedy about a hotel and its owner, a man of infinite rudeness with a rabid dislike of almost all guests. Stars John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Andrew Sachs, Connie Booth, Ballard Berkeley and more.

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Fawlty Towers. Image shows from L to R: Sybil Fawlty (Prunella Scales), Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), Polly (Connie Booth), Manuel (Andrew Sachs). Copyright: BBC

Key details

Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
1975 - 1979
Channel
BBC 2
Episodes
12 (2 series)
Stars
John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Andrew Sachs, Connie Booth, Ballard Berkeley, Brian Hall, Gilly Flower and Renee Roberts
Writers
John Cleese and Connie Booth
Directors
John Howard Davies and Bob Spiers
Producers
John Howard Davies and Douglas Argent
Company

Fawlty Towers, a 22-room hotel located in Torquay, the centre of the 'English Riviera', is a den of mishap and disaster.

Basil Fawlty, owner and manager of the hotel, is a man of infinite capability in impoliteness, caustic intolerance and general rudeness toward the guests he views as an unwelcome imposition. His wife, Sybil, is of a more practical demeanour, but seems to have an immunity to work. The running of the hotel is thus often left to waitress, maid, and all-round help Polly. Meanwhilse, Spanish waiter and porter Manuel is still struggling with English.

Additional details

Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Multi-camera
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Friday 19th September 1975 at 9pm on BBC Two
Most recent repeats

Recording details

  • BBC Television Centre - Studio
  • Bourne End (Buckinghamshire) - Town scenes
  • Wooburn Grange Country Club - Hotel exteriors (Link)

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