# Prunella Scales has died **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 29, 2025, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385 "2025-10-29T12:44:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/1 "2025-10-29T12:44:50Z")
British actress Prunella Scales, probably best known as Sybil on Fawlty Towers has died. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/2 "2025-10-29T13:30:41Z")
If only Basil had popped upstairs and asked her to stop dying… ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/3 "2025-10-29T13:44:59Z")
fawlty towers can have me laughing to tears no matter how many times i see it. prunella and her husband timothy west were on cabin pressure, john finnamore’s radio show. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/4 "2025-10-29T13:53:53Z")
She was really excellent on that Fawlty Towers. “Yes, I know. Oh, I know Audrey, I know. I know. Yes, I know.” ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/5 "2025-10-29T16:16:46Z")
“If you’re going to grope a girl, have the gallantry to stay in the room with her while you’re doing it.” ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/6 "2025-10-29T16:18:46Z")
Sadly, she’d had dementia for a number of years, but still sad to see her gone. I can remember in her in several old movies early in her career, and she was really wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/7 "2025-10-29T16:37:24Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > prunella and her husband timothy west were on cabin pressure, john finnamore’s radio show. Prunella was Martin’s mum, right? Who was Timothy West? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/8 "2025-10-29T16:41:06Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > fawlty towers can have me laughing to tears no matter how many times i see it. Me, too. > [@RitterSport](#): > > She was really excellent on that Fawlty Towers. “Yes, I know. Oh, I know Audrey, I know. I know. Yes, I know.” Gawd, yes! That completely captures her character on Fawlty Towers! I loved her in it. RIP, Prunella. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/9 "2025-10-29T16:43:18Z")
Manuel (Andrew Sachs) also had dementia. I hope Polly is OK! ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/10 "2025-10-29T16:52:13Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Manuel (Andrew Sachs) also had dementia. Well, he was always getting hit by Basil. There was also the moose head falling on him, and being punched by the Irish builder after Basil had him tell the guy he was a hhhhhhideous orangutan. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/11 "2025-10-29T16:54:46Z")
yes, she did wonderfully as martin’s mum. timothy west was arthur’s father gordon. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/12 "2025-10-29T16:55:46Z")
Every time I saw her name, I was sure it was a _character’s name_ from Fawlty. RIP, Ms. Scales. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/13 "2025-10-29T16:59:18Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > fawlty towers can have me laughing to tears no matter how many times i see it. Same here. There is no TV series ever made that I’ve watched and re-watched as many times as Fawlty Towers – not even close. In fact, Fawlty Towers is permanently resident on my tablet. I don’t even know where the original DVDs are any more, but fortunately I ripped them to MP4s a long time ago. Yes, Prue, as John Cleese fondly called her, was really terrific on that show. So sad that she’s gone. I saw Cleese on an interview show recently and, though he’s still pretty cogent and lively for his age, he’s definitely getting really old. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/14 "2025-10-29T19:34:59Z")
One of my favorite scenes: Sybil: You could have had them both done by now if you hadn’t spent the whole morning skulking in there listening to that _racket_ . Fawlty: Racket?! That’s _Brahms_! Brahms 3rd racket! ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/15 "2025-10-29T19:54:31Z")
“What are you doing?” “I’m kissing you, dear.” “Well, don’t!” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/16 "2025-10-29T19:54:53Z")
I have kind of mixed feelings over Fawlty Towers. Loved it when I originally saw it, but it seems almost too cruel at times now. Basil is thoroughly unpleasant, and I don’t wish him well, but sometimes his comeuppance is worse than he deserves. Even when he tries to do something nice it blows up in his face. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/17 "2025-10-29T20:28:16Z")
Fawlty Towers was one of four in our RV trip rotation, along with Seinfeld, Larry Sanders and Flight of The Conchords. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/18 "2025-10-29T21:57:24Z")
I was coming in here to post, “Oh, I knoooww…” But I see it’s been done. So Sybil was seven years older than Basil? Never would’ve guessed. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/19 "2025-10-29T22:25:15Z")
I’m sorry she’s gone (and that she had health/cognitive problems). Like others here I love her _Fawlty Towers_ work. Such great timing. I got to see her onstage in the 1980s (in London) in, I think, Joe Orton’s _What the Butler Saw_. Great timing there, too. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385/20 "2025-10-29T22:47:09Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > So Sybil was seven years older than Basil? Never would’ve guessed. That’s nothing - when Cleese appeared in _The Great Muppet Caper_, the actress playing his wife (Joan Sanderson) was **27** years his elder. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prunella-scales-has-died/1024385.md?page=2)