From Newsgroup: alt.obituaries
https://variety.com/2025/tv/global/prunella-scales-dead-fawlty-towers- sybil-1236563223/
Prunella Scales, rCyFawlty TowersrCO Star, Dies at 93
Prunella Scales, the actress best known for playing Sybil Fawlty, the intimidating hotel manager wife of John CleeserCys Basil on the iconic rCO70s British sitcom rCLFawlty Towers,rCY died on Monday. She was 93.
Her sons, Samuel and Joseph West, confirmed her death to news agency PA
Media on Tuesday, saying Scales died rCLpeacefully at home in London yesterday.rCY She was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2013.
rCLAlthough dementia forced her retirement from a remarkable acting career
of nearly 70 years, she continued to live at home. She was watching
rCyFawlty TowersrCO the day before she died,rCY the statement continued. rCLWe would like to thank all those who gave Pru such wonderful care at the end
of her life: her last days were comfortable, contented and surrounded by love.rCY
Beyond her performance in rCLFawlty Towers,rCY which ran on BBC Two from 1975 to 1979, Scales earned a BAFTA nomination for her portrayal of Queen
Elizabeth II in Alan BennettrCOs 1991 televised play rCLA Question of Attribution.rCY From 2014 to 2020, she co-hosted the docuseries rCLGreat Canal JourneysrCY alongside her husband, the late actor Timothy West, in which
they explored BritainrCOs waterways.
In a statement to BBC News, Cleese remembered his rCLFawlty TowersrCY co-star: rCLHow very sad. Pru was a really wonderful comic actress. IrCOve recently been watching a number of clips of rCyFawlty TowersrCO whilst researching a book. Scene after scene she was absolutely perfect. She was a very sweet
lady, who spent a lot of her life apologizing. I used to tease her about
it. I was very, very fond of her.rCY
Scales began her career in 1951 as an assistant stage manager at the
Bristol Old Vic and began acting in plays and small films in the rCO50s and early rCO60s. She earned her first big break starring in the sitcom rCLMarriage LinesrCY alongside Richard Briers from 1963 to 1966, and then rose to prominence when she was cast as Sybil Fawlty in rCLFawlty TowersrCY in the mid rCO70s. Her other credits include the series rCLMapp & LuciarCY from 1985-1986, and films including rCLThe Lonely Passion of Judith HearnerCY (1987), rCLHowards EndrCY (1992), rCLWolfrCY (1994) and rCLAn Awfully Big AdventurerCY
(1995).
In addition to her sons, Scales is survived by one stepdaughter, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by West,
her husband of 61 years, who died in November 2024.
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