Prunella Scales

Prunella Scales

Acting

Born: 1932-06-22 · Sutton Abinger, Surrey, England, UK

Died: 2025-10-27

Biography

Prunella Margaret Rumney West Scales CBE (née Illingworth; 22 June 1932) was an English former actor, best known for playing Sybil Fawlty, wife of Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), in the BBC comedy Fawlty Towers; for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in A Question of Attribution (Screen One, BBC 1991) by Alan Bennett (for which she was nominated for a BAFTA award); and for the documentary series Great Canal Journeys (2014–2021), in which she travels on canal barges and narrowboats with her husband,

🎬 Movies (20)

The Cancellation Of Fawlty Towers

The Cancellation Of Fawlty Towers

2025

50 Years of BBC Two Comedy

50 Years of BBC Two Comedy

2014

Self

Sub Rosa

Sub Rosa

2014

Madame

The Phone Call

The Phone Call

2013

Joan

Run For Your Wife

Run For Your Wife

2012

Woman in Pub

Horrid Henry: The Movie

Horrid Henry: The Movie

2011

Great Aunt Greta

Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened

Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened

2009

Self / Sybil Fawlty

The Shell Seekers

The Shell Seekers

2007

Dolly Keeling

Think

2007

Customer

What the Pythons Did Next...

What the Pythons Did Next...

2007

Self

Mr. Loveday's Little Outing

Mr. Loveday's Little Outing

2006

Lady Moping

Fawlty Towers Revisited

Fawlty Towers Revisited

2005

Herself

The Funny Blokes of British Comedy

2005

Sybil Fawlty (archive footage) (uncredited)

A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg

2002

Grace

Station Jim

2001

Queen Victoria

The Ghost of Greville Lodge

The Ghost of Greville Lodge

2000

Sarah

Mad Cows

Mad Cows

1999

Dr. Minny Stinkler

An Ideal Husband

An Ideal Husband

1999

Lady Markby

Stiff Upper Lips

Stiff Upper Lips

1998

Aunt Agnes

An Audience with Alf Garnett

An Audience with Alf Garnett

1997