Prunella Scales

Prunella Scales

Acting

Born:
1932-06-22
Died:
2025-10-27
Place of birth:
Sutton Abinger, Surrey, England, UK

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, fellow actor Timothy West.

Known For

Filmography

The Cancellation Of Fawlty Towers

The Cancellation Of Fawlty Towers

2025
Movie
50 Years of BBC Two Comedy

50 Years of BBC Two Comedy

8.02014Self
Movie
Great Canal Journeys

Great Canal Journeys

8.82014Self
TV
Sub Rosa

Sub Rosa

5.02014Madame
Movie
The Phone Call

The Phone Call

7.32013Joan
Movie
Run For Your Wife

Run For Your Wife

4.42012Woman in Pub
Movie
Horrid Henry: The Movie

Horrid Henry: The Movie

5.22011Great Aunt Greta
Movie
Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened

Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened

8.42009Self / Sybil Fawlty
Movie
The Shell Seekers

The Shell Seekers

6.92007Dolly Keeling
Movie
Think

Think

2007Customer
Movie
What the Pythons Did Next...

What the Pythons Did Next...

2007Self
Movie
Mr. Loveday's Little Outing

Mr. Loveday's Little Outing

2006Lady Moping
Movie
Fawlty Towers Revisited

Fawlty Towers Revisited

8.02005Herself
Movie
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy

The Funny Blokes of British Comedy

6.52005Sybil Fawlty (archive footage) (uncredited)
Movie
Agatha Christie's Marple

Agatha Christie's Marple

7.92004Mrs Mackenzie
TV
Looking for Victoria

Looking for Victoria

2003Self / Victoria
TV
The Royal

The Royal

7.82003Red Admiral
TV
Dickens

Dickens

7.02002Elizabeth Dickens
TV
A Day in the Death of Joe Egg

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg

2002Grace
Movie
Station Jim

Station Jim

7.52001Queen Victoria
Movie
The Ghost of Greville Lodge

The Ghost of Greville Lodge

7.02000Sarah
Movie
Mad Cows

Mad Cows

4.41999Dr. Minny Stinkler
Movie
Loose Women

Loose Women

3.41999Self
TV
An Ideal Husband

An Ideal Husband

6.51999Lady Markby
Movie
Stiff Upper Lips

Stiff Upper Lips

5.61998Aunt Agnes
Movie
Keeping Mum

Keeping Mum

1997Marjorie
TV
An Audience with Alf Garnett

An Audience with Alf Garnett

1997
Movie
Midsomer Murders

Midsomer Murders

7.51997Eleanor Bunsall
TV
Emma

Emma

6.61996Miss Bates
Movie
Breaking the Code

Breaking the Code

5.61996Sara Turing
Movie
Lord of Misrule

Lord of Misrule

9.01996Shirley
Movie
Dennis the Menace and Gnasher

Dennis the Menace and Gnasher

6.31996Mrs. Duffel
TV
Dalziel and Pascoe

Dalziel and Pascoe

6.41996Edith Disney
TV
Silent Witness

Silent Witness

7.61996Anne Parker
TV
Searching

Searching

1995Mrs. Tilston
TV
The World of Lee Evans

The World of Lee Evans

7.01995Mother
TV
Look at the State We're In!

Look at the State We're In!

1995Storyteller
TV
An Awfully Big Adventure

An Awfully Big Adventure

6.51995Rose
Movie
Signs and Wonders

Signs and Wonders

7.01995Elizabeth Palmore
TV
Second Best

Second Best

6.71994Margery
Movie
Wolf

Wolf

6.11994Maude Waggins
Movie
Fair Game

Fair Game

5.01994Marjorie
Movie
Sherwood's Travels

Sherwood's Travels

6.51994
Movie
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends: The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Mr. Jeremy Fisher

The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends: The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Mr. Jeremy Fisher

1994Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle (voice)
Movie
The Rector's Wife

The Rector's Wife

9.01994Marjorie Richardson
TV
Freddie As F.R.O.7.

Freddie As F.R.O.7.

5.21992Queen (voice)
Movie
My Friend Walter

My Friend Walter

7.01992Aunt Ellie
Movie
Howards End

Howards End

7.01992Aunt Juley
Movie
A Question of Attribution

A Question of Attribution

6.81991H.M.Q.
Movie
The Tale of Little Pig Robinson

The Tale of Little Pig Robinson

1990Fleecy Flock
Movie
Dirty Beasts

Dirty Beasts

8.01990Narrator
Movie
Revolting Rhymes

Revolting Rhymes

8.01990Narrator
Movie
Screen One

Screen One

7.21989H.M.Q.
TV
Beyond The Pale

Beyond The Pale

7.01989Milly
Movie
A Chorus of Disapproval

A Chorus of Disapproval

5.41989Hannah Ap Llewellyn
Movie
Bosses From Hell

Bosses From Hell

1989
Movie
Communicators From Hell

Communicators From Hell

1989
Movie
Thompson

Thompson

5.01988
TV
Natural Causes

Natural Causes

8.01988Celia Bryce
Movie
Consuming Passions

Consuming Passions

8.31988Ethel
Movie