Prunella Scales
- Born
- June 22, 1932
- Died
- October 27, 2025 (93 years old)
- 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.
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Known for
Filmography
- 2025The Cancellation Of Fawlty TowersFilm
- 201450 Years of BBC Two ComedyFilm · Self
- 2014Sub RosaFilm · Madame
- 2013The Phone CallFilm · Joan★ 7.3
- 2012Run For Your WifeFilm · Woman in Pub
- 2011Horrid Henry: The MovieFilm · Great Aunt Greta★ 5.2
- 2009Fawlty Towers: Re-OpenedFilm · Self / Sybil Fawlty
- 2007The Shell SeekersFilm · Dolly Keeling
- 2007ThinkThinkFilm · Customer
- 2007What the Pythons Did Next...Film · Self
- 2006Mr. Loveday's Little OutingFilm · Lady Moping
- 2005Fawlty Towers RevisitedFilm · Herself
- 2005The Funny Blokes of British ComedyThe Funny Blokes of British ComedyFilm · Sybil Fawlty (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2004Agatha Christie's MarpleSeries · Mrs Mackenzie★ 7.8
- 2003The RoyalSeries · Red Admiral
- 2002DickensSeries · Elizabeth Dickens
- 2002A Day in the Death of Joe EggFilm · Grace
- 2001Station JimFilm · Queen Victoria
- 2000The Ghost of Greville LodgeFilm · Sarah
- 1999Mad CowsFilm · Dr. Minny Stinkler
- 1999An Ideal HusbandFilm · Lady Markby
- 1998Stiff Upper LipsFilm · Aunt Agnes
- 1997Keeping MumSeries · Marjorie
- 1997An Audience with Alf GarnettFilm
- 1997Midsomer MurdersSeries · Eleanor Bunsall★ 7.5
- 1996EmmaFilm · Miss Bates★ 6.6
- 1996Breaking the CodeFilm · Sara Turing
- 1996Lord of MisruleLord of MisruleFilm · Shirley
- 1996Dennis the Menace and GnasherSeries · Mrs. Duffel★ 6.3
- 1996Dalziel and PascoeSeries · Edith Disney★ 6.4
- 1996Silent WitnessSeries · Anne Parker★ 7.6
- 1995The World of Lee EvansSeries · Mother
- 1995Look at the State We're In!Look at the State We're In!Series · Storyteller
- 1995An Awfully Big AdventureFilm · Rose★ 6.5
- 1995Signs and WondersSeries · Elizabeth Palmore
- 1994Second BestFilm · Margery★ 6.7
- 1994WolfFilm · Maude Waggins★ 6.1
- 1994Fair GameFilm · Marjorie
- 1994The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends: The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Mr. Jeremy FisherFilm · Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle (voice)
- 1994The Rector's WifeSeries · Marjorie Richardson
- 1992Freddie As F.R.O.7.Film · Queen (voice)★ 5.2
- 1992My Friend WalterFilm · Aunt Ellie
- 1992Howards EndFilm · Aunt Juley★ 7.0
- 1991A Question of AttributionFilm · H.M.Q.
- 1990The Tale of Little Pig RobinsonFilm · Fleecy Flock
- 1990Dirty BeastsFilm · Narrator
- 1990Revolting RhymesFilm · Narrator
- 1989Screen OneSeries · H.M.Q.
- 1989Beyond The PaleFilm · Milly
- 1989A Chorus of DisapprovalFilm · Hannah Ap Llewellyn★ 5.4
- 1989Bosses From HellFilm
- 1989Communicators From HellFilm
- 1988ThompsonThompsonSeries
- 1988Natural CausesFilm · Celia Bryce
- 1988Consuming PassionsFilm · Ethel
- 1988After HenrySeries · Sarah France
- 1987When We Are MarriedFilm · Annie Parker
- 1987The Lonely Passion of Judith HearneFilm · Moira O'Neill★ 6.6
- 1987What the Butler SawFilm · Mrs Prentice
- 1986Home CookingFilm · Judith
- 1986Unnatural CausesSeries · Judith
- 1986CasualtySeries · Jocelyn Anderson★ 6.2
- 1986ScreenPlaySeries · Milly
- 1985Theatre NightSeries · Mrs. Prentice
- 1985Mapp & LuciaSeries · Miss Elizabeth Mapp
- 1985Absurd Person SingularFilm · Marion Brewster-Wright
- 1984Weekend PlayhouseWeekend PlayhouseSeries · Olive Dodd
- 1984Slimming DownFilm · Mrs. Shrigley
- 1983The Wicked LadyFilm · Lady Kingsclere★ 4.9
- 1983SinglesSinglesFilm · Gail
- 1982The Merry Wives of WindsorFilm · Mistress Page
- 1982Outside EdgeFilm · Miriam
- 1982S.W.A.L.K.S.W.A.L.K.Series · Patti
- 1981BergeracSeries · Gloria Gibbins★ 7.0
- 1981Never the TwainSeries · Susan Peel
- 1978Doris and DoreenFilm · Doris Rutter
- 1978The BBC Television ShakespeareSeries · Mistress Page
- 1978The Boys from BrazilFilm · Mrs. Harrington★ 6.7
- 1978The Hound of the BaskervillesFilm · Glynis★ 4.4
- 1978Pickersgill PeopleSeries · Mavis Blackhead
- 1977TargetSeries · Diana Blake
- 1977The Achurch LettersFilm · Florence Farr
- 1977Mr. BigMr. BigSeries · Dolly
- 1976The Littlest Horse ThievesFilm · Mrs. Sandman
- 1975Fawlty TowersSeries · Sybil Fawlty★ 8.3
- 1975The Apple CartThe Apple CartFilm · Queen Jemima
- 1974PlayhouseSeries · Florence Farr
- 1973Seven of OneSeries · Marion Joyce
- 1973The Ring of TruthThe Ring of TruthFilm · Babs Pickard
- 1972Country MattersSeries · Babs Pickard
- 1965BBC Play of the MonthSeries · Queen Jemima
- 1965Thirty-Minute TheatreSeries · Marie
- 1962Waltz of the ToreadorsFilm · Estella Fitzjohn
- 1961Faces of JimFaces of JimSeries · Laura Morrell
- 1961Marriage LinesSeries · Kate Starling
- 1958Room at the TopFilm · Council Office Worker (uncredited)★ 6.9
- 1954The Crowded DayFilm · Customer
- 1954What Every Woman WantsFilm · Mary
- 1954Hobson's ChoiceFilm · Vicky Hobson★ 7.4
- 1953Laxdale HallLaxdale HallFilm · Morag McLeod
- 1952Pride and PrejudiceSeries · Lydia Bennet
