Welcome, Prunella Scales,
to this fabulous DVD.
Now the first question is,
how were you chosen for the part of Sybil?
And what were your first impressions of the part?
I really don't know.
I think John Howard-Davies suggested me.
And I went along to see John in his flat,
and he was in bed with flu,
and I was sort of shown into the room.
He said is there anything you want to ask me about the script?
And I said, "Well, yeah. Why did they ever get married?"
And he sort of put a pillow over his head and said,
"Oh God, I was afraid you were going to ask that."
And he couldn't tell me.
But, of course, we talked about it.
I think it was probably-- may have been-- my idea
that she should be a bit less posh than him.
Because we couldn't see otherwise
what would have
attracted them to each other.
I think I had a sort of vision
of her family being in catering on the South Coast, you know?
And her working behind a bar somewhere,
He being demobbed from his national service,
and getting his gratuity, you know?
And going in for a drink,
and there's quite obviously
a barmaid behind the bar,
and she fancies him because he was so posh.
And they sort of thought
they'd get married and run a hotel together.
It was all a bit romantic and idealistic.
And the grim reality then caught up with them--
that was the thought.
Did you do much research for the role?
Was Sybil based on any characters
you knew in your own life?
Not any one specific person, no.
I think all the things you do...
you use certain bits from,
probably, singularly inappropriate people
that you've met during your life,
and it blends into one.
There was a woman who ran a hotel...
that my parents stayed in once.
She used to lean over the chair and say,
"Do you find that tasty, Major?"
and I think that was the sort of...
tune in my head, maybe.
Did you get any feedback
about your interpretation of Sybil
from genuine hoteliers?
Everybody I've ever met in the hotel business
loves it.
But I think that is very much due to the writing.
I think they're extremely meticulous people,
John and Connie.
It was very, very, very well researched.
And written with great passion
from deep anger,
about 12 aspects
of hotel management.
And once they had written
an episode on each one of those...
angers, they'd expiated their wrath
and didn't need to do any more.
Of course, they were under appalling pressure
to do a longer series,
but they, I think, very laudably,
stuck out against that.
Have you ever felt the high profile of "Fawlty Towers"
has overshadowed the achievements
of your subsequent career in any way?
Oh, I hope not.
I think in this business, it's extremely lucky
to be associated with a successful television series,
because it does mean
people take the giant step off the pavement
into the building to see what you're gonna do next.
It means that...
you can, up to a point,
choose your parts in the live theatre,
and also-- or even in television again,
and that if people have enjoyed you in one thing,
and it's been successful
and it's got the figures,
management are quite keen to employ you as well.
It does broaden your choice.
Has starring in the show ever impinged
on your personal life in any way?
No. Not at all. Not at all.
I'm not a bit like her.
I think the media was extremely disappointed
to find that I'm not.
But, sorry, you know, I'm not.
How did you enjoy working with the other members
of the "Fawlty Towers" cast?
I adored them all. It was a magnificent cast.
Absolutely wonderful right the way through.
I can't say it was a--
idyllically happy time, because it was such hard work,
you didn't have time to think whether you were happy or not.
It was just a question of getting the lines learned
by Wednesday morning,
and rehearsing your knickers off
until we actually recorded it on Sunday night.
Very, very, very, hard graft--
the formula, anyway, in this country.
I think in America they have at least two weeks
for a half hour episode,
and in this country we only get a week,
even in the most successful BBC product.
Certainly John was extremely rigorous,
and he used every second of that limited time.
And was quite cross on the Wednesday morning,
if you didn't know it perfectly. Quite rightly, too.
There was some sexual chemistry between you
and Nicky Henson, the leather trouser wearing man
in "The Psychiatrist".
May I ask,
the sign on the chain
by the Egyptian fertility symbol,
what is that?
It's... Greek astrological sign.
Oh, it's beautiful.
Where did you get it?
Um... Colchester, I think.
Colchester?
Oh, hello, can I speak to John Lawson, please?
Oh, all right, I'll hold on.
What about the sexual chemistry between me and Nicky Henson?
The sexual chemistry between me and Nicky Henson
is sort of normal, friendly,
loving, actor relationship.
Yes, I think Sybil--
the character, Sybil,
was certainly...
vulnerable to...
and a bit pushed for sexual fulfilment,
in view of the neurosis of her husband.
I don't think she ever would've seduced a guest.
Probably too professional for that,
'cause I'm sure she was born in the business.
Do you have any particular memories of working
alongside of the old ladies? Gilly Flower and Renee Roberts?
Did you know that there's a psychiatrist staying?
Yes, yes, I did.
Has he come for the Major?
- What? - Has he come for the Major?
- No. - Oh, good.
We were rather worried.
I'm sure they have them in Birmingham, too.
God bless them. They're no longer with us.
But they were just wonderful, highly professional,
absolute darlings, you know?
Just good old pros.
They were magnificent, yes. Lovely.
How do you feel "Fawlty Towers"
fits in with sitcom history?
Do you think it was one of those shows
that pushes the boundaries of the genre?
Or do you think it was more in the traditional mould?
It seems to have made it, doesn't it?
Because it's just won
the most popular sitcom of all time.
The thing that I'm really proud of in it,
is that it hasn't got slow, because usually,
when you see...
sitcoms made 10 or 15
or even 20 years ago,
they may be charming and amusing,
but the pace usually seems terribly slow.
And I'm very proud to say
that that is neither true of "Marriage Lines",
which I did with Richard Briers many years before we did--
we did "Fawlty Towers", or of "Fawlty Towers".
I think they're still quite fast, both of them.
But then, John is a highly original person.
I think, probably, it is a classic,
in the real sense of the word,
that it has something to say to people.
It still has something to say to people.
I hope still will,
many years hence.