Actress
Prunella Scales
22 June 1932† 27 October 2025 (aged 93) Sutton Abinger, Surrey, England, UK
- Movies
- 64
- Shows
- 41
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
- 2025
- 2014
- 50 Years of BBC Two Comedy · Film
- Sub Rosa · Film · Madame
- Great Canal Journeys · Series
- 2013
- The Phone Call · Film · Joan
- 2012
- Run For Your Wife · Film · Woman in Pub
- 2011
- Horrid Henry: The Movie · Film · Great Aunt Greta
- 2009
- Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened · Film · Sybil Fawlty
- 2007
- The Shell Seekers · Film · Dolly Keeling
- Think · Film · Customer
- What the Pythons Did Next... · Film
- 2006
- Mr. Loveday's Little Outing · Film · Lady Moping
- 2005
- Fawlty Towers Revisited · Film
- The Funny Blokes of British Comedy · Film · Sybil Fawlty
- 2004
- Agatha Christie's Marple · Series · Mrs Mackenzie
- 2003
- Looking for Victoria · Series · Victoria
- The Royal · Series · Red Admiral
- 2002
- A Day in the Death of Joe Egg · Film · Grace
- Dickens · Series · Elizabeth Dickens
- 2001
- Station Jim · Film · Queen Victoria
- 2000
- The Ghost of Greville Lodge · Film · Sarah
- 1999
- Mad Cows · Film · Dr. Minny Stinkler
- An Ideal Husband · Film · Lady Markby
- 1998
- Stiff Upper Lips · Film · Aunt Agnes
- 1997
- An Audience with Alf Garnett · Film
- Keeping Mum · Series · Marjorie
- Midsomer Murders · Series · Eleanor Bunsall
- 1996
- Emma · Film · Miss Bates
- Breaking the Code · Film · Sara Turing
- Lord of Misrule · Film · Shirley
- Dennis the Menace and Gnasher · Series · Mrs. Duffel
- Dalziel and Pascoe · Series · Edith Disney
- Silent Witness · Series · Anne Parker
- 1995
- An Awfully Big Adventure · Film · Rose
- Searching · Series · Mrs. Tilston
- The World of Lee Evans · Series · Mother
- Look at the State We're In! · Series · Storyteller
- Signs and Wonders · Series · Elizabeth Palmore
- 1994
- Second Best · Film · Margery
- Wolf · Film · Maude Waggins
- Fair Game · Film · Marjorie
- The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends: The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Mr. Jeremy Fisher · Film · Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle (voice)
- The Rector's Wife · Series · Marjorie Richardson
- 1992
- Freddie As F.R.O.7. · Film · Queen (voice)
- My Friend Walter · Film · Aunt Ellie
- Howards End · Film · Aunt Juley
- 1991
- A Question of Attribution · Film · H.M.Q.
- 1990
- The Tale of Little Pig Robinson · Film · Fleecy Flock
- Dirty Beasts · Film · Narrator
- Revolting Rhymes · Film · Narrator
- 1989
- Beyond The Pale · Film · Milly
- A Chorus of Disapproval · Film · Hannah Ap Llewellyn
- Bosses From Hell · Film
- Communicators From Hell · Film
- Screen One · Series · H.M.Q.
- 1988
- Natural Causes · Film · Celia Bryce
- Consuming Passions · Film · Ethel
- Thompson · Series
- After Henry · Series · Sarah France
- 1987
- When We Are Married · Film · Annie Parker
- The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne · Film · Moira O'Neill
- What the Butler Saw · Film · Mrs Prentice
- 1986
- Home Cooking · Film · Judith
- Unnatural Causes · Series · Judith
- Casualty · Series · Jocelyn Anderson
- ScreenPlay · Series · Milly
- 1985
- Absurd Person Singular · Film · Marion Brewster-Wright
- Theatre Night · Series · Mrs. Prentice
- Mapp & Lucia · Series · Miss Elizabeth Mapp
- 1984
- Slimming Down · Film · Mrs. Shrigley
- Weekend Playhouse · Series · Olive Dodd
- 1983
- The Wicked Lady · Film · Lady Kingsclere
- Singles · Film · Gail
- 1982
- The Merry Wives of Windsor · Film · Mistress Page
- Outside Edge · Film · Miriam
- S.W.A.L.K. · Series · Patti
- 1981
- Bergerac · Series · Gloria Gibbins
- Never the Twain · Series · Susan Peel
- 1978
- Doris and Doreen · Film · Doris Rutter
- The Boys from Brazil · Film · Mrs. Harrington
- The Hound of the Baskervilles · Film · Glynis
- The BBC Television Shakespeare · Series · Mistress Page
- Pickersgill People · Series · Mavis Blackhead
- 1977
- The Achurch Letters · Film · Florence Farr
- Target · Series · Diana Blake
- Mr Big · Series · Dolly
- 1976
- The Littlest Horse Thieves · Film · Mrs. Sandman
- 1975
- The Apple Cart · Film · Queen Jemima
- Fawlty Towers · Series · Sybil Fawlty
- 1974
- Playhouse · Series · Florence Farr
- 1973
- The Ring of Truth · Film · Babs Pickard
- Seven of One · Series · Marion Joyce
- 1972
- Country Matters · Series · Babs Pickard
- 1971
- Film '72 · Series
- 1965
- BBC Play of the Month · Series · Queen Jemima
- Thirty-Minute Theatre · Series · Marie
- 1962
- Waltz of the Toreadors · Film · Estella Fitzjohn
- 1961
- Faces of Jim · Series · Laura Morrell
- Marriage Lines · Series · Kate Starling
- 1958
- Room at the Top · Film · Council Office Worker
- 1954
- The Crowded Day · Film · Customer
- What Every Woman Wants · Film · Mary
- Hobson's Choice · Film · Vicky Hobson
- 1953
- Laxdale Hall · Film · Morag McLeod
- 1952
- Pride and Prejudice · Series · Lydia Bennet