Prunella Scales
Born
June 22, 1932 (93 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Sutton Abinger, Surrey, England, UK
Prunella Margaret Rumney West Scales CBE (née Illingworth; born 22 June 1932) is 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.
Fawlty Towers: A Very British Comedy
2025
50 Years of BBC Two Comedy
Self
2014
Great Canal Journeys
Self · (34 episodes)
2014
Sub Rosa
Madame
2014
The Phone Call
Joan
2013
Run For Your Wife
Woman in Pub
2012
Horrid Henry: The Movie
Great Aunt Greta
2011
Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened
Self / Sybil Fawlty
2009
The Shell Seekers
Dolly Keeling
2007
What the Pythons Did Next...
Self
2007
Mr. Loveday's Little Outing
Lady Moping
2006
Fawlty Towers Revisited
Herself
2005
Agatha Christie's Marple
Mrs Mackenzie · (1 episode)
2004
The Royal
Red Admiral · (1 episode)
2003
Dickens
(3 episodes)
2002
A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg
Grace
2002
Station Jim
Queen Victoria
2001
The Ghost of Greville Lodge
2000
Mad Cows
Dr. Minny Stinkler
1999
Loose Women
Self · (1 episode)
1999
An Ideal Husband
Lady Markby
1999
Stiff Upper Lips
Aunt Agnes
1998
Keeping Mum
Marjorie · (1 episode)
1997
An Audience with Alf Garnett
1997
Midsomer Murders
Eleanor Bunsall · (1 episode)
1997
Emma
Miss Bates
1996
Breaking the Code
Sara Turing
1996
Lord of Misrule
Shirley
1996
Dennis the Menace and Gnasher
Mrs. Duffel · (1 episode)
1996
Dalziel & Pascoe
(1 episode)
1996
Silent Witness
Anne Parker · (2 episodes)
1996
The World of Lee Evans
Mother · (1 episode)
1995
Look at the State We're In!
Storyteller · (6 episodes)
1995
An Awfully Big Adventure
Rose
1995
Signs and Wonders
Elizabeth Palmore · (4 episodes)
1995
Second Best
Margery
1994
Wolf
Maude Waggins
1994
Fair Game
Marjorie
1994
The Rector's Wife
Marjorie Richardson · (4 episodes)
1994
Freddie as F.R.O.7.
Queen (voice)
1992
My Friend Walter
Aunt Ellie
1992
Howards End
Aunt Juley
1992
A Question of Attribution
H.M.Q.
1991
The Tale of Little Pig Robinson
Fleecy Flock
1990
Dirty Beasts
Narrator
1990
Revolting Rhymes
Narrator
1990
Beyond The Pale
Milly
1989
A Chorus of Disapproval
Hannah Ap Llewellyn
1989
Bosses From Hell
1989
Communicators From Hell
1989
Thompson
(1 episode)
1988
Natural Causes
Celia Bryce
1988
Consuming Passions
Ethel
1988
After Henry
(39 episodes)
1988
When We Are Married
Annie Parker
1987
The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
Moira O'Neill
1987
What the Butler Saw
Mrs Prentice
1987
Home Cooking
Judith
1986
Unnatural Causes
Judith · (1 episode)
1986
Casualty
Jocelyn Anderson · (1 episode)
1986
Theatre Night
Mrs. Prentice · (1 episode)
1985
Mapp & Lucia
(10 episodes)
1985
Absurd Person Singular
Marion Brewster-Wright
1985
Slimming Down
Mrs. Shrigley
1984
The Wicked Lady
Lady Kingsclere
1983
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Mistress Page
1982
Outside Edge
Miriam
1982
Bergerac
Gloria Gibbins · (1 episode)
1981
Never the Twain
Susan Peel · (1 episode)
1981
Doris and Doreen
Doris Rutter
1978
The BBC Television Shakespeare
Mistress Page · (1 episode)
1978
The Boys from Brazil
Mrs. Harrington
1978
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Glynis
1978
An Audience with...
Self · (2 episodes)
1978
Target
(1 episode)
1977
The Achurch Letters
Florence Farr
1977
Lucky Feller
(1 episode)
1976
The Littlest Horse Thieves
Mrs. Sandman
1976
Fawlty Towers
Sybil Fawlty · (12 episodes)
1975
The Apple Cart
Queen Jemima
1975
Playhouse
Florence Farr · (1 episode)
1974
Seven of One
(1 episode)
1973
BBC Play of the Month
Queen Jemima · (1 episode)
1965
Thirty-Minute Theatre
Marie · (1 episode)
1965
Waltz of the Toreadors
Estella Fitzjohn
1962
Marriage Lines
(43 episodes)
1961
Room at the Top
Council Office Worker (uncredited)
1958
What Every Woman Wants
Mary
1954
Hobson's Choice
Vicky Hobson
1954
Laxdale Hall
Morag McLeod
1953
Pride and Prejudice
Lydia Bennet · (6 episodes)
1952