Fawlty Towers

Basil Fawlty

Sybil Fawlty

Manuel

Polly Sherman

Major Gowen

Miss Agatha Tibbs

Miss Ursula Gatsby

Terry

Sybil's distinctive laugh was based on Connie Booth's.

Basil and Sybil Fawlty were based on Donald and Beatrice Sinclair, genuine hoteliers who ran the Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay where John Cleese stayed whilst filming on location in early May 1970 with the Monty Python team. Mr Sinclair's irascible antics included: berating Terry Gilliam for eating his meals in "too American" a way; throwing Eric Idle's briefcase over a wall because of a "bomb scare" (the scare was that Idle left the briefcase in the reception area); disbelief at Michael Palin asking to pre-book the Gleneagles TV to catch a show; after Graham Chapman requested an omelet made with three eggs, Sinclair brought him an omelet with three fried eggs perched on top. When asked by Cleese to call for a taxi, he argued with Cleese and took his time calling for the cab. Mrs Sinclair later complained that the sit-com had been unfair to her husband, and she described John Cleese as an "utter fool" who had "made millions out of our unhappiness". The Gleneagles Hotel, under new ownership, now runs Fawlty Towers weekends once a month where guests are looked after by actors who play the part of Basil, Sybil and Manuel.

As the series progressed, each episode's opening shot of the Fawlty Towers hotel sign shows rearranged and misplaced letters. Variations include: Watery Fowls (with a kid seen adjusting it), Farty Tower, Flay Otters, Fatty Owls, Warty Towels, Flowery Twats and Farty Towels. Production team-member Iain McLean supplied the hotel sign anagrams supposedly left by aggrieved paperboys.

The floor plan on the second level changes from episode to episode.

When seen from the inside, the pathway leading from the front door veers to the right. However, outside shots reveal the pathway continues straight on after the door.

In some episodes, the boom mic becomes visible and the cameraman corrects this by, among other things, zooming in on the scene.

Basil Fawlty: You'll have to forgive him. He's from Barcelona.

Basil Fawlty: Next contestant, Mrs. Sybil Fawlty from Torquay. Specialist subject - the bleeding obvious.

Basil Fawlty: [to Sybil, while having dinner] Why don't you have another vat of wine, dear?