Did You Know?

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.

The recording of the final episode ("Basil the Rat") was postponed due to a BBC strike, and so was not broadcast until October 1979, six months after the rest of the series.

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.

Andrew Sachs (Manuel) was paid damages by the BBC after a jacket was treated with acid by the special effects department to look as if it was on fire. It really did burn through to his skin and he still bears the scars.

The production team spent nearly an hour editing each minute of every program, spending up to 25 hours on each show.

Martin Scorsese has said he is a great fan of Fawlty Towers.

The role of Sybil was initially offered to Bridget Turner, who passed on it because she didn't feel it was right for her.

Production team-member Iain McLean supplied the hotel sign anagrams supposedly left by aggrieved paperboys.

Cleese advised Brian Hall to play second series chef Terry as if he was being sought by the police for an unspecified crime.

John Cleese says in his DVD commentary that Prunella Scales was so unlike the character she played, the harpy Sybil Fawlty, that they had trouble getting the tenderhearted Scales to hit Basil or any other character who incurred Sybil's displeasure hard enough to make it look realistic and were constantly having to do retakes of her scenes.