Fawlty Towers (1 Viewer)

[Harrytheheid]

Not a military or historic TV series so I'll post this here.
I'm certain sure all the other UK collectors will agree that one of the very best sit-reps on British TV over the last 35 years just has to have been Fawlty Towers.
Starring John Cleese as disaster prone hotel owner Basil Fawlty, Connie Booth (Cleese's real-life wife at the time) as the put-upon housemaid Polly, Prunella Scales as his wife Sybil, Andrew Sachs as the inept Spanish waiter Manuel (a comedy creation of genius) and some guy who's name I can't recall as The Major.
The interplay between all the characters is laugh a minute stuff. The DVD series is readily available on Amazon and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Brit humour at its very best.

Cheers
h

 

[eborris]

Gee, I thought the name of that show was farty towels? As I remember they always messed with the spelling on the sign.

 

[Rob]

Gee, I thought the name of that show was farty towels? As I remember they always messed with the spelling on the sign.

Thats true!

Fawlty Towers,Dads Army,Blackadder-three of the very best imho.

Rob

 

[Harrytheheid]

Gee, I thought the name of that show was farty towels? As I remember they always messed with the spelling on the sign.

Thats right. Owley Farts was another one.

 

[eborris]

That was a great show though, always like John Cleese.

 

[Harrytheheid]

That was a great show though, always like John Cleese.

Yeah, he was outstanding in "A Fish Called Wanda" as well.
Cheers
H

 

[PolarBear]

Que?

Mrs. Richards: Que si what?

My family and I never tire of these we have them on both vhs and dvd and we have the 2 books on the show. Also have an autographed picture of John Cleese as Fawlty and a Corgi collectible of Basil beating his car with a tree branch.
Randy see below

 

[Harrytheheid]

Que?

Mrs. Richards: Que si what?

My family and I never tire of these we have them on both vhs and dvd and we have the 2 books on the show. Also have an autographed picture of John Cleese as Fawlty and a Corgi collectible of Basil beating his car with a tree branch.
Randy see below

That's right Randy. What prompted this post in the first place was I watched the episode with Mrs Richards last night (again), and I was curious as to how many of you guys on the other side of the pond were aware of just how brilliant Fawlty Towers actualy was. No matter how many times I watch the show, I always end up in complete knots.
Mrs Richards "No need to shout, I'm not deaf you know".
PS. I love the Corgi collectable - Classic....!!!!
Cheers
H

 

[binder001]

Fortuinately for those of us on the western side of the Atlantic PBS had run this series several times over the years. My wife and I enjoyed them so much that we bought a set of the DVDs when they came out. A truly delightful show. Cleese was excellent, but so was the whole cast, a fine ensemble.

Over the years, our local PBS has run "Are You Being Served" a number of times and I still enjoy watching this older show. Some British sitcoms just strike a chord with the US audience. I was also a big "Avengers" fan back in my youth.

Gary

 

[Shannon Reuss]

Fawlty Towers is definitely my very favorite British comedy--I only wish they had made more episodes. It does get rerun a lot on public television here but not usually at an opportune time. You can find a lot of episodes on youtube if you don't mind getting them in 8 minute segments.
The episode with the moosehead is one of my favorites.

Sybil: Turn down that racket.
Basil: Racket? That's Brahms! Brahms Third Racket!

Randy--Awesome FT collectible! I had no idea there even was such a thing.

 

[eborris]

I used to watch it in the late 70's when it was on public television here in Chicago, it was followed immediately by Monty Pythons Flying Circus. I beleive if my then drug induced memory serves me correctly it was shown on Sunday nights.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I also enjoyed Fawlty Towers . . . anything with John Cleese is genius. Oh, and Binder, not only do I have several seasons of the Avengers on Video, I have a photo of Emma Peel tucked in my desk drawer. I knew I was a heterosexual at age three - the first time I saw the opening credits and Mrs. Peel tossed her hair back over her shoulder as she turned to the camera, I just thought the heck with toy cars, I have to get me one of those!

 

[Harrytheheid]

I also enjoyed Fawlty Towers . . . anything with John Cleese is genius. Oh, and Binder, not only do I have several seasons of the Avengers on Video, I have a photo of Emma Peel tucked in my desk drawer. I knew I was a heterosexual at age three - the first time I saw the opening credits and Mrs. Peel tossed her hair back over her shoulder as she turned to the camera, I just thought the heck with toy cars, I have to get me one of those!

Emma Peel....yum yum. What a shame the lovely Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg DBE was killed off in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service".

http://www.mindspring.com/~jglane/riggbio.htm

But wasn't Joan Lummly her replacement? Yes, the same also rather lovely Joan Lummly who played Pattsy Stone to perfection in Absolutely Fabulous.

Cheers
H

 

[Currahee Chris]

Nothing "Faulty" about those towers Harry!!!

This show is just another example of why British TV (and music) is LIGHT YEARS ahead of us in the States (My own opinion here guys). British humor is just so witty that you sometimes have to watch it 2-3 times to truly appreciate the humor and the creativity of it all. American comedy on the other hand is more about "Shock and awe" (or Shock and Suck!) it capitalizes on the shock value of saying a well placed profanity or showing some kind of ridiculous scene that is mildly humorous. The entire show is leading the watcher to that one moment when everything will be funny whereas Britcoms just keep delivering punchline after punchline after punchline.

As much as I hate to admit I am selling us out here, give me John Cleese, Red Skelton or any other of a long list of British comedians, a stereo with loud, obnoxious British Heavy Metal, a strong pint of Guinessess and a plate of Fish and Chips and I am set for the day.

CHEERS MATES!!!
CC

 

[Harrytheheid]

Nothing "Faulty" about those towers Harry!!!

This show is just another example of why British TV (and music) is LIGHT YEARS ahead of us in the States (My own opinion here guys). British humor is just so witty that you sometimes have to watch it 2-3 times to truly appreciate the humor and the creativity of it all. American comedy on the other hand is more about "Shock and awe" (or Shock and Suck!) it capitalizes on the shock value of saying a well placed profanity or showing some kind of ridiculous scene that is mildly humorous. The entire show is leading the watcher to that one moment when everything will be funny whereas Britcoms just keep delivering punchline after punchline after punchline.

As much as I hate to admit I am selling us out here, give me John Cleese, Red Skelton or any other of a long list of British comedians, a stereo with loud, obnoxious British Heavy Metal, a strong pint of Guinessess and a plate of Fish and Chips and I am set for the day.

CHEERS MATES!!!
CC

Cummon now Chris, there have been some hilareous US sitcomes such as........ummmmm.......
Only kiddin'
Cheers was pretty good.
Henri-La-Tete

 

[panda1gen]

I also enjoyed Fawlty Towers . . . anything with John Cleese is genius. Oh, and Binder, not only do I have several seasons of the Avengers on Video, I have a photo of Emma Peel tucked in my desk drawer. I knew I was a heterosexual at age three - the first time I saw the opening credits and Mrs. Peel tossed her hair back over her shoulder as she turned to the camera, I just thought the heck with toy cars, I have to get me one of those!

LOL - and then there were two extras!

 

[panda1gen]

Nothing "Faulty" about those towers Harry!!!

This show is just another example of why British TV (and music) is LIGHT YEARS ahead of us in the States (My own opinion here guys). British humor is just so witty that you sometimes have to watch it 2-3 times to truly appreciate the humor and the creativity of it all. American comedy on the other hand is more about "Shock and awe" (or Shock and Suck!) it capitalizes on the shock value of saying a well placed profanity or showing some kind of ridiculous scene that is mildly humorous. The entire show is leading the watcher to that one moment when everything will be funny whereas Britcoms just keep delivering punchline after punchline after punchline.

As much as I hate to admit I am selling us out here, give me John Cleese, Red Skelton or any other of a long list of British comedians, a stereo with loud, obnoxious British Heavy Metal, a strong pint of Guinessess and a plate of Fish and Chips and I am set for the day.

CHEERS MATES!!!
CC

Chris, we would be honoured to disillusion you anytime soon. It rains, you can't park, the Chancellors middle name is (there are children on the forum). We only laugh to hide the tears........mind you I know some good beer flat, hoppy, slightly warm, but by golly it does you good.

BTW - which metal? One of my favs is the old and original AC/DC - oz's finest

 

[panda1gen]

Cummon now Chris, there have been some hilareous US sitcomes such as........ummmmm.......
Only kiddin'
Cheers was pretty good.
Henri-La-Tete

C'mon Harry, don't forget