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Prunella Scales

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Prunella Scales

Prunella Margaret Rumney West (née Illingworth; 22 June 1932 – 27 October 2025), known professionally as Prunella Scales, was an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Sybil Fawlty in the BBC television sitcom Fawlty Towers (1975–1979) and her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in Alan Bennett's A Question of Attribution (1991), which earned her a BAFTA nomination. She later appeared in the TV documentary series Great Canal Journeys (2014–2019), travelling waterways in the UK and abroad with her husband, the actor Timothy West.

Infobox

Born
Prunella Margaret Rumney Illingworth(1932-06-22)22 June 1932Sutton Abinger, Surrey, England
Died
27 October 2025(2025-10-27) (aged 93)London, England
Education
mw- Moira House School Old Vic Theatre School
Occupation
Actress
Years active
1952–2019
Television
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Spouse
mw- Timothy West (m. 1963; died 2024)
Children
2, including Samuel West

Tables

· Filmography › Film
1953
Laxdale Hall
Role(s)
Morag McLeod
1954
Hobson's Choice
Role(s)
Vicky Hobson
What Every Woman Wants
Role(s)
Mary
The Crowded Day
Role(s)
Customer
1958
Blind Spot
Role(s)
Petrol pump attendant
Room at the Top
Role(s)
Council office worker
Notes
Uncredited
1962
Waltz of the Toreadors
Role(s)
Estella Fitzjohn
1976
The Littlest Horse Thieves
Role(s)
Mrs. Sandman
1978
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Role(s)
Glynis
The Boys from Brazil
Role(s)
Mrs. Harrington
1983
The Wicked Lady
Role(s)
Lady Kingsclere
1987
The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
Role(s)
Moira O'Neill
1988
Consuming Passions
Role(s)
Ethel
1989
A Chorus of Disapproval
Role(s)
Hannah Ap Llewelyn
1992
Howards End
Role(s)
Aunt Juley
Freddie as F.R.O.7
Role(s)
Queen
Notes
Voice
1994
Wolf
Role(s)
Maude
Second Best
Role(s)
Margery
1995
An Awfully Big Adventure
Role(s)
Rose
1997
Stiff Upper Lips
Role(s)
Aunt Agnes
1999
Mad Cows
Role(s)
Dr. Minnie Stinkler
An Ideal Husband
Role(s)
Lady Markby
2000
The Ghost of Greville Lodge
Role(s)
Sarah
2003
Johnny English
Role(s)
The Queen
Notes
Uncredited
2011
Horrid Henry: The Movie
Role(s)
Great Aunt Greta
2012
Run for Your Wife
Role(s)
Woman at pub
Notes
Cameo
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1953
Laxdale Hall
Morag McLeod
1954
Hobson's Choice
Vicky Hobson
1954
What Every Woman Wants
Mary
1954
The Crowded Day
Customer
1958
Blind Spot
Petrol pump attendant
1958
Room at the Top
Council office worker
Uncredited
1962
Waltz of the Toreadors
Estella Fitzjohn
1976
The Littlest Horse Thieves
Mrs. Sandman
1978
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Glynis
1978
The Boys from Brazil
Mrs. Harrington
1983
The Wicked Lady
Lady Kingsclere
1987
The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
Moira O'Neill
1988
Consuming Passions
Ethel
1989
A Chorus of Disapproval
Hannah Ap Llewelyn
1992
Howards End
Aunt Juley
1992
Freddie as F.R.O.7
Queen
Voice
1994
Wolf
Maude
1994
Second Best
Margery
1995
An Awfully Big Adventure
Rose
1997
Stiff Upper Lips
Aunt Agnes
1999
Mad Cows
Dr. Minnie Stinkler
1999
An Ideal Husband
Lady Markby
2000
The Ghost of Greville Lodge
Sarah
2003
Johnny English
The Queen
Uncredited
2011
Horrid Henry: The Movie
Great Aunt Greta
2012
Run for Your Wife
Woman at pub
Cameo
· External links
Preceded byJonathan Dimbleby
Preceded byJonathan Dimbleby
Non-profit organization positions
Preceded byJonathan Dimbleby
Non-profit organization positions
President of theCampaign to Protect Rural England 1997–2002
Non-profit organization positions
Succeeded bySir Max Hastings
Non-profit organization positions
Preceded byJonathan Dimbleby
President of theCampaign to Protect Rural England 1997–2002
Succeeded bySir Max Hastings

References

  1. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/28/arts/television/prunella-scales-dead.html?smid=nytcore-android-share
  2. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31243/page/3763
  3. The London Gazette
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34965/supplement/5953
  4. Pru and Me- The Amazing Marriage of Prunella Scales and Timothy West, Timothy West, Penguin Books, 2023, ch. 1.
  5. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/jun/30/how-we-made-hobsons-choice-prunella-scales
  6. West, Timothy. Pru and Me - The Amazing Marriage of Prunella Scales and Timothy West. Penguin Books, 2023, ch. 1
  7. filmreference.com
    http://www.filmreference.com/film/72/Prunella-Scales.html
  8. thefreelibrary.com
    http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Image%3A+British+TV+stalwart+Best+%5B...%5D.-a0297856615
  9. Great Canal Journeys, series 8, episode Marne–Rhine Canal, timestamp approx 46:45
  10. Prunella: The Authorised Biography of Prunella Scales
  11. Prunella: The Authorised Biography of Prunella Scales
  12. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2025/10/28/prunella-scales-dead-fawlty-towers/
  13. Prunella: The Authorised Biography of Prunella Scales
  14. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/oct/28/fawlty-towers-actor-prunella-scales-dies-at-the-age-of-93
  15. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyjjkdrje13o
  16. The Scotsman
    https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/film-and-tv/prunella-scales-in-her-own-words-here-are-15-funny-and-touching-quotes-from-the-late-actress-including-on-fawlty-towers-and-john-cleese-5378326
  17. The Hollywood Reporter
    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/prunella-scales-dead-fawlty-towers-actress-was-93-1165597-1236411635/
  18. ABC News
    https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/prunella-scales-played-sybil-british-sitcom-fawlty-towers-126929637
  19. BBC North Yorkshire
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/content/articles/2006/08/15/films_madeinnorthyorkshire_feature.shtml
  20. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjd0yn5gyndo
  21. BFI Screenonline
    http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/527599/index.html
  22. Yahoo News UK
    https://uk.news.yahoo.com/prunella-scales-death-best-roles-fawlty-towers-105701647.html
  23. AudioFile Magazine
    https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/4009/lucias-progress-by-ef-benson-read-by-prunella-scales/
  24. Desert Island Discs
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0093xyx
  25. BBC
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0093xyx
  26. The Telegraph
    https://web.archive.org/web/20220816074251/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2891065/Ad-hoc-Tesco-thinks-again-as-Dotty-takes-her-leave.html
  27. Campaign Live
    https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/tesco-resurrect-dotty-concept-major-christmas-tv-ad-campaign/1367487
  28. BBC America
    http://www.bbcamerica.com/shows//blog/2012/06/happy-80th-birthday-prunella-scales
  29. SPIKE
    http://www.spike.com/video-clips/kph5ki/phoenix
  30. Sight & Sound
    http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/272
  31. BBC Genome
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9882da1c845a4d00ba1b19b6d6b6b3d1
  32. Park Circus
    https://parkcircus.fr/film/113832-The-Ghost-of-Greville-Lodge
  33. Ian Partridge
    http://www.ianpartridge.co.uk/victoria.html
  34. The Independent
    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/prunella-scales-timothy-west-elizabeth-ii-john-cleese-british-b2853594.html
  35. The Telegraph
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/10/28/prunella-scales-dies-aged-93/
  36. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/feb/03/bridget-turner
  37. Wireless Theatre Company
    http://www.wirelesstheatrecompany.co.uk/product/the-youth-of-old-age/
  38. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2009/sep/07/nancy-banks-smith-tv-review
  39. "Scales joins Carrie's War in West End"
    https://officiallondontheatre.com/news/scales-joins-carries-war-in-west-end-104621/
  40. "Postcard from London: Pipsqueaking at 'Peter Pan'"
    https://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/postcard-from-london-pipsqueaking-at-peter-pan/
  41. Dandruff Hits The Turtleneck Audiobook
    http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Dandruff-Hits-The-Turtleneck-Audiobook/B004LNS5H2
  42. Strangerdangershort.co.uk
    https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070643/http://www.strangerdangershort.co.uk/?page_id=2
  43. Cabin Pressure
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01q8qqc
  44. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/nov/07/great-canal-journeys-prunella-scales-timothy-west
  45. The Telegraph
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2018/10/07/great-canal-journeys-series-9-episode-1-review-emotional-unrooted/
  46. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/oct/21/great-canal-journeys-timothy-west-prunella-scales-narrowboat
  47. The Times
    https://www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/prunella-scales-obituary-death-p86dqmgcq
  48. Prunella: The Authorised Biography of Prunella Scales
  49. P&O Cruises
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080505125104/http://www.pocruises.com/pocruising/learnmore-artemis-ship-statistics.aspx
  50. The Lace Market Theatre
    https://lacemarkettheatre.co.uk/LaceMarketTheatre.dll/UserDefined?PageName=0&SubPageName=4
  51. BeyondAutism
    https://www.beyondautism.org.uk/pdf/Dec%20BA%20newsletter.pdf
  52. Prunella:The Authorised Biography of Prunella Scales
  53. Alzheimer’s Society
    https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/timothy-west-wife-pru-dementia-diagnosis
  54. The Times
    https://www.thetimes.com/uk/media/article/prunella-scales-dies-dead-fawlty-towers-787bnm7gr
  55. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67415387
  56. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/oct/21/great-canal-journeys-timothy-west-prunella-scales-narrowboat
  57. RTÉ
    https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2025/1028/1540921-tributes-paid-to-gifted-human-being-prunella-scales/
  58. CNN
    https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/28/entertainment/prunella-scales-fawlty-towers-actress-dies-intl-scli
  59. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/oct/28/prunella-scales-obituary
  60. The Daily Telegraph
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/8663417/Celebrity-Gardeners-Prunella-Scales-garden.html
  61. BAFTA
    https://www.bafta.org/awards/television/?award-year=1992
  62. Official London Theatre
    https://officiallondontheatre.com/olivier-awards/winners/olivier-winners-1980/
  63. Official London Theatre
    https://officiallondontheatre.com/olivier-awards/winners/olivier-winners-1989-1990/
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