Prunella Scales
Known for acting · Born 22 June 1932 · Died 27 October 2025 · aged 93 · Sutton Abinger, Surrey, England, UK
106 credits
Prunella Margaret Rumney West Scales CBE (née Illingworth; 22 June 1932) was 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.
Known for
Fawlty Towers
1975
After Henry
1988
Marriage Lines
1961
Great Canal Journeys
2014
Hobson's Choice
1954
A Chorus of Disapproval
1989
The Phone Call
2013
Howards End
1992
An Awfully Big Adventure
1995
Second Best
1994
Stiff Upper Lips
1998
Mr. Big
Mr. Big
1977
Acting (106)
2025The Cancellation Of Fawlty TowersFilm
2014Great Canal JourneysSelf · 34 episodesSeries
2014Sub RosaMadameFilm
201450 Years of BBC Two ComedySelfFilm
2013The Phone CallJoanFilm
2012Run For Your WifeWoman in PubFilm
2011Horrid Henry: The MovieGreat Aunt GretaFilm
2009Fawlty Towers: Re-OpenedSelf / Sybil FawltyFilm
2007The Shell SeekersDolly KeelingFilm
2007What the Pythons Did Next...SelfFilm
2007ThinkCustomerFilm
2006Mr. Loveday's Little OutingLady MopingFilm
2005Fawlty Towers RevisitedHerselfFilm
2005The Funny Blokes of British ComedySybil Fawlty (archive footage) (uncredited)Film
2004Agatha Christie's MarpleMrs MackenzieSeries
2003The RoyalRed AdmiralSeries
2003Looking for VictoriaSelf / Victoria · 2 episodesSeries
2002DickensElizabeth DickensSeries
2002A Day in the Death of Joe EggGraceFilm
2001Station JimQueen VictoriaFilm
2000The Ghost of Greville LodgeSarahFilm
1999Loose WomenSelfSeries
1999Mad CowsDr. Minny StinklerFilm
1999An Ideal HusbandLady MarkbyFilm
1998Stiff Upper LipsAunt AgnesFilm
1997Midsomer MurdersEleanor BunsallSeries
1997An Audience with Alf GarnettFilm
1997Keeping MumMarjorieSeries
1996EmmaMiss BatesFilm
1996Silent WitnessAnne Parker · 2 episodesSeries
1996Dalziel and PascoeEdith DisneySeries
1996Dennis the Menace and GnasherMrs. DuffelSeries
1996Breaking the CodeSara TuringFilm
1996Lord of MisruleShirleyFilm
1995An Awfully Big AdventureRoseFilm
1995The World of Lee EvansMotherSeries
1995Signs and WondersElizabeth Palmore · 4 episodesSeries
1995Look at the State We're In!StorytellerSeries
1994WolfMaude WagginsFilm
1994Second BestMargeryFilm
1994Fair GameMarjorieFilm
1994The Rector's WifeMarjorie Richardson · 4 episodesSeries
1994The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends: The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Mr. Jeremy FisherMrs. Tiggy-Winkle (voice)Film
1992Howards EndAunt JuleyFilm
1992Freddie As F.R.O.7.Queen (voice)Film
1992My Friend WalterAunt EllieFilm
1991A Question of AttributionH.M.Q.Film
1990Dirty BeastsNarratorFilm
1990Revolting RhymesNarratorFilm
1990The Tale of Little Pig RobinsonFleecy FlockFilm
1989A Chorus of DisapprovalHannah Ap LlewellynFilm
1989Screen OneH.M.Q.Series
1989Beyond The PaleMillyFilm
1989Bosses From HellFilm
1989Communicators From HellFilm
1988After HenrySarah France · 38 episodesSeries
1988Consuming PassionsEthelFilm
1988ThompsonSeries
1988Natural CausesCelia BryceFilm
1987The Lonely Passion of Judith HearneMoira O'NeillFilm
1987What the Butler SawMrs PrenticeFilm
1987When We Are MarriedAnnie ParkerFilm
1986CasualtyJocelyn AndersonSeries
1986Unnatural CausesJudithSeries
1986ScreenPlayMillySeries
1986Home CookingJudithFilm
1985Mapp & LuciaMiss Elizabeth Mapp · 10 episodesSeries
1985Absurd Person SingularMarion Brewster-WrightFilm
1985Theatre NightMrs. PrenticeSeries
1984Slimming DownMrs. ShrigleyFilm
1984Weekend PlayhouseOlive DoddSeries
1983The Wicked LadyLady KingsclereFilm
1983SinglesGailFilm
1982The Merry Wives of WindsorMistress PageFilm
1982Outside EdgeMiriamFilm
1982S.W.A.L.K.Patti · 6 episodesSeries
1981BergeracGloria GibbinsSeries
1981Never the TwainSusan PeelSeries
1978The Boys from BrazilMrs. HarringtonFilm
1978The Hound of the BaskervillesGlynisFilm
1978The BBC Television ShakespeareMistress PageSeries
1978An Audience with...Self · 2 episodesSeries
1978Doris and DoreenDoris RutterFilm
1978Pickersgill PeopleMavis BlackheadSeries
1977TargetDiana BlakeSeries
1977Mr. BigDolly · 13 episodesSeries
1977The Achurch LettersFlorence FarrFilm
1976The Littlest Horse ThievesMrs. SandmanFilm
1975Fawlty TowersSybil Fawlty · 12 episodesSeries
1975The Apple CartQueen JemimaFilm
1974PlayhouseFlorence FarrSeries
1973Seven of OneMarion JoyceSeries
1973The Ring of TruthBabs PickardFilm
1972Country MattersBabs PickardSeries
1971Film '72SelfSeries
1965Thirty-Minute TheatreMarieSeries
1965BBC Play of the MonthQueen JemimaSeries
1962Waltz of the ToreadorsEstella FitzjohnFilm
1961Marriage LinesKate Starling · 43 episodesSeries
1961Faces of JimLaura MorrellSeries
1958Room at the TopCouncil Office Worker (uncredited)Film
1954Hobson's ChoiceVicky HobsonFilm
1954The Crowded DayCustomerFilm
1954What Every Woman WantsMaryFilm
1953Laxdale HallMorag McLeodFilm
1952Pride and PrejudiceLydia Bennet · 4 episodesSeries