Prunella Scales

Acting • 1932-06-22 • Sutton Abinger, Surrey, England, UK

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

8.3

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Filmography

2025
The Cancellation Of Fawlty TowersFilm
2014
Great Canal JourneysTV
Self • 34 episodes
★ 8.8
2014
50 Years of BBC Two ComedyFilm
Self
★ 8.0
2014
Sub RosaFilm
Madame
★ 5.0
2013
The Phone CallFilm
Joan
★ 7.3
2012
Run For Your WifeFilm
Woman in Pub
★ 4.4
2011
Horrid Henry: The MovieFilm
Great Aunt Greta
★ 5.2
2009
Fawlty Towers: Re-OpenedFilm
Self / Sybil Fawlty
★ 8.4
2007
The Shell SeekersFilm
Dolly Keeling
★ 6.9
2007
What the Pythons Did Next...Film
Self
2007
ThinkFilm
Customer
2006
Mr. Loveday's Little OutingFilm
Lady Moping
2005
Fawlty Towers RevisitedFilm
Herself
★ 8.0
2005
The Funny Blokes of British ComedyFilm
Sybil Fawlty (archive footage) (uncredited)
★ 6.5
2004
Agatha Christie's MarpleTV
Mrs Mackenzie • 1 episodes
★ 7.9
2003
The RoyalTV
Red Admiral • 1 episodes
★ 7.8
2003
Looking for VictoriaTV
Self / Victoria • 2 episodes
2002
DickensTV
Elizabeth Dickens • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
2002
A Day in the Death of Joe EggFilm
Grace
2001
Station JimFilm
Queen Victoria
★ 7.5
2000
The Ghost of Greville LodgeFilm
Sarah
★ 7.0
1999
Loose WomenTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 3.4
1999
An Ideal HusbandFilm
Lady Markby
★ 6.5
1999
Mad CowsFilm
Dr. Minny Stinkler
★ 4.4
1998
Stiff Upper LipsFilm
Aunt Agnes
★ 5.6
1997
Midsomer MurdersTV
Eleanor Bunsall • 1 episodes
★ 7.5
1997
Keeping MumTV
Marjorie • 1 episodes
1997
An Audience with Alf GarnettFilm
1996
Silent WitnessTV
Anne Parker • 2 episodes
★ 7.6
1996
EmmaFilm
Miss Bates
★ 6.6
1996
Dalziel and PascoeTV
Edith Disney • 1 episodes
★ 6.4
1996
Dennis the Menace and GnasherTV
Mrs. Duffel • 1 episodes
★ 6.3
1996
Breaking the CodeFilm
Sara Turing
★ 5.6
1996
Lord of MisruleFilm
Shirley
★ 9.0
1995
An Awfully Big AdventureFilm
Rose
★ 6.5
1995
The World of Lee EvansTV
Mother • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1995
Signs and WondersTV
Elizabeth Palmore • 4 episodes
★ 7.0
1995
Look at the State We're In!TV
Storyteller • 1 episodes
1995
SearchingTV
Mrs. Tilston • 7 episodes
1994
WolfFilm
Maude Waggins
★ 6.1
1994
Second BestFilm
Margery
★ 6.7
1994
Fair GameFilm
Marjorie
★ 5.0
1994
The Rector's WifeTV
Marjorie Richardson • 3 episodes
★ 9.0
1994
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends: The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Mr. Jeremy FisherFilm
Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle (voice)
1992
Howards EndFilm
Aunt Juley
★ 7.0
1992
Freddie As F.R.O.7.Film
Queen (voice)
★ 5.2
1992
My Friend WalterFilm
Aunt Ellie
★ 7.0
1991
A Question of AttributionFilm
H.M.Q.
★ 6.8
1990
Dirty BeastsFilm
Narrator
★ 8.0
1990
Revolting RhymesFilm
Narrator
★ 8.0
1990
The Tale of Little Pig RobinsonFilm
Fleecy Flock
1989
A Chorus of DisapprovalFilm
Hannah Ap Llewellyn
★ 5.4
1989
Screen OneTV
H.M.Q. • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
1989
Beyond The PaleFilm
Milly
★ 7.0
1989
Bosses From HellFilm
1989
Communicators From HellFilm
1988
After HenryTV
Sarah France • 38 episodes
★ 6.7
1988
Consuming PassionsFilm
Ethel
★ 8.3
1988
Natural CausesFilm
Celia Bryce
★ 8.0
1988
ThompsonTV
★ 5.0
1987
The Lonely Passion of Judith HearneFilm
Moira O'Neill
★ 6.6
1987
When We Are MarriedFilm
Annie Parker
★ 7.0
1987
What the Butler SawFilm
Mrs Prentice
★ 3.0
1986
CasualtyTV
Jocelyn Anderson • 1 episodes
★ 6.2
1986
ScreenPlayTV
Milly • 1 episodes
★ 6.0
1986
Unnatural CausesTV
Judith • 1 episodes
★ 6.3
1986
Home CookingFilm
Judith
1985
Mapp & LuciaTV
Miss Elizabeth Mapp • 10 episodes
★ 6.2
1985
Absurd Person SingularFilm
Marion Brewster-Wright
★ 8.3
1985
Theatre NightTV
Mrs. Prentice • 1 episodes
1984
Weekend PlayhouseTV
Olive Dodd • 1 episodes
1984
Slimming DownFilm
Mrs. Shrigley
1983
The Wicked LadyFilm
Lady Kingsclere
★ 4.9
1983
SinglesFilm
Gail
★ 6.0
1982
The Merry Wives of WindsorFilm
Mistress Page
★ 8.0
1982
Outside EdgeFilm
Miriam
★ 8.0
1982
S.W.A.L.K.TV
Patti • 6 episodes
★ 0.5
1981
BergeracTV
Gloria Gibbins • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1981
Never the TwainTV
Susan Peel • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1978
The Boys from BrazilFilm
Mrs. Harrington
★ 6.7
1978
The Hound of the BaskervillesFilm
Glynis
★ 4.4
1978
The BBC Television ShakespeareTV
Mistress Page • 1 episodes
★ 6.0
1978
An Audience with...TV
Self • 2 episodes
★ 5.3
1978
Doris and DoreenFilm
Doris Rutter
★ 6.5
1978
Pickersgill PeopleTV
Mavis Blackhead • 1 episodes
1977
TargetTV
Diana Blake • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1977
Mr BigTV
Dolly • 13 episodes
★ 7.0
1977
The Achurch LettersFilm
Florence Farr
1976
The Littlest Horse ThievesFilm
Mrs. Sandman
★ 6.9
1975
Fawlty TowersTV
Sybil Fawlty • 12 episodes
★ 8.3
1975
The Apple CartFilm
Queen Jemima
1974
PlayhouseTV
Florence Farr • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1973
Seven of OneTV
Marion Joyce • 1 episodes
★ 7.3
1973
The Ring of TruthFilm
Babs Pickard
1972
Country MattersTV
Babs Pickard • 1 episodes
★ 4.6
1971
Film '72TV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 5.1
1965
BBC Play of the MonthTV
Queen Jemima • 1 episodes
★ 5.2
1965
Thirty-Minute TheatreTV
Marie • 1 episodes
★ 4.2
1962
Waltz of the ToreadorsFilm
Estella Fitzjohn
★ 5.0
1961
Marriage LinesTV
Kate Starling • 43 episodes
★ 7.0
1961
Faces of JimTV
Laura Morrell • 1 episodes
1958
Room at the TopFilm
Council Office Worker (uncredited)
★ 6.9
1954
Hobson's ChoiceFilm
Vicky Hobson
★ 7.4
1954
The Crowded DayFilm
Customer
★ 5.8
1954
What Every Woman WantsFilm
Mary
★ 6.6
1953
Laxdale HallFilm
Morag McLeod
★ 7.0
1952
Pride and PrejudiceTV
Lydia Bennet • 4 episodes
★ 9.0

Known For

Fawlty Towers

Howards End

Hobson's Choice

The Phone Call

Second Best

An Awfully Big Adventure

Fan Club

From Nerdspin

Filmography