An unmatched mixture of simple stories, physical comedy, hysterical outbreaks, brilliant dialogues, recurrent gags and timeless jokes and lines. "The Germans" might be the best comedy episode ever - anyone who saw it remembers it.
And we forget how much plot there is in that Ep. with classic lines. We remeber the Germans, but there's the Moose, the hospital visit, the doctor, the matron...
@@regpither3392 "the crummiest, shoddiest, most badly run hotel in Western Europe!" Mr Hamilton, the American guest in "Waldorf Salad," giving Basil his Trip Advisor review. 😅
Back in Poland in late 80's/early 90's (& in my teenage) all my Family used to seat on sofa, on every single Sunday to watch "Fawlty Towers". So much laugh & joy! I just loved it! & still love it these days!👍🏻🤣❤️
i have always wondered why as an 8 year old watching this with my mum and dad i found it hilarious, now from 8 years of age on i know why ,, never has a series been written like this anywhere in the whole wide world,,, they copied and copied but could never match it...john and connie i salute you both,,, you will never be equalled.
@@johnkennethwiseman5460 They try to copy British humour but they can't manage it. Wrong culture. Still stuck on slapstick. Apart from South Park, I can't find anything to laugh at in US comedy. It simply isn't funny.
My brother was stationed in England in the early 80s and introduced Fawlty Towers in '84, so incredibly hilarious & it never gets old after all the years.
Amazing that in all these comments the brilliant Prunella Scales is given short shrift. John and Connie were tremendous, no doubt about it, but Prunella Scales was the real linchpin of the show. Without an actor like her, the series would not nearly reach the perfection it did, but rather would be erratic. She was the perfect foil for Cleese’s Basil, keeping him somewhat connected to reality and providing the voice of reason, even though she had her own peccadilloes that revealed her imperfections. It was a wonderful performance and made the series even funnier.
Just watched this doco on a rainy day in Auckland lockdown. I feel a whole lot better. I laughed and cried so much and had to pause and rewind so often because I missed pieces while laughing. Oh so funny. Timeless, no matter how often I watch.
I am spanish and could forget never the first time I watched to Faulty Tower ! I can't stop for laughing 😂 . It was the very best Program for me ! In the past times I could watch at the serie here in Spain but not now, unfortunately!! Congratulations for all the actors and for so nice english nice humour!!!!! I love it !!
Dear Anthony Monaghan, I couldn't agree more 👍! I think I still remember EVERY LINE in every episode of Fawlty Towers. It was the BEST BRITISH comedy 🤣 of all time. And there are quite a few people who behave just like Sinclair, the man who inspired the character of Basil Fawlty. People who work in shops and hotels who just HATE other people, and have no interest in helping anyone. LOL 😅 😅 😅!!! I remember going into a bookshop about 10 years ago on Christmas Eve and the woman who owned the place was so gratuitously rude. It was hilarious 😂, I chose some books, but it was obvious that this woman wanted to close the store. She was already getting stuck into the champagne, and I ended up apologising repeatedly to her, despite having done nothing to offend her!! My mother, who was with me at the time, said:"You don't have to keep saying sorry." At which point, the drunk but not merry owner said:"Right, that's it! Get out of my shop!" It was the most bizarre, funny 🤣 and insane encounter I've ever had with another human being! 😆😅🤣🤣🤣 Love from Amanda in Melbourne, Australia ❤️
As of right now for the past 3 days i have been re-watching this show over and over, both seasons. I cannot say how loved this show is to me for its comedy, clever antics and well written show it holds to me. I wish it had decades of shows, i cannot get enough of it. What a legend Cleese was, and still is. What a sad day it will be when he passes away. We will lose a creative legend that is irreplaceable :(
And how ironic that @1:40 John holds a letter from the BBC saying it was a horrible proposal for a show. It reminds me of the producers who tried to remove the song "Over the Rainbow" from the Wizard of Oz, or the producers of Looney Toons who tried to cancel the Oscar-winning episode "What's Opera, Doc?" since they said nobody wants to watch Bugs Bunny doing an opera.
J'ai découvert Fawlty Towers il y a un 1 an sur youtube, j'ai écouté plusieurs fois tous les épisodes et même si je parle peux l'anglais, que je ne comprends pas toujours l'accent britanique et encore moins leurs blagues ... c'est, pour moi, LE feuilleton le plus hilarant que j'ai vu à ce jour. (bien sur, à force d'écouter, je comprends maintenant leur blagues et accent ;) ). Bravo !
Glad it translates, shame we don’t seem to bother to translate other comedy’s that aren’t in English? Sure we miss out on an awful lot? 😂😂😂is so important for everyone where ever your from ✊♥️
How blessed we were to be born during this Amazing historical period in TV. Flowery Twats, pure class. One can stick your CGI and 4K 3D TV, booms un Bangs, because you just cannot beat great Actors, Great writers and amazing Memories created by these real heros of our time. How blessed we have been xx
British humour was always the best .. and this was brilliant in every way .. John Cleese put it over the top with his manic style .. and we are so lucky that all these people came together to enhance the lives of millions of people around the world .. Thank you for your talent and dedication .. We love you
I know all the brilliant dialogues by heart. I can't even imagine you could watch the series in other language than English. Great humour ! My favorite episode is the one with Mr Hutchinson (Bernard Cribbins) - excellent dialogue lines. Love them ! Also, loved the Australian lady - for obvious reasons ! No political correctness as today ! Wow.. May this comedy series entertain people for ever ! Especially now, during the times of general quarantine. Hugs and kisses for everyone from Warsaw, Poland !
"Obvious reasons - two of them! Mrs. Peignoir was pretty good, too! But I suppose the best line was Sybil's "If you're going to grope a girl, have the good manners to be in the same room with her."
The Blonde woman that plays the part of the Young Australian woman, has one of the worst Australian accents ever attempted. It's worse than Richard Gere's French accent in The Jackal and that was atrocious. At least Fawlty Towers was a comedy, a bad attempt at an accent is funny.
I met Andrew Sachs once whilst I was shopping in town, my daughter had just watched faulty towers weeks before and she wanted to say hello. He was so sweet, he had a full conversation with her about his childhood and how he and my daughter had both come from foreign countries as children and had to learn English. He was in no rush at all, and told her how the spoon really did hurt. A very sweet man.
Amen.✌. Just Pray that 1 day a whole new secret series magically appears that was kept back or lost in the Fawlty Towers vaults etc. Same with 'The Young Ones', but as for this sure some scenes have different dialogue or it's delivered in another form to them original 12 that continue to adore after watching for last 40 yrs. Know 'em off by Heart & NEVER TIRE 👏😍🔥
David Kelly was only 46 at the time. I thought he looked quite a bit older. People often mis-stated their ages in the "pre google days". He died in 2012, ostensibly at the age of 82. I thought he was a fine actor and had a very varied acting range. When he died, there was just a little two or three line insert in the newspaper. I thought he deserved a lot more.
I'm German-Canadian; and not only did I grow up with Britcoms such as Fawlty Towers, On The Buses, Are You Being Served, Some Mothers Do Have 'em, etc... , but my lifelong best friend's family was British. The dark, British humour was coded into my psyche; and my father lived it, too. There's something unique and intellectual about that type of humour. It appeals to so many levels. Its absolutely brilliant!
@@rodneyadderton1077 it wont be Gold if Cleese tries to revive it. There was talk of re making a new one, but not set in England. These things worked then, not now...
Brilliant. Fawlty Towers, Blackadder, The Office (UK) and Alan Partridge will never be beaten. I still use phrases from all of them in daily conversations.
This comedy is at the top of the tree. You can watch it over and over, what happens is you laugh before the gag because you know it's coming. Watch these episodes in a group who feel the same way is dangerous, you may not stop laughing for ages and may well do yourself an injury, The pain would be well worth taking though.. It deserves all the plaudits it gets.
One of the best programmes of its generation. Wonderful characters, great situations and lots of memorable moments. It's hard to overestimate what a fixture this was on our screens back then. 25 years since it ended, Fawlty Towers still retains its inimitable charm with the British public and stands as one of the jewels in the BBC's comedy crown. Thank you John, Connie, Prunella and Andrew for so much pleasure ❤ 😊
I was 11 years old and had broken my leg. I couldn't sleep , so , my dad stayed up practically every night with me watching tv. Like everyone else at the time , we had 3 stations to choose from. One particularly bad night soon after I got out of the hospital , my dad put this new show on. It was called Fawlty Towers. I laughed so hard for the 30 minutes that it was on that I completely forgot about my leg. I think that was the night I became an anglophile lol..or was well on my way to becoming one. Thank you for uploading this , I loved to see and hear about what went into making this series :)
Check yourself in to a cozy institution where you can be gently weaned off the nastier bits of this python . I know you can do it (actually I don't know what you are capable of doing). Manic depression is no laughing matter. Get a grip on yourself. John Cleese indeed ! No animals were killed during the making of this film. Cleese is still porting around his impressive midriff gut and I have to go--not Google's doing. It's that Clarkson--never met a nicer guy......or did I? Thanks to Sqtuck.
This show has made me laugh since I first watched it. I was a Paramedic first responder at the Pentagon on 9/11 and was forced to retire with PTSD in 2008. I was still battling with depression in 2020, and my doctor asked me what was the funniest thing I ever saw. I replied, “Fawlty Towers, of course…”. So one of my prescriptions was to watch episodes on YT starting in November of 2020. 😊 And man, has it helped me start to laugh again! Thanks to the cast, and to the UA-camrs that provided them! - J. ‘Doc’ Lykins, Paramedic (Ret.)
Such a priceless series. Only 12 episodes but so funny. I loved the signs. My favorite was the one with the lady who was hard of hearing. The cast, SUPERB!!
Wonderful tribute to the comic genius of the writers and actors. Have watched these dozens of times and never stop laughing. British humour at its best!
Fawlty Towers, Blackadder, Not The Nine O'Clock News, Smith and Jones, Mr. Bean... I am Norwegian, and I find English humour of this quality, to be unmatched, timeless, amazing and just downright bloody hysterical giving me a laughing fit every time I see them. Nuff said!
I was watching some bit on Blackadder and the creators of the show said that they chose to do a historical sitcom because Fawlty Towers had ruined regular sitcoms forever. It could never be improved upon.
I was about 6 years old and sat watching Fawlty Towers with my Dad. As the episode started, he began laughing like a drain. Me, in my innocence, turned to him and said: "Dad? .......What's a twat?" In the 42 years since, I've never heard him laugh like that again. We still mention it now and then and chuckle... it's become a bit of family history. Many thanks for uploading this!
I always find that "Polly" brightens up any scene she's in. Watching the episodes out of order on UA-cam I had no idea that "A Touch of Class" was the first aired episode and her first performance as the character. In fact they all seem so solid it's like it's the 7th or 8th episode!
I haven't watched this particular UA-cam clip, though I know the show well. Coming across your comment brought a big smile and outright laugh as I recalled that scene which I haven't seen in a couple of years. Guess I'm going to have to get my dvd's of the show into action once more.
I find myself still spouting lines at the oddest times. Amazing the impact this show had. Although I would have liked more episodes I am glad they only did as many as they did. Those 12 episodes were perfection. So many shows drag on when they should have ended much before while the writing was still fresh. John and Connie got it exactly right.
I am Australian, I loved growing up with this series on tv. I have the entire series on dvd. 12 episodes, excellent comedy. British comedy is 100% better than the US, including currant Australian comedy.
It's a strange thing with us Aussies, most of us have a really good sense of humour and naturally quite witty, but it rarely translates well onto tv etc. Most of our comedies are just not that funny, in varying degrees.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the english audio tour of the Barcelona Maritime Museum is narrated by Andrew Sachs. A testiment to his performance and the universal appeal of the show.
I agree...have always loved this show (who doesn't!) but never seen this documentary till tonight ! Thankfully John and some other cast members are still alive. So sad to hear that Prunella is suffering from dementia (for some years now I've heard) and my heart goes out to her and her spouse Timothy West. They both discuss the condition very earnestly and movingly in their wonderful "travelogue" series traversing the great canals & waterways of the UK and Europe recently. A must see series in itself that I strongly recommend !
Coming from a German family I can't say the German episode is my favourite because I love every episode in the series the German episode when he did the German military march made me jealous as true to your word on this documentary the German episode wasn't offensive at all faulty towers Will always be timeless classic John Cleese is comedy royalty thanks to everyone who starred in this series well done ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐👍👍👍👍👍
You never knew what the sign in the front of the hotel would be , one show it was Fawlty Twats , an that was just the beginning of the show , I also as many of you have seen each of these show many times an would be ready to watch them now . Sheer brilliance in the writing from start to finish, at times watching movies regarding WW2 some of the lines come to mind from yhe show n the GERMANS .
For my 50th birthday my wife booked us into the hotel where John Cleese got the idea for Fawlty towers it was a Fawlty towers weekend and I have got to say the best weekend any one could have never laughed so much in my life.
Some of the guest performances were close to perfection. Joan Sanderson as Mrs Richards, David Kelly as O'Reilly, Bernard Cribbins as Mr Hutchinson. Even Geoffrey Palmer, whose role as Dr Price was barely more than a thumbnail, leaves an indelible impression. Curt and irascible, except for a few seconds of contentment (at 46:45) in the hotel kitchen, cooking his own sausages.
@@maggieray222 Haha! I've only seen a few episodes of Jean and "Lahnl". It's a funny word to say, sausages, and even funnier when Geoffrey Palmer says it.
Classics, have on tape just about every episode. Used to sit with my mum and enjoy her laughing which lighten up the episode with the tower going up then down, subtle but not. The laid back times with family, that have all passed on. Happy memories. Thank you for sharing this. We all need such a good laugh in those and these days.
I said the same about the Blackadder series. Back in 2002 I used to binge watch all four series' back to back, and then back to back again. As much as I still love that series, these days I struggle to watch two episodes in a row now.
I am French and a big fan of the Monthy python like many of my generation. Fawlty towers is a classic and absolutely hilarious. That is why we love English people. Their sense of humor is unequalled!
Thank you Stephane for your kind words. We love coming to France to visit my relations who live between Pontivy and Loudiac. Beautiful country, and greetings from Cornwall.
@@exb.r.buckeyeman845 I sailed to Cornwall and to the Scilly islands in my youth. Absolutely stunning places. Very similar in many ways to Brittany in France. I am from further south down the coast in Vendee, just north of La Rochelle a town which has a rich history with the Protestants and the English. In my village the traditional "coiffe" that women wore to protect them from the sun is called a "Quichenotte" which is believed to derive from the English: "Kiss me not" as it covers the head and the cheeks. People from both sides of the channel have more in common than they realise. Cheers! The only time I despise the English is when they beat us at Twickenham or at the stade de France :):):)
@@stephaneproux6225 Thank you mon amie. Sailing off Cornwall in good weather must be amazing, but as you well know, the weather can change in an instant, and then you could be in trouble. We are hoping to travel again to Brittany soon when things get easier, we can’t wait to visit your wonderful culture and country in the near future. Keep smiling 😊
John Cleese is probably the best 'Writer/ Comedian' that has ever lived. He was brilliant in 'I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again', 'Monti-Python's Flying Circus', 'Fawlty Towers'. His comic genius knows no bounds.
The two funniest sitcoms, (in my humble opinion)of television are the Honeymooners an Fawlty Towers. Both had lovable but flawed characters. Both dealt reasonably with prejudice, bigotry and misjudgment. I knew a wonderful, lovable and wise old man, similar in ways to Major, who hated those of Japanese origin! “How could you be near such a terrible man?”, others have scolded me! “Because despite spending most of ww2 being tortured in a Japanese internment camp, he’s kind and respectful of all he meets.” Explained I. I think John Cleese understands this.
A iconic and brilliant comedy series. In a strange way I'm sort of glad they didn't make any more. The 12 programs that were made are even more valuable to the history of British Comedy.
12 is too few. Even the Honeymooners had 39. They could have easily gone to 24 episodes if they had really wanted to. Don't kid yourself. They were talented writers.
47:24 Andrew Sachs as Manuel shifting around the table sideways whilst being pursued by an imperious English doctor is, for me, one of the funniest most realistic observations I think ive ever seen !! Just brilliant !!
Great documentary, thank you for sharing! I love how they brought everyone back together for interviews, including Connie Booth, Carol Cleveland and other less interviewed people!
It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen those 12 episodes I’ll always watch one. If there had been 50 episodes we would all still be in laughter comas.
Like all performing arts, success depends on some kind of synchronicity. In the case Of Fawlty Towers, really inspired writing, and the one of a kind performance of Cleese. And very glad to see Prunella Scales get some kudos here. That character was brilliantly done. What a great documentary.
I live in the U.S and I think this show is the funniest I have ever seen. I have bought the entire series because I loved the show so much. The lady with the hearing aid was a scream and the man who died during the night and Basil thought it was because of a bad kipper. This is what comedy should be. OMG the German episode had me in tears it was so funny.
Coupling, Yess! I especially loved the Best Friend's Bottom, which the fellow playing Steve actually got to see, although the camera didn't! Poor Jeff!
By the way, I adore 5-year-old "Karen" in "Outnumbered", played by Ramona Marquez. It is reported that she learned her character and the plot, and delivered her lines as the plot demanded, rather than from a script! I particularly like the difficult questions she 'innocently' asks a clergyman.
Brilliantly written with a great cast !!! The episode I liked the best was Manuels pet rat. The sign for the name of the hotel was changed each episode and on one episode it read "Flowery Tw@'ts" John Gleese is a genius lmao
I moved from Texas to Ayr Scotland in 1975 as a 15 yo. I watched it from the start. HILARIOUS. The major wore a Royal Artillery regimental tie. My dad had been an officer in the Royal Artillery. So he was in heaven. BEST episodes: The Germans & the car swatting.
... Forty-four years on and it's still one of the funniest comedy series I've ever had the pleasure of watching!.. 'Heee put Basssil in tha ratatouille'... (Laugh Out [Very] Loud)
This show was one of those greats that just never gets old. Oh happy days.
I watch these 12 episodes over and over again! They never get old!!!
I hope to watch all episodes thanks utube 😊
Same. Round and round over and over since I was 6 years old till now (I’m nearly 40)
An unmatched mixture of simple stories, physical comedy, hysterical outbreaks, brilliant dialogues, recurrent gags and timeless jokes and lines.
"The Germans" might be the best comedy episode ever - anyone who saw it remembers it.
And we forget how much plot there is in that Ep. with classic lines. We remeber the Germans, but there's the Moose, the hospital visit, the doctor, the matron...
@@TheDavidfallon No, i did NOT. Sybil with her toe + Basil rubbing his hands over the doctors "it might be quite painful".
@@TheDavidfallon Also the fire drill..
@@regpither3392 "the crummiest, shoddiest, most badly run hotel in Western Europe!" Mr Hamilton, the American guest in "Waldorf Salad," giving Basil his Trip Advisor review. 😅
Back in Poland in late 80's/early 90's (& in my teenage) all my Family used to seat on sofa, on every single Sunday to watch "Fawlty Towers". So much laugh & joy! I just loved it! & still love it these days!👍🏻🤣❤️
i have always wondered why as an 8 year old watching this with my mum and dad i found it hilarious, now from 8 years of age on i know why ,, never has a series been written like this anywhere in the whole wide world,,, they copied and copied but could never match it...john and connie i salute you both,,, you will never be equalled.
David gemmill I agree I watched this when I was a teenager now I’m in my sixties and still watch all the repeats and still laugh my head off.
9
There has been a few american imitations or remakes. However they did not meet the standards of this gem
Only fools is as good
@@johnkennethwiseman5460 They try to copy British humour but they can't manage it. Wrong culture. Still stuck on slapstick. Apart from South Park, I can't find anything to laugh at in US comedy. It simply isn't funny.
My brother was stationed in England in the early 80s and introduced Fawlty Towers in '84, so incredibly hilarious & it never gets old after all the years.
One of the best sitcoms on tv, I've been watching these since I was a small child -- it still puts me in stitches. Thank you so much!!
" No it isn't"
Amazing that in all these comments the brilliant Prunella Scales is given short shrift. John and Connie were tremendous, no doubt about it, but Prunella Scales was the real linchpin of the show. Without an actor like her, the series would not nearly reach the perfection it did, but rather would be erratic. She was the perfect foil for Cleese’s Basil, keeping him somewhat connected to reality and providing the voice of reason, even though she had her own peccadilloes that revealed her imperfections. It was a wonderful performance and made the series even funnier.
Every comedy needs a straight man to play off of and Connie was it.
Edward Garea 'Actress'.
@@shirleymental4189 Actresses now usually call themselves 'actors'.
In a nasal voice, "I KNOohhhhw".
100% agree
Just watched this doco on a rainy day in Auckland lockdown. I feel a whole lot better. I laughed and cried so much and had to pause and rewind so often because I missed pieces while laughing. Oh so funny. Timeless, no matter how often I watch.
Welcome to the Club
Don't let them control you. God bless Australia!!
Stay free. Our thoughts and hearts are with you from overseas xx
Glad you enjoyed it Glenn, greetings from Cornwall.
ua-cam.com/video/rvoCg-8S2gs/v-deo.html
I am spanish and could forget never the first time I watched to Faulty Tower ! I can't stop for laughing 😂 . It was the very best Program for me ! In the past times I could watch at the serie here in Spain but not now, unfortunately!! Congratulations for all the actors and for so nice english nice humour!!!!! I love it !!
Four absolutely brilliant performers, wonderful scripts, and excellent guests. The greatest comedy series EVER!
Connie Booth was and still is a beautiful woman!
I fell for her as a boy watching Fawlty Towers.
today you get to see the ravages of plastic surgery
...ditto! ♥♥
The same is true of Carol Cleveland, (From Python). Both, Hot then, Too much surgery now.
Ah those sweet first loves. Never forgotton.
I bet her legs still look good!
Absolutely brilliant. Easily one of the greatest, if not the greatest sitcom in television history. 12 episodes of sheer joy.
11. 'The anniversary' wasn't that good in my opinion.
Genius sitcom on a global scale!
Dear Anthony Monaghan, I couldn't agree more 👍! I think I still remember EVERY LINE in every episode of Fawlty Towers. It was the BEST BRITISH comedy 🤣 of all time. And there are quite a few people who behave just like Sinclair, the man who inspired the character of Basil Fawlty. People who work in shops and hotels who just HATE other people, and have no interest in helping anyone. LOL 😅 😅 😅!!! I remember going into a bookshop about 10 years ago on Christmas Eve and the woman who owned the place was so gratuitously rude. It was hilarious 😂, I chose some books, but it was obvious that this woman wanted to close the store. She was already getting stuck into the champagne, and I ended up apologising repeatedly to her, despite having done nothing to offend her!! My mother, who was with me at the time, said:"You don't have to keep saying sorry." At which point, the drunk but not merry owner said:"Right, that's it! Get out of my shop!" It was the most bizarre, funny 🤣 and insane encounter I've ever had with another human being! 😆😅🤣🤣🤣 Love from Amanda in Melbourne, Australia ❤️
@@23rdjune That one makes me cringe and I rarely watch it. I think their judgment failed them that time. But the other 11 are pure gold.
I have watched pretty much all British sitcoms. I wouldn't say it's really the best. Too much screaming and very predictable comedy. Cringe at times.
As of right now for the past 3 days i have been re-watching this show over and over, both seasons. I cannot say how loved this show is to me for its comedy, clever antics and well written show it holds to me. I wish it had decades of shows, i cannot get enough of it. What a legend Cleese was, and still is. What a sad day it will be when he passes away. We will lose a creative legend that is irreplaceable :(
Couldn't of said it better myself
This will always be one of the most funniest comedies ever,it can still make you laugh after you have watched it a dozen times.
And how ironic that @1:40 John holds a letter from the BBC saying it was a horrible proposal for a show. It reminds me of the producers who tried to remove the song "Over the Rainbow" from the Wizard of Oz, or the producers of Looney Toons who tried to cancel the Oscar-winning episode "What's Opera, Doc?" since they said nobody wants to watch Bugs Bunny doing an opera.
J'ai découvert Fawlty Towers il y a un 1 an sur youtube, j'ai écouté plusieurs fois tous les épisodes et même si je parle peux l'anglais, que je ne comprends pas toujours l'accent britanique et encore moins leurs blagues ... c'est, pour moi, LE feuilleton le plus hilarant que j'ai vu à ce jour. (bien sur, à force d'écouter, je comprends maintenant leur blagues et accent ;) ). Bravo !
Glad it translates, shame we don’t seem to bother to translate other comedy’s that aren’t in English?
Sure we miss out on an awful lot?
😂😂😂is so important for everyone where ever your from ✊♥️
How blessed we were to be born during this Amazing historical period in TV. Flowery Twats, pure class. One can stick your CGI and 4K 3D TV, booms un Bangs, because you just cannot beat great Actors, Great writers and amazing Memories created by these real heros of our time. How blessed we have been xx
British humour was always the best .. and this was brilliant in every way .. John Cleese put it over the top with his manic style .. and we are so lucky that all these people came together to enhance the lives of millions of people around the world .. Thank you for your talent and dedication .. We love you
I know all the brilliant dialogues by heart. I can't even imagine you could watch the series in other language than English. Great humour ! My favorite episode is the one with Mr Hutchinson (Bernard Cribbins) - excellent dialogue lines. Love them ! Also, loved the Australian lady - for obvious reasons ! No political correctness as today ! Wow.. May this comedy series entertain people for ever ! Especially now, during the times of general quarantine. Hugs and kisses for everyone from Warsaw, Poland !
"Obvious reasons - two of them! Mrs. Peignoir was pretty good, too!
But I suppose the best line was Sybil's "If you're going to grope a girl, have the good manners to be in the same room with her."
The Blonde woman that plays the part of the Young Australian woman, has one of the worst Australian accents ever attempted.
It's worse than Richard Gere's French accent in The Jackal and that was atrocious.
At least Fawlty Towers was a comedy, a bad attempt at an accent is funny.
@@albertrogers2506 One of the funniest lines I ever heard: "Have to sew em back on first."
absoslutely compelled to recite "... Uno, dos, tres ..." with Manuel.
I met Andrew Sachs once whilst I was shopping in town, my daughter had just watched faulty towers weeks before and she wanted to say hello. He was so sweet, he had a full conversation with her about his childhood and how he and my daughter had both come from foreign countries as children and had to learn English. He was in no rush at all, and told her how the spoon really did hurt. A very sweet man.
From Germany! Sachs a giveaway of course.
7
@@bhall5802 yeah 7
@@bhall5802 agree
That just sums up the cast, no lovies at all✊♥️
Absolutely brilliant twelve episodes, thank you John and Connie !
4.16 - Is like the 'BARRYMORE AND THE SWIMMING POOL' scene.
.,jjkkl
@@mogadon7 my go to
Amen.✌. Just Pray that 1 day a whole new secret series magically appears that was kept back or lost in the Fawlty Towers vaults etc. Same with 'The Young Ones', but as for this sure some scenes have different dialogue or it's delivered in another form to them original 12 that continue to adore after watching for last 40 yrs. Know 'em off by Heart & NEVER TIRE 👏😍🔥
David Kelly was only 46 at the time. I thought he looked quite a bit older. People often mis-stated their ages in the "pre google days". He died in 2012, ostensibly at the age of 82. I thought he was a fine actor and had a very varied acting range. When he died, there was just a little two or three line insert in the newspaper. I thought he deserved a lot more.
Waking Ned brilliant and warmhearting actor RIP
@@albionmyl7735 hear! Hear! I'm in full agreement!
im 62 and he was never off tv back in the day,seen him in some classic plays also,and a great irish show called strumpet city,its worth a watch
He was Father Jack in Father Ted the channel 4 comedy show.
no he wasn't
@@clioflano421
I'm German-Canadian; and not only did I grow up with Britcoms such as Fawlty Towers, On The Buses, Are You Being Served, Some Mothers Do Have 'em, etc... , but my lifelong best friend's family was British. The dark, British humour was coded into my psyche; and my father lived it, too.
There's something unique and intellectual about that type of humour. It appeals to so many levels. Its absolutely brilliant!
There is not much intelligence left in Britain since the seventies.
It's the only comedy show I can watch over and over again and still laugh even though I know what's coming next.
It is television gold.
I agree👌
@@rodneyadderton1077 it wont be Gold if Cleese tries to revive it. There was talk of re making a new one, but not set in England. These things worked then, not now...
what about Bottom?
Brilliant. Fawlty Towers, Blackadder, The Office (UK) and Alan Partridge will never be beaten. I still use phrases from all of them in daily conversations.
Excellent choices. But what about Only Fools and Horses?
Did the US (as often with European film) make their own copy of the office...despite it being in English?
45 years of medicinal joy, thank you all so very, very much, greetings, wished there had been more of these produced, pure gold.
I love them all! The actors are all brilliant.
This comedy is at the top of the tree.
You can watch it over and over, what happens is you laugh before the gag because you know it's coming.
Watch these episodes in a group who feel the same way is dangerous, you may not stop laughing for ages and may well do yourself an injury,
The pain would be well worth taking though..
It deserves all the plaudits it gets.
One of the best programmes of its generation. Wonderful characters, great situations and lots of memorable moments. It's hard to overestimate what a fixture this was on our screens back then. 25 years since it ended, Fawlty Towers still retains its inimitable charm with the British public and stands as one of the jewels in the BBC's comedy crown. Thank you John, Connie, Prunella and Andrew for so much pleasure ❤ 😊
45 years?
Best show ever! Nothing else comes close. Genius!!!! Love, love, love it to bits.
I was 11 years old and had broken my leg. I couldn't sleep , so , my dad stayed up practically every night with me watching tv. Like everyone else at the time , we had 3 stations to choose from. One particularly bad night soon after I got out of the hospital , my dad put this new show on. It was called Fawlty Towers. I laughed so hard for the 30 minutes that it was on that I completely forgot about my leg. I think that was the night I became an anglophile lol..or was well on my way to becoming one.
Thank you for uploading this , I loved to see and hear about what went into making this series :)
what a very sweet story :D
How is your leg now?🦴🦿
What a good dad you had. I wish my dad did anything with me
Great comment Serene! Hope you still like our humour today!
What a great and wonderful story!!! We need more Dads like yours today!
I regularly go back to watching this show. And it is just as brilliant every time. And every time I get just as sad when it's over.
Check yourself in to a cozy institution where you can be gently weaned off the nastier bits of this python . I know you can do it (actually I don't know what you are capable of doing). Manic depression is no laughing matter. Get a grip on yourself. John Cleese indeed !
No animals were killed during the making of this film. Cleese is still porting around his impressive midriff gut and I have to go--not Google's doing. It's that Clarkson--never met a nicer guy......or did I?
Thanks to Sqtuck.
Nearly very year I just have to take it out and watch it again.
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
This show has made me laugh since I first watched it. I was a Paramedic first responder at the Pentagon on 9/11 and was forced to retire with PTSD in 2008. I was still battling with depression in 2020, and my doctor asked me what was the funniest thing I ever saw. I replied, “Fawlty Towers, of course…”. So one of my prescriptions was to watch episodes on YT starting in November of 2020. 😊 And man, has it helped me start to laugh again! Thanks to the cast, and to the UA-camrs that provided them! - J. ‘Doc’ Lykins, Paramedic (Ret.)
...thank you for your service...
Timeless. Faulty Towers will still be hilarious in 100 years.
My father in law and I have watched this series.....I can't even count the times. Best sitcom of all times and I will fight you if you disagree.
I never get tired of repeated viewings of Fawlty Towers. It's always joy to see something so well done.
Such a priceless series. Only 12 episodes but so funny. I loved the signs. My favorite was the one with the lady who was hard of hearing. The cast, SUPERB!!
favourite
Wonderful tribute to the comic genius of the writers and actors. Have watched these dozens of times and never stop laughing. British humour at its best!
Fawlty Towers, Blackadder, Not The Nine O'Clock News, Smith and Jones, Mr. Bean... I am Norwegian, and I find English humour of this quality, to be unmatched, timeless, amazing and just downright bloody hysterical giving me a laughing fit every time I see them. Nuff said!
I'd add Porridge and Yes Minister / Yes Prime Minister to that list.
I was watching some bit on Blackadder and the creators of the show said that they chose to do a historical sitcom because Fawlty Towers had ruined regular sitcoms forever. It could never be improved upon.
Same here but i am from Sweden
Ha en fin dag 🌞
Watch Mind Your Language, it's amazing.
Hammern28
Norwegian you say ?
Have you seen the Norwegian blue who is pining for the Fjords? 😂
I was about 6 years old and sat watching Fawlty Towers with my Dad. As the episode started, he began laughing like a drain. Me, in my innocence, turned to him and said: "Dad? .......What's a twat?"
In the 42 years since, I've never heard him laugh like that again. We still mention it now and then and chuckle... it's become a bit of family history.
Many thanks for uploading this!
It can also mean idiot or maybe a**hole, so not necessarily a vulgar term for a body part
@@jondoglegs7124 aye man....and for those who don't class English as their mother tongue, it can also mean 'to hit something or someone' ;)
I always find that "Polly" brightens up any scene she's in. Watching the episodes out of order on UA-cam I had no idea that "A Touch of Class" was the first aired episode and her first performance as the character. In fact they all seem so solid it's like it's the 7th or 8th episode!
What a great era for British Comedy Fawlty Towers, Keeping Up Appearances, Benny Hill etc.....!
Anyone , who's car wouldn't start wanted to do that, always one of my favorite scenes. The whole series was great.
I haven't watched this particular UA-cam clip, though I know the show well. Coming across your comment brought a big smile and outright laugh as I recalled that scene which I haven't seen in a couple of years. Guess I'm going to have to get my dvd's of the show into action once more.
Love this show and all the British sitcoms 😁
Wish all a very nice day ✨🌞
I’m from New Orleans, Louisiana and I definitely see the genius in Fawlty Towers.
I’m 50% Welsh so maybe that’s it.
No it’s just Comedy Genius
WELCH? Where do they come from? Welchland?😂😂😂
effyleven WELSH
Steven J I apologize Steven J
@@effyleven He said Welsh.
I loved this show. Everyone was a masterpiece!
A person of discernment, pleased to meet you ! X
Nothing has ever equaled Fawlty Towers for sheer comedic genius. People will be watching and laughing at this show long into the future.
I find myself still spouting lines at the oddest times. Amazing the impact this show had. Although I would have liked more episodes I am glad they only did as many as they did. Those 12 episodes were perfection. So many shows drag on when they should have ended much before while the writing was still fresh. John and Connie got it exactly right.
I love Polly.
We'll never know if their hunch was right or whether they would have produced something even more amazing.
It was apparently carefully crafted, and by plan. They had material they wanted to cover, and they covered it.
I absolutely loved this show Still hilarious even after so many years loved all the characters especially John Cleese
One of the Few commodies, that I can wan watch over & Over again, and still Love and have questions! This is of the BEST!
I am Australian, I loved growing up with this series on tv. I have the entire series on dvd. 12 episodes, excellent comedy. British comedy is 100% better than the US, including currant Australian comedy.
I'm American and I agree
It's a strange thing with us Aussies, most of us have a really good sense of humour and naturally quite witty, but it rarely translates well onto tv etc.
Most of our comedies are just not that funny, in varying degrees.
Great stuff. I believe my brother has that set. I have The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin \m/
we cant do comedies any more tho, the far left are taking over
@@2112res ah yes reginald perrin very good comedy, my favourites john cleese's fawlty towers and richard aspland's wet fish van, great writing
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the english audio tour of the Barcelona Maritime Museum is narrated by Andrew Sachs. A testiment to his performance and the universal appeal of the show.
Is it narrated as Manuel or as Andrew Sachs?
This is the most amazing, wonderful, curiously odd thing I've heard today.
This show gave my family and I so much joy ! IM 49 , still laughing !
Brilliant revisit of this 1st class comedy series and wonderful seeing all the characters and interviews......thanks heaps for sharing!!!
*unmatched, timeless, amazing and just downright bloody hysterical* - what he said. Thank you both!
Great comedy is truly timeless as the same joy it provokes is available now, just as it was then!
Without Faulty Towers life would not have been so good.
Fantastic resource, so glad they made this while everyone was still alive and well.
I agree...have always loved this show (who doesn't!) but never seen this documentary till tonight ! Thankfully John and some other cast members are still alive. So sad to hear that Prunella is suffering from dementia (for some years now I've heard) and my heart goes out to her and her spouse Timothy West. They both discuss the condition very earnestly and movingly in their wonderful "travelogue" series traversing the great canals & waterways of the UK and Europe recently. A must see series in itself that I strongly recommend !
Watched this and all 12 episodes of FT - what great medicine for locked-down Britain. Highly recommended to anybody worldwide.
I watched all 12 episodes of FT and surprisingly, it was really good.
Coming from a German family I can't say the German episode is my favourite because I love every episode in the series the German episode when he did the German military march made me jealous as true to your word on this documentary the German episode wasn't offensive at all faulty towers Will always be timeless classic John Cleese is comedy royalty thanks to everyone who starred in this series well done ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐👍👍👍👍👍
Flowery Twats ! Still makes me laugh 43 years later
You never knew what the sign in the front of the hotel would be , one show it was Fawlty Twats , an that was just the beginning of the show , I also as many of you have seen each of these show many times an would be ready to watch them now . Sheer brilliance in the writing from start to finish, at times watching movies regarding WW2 some of the lines come to mind from yhe show n the GERMANS .
Watery Fowls
I think Farty Owls was another one.
@David Marin
I think you mean "FLOWERY TWATS" it was an anagram.
petrol for under a quid..
worst marquis ever..
hey'nonny'nonny, y'all
For my 50th birthday my wife booked us into the hotel where John Cleese got the idea for Fawlty towers it was a Fawlty towers weekend and I have got to say the best weekend any one could have never laughed so much in my life.
Best show would love for it to be replayed again
Some of the guest performances were close to perfection. Joan Sanderson as Mrs Richards, David Kelly as O'Reilly, Bernard Cribbins as Mr Hutchinson. Even Geoffrey Palmer, whose role as Dr Price was barely more than a thumbnail, leaves an indelible impression. Curt and irascible, except for a few seconds of contentment (at 46:45) in the hotel kitchen, cooking his own sausages.
Nixer Doyle They regularly have Lionel go on about sausages on "As Time Goes By". 😁😊
@@maggieray222 Haha! I've only seen a few episodes of Jean and "Lahnl". It's a funny word to say, sausages, and even funnier when Geoffrey Palmer says it.
Joan was my favourite, though hard to have a favourite?
Just some of Basils lines were just gut achingly hilarious!😂😂😂😂
Thank you
Thank you
I grew up watching this show, and always looked forward to when FT, Benny Hill Show, and Python came on!!!
Fawlty Towers was the funniest sitcom ever! Full stop! That's at any time in any nation anywhere.
I think that was the only cultural action you did in your entire miserable life, to watch Fawlty Towers.
@@yukseloden6939 Basil? Is that you?
Classics, have on tape just about every episode. Used to sit with my mum and enjoy her laughing which lighten up the episode with the tower going up then down, subtle but not. The laid back times with family, that have all passed on. Happy memories. Thank you for sharing this. We all need such a good laugh in those and these days.
Seen all12 episodes hundreds of times, not close to being tired of them yet. Never will be. :)
im currently rewatching and they are as hilarious as ever. pure gold.
I said the same about the Blackadder series. Back in 2002 I used to binge watch all four series' back to back, and then back to back again. As much as I still love that series, these days I struggle to watch two episodes in a row now.
Music. NOW PLEASE
I love the Basil overcoming the hijacker is a hilarious idea 😂
I am French and a big fan of the Monthy python like many of my generation. Fawlty towers is a classic and absolutely hilarious. That is why we love English people. Their sense of humor is unequalled!
Thank you Stephane for your kind words. We love coming to France to visit my relations who live between Pontivy and Loudiac. Beautiful country, and greetings from Cornwall.
@@exb.r.buckeyeman845 I sailed to Cornwall and to the Scilly islands in my youth. Absolutely stunning places. Very similar in many ways to Brittany in France. I am from further south down the coast in Vendee, just north of La Rochelle a town which has a rich history with the Protestants and the English. In my village the traditional "coiffe" that women wore to protect them from the sun is called a "Quichenotte" which is believed to derive from the English: "Kiss me not" as it covers the head and the cheeks. People from both sides of the channel have more in common than they realise. Cheers! The only time I despise the English is when they beat us at Twickenham or at the stade de France :):):)
@@stephaneproux6225 Thank you mon amie. Sailing off Cornwall in good weather must be amazing, but as you well know, the weather can change in an instant, and then you could be in trouble. We are hoping to travel again to Brittany soon when things get easier, we can’t wait to visit your wonderful culture and country in the near future. Keep smiling 😊
So many of these legends are no longer with us, nice to see when tv comedy was still funny.
Probably my fav comedy of all time. It’s a timeless classic and never gets old 🤗
John Cleese is probably the best 'Writer/ Comedian' that has ever lived. He was brilliant in 'I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again', 'Monti-Python's Flying Circus', 'Fawlty Towers'. His comic genius knows no bounds.
He's definitely up there but I'm not sure he's better than Spike Milligan. Also there's Ronnie Barker.
John Cleese is still alive you know.
@@sarahstrong7174 I don't think anyone is saying otherwise.
Yes but he co -wrote "Fawlty" with his soon to be ex wife, Connie Booth, also the other Pythons also contributed...
My only claim to fame is that I went up to John Cleese in an airport and asked him if he was John Cleese and he said no.
When I watch it over and over I still find new things to laugh at! Best British comedy ever...
The two funniest sitcoms, (in my humble opinion)of television are the Honeymooners an Fawlty Towers.
Both had lovable but flawed characters.
Both dealt reasonably with prejudice, bigotry and misjudgment.
I knew a wonderful, lovable and wise old man, similar in ways to Major, who hated those of Japanese origin!
“How could you be near such a terrible man?”, others have scolded me!
“Because despite spending most of ww2 being tortured in a Japanese internment camp, he’s kind and respectful of all he meets.” Explained I.
I think John Cleese understands this.
This show got me through my first year of marriage it is 43 yrs latter this year.
A iconic and brilliant comedy series. In a strange way I'm sort of glad they didn't make any more. The 12 programs that were made are even more valuable to the history of British Comedy.
12 is too few. Even the Honeymooners had 39. They could have easily gone to 24 episodes if they had really wanted to. Don't kid yourself. They were talented writers.
47:24 Andrew Sachs as Manuel shifting around the table sideways whilst being pursued by an imperious
English doctor is, for me, one of the funniest most realistic observations I think ive ever seen !! Just brilliant !!
_"I'm a doctor, and I want my sausages!"_ 😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜
Great documentary, thank you for sharing! I love how they brought everyone back together for interviews, including Connie Booth, Carol Cleveland and other less interviewed people!
Weĺl done Rob ...good comments about this excellent British program ... thankyou .. ex Rhodesian here !!!
I couldn't thank the team enough for bringing me some of the best laughs of my life - and at a time when i most needed it
I love faulty towers , Manuel reminds me of my legendary actor Norman Wisdom 😊
When Basil attacked the car with a tree branch because it wouldn’t start.I lost it,brilliant
That’s the best 🌿🚗
Timeless greatest sitcom.Thank God for Donald Sinclair is all i can say.
It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen those 12 episodes I’ll always watch one. If there had been 50 episodes we would all still be in laughter comas.
Like all performing arts, success depends on some kind of synchronicity. In the case Of Fawlty Towers, really inspired writing, and the one of a kind performance of Cleese. And very glad to see Prunella Scales get some kudos here. That character was brilliantly done. What a great documentary.
Thank you
I live in the U.S and I think this show is the funniest I have ever seen. I have bought the entire series because I loved the show so much. The lady with the hearing aid was a scream and the man who died during the night and Basil thought it was because of a bad kipper. This is what comedy should be. OMG the German episode had me in tears it was so funny.
I love British humor: Fawlty Towers, Bkackadder, Coupling, Yes Minister, Little Britain, Monty Python, ... always a good laugh! Love from Portugal!
Coupling, Yess! I especially loved the Best Friend's Bottom, which the fellow playing Steve actually got to see, although the camera didn't! Poor Jeff!
By the way, I adore 5-year-old "Karen" in "Outnumbered", played by Ramona Marquez. It is reported that she learned her character and the plot, and delivered her lines as the plot demanded, rather than from a script! I particularly like the difficult questions she 'innocently' asks a clergyman.
add 'Mind your language' to the list :)
@@albertrogers2506 I
Brilliantly written with a great cast !!! The episode I liked the best was Manuels pet rat. The sign for the name of the hotel was changed each episode and on one episode it read "Flowery Tw@'ts" John Gleese is a genius lmao
Inventing the character of Basil Fawly was so brilliant, so much chaos in one character!
Chaos all right, the tension, the angst, anger and fear, falling from one hole into another.
I moved from Texas to Ayr Scotland in 1975 as a 15 yo. I watched it from the start. HILARIOUS.
The major wore a Royal Artillery regimental tie. My dad had been an officer in the Royal Artillery. So he was in heaven.
BEST episodes: The Germans & the car swatting.
"I learn English from a booook". That scene made me cry full on tears of laughter.
Hakapik,
Ever notice how Major stands on his toes before he stutters?
@@arvidlystnur4827 No, I did not notice that, but will look for it next time I watch an episode or 2! Awesome tip for a fan to look for!
Us Yanks loved it too. Funniest thing I have ever seen. God bless them all.
I thank America, on behalf of Bernard Cribbins, for his little checks.
Surprised you Yanks understood it. You don't get sarcasm usually.
@@regwatson2017 Not all Yanks. Just like not all Brits are polite.
@@regwatson2017 - Hey, was that sarcasm?
Thanks for the feedback. Loads over here like Frasier etc too.
... Forty-four years on and it's still one of the funniest comedy series I've ever had the pleasure of watching!.. 'Heee put Basssil in tha ratatouille'... (Laugh Out [Very] Loud)
I Loved the way that altered the Fawlty Towers signboard outside the hotel for every episode like an anagram. The best one for me was "Flowery Twats"
Fabulous. Every time, every repeat viewing of any episode, fabulous. And brilliant.
rip manuel n mr o reiily
Basil where are you going with that Gnome?
Are you men?
Are you orally men?
I speak English very good
*A GIN AND ORANGE, A LEMON SQUASH AND A SCOTCH AND WATER PLEASE!*
RIGHT!!! *smashes picture in frame on the floor, and runs to the bar, making sure that the recipients have their hands placed neatly on the table...*
Get it yourself I'm busy!!!
He's from Barcelona.
LMAO!
RIGHT!
Bloody John Cleese is just awesome - aggressive,extreme and dynamic !
I was 6 years old when I first saw Polly (Connie Booth). I was instantly in love. Her and Felicity Kendal
All time favorite show. Still watch today.
The show was so spontaneous and great characters! Laugh out loud funny. Thank you for the uploads.