Fawlty Towers legend lifts lid on who really wrote classic BBC sitcom

Daily Mirror

2 days ago

Ahead of the hit show's 50th anniversary next month, one of the stars wants to set the record straight about a situation that has bugged her for a while
One of the stars of legendary BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers has confessed to feeling somewhat "guilty" about receiving recognition for creating the show. Connie Booth co-wrote the programme, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next month, alongside John Cleese, her husband at the time.
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She also performed as the sensible waitress Polly alongside John's irascible hotel owner Basil Fawlty. Among the memorable scenes the duo devised together are the car-thrashing sequence, slapping waiter Manuel's head, the Waldorf salad catastrophe and the infamous "Don't mention the war" routine with the German visitors.
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However, when reflecting on the acclaim showered upon her for the sitcom's timeless moments, Connie admitted she felt like a "counterfeit" as she only penned half the programme. She told the Radio Times: "In the year-and-a-half it took to write Fawlty Towers, John and I never imagined the impact the show would have.
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"On its 50th anniversary, I'd like to take the opportunity to get something straight. John wrote the dialogue. For half a century, I've been receiving praise for lines which John wrote. When people quote back words from the script, instead of flattered I felt counterfeit. I've had to say, 'No, John wrote that'.
"Because I'm American, this disclosure about the pitch-perfect dialogue may be self-evident, but at this celebration of our work, one of the things I wanted to celebrate was the truth."
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Connie, 84, disclosed her amazement at how the comedy remains beloved by countless fans today. She also provided a glimpse into some of the difficulties of crafting Fawlty Towers, including the matter of joint authorship.
"Before that dialogue was written, he and I developed the plots," she said. "Each episode took about a month to contrive. Out of the ridiculous complications of farce, his brilliant lines emerged.
"When the issue of billing arose, I thought 'Written by John Cleese, storyline by us both' would've been fine for me. John said they didn't do that in TV comedy and insisted on co-authorship. Yielding to John's generous offer turned out to be a kind of poisoned chalice."
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In a different conversation with the magazine last year, John was extremely flattering about Connie's writing. He said: "She was invaluable there: she was better on character, I was better on plot. I can get caught up in plot and then start putting the character maybe slightly off centre and she was always the one who said, 'No no, that's not right for the character at that moment'."
Fawlty Towers aired for just 12 episodes between its first series in 1975 and its second run in 1979, during which time Connie and John had divorced yet continued collaborating.
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However, since the inaugural episode on September 19, 1975, few could have imagined the influence it would continue to have 50 years on. The programme still boasts a devoted following, a triumphant stage adaptation and its absurd gags influenced future generations of comedy writers.
In 2019, it claimed the top spot in a Radio Times poll of the 20 best British sitcoms of all time. Connie revealed to the magazine back then: "Fawlty Towers succeeds, I think, because it allows infantile rage and aggression a field day in a buttoned down, well-mannered English society.
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"It's unique in being a farce, with all the plot surprises and precision that the style requires. And it doesn't hurt that the star of the show is a six-foot-five comic genius. If he was shorter I can't imagine how it would have worked."
Beyond Fawlty Towers, the American performer featured in several episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus alongside its movie The Life of Brian, and secured minor roles in a few TV programmes through to the 1990s.
In 1995, she quit acting to pursue a career as a psychotherapist before stepping back from work entirely. She is currently wed to fellow American, theatre reviewer John Lahr.
As for her former spouse, John Cleese will launch his new book looking back at his most cherished moments from the show. Fawlty Towers: Fawlts and All is due out on October 9, but before then he will feature at St George's concert hall in Bristol on August 27 in an exclusive live Q&A session to mark its golden anniversary and discuss the book.