So, to ensure you are well prepared, we are compiling a list of Fawlty Facts to know from each of the 12 episodes:
First Season
“ A Touch of Class” – series 1, episode 1
- Sign at beginning reads ‘Fawlty Towers’ with “S” hanging down
- Ad for Fawlty Towers placed in Country Life magazine at a cost of 40 pounds to attract a better class of clientele
- Quick mention that Fawlty Towers has 22 rooms
- Food ordered by Mr. Brown in dining room
o grapefruit
o tomato soup
o lamb casserole
o sprouts & carrots
o ½ bottle of Beaujolais wine
- Lord Melbury cashes a check with Basil for 200 poundso tomato soup
o lamb casserole
o sprouts & carrots
o ½ bottle of Beaujolais wine
- Fawlty Towers bank is Lloyds Bank
- Drinks ordered in bar
o gin & orange
o lemon squash
o scotch & water
o dry sherry
- Continuity problem when Basil slams down picture at
end of episode with the sound of glass breaking. No glass at all in
frame.o lemon squash
o scotch & water
o dry sherry
Fawlty Towers “The Builders” – series 1, episode 2
- Sign at beginning reads ‘Fawlty Tower’ with “L” hanging down
- Polly mentions address for Fawlty Towers is 16 Elwood Avenue
- Food mentioned by Manuel as available on the menu
o beef
o veal
o sausages (bangers)
- Basil mentions that Miss Tibbs and Miss Gatsby will
have to dine at the Gleneagles tonight because the kitchen will be
closedo veal
o sausages (bangers)
- Polly lives in room 5 (taking nap when O’ Reilly's men come to work on hotel)
“The Wedding Party” – series 1, episode 3
- Sign at beginning reads ‘Faw ty Tower’ with the “L” missing and the “W” falling down
- Basil mentions that the Major is the “longest standing resident” of Fawlty Towers
- Mrs. Peignoir is an antique dealer
- Basil mentions that room #12 is the only room in Fawlty Towers that has a double bed
- It's Manuel's birthday, and he gets an umbrella as a gift from Basil and Sybil
- Manuel mentions in during this "thank you" to Basil that he has 5 brothers and 4 sisters in Spain
- Basil reads Jaws in bed, Sybil is reading Sexy Laughs magazine
“Hotel Inspectors” – series 1, episode 4
- Sign at beginning reads ‘Faw ty To er’ with “L” missing and “W” missing
- Basil makes quick mention of owning hotel for 12 years (makes reference twice)
- Sybil mentions that Bill Morton is the friend that heard about hotel inspectors being in town (FYI, Bill Morton is long-time friend of John Cleese)
- Basil introduces Polly “Sherman” to Mr. Hutchinson
- Food ordered by Mr. Hutchinson in dining room
o Spanish omelet
o Cheese salad
o Ginger beer
- Food ordered by Mr. Walt in dining roomo Cheese salad
o Ginger beer
o pate
o lamb casserole
o bottle of Alexe Corton wine
- Real hotel inspectors describe Fawlty Towers as having 26 bedrooms, 12 with a private batho lamb casserole
o bottle of Alexe Corton wine
“Gourmet Night” – series 1, episode 5
- Sign at beginning reads ‘Warty Towels’
- License plate on Basil’s Austin 1100 Estate Car is WLG142E.
- Food ordered by family in dining room
o chips
- Andre’s Restaurant is Basil’s favorite restaurant
(FYI, Andre says the best night for gourmet night is Thursday)- Chef for Gourmet Night comes from Andre’s Restaurant, and his name is Kurt
- Manuel mentions that he will cook paella for everyone
- Food Polly mentions when telling Basil about Kurt being drunk
o shrimps
o herrings
o pickled onions
o eggs
- Food on original menu for Gourmet Night is lobstero herrings
o pickled onions
o eggs
- New menu for Gourmet Night after Kurt is found passed out
o duck with orange
o duck with cherries
o duck surprise (duck w/out orange or cherries)
o appetizers are mullet with mustard sauce and salad mousse
- Colonel orders Chablis with dinnero duck with cherries
o duck surprise (duck w/out orange or cherries)
o appetizers are mullet with mustard sauce and salad mousse
- Continuity issue when you can see production crew member in doorway when Manuel comes into kitchen.
- Trifle comes from Andre’s restaurant instead of duck.
“The Germans” – series 1, episode 6
- No hotel sign at beginning of episode. Opens with front of hospital
- Sybil is staying at Northwick Park Hospital for ingrown toenail on right foot
- Hospital chart says Sybil is 34 years old
- Major mentions “Elsie”. FYI, she was the hotel maid before Polly. According to Basil, "she went to Canada a couple of years ago."
- Food offerings for the Germans at dinner
o veal chop with rosemary
o egg mayonnaise
o prawn cocktail
o pickled herring
o cold meat salad
- Continuity issue where you can see TV monitor in
office which has the camera shot of Basil running from the Doctoro egg mayonnaise
o prawn cocktail
o pickled herring
o cold meat salad
Second Season
“Communication Problems” – series 2, episode 1
- Sign at beginning reads ‘Fawlty Tower’
- Sybil mentions Brenda as not be able to start until Monday and asks Polly if she could do the rooms until then. Polly only works weekends, according the fire drill sequence, and needs the money so Brenda must be the maid that works during the week.
- Mrs. Richards first name is Alice. She’s staying in room #22 and paid 7.20 pounds + VAT for the room per night.
- Name of the horse that Basil bets on is Dragonfly, running at Exiter
- Mrs. Richards’ sister’s name is Stephanie. Mrs. Richards is selling a house in Brighton and she's offered 87,000 pounds.
“The Psychiatrist” – series 2, episode 2
- Sign at front reads 'Watery Fowls'
- Mr. Abbot is a psychiatrist and Mrs. Abbot is a pediatrician
- The Abbot’s had beef for dinner and order cognac and port as after-dinner drinks
- The name of a Welsh restaurant down the street from Fawlty Towers is the Leek House
“Waldorf Salad” – series 2, episode 3
- Sign at beginning reads 'Flay Otters'
- Guest at dinner mentions that the “prawns” are a bit off. They order lamb casserole as entree
- Another guest orders a cold meat salad as an appetizer
- Mr. Hamilton (the American) orders a scotch & water and a screwdriver as pre-dinner drinks
- Mr. Hamilton orders a Waldorf Salad. Mrs. Hamilton orders a green salad. Both order filet mignons for entrée. Not knowing what a Waldorf salad is, Basil suggests a “Ritz” salad.
- Sybil is reading Never Love a Stranger by Harold Robbins at dinner across from the Hamilton’s
- Mr. Hamilton says he would board his dog at Fawlty Towers. Basil asks if they own a poodle?
- Basil mentions that the Major has been at Fawlty Towers for 7 years.
- Coming in out of the rain at the end, Basil checks into Fawlty Towers, and he orders eggs, bacon, sausage and tomato for breakfast.
“Kipper & the Corpse” – series 2, episode 4
- Sign at beginning reads 'Fatty Owls'
- Dog in the dining room is a shitzu
- Doctor (played by Geoffrey Palmer) orders a scotch and also inquires about getting some sausages at the bar. Kitchen is closed so he orders a ham sandwich instead.
- Mr. Leeman asks for breakfast in bed. Orders eggs, bacon, sausage and tomato. Also gets kippers and tea.
- Doctor tries to get his sausages for breakfast in the dining room. Orders coffee.
- Sybil calls the undertaker, Mr. Simkins, to come collect Mr. Leeman.
- Continuity issue occurs when Miss Tibbs passes out in the office upon seeing the dead Mr. Leeman. You can see a very prominent boom mike shadow on the wall across from them.
- Miss Tibbs later mentions that she is 79 years old.
- Continuity issue at end, when laundry truck leaves FT, over the drive is a large entry sign saying Wooburn Grange Country Club, which is the real location that Fawly Towers was shot.
“The Anniversary” – series 2, episode 5
- Sign at beginning reads 'Flowery Twats'
- Manuel makes a special paella for Basil & Sybil’s anniversary
- The Fawlty’s are celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary Wedding anniversary is April 17th according to Basil
- Terry makes mention that he can cook Spanish food also such as gazpacho, chicken andalou, and eggplant espanol
- Outside shot you can see a bit of the Wooburn Grange Country Club sign again
- Roger orders a gin & tonic
- Continuity issue in dining room when friends are talking about Sybil, you can see quite clearly a boom mike in the shot
- Another continuity issue when Sybil drives up to get her golf clubs, you can see Wooburn Grange Country Club sign again
- Cleese’s friend, Bill Morton, is listed in credits as “Vision Mixer”
“Basil the Rat” – series 2, episode 6
- Sign at beginning reads 'Farty Towels'
- license plate on Basil’s car says DYF 747R
- Health inspector in kitchen mentions cold rice pudding
- Cat in the kitchen is put outside
- Mentions Filigree Siberian Hamster
- Manuel actually lives on the third floor of Fawlty Towers. Seen coming down a second flight of stairs before getting to the second floor set of steps.
- Another shot of Woodburn Grange Country Club
- Mention of chef putting “Basil” in the ratatouille
- Guests order veal and Windsor Soup for lunch
