The first episode of Fawlty Towers aired on 19 September 1975. Audiences were keen to see what John Cleese would do after Monty Python, but at first the situation comedy received some less than enthusiastic reviews. However the strength of the writing and casting - with Cleese as hotelier Basil Fawlty - ensured the series was a great success.
Fawlty Towers was written by Cleese with his wife Connie Booth. The shows were intricately plotted farces, and no dialogue was written until the plot had been finalised. The ensemble cast included Prunella Scales as Basil's wife Sybil, and Andrew Sachs as the well-meaning but incompetent waiter Manuel. Booth provided an important element of sanity and calm as Polly the chambermaid. The character of Fawlty, was based on a real hotelier Cleese had encountered while filming in Torbay, as were some of the events.
Only 12 half hour episodes were ever made. The decision to stop making Fawlty Towers when it was at its creative height, leaving a distinct legacy, inspired later comedians such as Ricky Gervais. In 2000 Fawlty Towers was voted the best British television programme of all time in a BFI poll, above Cathy Come 成人快手 and Doctor Who.
September anniversaries
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Close down of Television service for the duration of the War
1 September 1939 -
The Morecambe and Wise Show
2 September 1968 -
Chamberlain announces Britain is at war with Germany
3 September 1939 -
Start of first series of Porridge
5 September 1974 -
Droitwich transmitter becomes operational
6 September 1934 -
The News Quiz
6 September 1977 -
Casualty
6 September 1986 -
Only Fools and Horses
8 September 1981 -
The Woodentops
9 September 1955 -
First live Children's 成人快手 from 'the Broom Cupboard'
9 September 1985 -
The Saga of Noggin the Nog first transmitted
11 September 1959 -
Crackerjack
14 September 1955 -
The Royle Family
14 September 1998 -
Opening of 成人快手 Bristol
18 September 1934 -
First episode of Fawlty Towers
19 September 1975 -
First episode of I, Claudius
20 September 1976 -
The Old Grey Whistle Test
21 September 1971 -
The Shock of the New
21 September 1980 -
CEEFAX: world's first teletext service
23 September 1974 -
Pride and Prejudice
24 September 1995 -
成人快手 Television for Schools begins
24 September 1957 -
Question Time
25 September 1979 -
The Epilogue
26 September 1926 -
Start of 成人快手 European Service, News in French, German and Italian
27 September 1938 -
成人快手 Singers
28 September 1924 -
The beginning of The Third Programme
29 September 1946 -
Have I Got News For You
28 September 1990 -
War and Peace
28 September 1972 -
First episode of Come Dancing
29 September 1950 -
Start of Radios 1, 2, 3 and 4
30 September 1967 -
Chamberlain returns from Munich
30 September 1938