Date of Birth

22 June 1932, Sutton Abinger, Surrey, England, UK

Birth Name

Prunella Margaret Rumney Illingworth

Mother of Joseph West.

Mother of Samuel West

Has a step-daughter named Juliet West.

She was awarded the Patricia Rothermere Award at the 2001 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for her contributions to British Theatre.

British classical stage actress trained at both the Old Vic Theatre School in London and the Herbert Berghof Studio in New York.

Achieved her greatest success on TV as the nosy, shrewish wife Sybil Fawlty on the classic John Cleese comedy "Fawlty Towers."

She was awarded the C.B.E. (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1992 for her services to drama while her husband Timothy West was awarded his C.B.E. in 1984.

In October of 2003, she became seriously ill and was taken to the hospital for emergency heart operation (angioplasty).

She played Queen Victoria in Looking for Victoria (2003) (TV). Her son Samuel West had previously played Prince Albert Victor Edward, Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII and Queen Victoria's son, in both "Edward the Seventh" (1975) and The Ripper (1997) (TV) while her husband Timothy West also played the role in the former.

Long time friend of "Fawlty Towers"' co-star, the comedian John Cleese.

Has a photographic memory.

Price:  £30.00