Fawlty Towers: The best of the Major

If you have any favourite clips from the show, let us know and we'll upload them!
All copyrights belong to the BBC.

[@bobbyhanly3466]

"No, no, I won't have that. There's a place in Eastbourne ..." Best line of the whole series.

[@martinhill9261]

The timing and delivery was better than perfect.

[@PlayMoreGolf-RipOff]

I quite like the one where Faulty questions his bright tie for a memorial and he goes " oh I didn't like the chap"

[@Joshpox]

I went to a particularly bad hotel in Eastbourne, I like to think it's the one Major was talking about

[@terryrainer2213]

A great actor, but there was more to him than playing "The Major". Not only was he a good-looking leading man early on in his career, he was also a very brave, courageous man. In the war he served as a Metropolitan Police Special Constable, and, the night that the Café de Paris in London got bombed in March 1941, he was one of the first rescuers to go down to the lower levels of the club, where the dead and dying were. He said that he found the decapitated head of the bandleader Ken “snakehips” Johnson on the floor, mutilated bodies everywhere, as well as dead people still sitting at their tables, but dead because the air hat been sucked out of their lungs by the bomb blast. He might have played a silly old fool, but he was nothing like one in real life.

[@MegaStig25]

Gosh.

[@chuffpup]

Good lord. Really? That's quite an extraordinary piece of historical information. And quite frankly, one of the most bizarre things I've ever heard.

[@terryrainer2213]

@@chuffpup Yes, all true. Look up Cafe de paris march 1941 and follow all of the links / trails.

[@russellr6089]

Just read up on it your right he was brave man

[@kasimsultonfan]

A bit like Arnold Ridley. Doddery amiable old Godfrey in Dad's Army, but he fought in the trenches in 1914-18 and suffered blackouts all his life from a rifle butt blow to the head given to him by a German in hand to hand fighting in a shell hole. He killed the German...

[@kingcurry6594]

The Major is one of the great comedy characters of all time, and Ballard Berkeley played him to perfection.

[@rightlyso8507]

Several years ago, it was when IMDB still had a comment section, one of Berkeley's granddaughters wrote a rather lengthy description of "The Major". She said how much the family adored the man. She was so very thankful, that even after many years had passed since he'd passed away, that he was remembered fondly by so many people.

[@meirwise1107]

Died in his sleep.....well you're off your guard. Priceless. Hope I can afford to live in a hotel in my old age.

[@westboundbadger]

That's a plan !!

[@fishyc150]

You can get long term rates in a hotel for a couple of hundred a week. A care home/ old folks home costs 500 to 1000 a week.

[@whippoorwill1124]

RIP Ballard Berkeley, another Fawlty Towers actor who brought an incidental character completely alive and made them indispensable and unforgettable. For all the great talent he showed in his delivery and gestures, what always gets me is his impeccable comic timing. It really was split-second.

[@jsmithmultimediatech]

Basil was based on a real time hotel owner just hated the guests lol their of course largest income, when doing something with Monty Python think was actually in Torquay he was pretty much useless tbh lol.

[@danw1374]

@@jsmithmultimediatech Think it was the Gleneagles hotel in Torquay that inspired this show when John Cleese stayed there in 1973 with some of his Monty Python co stars. The hotel was demolished a few years ago.

[@jsmithmultimediatech]

@@danw1374 Basil was based on its manager Donald Sinclair, died from a heart attack after finding the hotels pool furniture was repainted gun metal grey, retaliation by some work men he'd upset

[@robertloyal4558]

What a wonderful Major xxxx

[@CJ-ft9yo]

Ballard Berkeley what a great name - he must have been born in the 1800s??

[@rudolfabelin383]

I love the Major. What a fantastic actor. So British!

[@pdelta4610]

Nothing good about being British

[@rudolfabelin383]

@@pdelta4610 You have been there? Sweden and UK shares a special bond. As expressed today on the radio here in Sweden by Bruce Dickinson.

[@cpj93070]

@@pdelta4610 Sod off you tit, are you even British?

[@southerncomfort7490]

@@pdelta4610 Thank you for your racism. It is always a joy.

[@neilford99]

He was Hungarian!

[@pault8470]

Cleese said he couldn’t make anymore Fawlty towers because the major died . That’s how good he was

[@derroboter2895]

Yeah, he was a ''major'' part of the fun! ;)

[@TetinKlimente]

@@derroboter2895 Who said Germans had no sense of humor?

[@VoiceOfThe]

D.B Cooper Not sure the BBC would agree with you? 🤣

[@Iggywiggywoo]

Ballard Berkeley died in 1988, 9 years after Fawlty Towers finished.

[@riverdean7]

wen did he die

[@user-pw2fj2rq3f]

U JUST CAN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN FAWLTY TOWERS. HILARIOUS PROGRAMME.AMAZING THAT IT WAS ONLY A FEW SERIES MADE ❤

[@chuffpup]

" _I_ CAN SPEAK _ENGLISH_ " That kills me every time I see it, just like it did the first time I saw it. Utterly hilarious. Priceless.

[@robertmcelwaine7024]

One of the great things about the series was the relationship between Basil and the Major. It was obvious at times that Basil would get exasperated at him, and maybe at times he just tolerated him because he was a loyal long-term resident but then, he was a retired Major in the army so he had some semblance of respect for him considering his service as a soldier who fought for his country. Not to mention that, unlike the other customers, he was always oblivious to the chaos ensuing around and never complained about anything so in Basil's mind he was thankful for small mercies.

[@Carpetlay1]

It wasn’t real. It was just acting 🤪😂

[@martinplatt5928]

A very well written and perceptive comment which I think is 100% true!

[@sjurjans7137]

Great well thought out comment!.. Really made me think.. I also agree!

[@garystevens4303]

@@Carpetlay1 never!

[@Glenn1967ful]

Basil was a snob and he probably liked the idea of a retired major who probably attended a public school living in the hotel. Also Basil would probably be glad of the regular income as his other guests often left in disgust and never came back.

[@ghostpepper3099]

I always liked how the Major is the only character Fawlty treats with respect😂

[@haydenstock21]

Major was always a real highlight of Fawlty Towers, pure class

[@Hanamy7777]

"No, no I won't have that. There's a place in Eastbourne ..." One of my favourite lines in comedy.

[@numbersix100]

The best comedy ever made and will never be surpassed

[@susannefoort6606]

True !!!!!!!!

[@zzkiplington]

As time passes no truer comment made.Utterly brilliant, irreverent with an unsurpassable assembleé of actors.

[@fh854]

…

[@BruceyWoosey]

My favourite Major moment was him complimenting a woman's little dog and she says "oh thank you, it's a little Shih Tzu" to which he replies "well I'm sorry to hear that, what breed s it?"

[@eddherring4972]

“Well they’re sort of a lap dog aren’t they.” “Lapp dog eh, hard to imagine him stalking a reindeer what!”

[@lolavan7750]

"he bite me"........" Don't they have dogs in Calcutta".

[@elss8717]

That is also my favourite Major scene.

[@andyhinds542]

He actually said, "Oh, dear, dear, dear, dear; what breed is it?"

[@eustaceh.plimsoll6625]

The Character was a work of genius, and played to perfection. I was waiting for, “Sat on the table… eating the nuts, if you please!”

[@abbeycat6425]

The moose talking to the major was one of my favourite scenes when growing up in the 1970s.

[@edwinhesketh9720]

Absolute diamond of a character, so funny and charismatic. To think he’s the only character in the whole thing who basil not only tolerates but is also consistently nice to, says it all really. Love his line about the place in Eastbourne, he really steals that scene there for me

[@robertmcelwaine7024]

I also love how the Major proceeds to talk to Basil after he's bashing Manuel's head against the walled-up entrance to the restaurant, completely oblivious to it as if nothing's happened.

[@davidsedlickas8222]

There are a lot in Eastbourne

[@Torahboy1]

The timing there is superb. Gives you time to think he’s about to say something positive. Then ‘BLAM!!’ he totally turns it around. The Major is always so totally oblivious to the chaos around him. He lives in his own world…… and what a lovely place it must be(!) Institutionalised racism was the norm back in his day. So it’s a shame they cut out his best lines from the ‘India at The Oval’ scene.

[@juanitolopez9731]

The Major and Manuel are my favourite characters in the series. Ballard Berkeley was one of those actors who finally achieved a well deserved popularity when they were already in their old age, only to die soon after. But he became an icon in the history of British sitcoms. An absolute lovable chap, the grandfather we always wanted to have, a bit ga-ga, who stole every scene he was in, living in the old days of the Empire. 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@maxwellfan55]

He was a regular and well sought serious actor in many earlier British B&W films.

[@nathanfairhurst1261]

The part with the moose makes me cry with laughter every time 😂😂😂😂😂

[@lewdogzombies]

Major was the funniest character in Fawlty Towers. That’s exactly how I want to spend my retirement

[@MrsSlocombesPuddyCat]

Absolutely agreed

[@marcmuaythailand1592]

I agree lol tho u ever been to Thailand

[@davidz2808]

The funniest parts are missing: the large majority of the conversation about women & cricketers between him & Basil as well as the Major shooting at a rat in the bar.

[@doktoruzo]

yes, i thought that too. It's been left out so not to upset the snowflakes and wokies

[@smfvmd]

You mean this? kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKPKhqSfoLmWiLc

[@paulherlihy9290]

Funny you should say that! Our family were huge FT fans and my brother got a video collection as you did back in the 80's of about 6 episodes. I remember the humour was very juicy particularly one or two of the scenes of the Major. I found it very funny however It definitely would not get by the woke police of today. I ll raid through my mothers loft one day, mind you I ll struggle to find a working vhs video to play them🙁

[@jamiebunsell3299]

And also on why he didn't like the guy who's memorial it was. LOL Can't risk it on social media I'm afraid.

[@artmallory970]

@@jamiebunsell3299 Basil: 'You didn't like him, he was one of them'? The Major: 'A pansy(Patsy)'?

[@zetacrucis681]

best sitcom ever with every character including the major just brilliant

[@duckduckgoismuchbetter]

Back when I was a busboy in a restaurant decades ago as a teenager, I'm glad I hadn't seen this show already. Because if I had, and if a health inspector had come along, I'd have possibly/probably not had anymore sense than to call him the rat inspector to his face as a joke. 😂

[@sircxx8621]

‘What was the question again?’ 🤣🤣🤣

[@tonynesbit9673]

When fawlty threw the tea and it landed on the major it cracked me up he never missed a beat,we need more majors.

[@martinhill9261]

Every line delivered with perfection.The timing of the Eastbourne line is delicious.

[@davidbutter7433]

No no, i wont have that there's a place at eastbourne ,brilliant

[@jordanvella5603]

What a beautiful man. Rest in peace. You will be missed ❤️

[@davidmansell5986]

Brilliant actor. You really believed in his character.

[@paulbromley6687]

It must have been wonderful as an actor to be asked to play the Major and receive the attention and recognition never to be forgotten by so many people of a brilliant comedy actor at his peak.

[@christopherdenniston9013]

'Psychiatrist dressed up as a guest' 😂wonderful old blimp

[@stevedoubleu99B]

Mr Berkeley, another very good reason why Fawlty Towers is so superb!!

[@user-rr6kz8vu3i]

Superbly written, best ever comedy, and the Major was a star.

[@itsOnMARS2023]

Even the subtle hints at complete confusion is absolute comedy gold. Massively underrated actor! Made a very forgettable role completely unforgettable!

[@AdamKirbyMusic]

"I can speak English, I learned it from a boook" is something I will periodically say for no reason.

[@Drinksfromtap]

Me too!! 😂

[@chriscoburn6614]

I'm glad I bought the box set years ago ! Nothing cut out 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@terranceparsons5185]

Same here!

[@rixille]

What was cut out after that?

[@hesch-tag]

I wish I could go back in time and watch Fawlty Towers for the first time again. I remember enjoying the moments between the Major and Basil the most. I still do.

[@andyelliott8027]

" I won't have that ! there's a place in Eastbourne"....................hahaha !

[@susannefoort6606]

Brilliant !

[@edwinhesketh9720]

One of my favourite major lines that one

[@charliezz6746]

You really hear it over the canned laughter but he continues to say "What's its name" and carries on talking trying to remember the name of that hotel in eastbourne.

[@andyelliott8027]

@@charliezz6746 All Fawlty Towers episodes were filmed in front of a live audience, canned laughter is an American thing, there are no British sitcoms which use it.

[@charliezz6746]

@@andyelliott8027 Actually I think your find they do especially since it was shown on TV as an episode they could edit and add sounds on too the episode was never sent out live and much of the laughter from the episodes sounds dubbed.

[@richardbrown1189]

My goodness, it will soon be fifty years since the first series of Fawlty Towers. Rightly voted the best sitcom of all time. The Major was just one of the the wonderful characters who made it so memorable. I can't imagine any of today's comedies being so fondly remembered in fifty years time.

[@user-zr9nl2wl3o]

Wasn't BBC comedy great in the days when we only had 3 TV channels and no woke or diversity being shoved down our throats.

[@manosparavida3551]

Ballard Barkley was utterly priceless in his portrayal of the 'alledged' shot to bit's major.

[@JohnCoughtrey]

You started the war no we didn't,yes you did you invaded Poland, one of the greatest lines in comedy 😂😂😂

[@AudenimLock]

1:28 “No I won’t have that, there’s a place in Eastbourne” lol RUDEEE

[@copferthat]

In his younger days, the Major (Ballard Berkeley) was a dashing, handsome leading man in film and theatre.

[@tucoramirez6058]

If only all guests were as kind as the Major then Basil would never have half the problems.

[@maryoleary5044]

Bloody Love The Major!...and I have pet ratties! 😃😄

[@colinmckay8336]

Was fortunate enough to have bought this man a beer, in Corsham Wiltshire, in the Methuen arms hotel.

[@HYU29C]

He was brilliant. He does the part perfectly.

[@williamkennedy5492]

This is 6 minutes and 28 seconds of smiles and giggles, thank you so much,

[@greebo7857]

One of the most indelible characters of the show. I loved The Major. Rip Ballard Berkeley, a comedic genius. Never saw him anywhere else, so glad he got to be immortalised in FT.

[@robertcooper411]

He was in the film"Night Caller from Space"which was released in the 1960s if memory serves me correctly

[@thewomble1509]

@@robertcooper411 Your memory is bang on! That film is a little known gem of British Sci-Fi and is sometimes shown on Talking Pictures TV.

[@robertcooper411]

@@thewomble1509 It is a good one, decidedly tense in places.

[@DarraghC]

the major had some amazing lines...didnt always get the laughs he deserved from the audience. Thanks for sharing the clips.

[@misfit2022]

Ballard Berkeley was prolific well before Fawlty Towers firstly in B pics in the 30’s and 40’s followed by more established films and of his films my favourites are Stage Fright with Richard Todd and Three Steps to the Gallows. Some of the quickie quotas though could be surprisingly good such as Operation Diplomat with Guy Rolfe. He followed this up with a long TV career which included Fawlty Towers as a definite highlight but continued on all the way to the classic animation The BFG by the great Roald Dahl.

[@nickhayes4169]

I still do impressions of him now, calling people by their surname & asking for the papers., all the supporting cast were simply wondeful & it's still the benchmark for any sit com. Pure magic & the money with Mrs Richards was brilliant.

[@bikerbisht110]

Basil and the major ... brilliant characters

[@Patrick_0n]

One of the best characters ever.

[@pjaylett]

He was brilliant!

[@markfarrell6103]

Ballard was absolutely one of the Best 2 or 3 character's

[@lolavan7750]

Missed his best bit........ The difference between the Indians and the West Indians. Sign of the times.

[@iancarter4196]

lola van.. But it’s ok to say “Germans, bunch of Krauts” mad world.

[@davidhoward437]

Haven't you twats got a cross-burning to attend?

[@johnmalone7913]

They can't show that anymore.....political correctness gone clean mad.....They don't show certain Only Fools & Horses episodes too....comedy gold but now no longer gold......certain pc police in the BBC etc now decide what is and isn't funny anymore....hideous snowflakes!!!

[@davidhoward4715]

@@iancarter4196 The English-speaking peoples beat your mob in 1918 and 1945 and can do so again. Go back to your "Aryan" homeland.

[@lolavan7750]

Only one person here with extreme viewpoint......no prizes for guessing.

[@BenBanjo87]

"We loved this guy who was in his own world - who never _quite_ understood what was going on, but always added his own insane interpretation of it." - John Cleese on writing the Major's part

[@electronwave4551]

Yes indeed, and this made it impossible for the audience to anticipate what the Major might say next. But unlike what happens sometimes in comedy, what he did say next was never really intended to be offensive, so you could not help but like the character.

[@anunnakiarandio4244]

I love this old guy is so funny always in the bar and also have a very bad memory hahahaha 🤣🍺🤣🍺

[@kjeldpedersen666]

“Don’t say anything to anyone Major, but he’s dead” “Ahhh...shot, was he?”😂😂😂

[@davidmansell5986]

Still makes me laugh, all these years on. These things happen"

[@charliezz6746]

The way he takes it in his stride and does that head jerk towards Basil.

[@LordMangudai]

6:00 this is one of my favorite exchanges in the show. How proudly the Major announces INDIA!!! and then Basil's eyeroll when he continues "...at the Oval!" Just priceless XD

[@davidjma7226]

Wawgs! The lot of 'em!

[@wlmasters]

Shame the rest of the scene wasn't shown. Damn PC brigade.

[@victorhernandez8723]

@@davidjma7226 Isn’t that a racial slur?

[@davidjma7226]

@@victorhernandez8723 Only for those who see 'raaacciiist' in every comment! It is in fact what the Major, a character in a highly successful comedy actually said as an actor. And people were entertained all around the world. This is art and entertainment - comedy, not reality. You need to recognize the difference instead of responding to the woke gallery whose fascism in the way the police our words and actions with ambition and self serving glee show them for what they really are. They need to get a mind!

[@victorhernandez8723]

@@davidjma7226 I just want to make sure. I don’t want to say something that a lot of people will take out of context.

[@TomorrowWeLive]

By far my favourite character

[@tonynesbit9673]

Loved this guy.

[@MrDravenLee]

The major was great.

[@andybellingham4433]

The Major is brilliantly funny. I love how he is so well mannered and respectful to everyone but he calls Basil just "Fawlty".

[@ejayman]

That was very common in the UK (and I imagine even so in the armed forces) back then. Even back at primary school in the 90s the teacher referred to everyone by their surname

[@davidmarshall5596]

Terrific character playedc to perfection 🎉

[@stonesinmyblood27]

I’ll always love the Major ❤️

[@neilhenderson458]

The Major probably my favourite character .. His " Indians " and " West Indians " speech absolutely Superb .. F..CK THE POLITICALLY CORRECT IDIOTS that took offence !!

[@amaurythewarrior]

why do you use double spaces everywhere?

[@maxwellfan55]

@@amaurythewarrior He's making a point. Also pissed off with patronising editing, rightly so.

[@gaggymott9159]

I say! He doesn't look quite the ticket! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ReinhardvonHolst]

Thanks for posting this.

[@andyhinds542]

He cracks up every time!! Definitely a Daily Telegraph reader!

[@petyrkowalski9887]

The major was a wonderful character

[@NeidalRuekk]

Bloody good character, what!

[@cheltenhamSpa]

The essence of the British retired gent Long may they exist Mainly found at cricket matches these days

[@vespelian5769]

I worked with a group of Indian immigrants as a bucklmaker in the late 70's and they all loved It 'an't half hot mum and Faulty Towers. They recognised the truism of thr humour unlike white puritans.

[@salvandorum]

They missed out the best bit of the Major...."They're rats Fawlty..rats. Yes I know Major, but the war is over " .....as the Major hunts rats in the dining room with a shotgun and Fawlty thinks he is hunting 2nd World War German soldiers.

[@EdMcF1]

Indeed, he says 'Vermin' as he hunts it and then 'He was there Fawlty, eating the peanuts' in the bar.

[@barrythatcher9349]

Major and the shot gun going after Basil the rat 😂😂😂😂 best ever.

[@iancrause1856]

Just the best thing ever done in human history.

[@peteiswriteingnow]

Vermin's Fawlty Vermin's.

[@songsmith31a]

They must've had so much fun! Sparkling stuff.

[@davidriggs1470]

Wonderful actor,Fawlty Towers would not be the same without the major BB peerless. ‘I must have been keen I took to India’ ff###### magnificent.

[@marquonuk]

His comic timing is exceptionally good. All the more so because you don't notice him doing it: he just nails every line perfectly. The greatest testament to Ballard Berkeley is that as a character the Major feels like a very slightly exaggerated version of a real, befuddled elderly ex-soldier who you might have met living in a hotel in Torquay in the 1970s.

[@kid--presentable]

He is a legend, he deserved a spin off show

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

No, no, no!

[@kid--presentable]

@@golden.lights.twinkle2329 p off

[@georgewashington6225]

😂glad I grew up watching this as a child with my family back in the day. We loved British comedy, some Americans don't get it 😂are you being served and keeping up with appearances. I wish my grandma was still alive because she would laugh because we all knew she was like Hyacinth and it would make her happy and smile😊

[@admiralbenbow5083]

Im British and I dont get Are you being Served or Keeping up with appearances. In fact I couldnt stand them. Fawlty Towers is more my bag.

[@BinaryRex18]

The greatest character in the series

[@scottyk200]

Great regular cameo. As a kid, him and Manuel were the ones I loved. Was so disappointed when Andrew Sachs was in a show after this, and he didn’t play Manuel. 😫

[@davidsedlickas8222]

Superb character acting the Major Priceless legend

[@user-bi3ww3im3s]

My favourite actor in Fawlty Tower's absolutely fantastic total respect to the actor who played the Major 🙏🤝🫶

[@Raider577]

I saw Ballard Berkeley on Father Dear Father from the early seventies as the next door neighbour. The character he portrayed was basically the Major.

[@paulbrennan3996]

My favourite character on faulty Towers first class 👏 TOP MAN first class actor 🙏😍🤩

[@jamesm.3967]

When I lose my mind, I wanna be just like the Major! 😂

[@ianjohnson4753]

Fantastic character, the Major was brilliant, another part of faulty tower's that made it so great.

[@haanis5458]

Wonderful line delivery, in every scene he is in. What a great actor. May he rest in peace🕊

[@markguest9533]

I simply adored the major. Superb character. So many of my favourite scenes featured him. Some missing from this video like when Fawlty moves the dead body and the Major sees him for the 2nd time. "Another one Fawlty?"

[@csb7376]

The place in Eastbourne line is perfection.

[@frankfisher99]

Best bit isn't on here. She's still got his wallet.

[@paulhoey2956]

They don't make characters like the Major anymore,he only had a small part but every part was memorable

[@1951morrisdancer]

I see that the powers that be have Bowdlerized the famous quotes from the Major regarding the game of cricket.

[@paulyflyer8154]

When I used to watch this in the 70s the Major was an old man. Now he just looks like me and my friends.

[@mariafelices8000]

All part of the magic towers cast 😂🇬🇧❤️

[@jackfitzpatrick8173]

They say that the guy who played the Major was,in real life,a huge cricket fan and was always filling in the other actors on match results.