Cleese Pays Tribute To Woman Who Inspired Fawlty Towers

British funnyman JOHN CLEESE has paid tribute to the woman behind iconic character SYBIL FAWLTY in 1970s British sitcom FAWLTY TOWERS, who died on Monday (13Sep10).

Beatrice Sinclair, whose husband Donald inspired Cleese’s manic hotelier Basil Fawlty in the comedy, passed away aged 95.

Cleese was saddened to hear the news but has paid tribute to Sinclair and her husband for all they did inspiring the series.

The star’s spokesperson tells Britain’s Daily Express, John was sorry to hear the sad news but he’d like to take this opportunity to thank her and her late husband for all they did for British comedy.

Cleese was inspired to devise the classic sitcom after staying at the Sinclairs’ Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay, England while shooting scenes with his Monty Python colleagues in 1970.