This post was archived from the original website for Fawlty Towers Revisited, which premiered on public television in 2005.

With PBS broadcasting the three-part “Monty Python’s Personal Best” series, we thought you might enjoy seeing some exclusive video footage of the Pythons on their first promtional tour of the U.S. more than 30 years ago.

The video was made possible by intrepid reporter and commentator of All Things Awesome, Jesse Thorn of the popular The Soung of Young America podcast/public radio show (salon.com calls TSOYA and Jesse a refreshing cross between Terry Gross of NPR and Conan O’Brien). The footage is of the Pythons’ visit to KERA-TV, the PBS affiliate in Dallas that “saved” Monty Python in the U.S. by being the first to broadcast it.

The Pythons were in the KERA studios the day after the LA premiere of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” and you will hear Terry Jones note that they didn’t even have a U.S. distributor yet for the film!  John Cleese didn’t make this stop, but the rest of troupe carry on in fine form.

Click on the TSOYA graphic below and Enjoy! Thanks, Jesse!

Two recent British polls added to the long list of accolades Fawlty Towers has garnered during the past 30 years.

In September, Radio Times released the results of a survey that named Fawlty Towers as the show TV viewers would most like to see remade.

And in late December, a poll commissioned by UK interactive firm Home Media Networks ranked Fawlty Towers as the 4th most missed TV series.

What do you think?

In the interest of full disclosure, the following is a thank you note and a support message for PBS. You tell us repeatedly that you enjoy, appreciate and benefit from what we do, and we just want to remind you that we can’t do it without you, and wouldn’t want to!

Okay, here goes:

Thank you very much for joining PBS stations across the country in celebrating the 30th anniversary of Fawlty Towers. The anniversary special, Fawlty Towers Revisited, was well received by old and new fans, alike. Spot on!

And for those of you who supported your local PBS station’s efforts to continue to bring you the best British Comedies, as well as the most entertaining, engaging, informative and enlightening programming that you can use daily to enrich your life, thank you very, very much! And we hope you enjoyed your collectible thank-you gifts.

By the way, if you enjoyed Fawlty Towers Revisited — or any of the British Comedies you’ve watched on PBS stations for more than 30 years — then we think you might like to know that each program airs only because people in your town or city invested in their local PBS station. We’re not kidding when we say shows are made possible by “Viewers Like You.”

There is only one Fawlty Towers, and there is only one PBS. Yep, we’re blowing our horn a bit, but there’s zero spin, 100 percent fact here. Why? Because we hear it directly from people across the United States who tell us every day how PBS makes a positive contribution to their lives in so many different ways. You tell us that it’s much more than television, that it’s your window to the world around you — at Fawlty Towers, down your street or galaxies away.

We want to continue to provide that front-row ticket to the constantly changing, ever-amazing world around you, and with your partnership, we will.  Thank you very much!

The Fawlty Towers Revisited Crew

Lars Holger Holm, author of Fawlty Towers – A Worshipper’s Companion, was interviewed recently by Jesse Thorn – America’s Radio Sweetheart – with The Sound of Young America.

In addition to talking about his inspiration for writing the book and why Basil is his favorite role model, Holm also explains how a London pub conversation about Monty Python led to his viewing of the never-broadcast episode 13th episode of Fawlty Towers and to making a copy of the script that is included in the book.

Fawlty Towers – A Worshipper’s Companion is available in the U.S. only through your local PBS station. To get a copy and find out about “The Robbers” episode, check out the link at the top of this blog to find the PBS station nearest you.

To listen to the podcast, you can use iTunes, which includes The Sound of Young America on its subscription service, or download Juice, a cross-platform Podcast receiver.

Listen to the interview:

If you’re not already a fan of “The Sound of Young America,” then check it out to find out more and to subscribe to its weekly podcast.

Here’s an excerpt from a recent Salon.com article about TSOYA: ”The Sound of Young America” is the greatest radio show you’ve never heard. The weekly, hourlong show comes out of Santa Cruz, Calif., where it broadcasts on KZSC, and has been picked up by KSFS in San Francisco and by WUSM at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Thankfully, it is also available by podcast, and iTunes, which offers the show on its subscription service, and bills it as ‘public radio’s meeting point between Conan O’Brien and Terry Gross.’ Such proclamations rarely hold much truth, but in this case it’s a fair description. Jesse “America’s Radio Sweetheart” Thorn, the 22-year-old host of the show, interviews his guests — authors, artists, musicians, scholars and an abundance of comedians — with the civility and preparedness of Gross leavened with the good humor of O’Brien.”

Food certainly played a key supporting role in Fawlty Towers. So we thought it would be fun to provide you with the “menu” for each episode, as well as links to recipes for such.

In addition to picking up some ideas for your holiday entertaining, we also hope you will find plenty of inspiration for that perfect menu to share with your guests at your very own Fawlty Towers Revisited watching party.

“Do you have rats in Spain, or did Franco have them all shot?” says Basil.  Fortunately rats aren’t on the menu for this final(?) episode of Fawlty Towers, which was transmitted on October 25, 1979.  Veal is, however, with a box of biscuits.  No charge for the rat.

Cold Rice Pudding - recipe here

Ratatouille - recipe here

Veal - recipe here

Windsor Soup - recipe here

Biscuits - recipe here

Food certainly played a key supporting role in Fawlty Towers. So we thought it would be fun to provide you with the “menu” for each episode, as well as links to recipes for such.

In addition to picking up some ideas for your holiday entertaining, we also hope you will find plenty of inspiration for that perfect menu to share with your guests at your very own Fawlty Towers Revisited watching party.

Much to the dismay of Fawlty Towers’ chef, Terry, this episode gives Manuel his big chance to get into the kitchen and cook his special paella dish for Basil & Sybil’s 15th wedding anniversary.  Unfortunately, only one of them will be there to celebrate in this episode, first broadcast on March 19, 1979. And what a spread to party with!

Paella - recipe here

Gazpacho - recipe here

Eggplant Espanol (as close as we could come!) - recipe here

Food certainly played a key supporting role in Fawlty Towers. So we thought it would be fun to provide you with the “menu” for each episode, as well as links to recipes for such.

In addition to picking up some ideas for your holiday entertaining, we also hope you will find plenty of inspiration for that perfect menu to share with your guests at your very own Fawlty Towers Revisited watching party.
Geoffrey Palmer guests in this episode, which was first broadcast on March 12, 1979.  One thing lies in the way of his simple quest for a plate of sausages.

Sausages - recipe here

Eggs, Bacon Sausage, Tomatos & Kippers (Full English Breakfast) - recipe here

Ham Sandwich - recipe here

In addition to picking up some ideas for your holiday entertaining, we also hope you will find plenty of inspiration for that perfect menu to share with your guests at your very own Fawlty Towers Revisited watching party.

This show first aired on March 5, 1979, and it’s about one key difference between American and Brits, the ability to complain.  About all the food?

Prawns - recipe here
Lamb Casserole - recipe here
Cold Meat Salad - recipe here
Waldorf Salad - recipe here
Green Salad - recipe here
Filet Mignon - recipe here
Pate - recipe here
Grapefruit - you really don’t need a recipe now, do you?!
Eggs, Bacon, Sausage and Tomato (Full English Breakfast) - recipe here