Fawlty Towers: The best of the Major

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[bobbyhanly]

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

[terryrainer]

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.

[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.

[abbeycat]

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

[whippoorwill]

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.

[kingcurry]

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

[meirwise]

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

[rudolfabelin]

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

[rightlyso]

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.

[pault]

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

[ghostpepper]

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

[robertmcelwaine]

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.

[rrkzvui]

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

[numbersix]

The best comedy ever made and will never be surpassed

[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.

[Eustace.h.plimsoll]

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!”

[edwinhesketh]

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

[haydenstock]

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

[Hanamy]

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

[colinmckay]

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