In line with many BBC radio and television shows (e.g. The Goon Show, Hancock's half hour, Monty Python's Flying Circus and the Two Ronnies) a series of soundtrack albums were released. This was done as a means of earning extra revenue from the shows in the days before video became common place
With 'Fawlty Towers' however the BBC were slightly slow off the mark because the first album was not released until 1979. The show had reached it's second series and it was four years since the first series had been broadcast.
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1979 - BBC ENTERPRISES
LP - REB 377
CASSETTE - ZCF 377
| SIDE 1 | MRS RICHARD'S (COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS) |
| SIDE 2 | HOTEL INSPECTOR |
This album is basically a straight copy of the television audio track, with no opening theme tune or linking material to explain what is going on. The albums sleeve lists the different scenes and the album links from one scene to another with a very short musical interlude.
The album cover feature a group photograph, one of several taken in 1979 at a photo session for the Radio Times article about the second series. Photographs from this session can be found on several other items.
The reverse of the sleeve features a large photograph of Basil, details of the scenes and performers in each episode and a quote from John Howard Davies (head of Comedy, BBC television and producer and director of the first series) about how funny 'Fawlty Towers' is.
The choice of episodes for this album is quite interesting. Neither of them are relay considered to be "classics" like 'The Germans' or 'Gourmet Night'. Could it be that these two episodes were chosen because they were the least visual, and hence they would have had to pay someone to write the links.
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| SIDE 1 | THE RAT (BASIL THE RAT) |
| SIDE 2 | THE BUILDERS |
By the time the BBC released the second album they had obviously realised that they had a winner on their hands. They picked probably two of the most well known episodes and as they are very visual, they had Andrew Sachs write and perform linking material as Manuel. Manuel also provides an introduction to the album in the form of a message to his family in Spain. For the first time the 'Fawlty Towers' theme tune is also used.
The album sleeve features photographs of the main cast, cast lists from the episodes and another quote from John Howard Davies. The front of the sleeve features a photograph of Basil taking out his anger on Manuel by kicking him up the arse.
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| SIDE 1 | DEATH (THE KIPPER AND THE CORPSE) |
| SIDE 2 | FIRE DRILL (THE GERMANS) |
This album continues in much the same way as the previous album, with the theme tune and an introduction and linking material by Andrew Sachs. The album was produced by Andres Sachs and William Grierson (who had worked on the two previous albums).
The Album sleeve features the cast lists and a photograph of Basil poking his finger up Manuel's nose. The front of the sleeve features an illustration (By Michael Lye) of Basil standing behind the reception desk.
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| SIDE 1 | THE AMERICANS (WALDORF SALAD) |
| SIDE 2 | GOURMET NIGHT |
This album along with 'Second Sitting' and 'At Your Service' also features the theme tune and Andrew Sachs's linking material. Like 'At Your Service' the album was co-produced by Andrew Sachs.
The album sleeve features the usual cast list and photographs, this time in black and white.
When the BBC realised the value of their archives in the 80's they released a large quantity of material on double cassettes Some of the material had not been previously released since it's transmission. Some like 'Fawlty Towers' was a re-release of previously released material, but in different packaging.
Despite the fact that 'Fawlty Towers' was done for television the cassettes are part the "BBC Radio Collection".
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| SIDE 1 | MRS RICHARD'S (COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS) |
| SIDE 2 | HOTEL INSPECTOR |
| SIDE 3 | BASIL THE RAT |
| SIDE 4 | THE BUILDERS |
The first double cassette to be released is a combination of the first two albums 'Fawlty Towers' and 'Fawlty Towers Second Sitting'. The cassette inlay features brief details of the episodes and a list of the main cast. The front of the inlay features a group photograph from the 1979 Radio Times photo session.
TRACK LISTING SAME AS ORIGINAL DOUBLE CASSETTE
This double cassette is a reissue of the 1988 double cassette but with a different inlay, done at the time of the release of the box-set. The first two episodes (Communication Problems and The Hotel Inspectors) include new linking material by Andrew Sachs as Manuel, which was not present on the original album 'Fawlty Towers' or on the original release of this double cassette.
TRACK LISTING SAME AS ORIGINAL DOUBLE CASSETTE
This is the long awaited CD version of the above double cassette.
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| SIDE 1 | THE KIPPER AND THE CORPSE |
| SIDE 2 | THE GERMANS |
| SIDE 3 | THE AMERICANS (WALDORF SALAD) |
| SIDE 4 | GOURMET NIGHT |
The second double cassette is the combination of the third and fourth albums 'Fawlty Towers at Your Service' and 'Fawlty Towers A La Carte'.
TRACK LISTING SAME AS ORIGINAL DOUBLE CASSETTE
This double cassette is a reissue of the 1988 double cassette but with a different inlay, done at the time of the release of the box-set.
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| SIDE 1 | A TOUCH OF CLASS |
| SIDE 2 | THE ANNIVERSARY |
| SIDE 3 | THE PSYCHIATRIST |
| SIDE 4 | THE WEDDING PARTY |
This is the third double cassette to be released witch features for the first time four episodes not previously released on LP or cassette. Obviously the popularity of the series led the BBC to make these episodes available for the first time. They would appear to be the four least well known and probably the most visual of the twelve episodes.
One other possible reason for the release of this double cassette was that it allowed the BBC to put all twelve episodes together in one complete package.
© BBC Enterprises Ltd.
The complete Fawlty Towers is a box-set of all three double cassettes that were released in 1994. The double cassettes in the box-set are exactly the same in content an appearance as the non box-set versions. The box in which the cassettes are contained is designed to look like the hotel with photographs of the front door, windows and slates on the top of the box.