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Scottish actress Claire Nielson, known for her memorable role in the beloved comedy series Fawlty Towers, passed away at 89 on Wednesday, April 29. The cause of her death hasn’t been disclosed. Nielson shared the screen with comedy icons John Cleese and Prunella Scales during the show’s second season. She portrayed Mrs. Hamilton, a stylish hotel guest, in the episode titled “The Waldorf Salad,” where she arrives at the tumultuous Torquay hotel with her American spouse.
Reflecting on her role, Nielson revealed that her agent was initially angry about her decision to take the part, concerned it might harm her dramatic career. However, she embraced comedy and remarked, “Back then, pretty young women who did light entertainment stopped being offered dramatic parts but I’d always preferred comedy, so I didn’t care.” The episode became a fan favorite, featuring a comedic showdown between her on-screen husband and Basil Fawlty over the titular Waldorf salad, culminating in Basil’s infamous outburst as he evicts all the guests.
By the time she filmed the episode, which aired in 1979, Claire Nielson was already an accomplished actress with two decades of experience in the industry.
In her early career from 1958 to the early 1960s, she was credited as Claire Isbister in projects such as the TV movies “We Fought Alone: Epitaph on a Scottish Soldier” and “The Black Eye,” both released in 1958, as well as the 1959 TV series “Redgauntlet.”
Before her stint on Fawlty Towers, she also appeared in ITV’s “Play of the Week,” “Softly Softly,” and “Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads,” among other productions.
She had also starred as Jean “Porridge” Carter, Geoffrey Stock’s secretary, in the popular 1960s crime series Ghost Squad and had a long running role as the wife of Rikki Fulton’s character in the Scottish Hogmanay show Scotch and Wry from 1978 until 1992.
She also flexed her comedy muscles in The Two Ronnies making regular appearances in their sketches between 1971 and 1983.
In more recent years she popped up in shows such as Doctors, Taggart and Holby City. Her last credited role was in the TV mini series Shelly in 2018.
Alongside her acting career Claire also worked as a director at Riverside Studios, The Gate, and for the RSC Festival at The Other Place and The Swan.
she co-founded the Drama Pool in Stratford-upon-Avon running acting workshops in schools. She also became an accomplished painter and wrote a children’s book called The House at Strone.