In
an interview with Robert Barr of the Associated Press, John Cleese talked about
writing in the era of “Fawlty Towers” and now:
"I don't think the writers work as hard as they used to, and I think they may lack experience because I don't think the writing is as good as it used to be. But I do proudly say that in the '60s, '70s and '80s we did have the least bad television in the world, and that's quite a claim. I think the main problem now is it's run on the basis of money."
Not
that getting the series on the air the way they wanted it wasn’t a challenge.
The article goes on:
“Cleese recalled submitting the first script to Jimmy Gilbert at the British Broadcasting Corp. Gilbert responded that the script was ‘full of cliched situations and stereotypical characters, and I cannot see it as being anything other than a disaster.’
‘And Jimmy himself said, 'You're going to have to get them out of the hotel, John, you can't do the whole thing in the hotel.' Whereas, of course, it's in the hotel that the whole pressure cooker builds up.’”
Fortunately Cleese was able to maintain his vision of the show.
He also revealed he and his then-wife, Connie Booth, were paid very little for writing the scripts, but he was able to do it because he was making serious money writing commercials on the side.
(Want to write better? See my book, "Your Writing Coach" and the websites www.yourwritingcoach.com and www.timetowrite.com)
