Polly Sherman
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Polly Sherman is a fictional character played by Connie Booth in the hit BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers.
Employed as a waitress, Polly is often stuck doing many other jobs in the hotel. She is also the voice of sanity, although she loyally attempts to aid Mr. Fawlty when he is trying to cover for a mistake he's made, for fear of being sacked if she doesn't co-operate.
Polly is, in theory, only employed part-time, and is supposedly an art student: in one episode, she is seen to draw a sketch (presumably an impressionistic caricature) of Basil, which everyone but Basil immediately recognizes ("I mean, what is it, a garbage dump with a tie?"). Which art college she studies at, or indeed if she actually does, is not explained — a real art college is, however, situated in Torquay. She does find time to sketch, and has managed to sell some occasionally to supplement her meagre waitressing income, even to the hotel guests. Although generally loyal and kind-hearted, despite her better judgement, we do occasionally see glimpses of a more malicious side to Polly. In The Kipper and the Corpse, the pampered shitzu dog of an elderly widow staying at the hotel bit Polly and Manuel, and in an act of revenge, Polly smothered the dog's sausages with hot sauce, pepper and chilli powder. The dog suffered severe stomachache after consuming the "poisoned" meal, and it was implied it had eventually died.
According to a BBC interview with John Cleese, Polly was originally a philosophy student, and the original recording of "A Touch of Class" mentioned this. However, it was later decided to change the character, and the affected sections were rerecorded before the series was transmitted.
During the first series (broadcast in 1975), Polly was invariably seen attired in traditional waitress/maid outfits and with her hair tied in a bun. For the second series (aired in 1979), she was often shown with her hair down and wearing more business-like attire.
Connie Booth, the actress who played Polly, was the co-creator of Fawlty Towers and was married to Cleese, although by the time the second series was filmed, the two had divorced.
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