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.
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.