Who played Mr Hamilton in the Fawlty Towers episode Waldorf Salad?

Bruce Boa played Mr Hamilton in the Fawlty Towers episode “Waldorf Salad.” Boa portrays the forceful American guest whose complaints push Basil Fawlty into an increasingly elaborate and disastrous deception.

“Waldorf Salad” was written by John Cleese and Connie Booth and directed by Bob Spiers. It first aired on BBC2 on 5 March 1979 as the third episode of the sitcom’s second series. Although it was the first second-series episode recorded, it was transmitted third.

Boa’s character is Mr Hamilton, while Claire Nielson plays Mrs Hamilton. The other listed names are also genuine guest performers from the episode: Norman Bird plays Mr Arrad, Terence Conoley plays Mr Johnston, and Anthony Dawes plays Mr Libson. That crowded guest cast can make the names easy to mix up.

Boa was Canadian-born and had already appeared in the British sitcom “Yanks Go Home,” where he played an American sergeant. His performance as Mr Hamilton became especially memorable because the episode uses the character’s direct complaints to contrast American and British ideas of politeness.