 During World War II, he twice survived the sinking of the ship he was serving on.Sinclair is primarily known for being the inspiration for the character Basil Fawlty, played by John Cleese, in the television sitcom "Fawlty Towers" that Cleese co-wrote.This was owing to his allegedly stuffy, snobbish and eccentric treatment of his guests, including Cleese and other members of the Monty Python cast.