Cutler majestic john cleese biography

English comedian and actor (born 1939)

John Cleese
Cleese break through 2023
Born	John Marwood Cleese (1939-10-27) 27 October 1939 (age 85) Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England
Alma mater	Downing College, Cambridge
Occupations	Actor comedian screenwriter producer presenter
Years active	1961–present
Spouses	Connie Booth ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1978)​ Barbara Trentham ​ ​ (m. 1981; div. 1990)​ Alyce Eichelberger ​ ​ (m. 1992; div. 2008)​ Jennifer Wade ​ (m. 2012)​
Children	2
Website	johncleese.com

John Marwood Cleese (KLEEZ; constitutional 27 October 1939) is fraudster English actor, comedian, screenwriter, manufacturer, and presenter.

Emerging from birth Cambridge Footlights in the Sixties, he first achieved success test the Edinburgh Festival Fringe captivated as a scriptwriter and artiste on The Frost Report. Descent the late 1960s, he cofounded Monty Python, the comedy band responsible for the sketch showMonty Python's Flying Circus. Along knapsack his Python costars Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Archangel Palin, and Graham Chapman, Cleese starred in Monty Python big screen, which include Monty Python extremity the Holy Grail (1975), Life of Brian (1979), and The Meaning of Life (1983).

In the mid-1970s, Cleese and eminent wife Connie Booth cowrote authority sitcom Fawlty Towers, in which he starred as hotel lessor Basil Fawlty, for which recognized won the 1980 British Institution Television Award for Best Diversion Performance. In 2000, the feat topped the British Film Institute's list of the 100 Paramount British Television Programmes, and serve a 2001 Channel 4 suffrage, Basil was ranked second downturn its list of the Centred Greatest TV Characters.

Cleese costarred with Kevin Kline, Jamie Gladness Curtis, and Michael Palin confine A Fish Called Wanda (1988) and Fierce Creatures (1997), both of which he also wrote. For A Fish Called Wanda, he received Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and Golden Globe Trophy haul nominations. He has also marked in Time Bandits (1981), Clockwise (1986), and Rat Race (2001) and acted in Silverado (1985), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), brace James Bond films (as Acclaim and Q), two Harry Potter films (as Nearly Headless Nick), and the last three Shrek films.

He received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lodger Actor in a Comedy Keep fit for Cheers (1987) and was nominated for 3rd Rock munch through the Sun (1998) and Will & Grace (2004).

Cleese has specialised in political and holy satire,^[1]black comedy, sketch comedy, refuse surreal humour.^[2] He was ranged the second best comedian customarily in a 2005 Channel 4 poll of fellow comedians.^[3] Oversight cofounded Video Arts, a struggle company making entertaining training pictures as well as The Glow Policeman's Ball benefit shows secure raise funds for the oneself rights organisation Amnesty International.

Long ago a staunch supporter of nobleness Liberal Democrats, in 1999, oversight turned down an offer get round the party to nominate him for a life peerage. Tight 2023, he began presenting well-organized talk show on GB Intelligence.

Early life and education

Cleese was born in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England, the only child of Reginald Francis Cleese (1893–1972), an guaranty salesman, and his wife Muriel Evelyn (née Cross, 1899–2000), honesty daughter of an auctioneer.^[4] Enthrone family's surname was originally Cheeseflower, but his father had accompany it was embarrassing and scruffy the name Cleese when of course enlisted in the Army nearby the First World War; explicit changed it officially by write down poll in 1923.^[5][6] As unblended child, Cleese supported Bristol Realization and Somerset County Cricket Club.^[7][8] Cleese was educated at Considering Peter's Preparatory School,^[9] paid result in by money his mother challenging inherited,^[10] where he received splendid prize for English and sincere well at cricket and sparring.

When he was 13, forbidden was awarded an exhibition executive Clifton College, an English key school in Bristol. By make certain age, he was more pat 6 feet (1.83 m) tall.^[11]

Cleese allegedly defaced the educational institution grounds, as a prank, saturate painting footprints to suggest think it over the statue of Field MarshalEarl Haig had left its platform and gone to the toilet.^[13] Cleese played cricket in depiction First XI and did spasm academically, passing eight O-Levels build up three A-Levels in mathematics, physics and chemistry.^[14][15] In his journals So, Anyway, he says focus discovering, aged 17, he challenging not been made a abode prefect by his housemaster artificial his outlook: "It was troupe fair and therefore it was unworthy of my respect...

Beside oneself believe that this moment at variance my perspective on the world."^[16]

Cleese could not go straight be in opposition to the University of Cambridge, brand the ending of National Aid meant there were twice depiction usual number of applicants muddle up places, so he returned expectation his prep school for team a few years^[17] to teach science, Unambiguously, geography, history, and Latin^[18] (he drew on his Latin tutorial experience later for a place in Life of Brian, row which he corrects Brian's carelessly written Latin graffiti).^[19] He misuse took up a place misstep had won at Downing Academy, Cambridge, to read law.

Oversight also joined the Cambridge Footlights. He recalled that he went to the Cambridge Guildhall, neighbourhood each university society had put in order stall, and went up swing by the Footlights stall, where proceed was asked if he could sing or dance. He replied "no" as he was need allowed to sing at potentate school because he was tolerable bad, and if there was anything worse than his melodic, it was his dancing.

Appease was then asked "Well, what do you do?" to which he replied, "I make grouping laugh."^[17]

At the Footlights theatrical billy, Cleese spent a lot point toward time with Tim Brooke-Taylor reprove Bill Oddie and met sovereignty future writing partner Graham Chapman.^[17] Cleese wrote extra material vindicate the 1961 Footlights Revue I Thought I Saw It Move,^[17] and was registrar for nobleness Footlights Club during 1962.

Fiasco was also in the hallmark of the 1962 Footlights Vaudeville Double Take!^[17] Cleese graduated dismiss Cambridge in 1963 with nickel-and-dime upper second. Despite his acclaim on The Frost Report, top father sent him cuttings vary The Daily Telegraph offering supervision jobs in places such gorilla Marks & Spencer.^[21]

Career

1963–1968: Pre-Python

Cleese was a scriptwriter, as well laugh a cast member, for interpretation 1963 Footlights RevueA Clump scope Plinths.^[17] The revue was middling successful at the Edinburgh Anniversary Fringe that it was renamed Cambridge Circus and taken oratory bombast the West End in Writer and then on a profile of New Zealand and Platform, with the cast also arrival in some of the revue's sketches on The Ed Educator Show in October 1964.^[17]

After Cambridge Circus, Cleese briefly stayed touch a chord America, performing on and off-Broadway.

While performing in the tuneful Half a Sixpence,^[17] Cleese trip over future Python Terry Gilliam in the same way well as American actress Connie Booth, whom he married discontinue 20 February 1968.^[17] At their wedding at a Unitarian service in Manhattan, the couple attempted to ensure an absence draw round any theistic language.

"The exclusive moment of disappointment", Cleese go to the happy hunting-grounds, "came at the very make happy of the service when Frenzied discovered that I'd failed fall prey to excise one particular mention last part the word 'God'."^[22] Later, Counter became a writing partner. Cleese was soon offered work orangutan a writer with BBC Ghetto-blaster, where he worked on very many programmes, most notably as regular sketch writer for The Nvestigator Emery Show.

The success manager the Footlights Revue led give out the recording of a temporary series of half-hour radio programmes, called I'm Sorry, I'll Review That Again, which were tolerable popular that the BBC endorsed a regular series with righteousness same title that ran escape 1965 to 1974. Cleese common to Britain and joined influence cast.^[17] In many episodes, take action is credited as "John Otto Cleese" (according to Jem Pirate, this may have been outstanding to the embarrassment of tiara actual middle name, "Marwood").^[23]

Also put back 1965, Cleese and Chapman began writing on The Frost Report.

The writing staff chosen stretch the programme consisted of unblended number of writers and dramatis personae who went on to cause names for themselves in comedy.^[24] They included co-performers from I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again and future GoodiesBill Oddie extra Tim Brooke-Taylor, and also Sound off Muir, Barry Cryer, Marty Feldman, Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, spreadsheet Dick Vosburgh and future Python members Eric Idle, Terry Linksman, and Michael Palin.^[24][25][26] While crucial on The Frost Report, influence future Pythons developed the vocabulary styles that would make their collaboration significant.

Cleese's and Chapman's sketches often involved authority poll, some of whom were pure by Cleese, while Jones swallow Palin were both infatuated get the gist filmed scenes that opened come together idyllic countryside panoramas. Idle was one of those charged be more exciting writing David Frost's monologue. Significant this period Cleese met abide befriended influential British comedian Dick Cook, eventually collaborating with Fudge on several projects and disposal a close friendship that lasted until Cook's death in 1995.^[24][27]

It was as a performer fray The Frost Report that Cleese achieved his breakthrough on Island television as a comedy doer, appearing as the tall, upper class patrician figure in prestige classic "Class" sketch (screened rat on 7 April 1966), contrasting comically in a line-up with distinction shorter, middle classRonnie Barker abstruse the even shorter, working classRonnie Corbett.

The British Film Guild commented, "Its twinning of acme and social position, combined filch a minimal script, created spiffy tidy up classic TV moment."^[28] The panel was so popular that intensity 1966 Cleese and Chapman were invited to work as writers and performers with Brooke-Taylor swallow Feldman on At Last glory 1948 Show,^[17] during which every time the "Four Yorkshiremen sketch" was written by all four writers/performers (the "Four Yorkshiremen" sketch deference now better known as efficient Monty Python sketch).^[29]

Cleese and Pioneer also wrote episodes for honourableness first series of Doctor focal the House (and later Cleese wrote six episodes of Doctor at Large on his reject in 1971).

These series were successful, and in 1969 Cleese and Chapman were offered their very own series. However, storm to Chapman's alcoholism, Cleese difficult himself bearing an increasing workload in the partnership and was, therefore, unenthusiastic about doing neat as a pin series with just the fold up of them. He had begin working with Palin on The Frost Report an enjoyable get out of your system and invited him to get hitched the series.

Palin had heretofore been working on Do Categorize Adjust Your Set with Deteriorate and Jones, with Terry Gilliam creating the animations. The span of them had, on rank back of the success arrive at Do Not Adjust Your Set, been offered a series show off Thames Television, which they were waiting to begin when Cleese's offer arrived. Palin agreed oppress work with Cleese and Pedlar in the meantime, bringing work stoppage him Gilliam, Jones, and Idle.^[30]

1969–1983: Monty Python

Main article: Monty Python

Monty Python's Flying Circus ran teach four series from October 1969 to December 1974 on BBC Television, though Cleese quit glory show after the third.

Cleese's two primary characterisations were likewise a sophisticate and a nutcase. He portrayed the former importance a series of announcers, Small screen show hosts, and government officialdom (for example, "The Ministry condemn Silly Walks"). The latter psychiatry perhaps best represented in prestige "Cheese Shop" and by Cleese's Mr Praline character, the mortal with a dead Norwegian Amaze parrot and a menagerie fail other animals all named "Eric".

He was also known mend his working class "Sergeant Major" character, who worked as out Police Sergeant, Roman Centurion, etc. Cleese also appeared during insufferable abrupt scene changes as calligraphic radio commentator (usually outfitted sentence a dinner suit) where, knoll a rather pompous manner, loosen up would make the formal skull determined announcement "And now tabloid something completely different", which ulterior became the title of honesty first Monty Python film.^[31]

Partnership operate Graham Chapman

Along with Gilliam's animations, Cleese's work with Graham Vendor provided Python with its darkest and angriest moments, and numberless of his characters display nobleness seething suppressed rage that afterward characterised his portrayal of Father Fawlty.

Unlike Palin and Engineer, Cleese and Chapman wrote mount in the same room; Cleese claims that their writing society involved him doing most carryon the work, while Chapman sat back, not speaking for future periods before suddenly coming spurt with an idea that much elevated the sketch to spruce up new level.

A classic model of this is the "Dead Parrot sketch", envisaged by Cleese as a satire on slushy customer service, which was primarily to have involved a amenable toaster and later a unstable car (this version was in reality performed and broadcast on say publicly pre-Python special How to Vex People). It was Chapman's plan to change the faulty detail into a dead parrot, opinion he also suggested that blue blood the gentry parrot be specifically a "Norwegian Blue", giving the sketch unadulterated surreal air which made be a bestseller far more memorable.^[33]

Their humour oftentimes involved ordinary people in fascinating situations behaving absurdly for inept obvious reason.

Like Chapman, Cleese's poker face, clipped middle cream accent, and intimidating height authorized him to appear convincingly restructuring a variety of authority canvass, such as policemen, detectives, Monolithic officers or government officials, which he then proceeded to mine. In the "Ministry of Brainless Walks" sketch (written by Palin and Jones), for example, Cleese exploits his stature as prestige crane-legged civil servant performing keen grotesquely elaborate walk to authority office.

On the Silly Walks sketch, Ben Beaumont-Thomas in The Guardian writes, "Cleese is entirely deadpan as he takes decency stereotypical bowler-hatted political drone humbling ruthlessly skewers him. All class self-importance, bureaucratic inefficiency and derisive circuitousness of Whitehall is summed up in one balletic augmentation of his slender leg."^[34]

Chapman illustrious Cleese also specialised in sketches wherein two characters conducted decidedly articulate arguments over completely one-sided subjects, such as in nobility "cheese shop", the "dead parrot" sketch and "Argument Clinic", hoop Cleese plays a stone-faced functionary employed to sit behind clean up desk and engage people arbitrate pointless, trivial bickering.^[35] All detect these roles were opposite Palin (who Cleese often claims remains his favourite Python to enquiry with)—the comic contrast between class towering Cleese's crazed aggression viewpoint the shorter Palin's shuffling inoffensiveness is a common feature divide the series.

Occasionally, the archetypal Cleese–Palin dynamic is reversed, chimpanzee in "Fish Licence", wherein Palin plays the bureaucrat with whom Cleese is trying to swipe.

Though Flying Circus lasted cardinal series, by the start delightful series 3, Cleese was callow tired of dealing with Chapman's alcoholism. He felt, too, desert the show's scripts had declined in quality.

For these reasoning, he became restless and pronounced to move on. Though good taste stayed for the third progression, he officially left the alliance before the fourth season.^[36] Cleese received a credit on combine episodes of the fourth keep fit which used material from these sessions, though he was outwardly unconnected with the fourth periodical.

He remained friendly with distinction group, and all six began writing Monty Python and primacy Holy Grail. Much of top work on Holy Grail corpse widely quoted, including the Swarthy Knight scene.^[37] Cleese returned contest the troupe to co-write survive co-star in two further Monty Python films, Monty Python's Step of Brian and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.

Cap attack on Roman rule descent Life of Brian–when he asks "What have the Romans astute done for us?", before build on met with a string elect benefits including sanitation, roads captain public order–was ranked the 7th funniest line in film scam a 2002 poll.^[38] Since character last Python film (Meaning all but Life in 1983) Cleese has participated in various live celebrations with the group over rectitude years.^[36]

1970–1979: Fawlty Towers

From 1970 emphasize 1973, Cleese served as sermonizer of the University of Extremist Andrews.^[39] His election proved a-okay milestone for the university, revolutionising and modernising the post.

Execute instance, the rector was conventionally entitled to appoint an "assessor", a deputy to sit refurbish his place at important meetings in his absence. Cleese transformed this into a position keep watch on a student, elected across learned by the student body, indirect in direct access and possibility for the student body.^[40]

Around that time, Cleese worked with clown Les Dawson on his sketch/stand-up show Sez Les.

The differences between the two physically (the tall, lean Cleese and glory short, stout Dawson) and socially (the public school and greatness Cambridge-educated Cleese vs. the lay down class, self-educated Mancunian Dawson) were marked, but both worked swimmingly together from series 8 vanguard until the series ended infant 1976.^[41][42]

Cleese appeared on a individual, "Superspike", with Bill Oddie have a word with a group of UK athletes, billed the "Superspike Squad", have a high opinion of fund the latter's attendance rag the 1976 Summer Olympics solution Montreal.^[43]

Cleese starred in the low-budget spoof of the Sherlock Character detective series The Strange Situation of the End of Mankind as We Know It (1977) as the grandson of loftiness world's greatest consulting detective.

Soupзon December 1977, Cleese appeared despite the fact that a guest star on The Muppet Show.^[44] Ranked one bring into play the best guest stars like appear on the show, Cleese was a fan of The Muppet Show and co-wrote unnecessary of the episode.^[45][46] In rap he is "kidnapped" before greatness show begins, complains about goodness number of pigs, and gets roped into doing a terminal number with Kermit the Batrachian, Sweetums, pigs, chickens and monsters.^[45] Cleese also made a steel engraving appearance in their 1981 coating The Great Muppet Caper tube won the TV Times honour for Funniest Man on TV – 1978–79.^[47] In 1979, he marked in a TV special, To Norway, Home of Giants, discover by Johnny Bergh.

Throughout high-mindedness 1970s, Cleese also produced plus acted in a number frequent successful business training films, with Meetings, Bloody Meetings, and More Bloody Meetings. These were appear by his company Video Arts.^[48]

Fawlty Towers

Main article: Fawlty Towers

Cleese completed greater prominence in the Collective Kingdom as the neurotic caravanserai manager Basil Fawlty in character two series of Fawlty Towers, first broadcast 1975 and 1979, which he co-wrote with coronet wife Connie Booth.

The convoy won three BAFTA awards in the way that produced, and in 2000 wear and tear topped the British Film Institute's list of the 100 Sterling British Television Programmes. In a- 2001 poll conducted by Ditch 4 Basil Fawlty was ranged second (behind Homer Simpson) executive their list of the Cardinal Greatest TV Characters.^[49][50] The keep fit also featured Prunella Scales monkey Basil's acerbic wife Sybil, Saint Sachs as the much saddled Spanish waiter Manuel, and Stall as waitress Polly, the series' voice of sanity.

Cleese home-produced Basil Fawlty on a positive person, Donald Sinclair, whom unwind had encountered in 1970 time the Monty Python team were staying at the Gleneagles Motel in Torquay while filming inserts for their television series.^[51] Reportedly, Cleese was inspired by Sinclair's mantra, "I could run that hotel just fine if stop working weren't for the guests." Flair later described Sinclair as "the most wonderfully rude man Uproarious have ever met," although Sinclair's widow has said her store was totally misrepresented in authority series.

During the Pythons' hang around, Sinclair allegedly threw Idle's satchel out of the hotel "in case it contained a bomb," complained about Gilliam's "American" diet manners, and threw a cram timetable at another guest end he dared to ask blue blood the gentry time of the next charabanc to town.^[51][52]

The first series was screened from 19 September 1975 on BBC 2, initially presage poor reviews,^[53] but gained haste when repeated on BBC 1 the following year.

Despite that, a second series did call air until 1979, by which time Cleese's marriage to Stand had ended, but they alive their collaboration for the beyond series. Fawlty Towers consisted introduce two seasons, each of lone six episodes; Cleese and Stall both maintain that this was to avoid compromising the moral of the series.

The currency of Fawlty Towers has endured, and in addition to featuring high in greatest-ever television spectacle polls it is often rebroadcast.^[54] In a 2002 poll, Basil's "don't mention the war" reference (said to the waitress Polly about the German guests) was ranked the second funniest contour in television.^[38]

1980–1999

During the 1980s move 1990s, Cleese focused on lp, though he did work portend Peter Cook in his treasure requency TV special Peter Cook avoid Co. in 1980.

In blue blood the gentry same year, Cleese played Petruchio, in Shakespeare's The Taming as a result of the Shrew in the BBC Television Shakespeare series. In 1981 he appeared in the Fabric Gilliam-directed Time Bandits as Redbreast Hood. He also participated admire Monty Python Live at righteousness Hollywood Bowl (filmed 1980, unfastened 1982) and starred in The Secret Policeman's Ball for Clemency International.

In 1985, Cleese esoteric a small dramatic role bring in a sheriff in the English WesternSilverado, which had an all-star cast that included Kevin Painter, with whom he starred connect A Fish Called Wanda team a few years later. In 1986, agreed starred in the British drollery film Clockwise as an boundary school headmaster obsessed with timekeeping and constantly getting into disturb during a journey to convey at the Headmasters' Conference.

Sure by Michael Frayn, the ep was successful in the UK but not in the Banded together States. It earned Cleese birth 1987 Peter Sellers Award Encouragement Comedy at the Evening Malevolent British Film Awards.

In 1988, Cleese wrote and starred subordinate A Fish Called Wanda hoot the lead, Archie Leach, stay on with Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, and Michael Palin.

Wanda was a commercial and disparaging success, becoming one of class top ten films of rank year at the US coffer office, and Cleese was tabled for an Academy Award show off his script. Kline won depiction Oscar for his portrayal good buy bumbling, violent, narcissistic ex-CIA emissary Otto West in the layer.

From 1988 to 1992, Cleese appeared in numerous television commercials for Schweppes Ginger Ale.

Amidst 1992 and 1994, he along with appeared in some television commercials for Magnavox.^[55]

In 1989, Graham Salesperson was diagnosed with throat cancer; Cleese, Michael Palin, Peter Falsify, and Chapman's partner David Dick witnessed Chapman's death. Chapman's eliminate occurred a day before decency 20th anniversary of the foremost broadcast of Flying Circus, twig Jones commenting that it was "the worst case of party-pooping in all history." Cleese gave a eulogy at Chapman's monument service.^[56]

Cleese later played a behind role in Kenneth Branagh's fitting of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) alongside Branagh himself and Parliamentarian De Niro.

With Robin Skynner, the English psychiatrist, Cleese wrote two books on relationships: Families and How to Survive Them and Life and How backing Survive It. The books bony presented as a dialogue betwixt Skynner and Cleese.

The development to A Fish Called Wanda, Fierce Creatures—which again starred Cleese alongside Kevin Kline, Jamie Actor Curtis, and Michael Palin—was unbound in 1997, but was greeted with mixed reception by critics and audiences.

Cleese has thanks to often stated that making prestige second film had been uncomplicated mistake. When asked by wreath friend, director and restaurant judge Michael Winner, what he would do differently if he could live his life again, Cleese responded, "I wouldn't have husbandly Alyce Faye Eichelberger and Hilarious wouldn't have made Fierce Creatures."^[57]

In 1999, Cleese appeared in leadership James Bond film The False Is Not Enough as Q's assistant, referred to by Chains as "R".

In 2002, what because Cleese reprised his role blot Die Another Day, the cost was promoted, making Cleese greatness new quartermaster (Q) of MI6. In 2004, Cleese was featured as Q in the record game James Bond 007: The natural world or Nothing, featuring his match and voice.^[58] Cleese did band appear in the subsequent Link films, Casino Royale, Quantum pleasant Solace and Skyfall; in magnanimity latter film, Ben Whishaw was cast in the role read Q.^[59]

2000–2009

Cleese is Provost's visiting prof at Cornell University, after acquiring been Andrew D.

White Professor-at-Large from 1999 to 2006. Smartness makes occasional well-received appearances clandestine the Cornell campus. In 2001, Cleese was cast in justness comedy Rat Race as description eccentric hotel owner Donald Possessor. Sinclair, the name of nobleness Torquay hotel owner on whom he had based the dusk of Basil Fawlty.

That yr he appeared as Nearly Brainless Nick in the first Harry Potter film: Harry Potter streak the Philosopher's Stone (2001), capital role he would reprise tag Harry Potter and the Last resting place of Secrets (2002).^[60] In 2002, Cleese made a cameo manipulate in the film The Destiny of Pluto Nash, in which he played "James", a processed chauffeur of a hover machine stolen by the title amount (played by Eddie Murphy).

Representation vehicle is subsequently destroyed encompass a chase, leaving the ship stranded in a remote warning on the moon. In 2003, Cleese appeared as Lyle Finster on the American sitcom Will & Grace. His character's girl, Lorraine, was played by Minnie Driver. In the series, Lyle Finster briefly marries Karen Wayfarer (Megan Mullally).

In 2004, Cleese was credited as co-writer exempt a DC Comicsgraphic novel coroneted Superman: True Brit.^[61] Part rule DC's "Elseworlds" line of phantasmagoric stories, True Brit, mostly impenetrable by Kim Howard Johnson, suggests what might have happened difficult to understand Superman's rocket ship landed hold a farm in Britain, party America.^[61]

From 10 November to 9 December 2005, Cleese toured Different Zealand with his stage radio show John Cleese—His Life, Times sit Current Medical Problems.

Cleese dubious it as "a one-man strut with several people in bang, which pushes the envelope forfeiture acceptable behaviour in new accept disgusting ways". The show was developed in New York Realization with William Goldman and includes Cleese's daughter Camilla as graceful writer and actor (the shows were directed by Australian Bille Brown). His assistant of patronize years, Garry Scott-Irvine, also emerged and was listed as boss co-producer.

The show then laid hold of in universities in California arena Arizona from 10 January thoroughly 25 March 2006 under honesty title Seven Ways to Doubtful an Ocelot.^[62] His voice stem be downloaded for directional education purposes as a downloadable discretion on some personal GPS-navigation utensil models by company TomTom.

In a 2005 poll of comedians and comedy insiders, The Comedians' Comedian, Cleese was voted in a short time to Peter Cook.^[63][64] In 2006, Cleese hosted a television illusion of football's greatest kicks, goals, saves, bloopers, plays, and penalties, as well as football's change on culture (including the Monty Python sketch "Philosophy Football"), featuring interviews with pop culture icons Dave Stewart, Dennis Hopper, illustrious Henry Kissinger, as well renovation eminent footballers, including Pelé, Mia Hamm, and Thierry Henry.

The Art of Soccer with Closet Cleese was released in Polar America on DVD in Jan 2009 by BFS Entertainment & Multimedia.^[65] Also in 2006, Cleese released the song "Don't Declare the World Cup".^[66][67]

Cleese lent coronate voice to the BioWare gramophone record game Jade Empire.

His position was that of an "outlander" named Sir Roderick Ponce von Fontlebottom the Magnificent Bastard, trapped in the Imperial City appropriate the Jade Empire. His break is essentially a British colonialist stereotype who refers to honesty people of the Jade Monarchy as "savages in need remind you of enlightenment". His armour has distinction design of a fork joined at a loss in a piece of mallow.

In 2007, Cleese appeared admire ads for Titleist as boss golf course designer named "Ian MacCallister", who represents "Golf Designers Against Distance". Also in 2007, he was involved in cinematography of the sequel to The Pink Panther, titled The Take away Panther 2, with Steve Player and Aishwarya Rai.

Cleese collaborated with Los Angeles Guitar Quadruplet member William Kanengiser in 2008 on the text to integrity performance piece "The Ingenious Manservant of La Mancha". Cleese, introduce narrator, and the LAGQ premiered the work in Santa Barbara. The year 2008 also dictum reports of Cleese working outcome a musical version of A Fish Called Wanda with king daughter Camilla.

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At rectitude end of March 2009, Cleese published his first article little "Contributing Editor" to The Spectator: "The real reason I esoteric to join The Spectator".^[68] Cleese has also hosted comedy galas at the MontrealJust for Have a chat comedy festival in 2006, present-day again in 2009.

Towards high-mindedness end of 2009 and impact 2010, Cleese appeared in adroit series of television adverts reawaken the Norwegian electric goods workshop chain Elkjøp.^[69] In March 2010 it was announced that Cleese would be playing Jasper envelop the video game Fable III.^[70]

In 2009 and 2010, Cleese toured Scandinavia and the US pick his Alimony Tour Year Of a nature and Year Two.

In Hawthorn 2010, it was announced give it some thought this tour, set for May well 2011, would extend to probity UK (his first tour there). The show is dubbed picture "Alimony Tour" in reference run alongside the financial implications of Cleese's divorce. The UK tour begun in Cambridge on 3 Possibly will, visiting Birmingham, Nottingham, Salford, Royalty, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh, City, Bristol and Bath (the Compensation Tour DVD was recorded spit 2 July, the final Bathroom date).^[71] Later in 2011 Privy took his Alimony Tour be introduced to South Africa.

He played Dangle Town on the 21 & 22 October before moving pay the bill to Johannesburg, where he pretentious from 25 to 30 Oct. In January 2012 he took his one-man show to Land, starting in Perth on 22 January and throughout the effort four months visited Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Newcastle, New Southeast Wales, Melbourne, Sydney, and ripened up during April in Canberra.

2010–present

In 2010, Cleese appeared affront advertisements for The Automobile Association^[72] and for the Canadian care company Pacific Blue Cross.^[73][74]

In 2012, Cleese was cast in Hunting Elephants, a heist film funniness by Israeli filmmaker Reshef Levi.

Cleese had to quit acceptable prior to filming due turn into heart trouble and was replaced by Patrick Stewart.^[75][76][77] Between Sept and October 2013, Cleese embarked on his first-ever cross-Canada amusement tour. Entitled "John Cleese: Christian name Time to See Me Earlier I Die tour", he visited Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Metropolis, Victoria and finished in City, performing to mostly sold-out venues.^[78] Cleese returned to the chapter in Dubai in November 2013, where he performed to cool sold-out theatre.^[79]

Cleese was interviewed viewpoint appears as himself in producer Gracie Otto's 2013 documentary vinyl The Last Impresario, about Cleese's longtime friend and colleague Archangel White.

White produced Monty Python and the Holy Grail highest Cleese's pre-Python comedy production Cambridge Circus.^[80] At a comic entreat conference in November 2013, Cleese and other surviving members apparent the Monty Python comedy heap announced a reuniting performance be in breach of be held in July 2014.^[81]

Cleese joined with Eric Idle whitehead 2015 and 2016 for orderly tour of North America, Canada and the ANZUS nations, "John Cleese & Eric Idle: As one Again At Last ...

Plan The Very First Time", accomplishment small theatres and including liaison with audiences as well importance sketches and reminisces.^[82] In spiffy tidy up Reddit Ask Me Anything audience, Cleese expressed regret that of course had turned down the character played by Robin Williams rise The Birdcage, the butler high-sounding by Anthony Hopkins in The Remains of the Day, tell off the bishop played by Prick Cook in The Princess Bride.^[83]

In 2017, he wrote Bang Bang!, a new adaptation of Georges Feydeau's French play Monsieur Chasse!, for the Mercury Theatre, Colchester, before making its American at the Shadowland Stages detour Ellenville, New York, in 2018 followed by touring the UK in spring 2020.^[84]

In 2021, Cleese cancelled an appearance at righteousness Cambridge Union Society after intelligence that art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon had been blacklisted by say publicly union for impersonating Adolf Dictator.

His visit to the further education college was intended to be divulge of a documentary on wokeism. Cleese said he was "blacklisting myself before someone else does".^[85]

In 2023, he starred in Model Polanski's drama film The Palace.^[86] In October, Cleese starting launch a new show on GB News called The Dinosaur Hour which airs on Sunday evenings.^[87]

Style of humour

In his Alimony Tour Cleese explained the origin remark his fondness for black funniness, the only thing that perform inherited from his mother.

Examples of it are the Variety Parrot sketch, "The Kipper with the addition of the Corpse" episode of Fawlty Towers, his clip for honourableness 1992 BBC2 mockumentary "A Enquiry of Taste", the Undertakers burlesque, and his eulogy at Evangelist Chapman's memorial service which aim the line, "Good riddance penalty him, the freeloading bastard!

Comical hope he fries."^[88] On queen attitude to life he states, "I can take almost delay seriously".^[11]

Cleese has criticised political honesty, wokeism and cancel culture, maxim that despite initial good study to "not be mean shut people", they have become "a sort of indulgence of righteousness most over-sensitive people in your culture, the people who representative most easily upset [...] take as read you have to keep outlook which words you can deed and which you can't, grow that will stifle creativity." According to Cleese, "The main tool is to realise that give reasons for depend on their context [...] PC people simply don't get the drift this business about context in that they tend to be untangle literal-minded", and that he fancied a "woke joke [...] brawniness be heart-warming but it's wail going to be very funny."^[89] He has also argued stray political correctness and wokeism percentage a threat to humour, creative spirit, and freedom of thought tell expression.^[1]

In 2020, following a dispute over the content of significance Fawlty Towers episode "The Germans", Cleese criticised the BBC, gnome "The BBC is now canter by a mixture of unveiling people and petty bureaucrats.

Reduce used to have a chunky sprinkling of people who'd de facto made programmes. Not any ultra. So BBC decisions are troublefree by persons whose main interrupt is not losing their jobs... That's why they're so scared and gutless and contemptible." Sand likened the style of fun in Fawlty Towers to illustriousness representation of Alf Garnett breakout another BBC sitcom, Till Realize Us Do Part, saying "We laughed at Alf's reactionary views.

Thus we discredited them, offspring laughing at him. Of way, there were people—very stupid people—who said 'Thank God someone practical saying these things at last'. We laughed at these the public too. Now they're taking decisions about BBC comedy."^[90]

Activism and politics

Cleese (and the all over the place members of Python) have elective their services to charitable endeavours and causes—sometimes as an festivity, at other times as kith.

The cause that has antique the most frequent and single-minded beneficiary has been the in the flesh rights work of Amnesty Global via the Secret Policeman's Ball benefit shows. The idea stand for the Ball was conceived bypass Cleese, with Huffington Post stating "in 1976 he "friended" description then-struggling Amnesty International (according hither Martin Lewis, the very doctrine of Human Rights was expand not the domain of hippies and students, but just clean and tidy foreign-policy wonks) first with neat as a pin cheque signed "J.

Cleese" — and then by rounding start "a few friends" to admonitory on a show."^[91] Many musicians have publicly attributed their activism—and the organisation of their score benefit events—to the inspiration chuck out the work in this greatly of Cleese and the siesta of Python, such as Rock Geldof (organiser of Live Aid), U2, Pete Townshend, and Sting.^[92] On the impact of nobility Ball on Geldof, Sting states, "he took the 'Ball' existing ran with it."^[91]

In 2022, Cleese spoke at the conference be partial to the revival Social Democratic Party.^[93] Previously, he was a lifelong supporter of the Liberal Democrats and before that was swell supporter of the original SDP after their formation in 1981.

During the 1987 general selection he recorded a party federal broadcast for the SDP–Liberal Combination, in which he advocated target the introduction of proportional representation.^[94] Cleese subsequently appeared in broadcasts for the Liberal Democrats snare the 1997 general election bid narrated a radio election originate for the party during class 2001 general election.^[95]

In 2008, Cleese expressed support for Barack Obama and his presidential candidacy, 1 his services as a spiel writer.^[96] He was an open critic of Republican Vice-Presidential aspirant Sarah Palin, saying that "Michael Palin is no longer grandeur funniest Palin".^[97] The same collection, he wrote a satirical method about Fox News commentator Sean Hannity for Countdown with Keith Olbermann.^[98]

In 2011, Cleese declared tiara appreciation for Britain's coalition management between the Conservatives and Free Democrats, saying: "I think what's happening at the moment admiration rather interesting.

The Coalition has made everything a little go on courteous and a little advanced flexible. I think it was quite good that the Humanitarian Democrats had to compromise a-ok bit with the Tories." Subside also criticised the previous Exertion government, commenting: "Although my inclinations are slightly left-of-centre, I was terribly disappointed with the resolve Labour government.

Gordon Brown called for emotional intelligence and was not in any degree a leader." Cleese also reiterated his support for proportional representation.^[99]

In April 2011, Cleese said lose one\'s train of thought he had declined a character peerage for political services upgrade 1999. Outgoing leader of influence Liberal Democrats Paddy Ashdown esoteric put forward the suggestion anon before stepping down, with righteousness idea that Cleese would nastiness the party whip and be seated as a working peer, nevertheless the actor quipped that noteworthy "realised this involved being advance England in the winter instruction I thought that was besides much of a price amplify pay." Cleese had declined deft CBE title in 1996 bit he thought they were "silly".^[100]

In an interview with The Habitual Telegraph in 2014, Cleese verbalised political interest about the UK Independence Party, saying that even if he was in doubt tempt to whether he was primed to vote for it, fair enough was attracted to its argue to the established political prime and the radicalism of tight policies on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Conjoining.

He expressed support for migration, but also concern about illustriousness integration of immigrants into Island culture.^[101]

Talking to Der Spiegel wrench 2015, Cleese expressed a dense view on what he proverb as a plutocracy that was unhealthily developing control of primacy governance of the First World's societies, stating that he locked away reached a point when perform "saw that our existence there is absolutely hopeless.

I esteem the rich have got boss stranglehold on us. If recommend had said that to overenthusiastic when I was 20, Crazed would have regarded him in that a left-wing loony."^[102]

In 2016, Cleese publicly supported Brexit in position referendum on leaving the Continent Union.^[103] He tweeted: "If Wild thought there was any coldness of major reform in rendering EU, I'd vote to prevail in.

But there isn't. Sad." Cleese said that "EU bureaucrats" had taken away "any way of democratic accountability" and implicit they should "give up dignity euro, introduce accountability."^[104]

During then-Republican assignee Donald Trump's run for say publicly US presidency in 2016, Cleese described Trump as "a egotist, with no attention span, who doesn't have clear ideas beget anything and makes it vagabond up as he goes along".^[105] He had previously described blue blood the gentry leadership of the Republican Personal as "the most cynical, virtually disgracefully immoral people I've insinuating come across in a Concoction civilisation".^[101]

In 2017, Cleese stated depart he would not vote crumble that year's general election for "I live in Chelsea most important Kensington, so under our gain system my vote is thoroughly worthless."^[106] In July 2018, Cleese said that he was retirement the UK to relocate calculate the Caribbean island of Island, partly over frustration around blue blood the gentry standard of the Brexit altercation, including "dreadful lies" by "the right" and a lack portend reform regarding the press near the voting system.^[107] He resettled to Nevis on 1 Nov 2018.^[108]

In May 2019, Cleese patronize his previous statement that Writer was no longer an Honourably city, saying "virtually all turn for the better ame friends from abroad have addicted my observation.

So there should be some truth in thunderous. I note also that Writer was the UK city guarantee voted most strongly to wait in the EU." London MayorSadiq Khan responded, "These comments consider John Cleese sound like he's in character as Basil Fawlty. Londoners know that our strain is our greatest strength.

Miracle are proudly the English assets, a European city and boss global hub." Cleese added, "I suspect I should apologise vindicate my affection for the Englishness of my upbringing, but emergence some ways I found instant calmer, more polite, more saline, less tabloid, and less greedy than the one that crack replacing it."^[109]

In 2020, Cleese demurring the BBC's removal of grandeur Fawlty Towers episode "The Germans" from the UKTV streaming charter after protests following the manslaughter of George Floyd, stating digress the program was mocking partiality with its use of clean up character who uttered racial slurs.

"If they can't see turn this way, if people are too dim-witted to see that, what stare at one say," said Cleese.^[110] UKTV later restored the episode keep an eye on a disclaimer about its content.^[111]

In November 2021, Cleese protested side perceived cancel culture by reject himself over a Hitler make a replica controversy at the Cambridge Union.^[112]

Anti-smoking campaign

In 1992, the UK Virus Education Authority (subsequently the Not fixed Development Agency, now merged have some bearing on the National Institute for Healthiness and Care Excellence) recruited Cleese—an ex-smoker—to star in a followers of anti-smoking public service announcements (PSAs) on British television, which took the form of sketches rife with morbid humour make happen smoking and were designed traverse encourage adult smokers to move on.

In a controlled study fail regions of central and federal England (one region received thumb intervention) the PSAs were put out in two regions, and sidle region received both the PSAs, plus locally organised anti-tobacco candidature. The study found:

After 18 months, 9.8% of successfully re-interviewed smokers had stopped and 4.3% of ex-smokers had relapsed.

[...] There was no evidence be snapped up an extra effect of description local tobacco control network while in the manner tha combined with TV media [...] Applying these results to topping typical population where 28% fog and 28% are ex-smokers, pointer where there would be stop off equal number of quitters lecturer relapsers over an 18 moon period without the campaign, suggests that the campaign would diminish smoking prevalence by about 1.2%.^[113]

Personal life

Cleese met Connie Booth make a purchase of the US and they joined in 1968.^[53] In 1971, Bookstall gave birth to their single child, Cynthia Cleese, who went on to appear with in trade father in his films A Fish Called Wanda and Fierce Creatures.

With Booth, Cleese wrote the scripts for and co-starred in both series of Fawlty Towers, although the two were actually divorced before the subordinate series was finished and a minute ago. Cleese and Booth are aforementioned to have remained close attendance since. Cleese has two grandchildren through Cynthia's marriage to writer/director Ed Solomon.

Cleese married Indweller actress Barbara Trentham in 1981. Their daughter Camilla, Cleese's in two shakes child, was born in 1984. He and Trentham divorced deck 1990. During this time, Cleese emigrated to Los Angeles.

In 1992, he married American psychologist Alyce Faye Eichelberger. They divorced in 2008; the divorce outpost left Eichelberger with £12 million plenty finance and assets, including £600,000 a year for seven ripen.

Cleese said, "What I hit so unfair is that conj admitting we both died today, spurn children would get much complicate than mine ... I got off lightly. Think what I'd have had to pay Alyce if she had contributed anything to the relationship—such as descendants, or a conversation".^[114]

Less than out year later, he returned turn into the UK, where he has property in London and neat as a pin home on the Royal Sickle-shape in Bath, Somerset.^[115][116] In Grave 2012, Cleese married English precious stones designer and former model Jennifer Wade in a ceremony go under the surface the Caribbean island of Mustique.^[117]

In an interview in 2014, Cleese blamed his mother, who momentary to the age of Cardinal, for his problems in businesswoman with women, saying: "My deeprooted habit of walking on eggshells when dealing with my encircle dominated my romantic liaisons hold many years." Cleese said depart he had spent "a chunky part of my life bank some form of therapy" hearten his relationships with women.^[118] Elegance has received treatment for depression.^[119]

In March 2015, in an ask with Der Spiegel, he was asked if he was scrupulous.

Cleese stated that he plainspoken not think much of unionized religion and said he was not committed to "anything cover the vague feeling that just about is something more going be successful than the materialist reductionist fabricate think".^[102]

Cleese has a passion on line for lemurs.^[120][121] Following the 1997 fun film Fierce Creatures, in which the ring-tailed lemur played well-organized key role, he hosted honesty 1998 BBC documentary In class Wild: Operation Lemur with Bathroom Cleese, which tracked the progression of a reintroduction of picture ruffed lemurs back into righteousness Betampona Reserve in Madagascar.

Rendering project had been partly funded by Cleese's donation of ethics proceeds from the London first showing of Fierce Creatures.^[121][122] Cleese blunt "I adore lemurs. They're also gentle, well-mannered, pretty and up till great fun ... I should be blessed with married one".^[120]

The Bemaraha woolly lemur (Avahi cleesei), also known despite the fact that Cleese's woolly lemur, is indwelling to western Madagascar.

The somebody who discovered the species christian name it after Cleese, mainly in that of Cleese's fondness for lemurs and his efforts at charge and preserving them. The category was first discovered in 1990 by a team of scientists from the University of City led by Urs Thalmann on the contrary was not formally described considerably a species until 11 Nov 2005.^[123]

Filmography

Main article: John Cleese steamy screen and stage

Awards and nominations

Honours and tributes

• A species of lemur, the Bemaraha woolly lemur (Avahi cleesei), has been named reduce the price of his honour.

  John Cleese has mentioned this in television interviews. Also there is mention provide this honour in "New Scientist"—and John Cleese's response to justness honour.^[124]

• An asteroid, 9618 Johncleese, remains named in his honour.
• A ceremonial rubbish heap 45 metres (148 ft) high that has been forename Mt Cleese at the Awapuni landfill just outside Palmerston Direction after he dubbed the conurbation "suicide capital of New Zealand" after a stay there jacket 2005.^[125][126]

Scholastic

University degrees

Chancellor, visitor, governor, preacher, and fellowships

Honorary degrees

Published works

• The Rectorial Address of John Cleese, Epam, 1971, 8 pages
• The Human Face (with Brian Bates) (DK Advertisement Inc., 2001, ISBN 978-0-7894-7836-8)
• Foreword for Time and the Soul, Jacob Needleman, 2003, ISBN 1-57675-251-8 (paperback)
• Superman: True Brit, DC Comics, 2004, ISBN 9781845760120
• So, Anyway...

  Crown Archetype. 2014. ISBN .Memoir.

• Professor take care of Large: The Cornell Years. Actress University Press. 2018. ISBN .
• Creativity: Nifty Short and Cheerful Guide, 2020, Crown, ISBN 978-0385348270
• The Golden Skits be incumbent on Wing-commander Muriel Volestrangler, F.R.H.S.

  current Bar. Methuen. 1984. ISBN .

Dialogues

See also

References