John Cleese

Photo of John Cleese

Biography

As perhaps the most famous of the performers who starred in the irreverent comedy troupe, Monty Python, actor and comedian John Cleese reached legendary status, thanks to his deadpan delivery of ridiculous characters and limber-limbed slapstick antics. Prior to starring on "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (BBC, 1969-1974) with cast mates Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam, Cleese had established himself …
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Job Title

Actor, Director, Producer, Writer, Production Management, Music, Other

Born

John Marwood Cleese on October 27, 1939 in Somerset, England, GB

Career Milestones

Joined the Cambridge Footlights Revue, where he met his future writing partner Graham Chapman

Worked with Charles Crichton on 17 short films

1963

Cast in the Footlights Revue "A Clump of Plinths"; later changed name to "Cambridge Circus" and performed in London's West End

1963

Joined BBC Radio writing sketches for the "Dick Emery Show"

1964

Performed in New York (on and off-Broadway) and on "The Ed Sullivan Show" (CBS) with the Footlights Revue

1966

Began writing (with Chapman) for the BBC show "The Frost Report"

1968

First screen credit (with Chapman), "The Magic Christian"

1968

Screen acting debut in "The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom"

1969

Debuted the BBC's "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (aired in the U.S. on PBS)

1970

Feature screenwriting debut (with Chapman), "The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer"; also acted in film

1971

First Monty Python film, "And Now for Something Completely Different"

1971

Formed Video Arts Ltd. to make industrial training films

1971

Wrote (with Chapman) several episodes including the pilot of the British series "Doctor in the House"

1972

Began making TV commercials

1975

Co-created, co-starred and co-wrote (with then wife Connie Booth) the TV series "Fawlty Towers" (BBC)

1975

Re-teamed with the gang for "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"

1979

Offended all religions equally in "Monty Python's Life of Brian"

1979

Starred in "The Secret Policeman's Ball" for Amnesty International (aired as a one-hour TV special, a full-length movie and two record albums)

1981

Starred as Robin Hood in Terry Gilliam's "Time Bandits"

1983

Re-teamed for "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life"

1985

Delivered a memorable turn as Sheriff Langston in "Silverado"; first collaboration with Kevin Kline

1986

Played a school headmaster obsessed with punctuality in "Clockwise"

1987

First American TV guest spot, "Cheers" (NBC)

1988

First feature film as producer, "A Fish Called Wanda" (also co-starred and scripted); directed by Crichton; nominated for an Academy Award for his script; Kline co-starred in his Oscar winning performance

1991

Lent his voice to the animated feature "An American Tail: Feivel Goes West"

1994

Portrayed Professor Waldman, Frankenstein's tutor and colleague, in Kenneth Branagh's "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein"

1995

Re-teamed with the cast from "A Fish Called Wanda" for the less successful, "Fierce Creatures"

1997

Voiced Ape, the mentor and father figure of Brendan Fraser's "George of the Jungle"

1999

Appeared in the James Bond film "The World Is Not Enough" as Q's assistant, referred to by Bond as 'R'

1999

Played Mr. Mersault, the hotel manager in the remake of "The Out-of-Towners"

1999

Played a fictionalized version of Simon & Schuster head Dick Snyder in "Isn't She Great"

2001

Appeared in the ensemble comedy "Rat Race," a throwback to the star-packed comedies of the 1960s

2001

Played Nearly Headless Nick in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"

2002

Cast as the owner of a TV network on the short-lived ABC comedy "Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central)"

2002

Promoted to the role of Q in his next Bond outing "Die Another Day"

2002

Returned as Nearly Headless Nick in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

2003

Cast as the father of Alex (Lucy Liu) in "Charlie's Angels 2: Full Throttle"

2004

Cast as The Balloon Man in the Disney live action feature "Around the World in 80 Days"

2004

Had a recurring role on the NBC sitcom, "Will and Grace," as the father of Lorraine Finster (Minnie Driver) and Karen's love interest; nominated for an Emmy Award

2004

Voiced Fiona's Father, King Harold in the animated feature "Shrek 2"

2005

Toured New Zealand with his one-man show "Seven Ways to Skin an Ocelot"

2006

Voiced Samuel the sheep in live-action/computer-animated feature film "Charlotte's Web," based on the book by E.B. White

2007

Reprised the role of King Harold for "Shrek the Third"

2008

Cast as Professor Barnhardt, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist in the remake of the 1951 sci-fi movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still"

2008

Lent his voice to the animated comedy "Igor"

2009

Voiced Professer Kripple in the animated sci-fi film "Planet 51"

2010

Returned to voice King Harold in the animated feature "Shrek Forever After"

2011

Cast in the comedy feature "The Big Year" opposite Owen Wilson, Jack Black, and Steve Martin

2011

Narrated the animated family film "Winnie the Pooh"

Awards

1987

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer In a Comedy Series in Cheers

1988

Academy Award for Writing (Screenplay Written Directly For the Screen) in A Fish Called Wanda

1988

BAFTA Award for Actor In a Leading Role in A Fish Called Wanda

1988

BAFTA Award for Original Screenplay in A Fish Called Wanda

1988

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in A Fish Called Wanda

1998

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor In a Comedy Series in 3rd Rock From the Sun

2004

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor In a Comedy Series in Will & Grace