Contents
- 1 Mini Biography
- 2 Suggested viewing
- 3 Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969)
- 4 Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
- 5 The Meaning of Life (1983)
- 6 Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
- 7 A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
- 8 Fawlty Towers (1975)
- 9 Clockwise (1986)
- 10 Monty Python’s and Now for Something Completely Different (1971)
- 11 Erik the Viking (1989)
- 12 Full filmography (@Wikipedia)
- 13 Â John Cleese Gallery
Last updated on the 4 May 2024 by Evandrus
Mini Biography
Born: 27 October 1939, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England.Â
An only child, John Cleese’s early life wasn’t filled with laughter, but it did plant the seeds for his future career. He found humour as a defense mechanism, deflecting bullies with his sharp wit. This experience would later translate into his portrayal of pompous and exasperated characters.
Education played a significant role in Cleese’s life. After attending private schools, he went on to study Law at Downing College, Cambridge. It was here that his comedic talents truly flourished, he became a prominent member of the renowned Cambridge Footlights revue group. This prestigious comedy club launched the careers of several British comedy legends, and Cleese was no exception.
After graduating, Cleese’s career took off. He found success as a scriptwriter for BBC radio’s “The Frost Report,” where he collaborated with another future comedy giant, Graham Chapman. Together, they developed a reputation for sharp satire and witty observation. This partnership would become a stepping stone to even bigger things.
In 1969, Cleese co-founded Monty Python, a revolutionary comedy troupe that defied convention and redefined British humour. Monty Python’s Flying Circus, their anarchic sketch show, became a cult classic. Cleese’s deadpan delivery and iconic characters, like the exasperated Ministry worker or the sardonic salesman, cemented his place in comedy history. Monty Python films like “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” and “Life of Brian” further solidified their global influence.
Beyond Monty Python, Cleese carved a successful solo path. He co-wrote and starred in the BBC sitcom “Fawlty Towers,” a hilarious portrayal of a dysfunctional hotel run by the perpetually frustrated Basil Fawlty. Cleese’s portrayal of the character is considered one of the greatest sitcom performances ever. He also appeared in numerous successful films, including “A Fish Called Wanda,” where his comedic talent shone alongside Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline.
Cleese’s personal life has been as colourful as his career. He has been married four times and has two daughters. While fiercely private, he has been open about his struggles with depression and his views on political correctness, which have sometimes landed him in hot water.
John Cleese’s legacy is undeniable. He is a comedic genius who has brought laughter to millions worldwide. From his early days deflecting bullies with humour to his iconic roles in Monty Python and Fawlty Towers, Cleese has left his mark on the world of comedy.
Suggested viewing
Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969)
Bftv 9.5 / IMDb 8.8
The absurdist sketch comedy show “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” broke convention with a rapid-fire assault on British life. From ministers battling paperwork to a song celebrating the joy of spam (tinned meat), the Pythons delivered surreal humor, bizarre animation and witty social commentary, forever changing British comedy.
Top cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Carol Cleveland, Connie Booth.
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
Bftv 10.0 / IMDb 8.0
Mistaken for the Messiah, a reluctant revolutionary navigates Roman Judea, dodging overzealous followers, a fanatical revolutionary group and the frustrated Roman governor, all while questioning his newfound fame and grappling with the absurdity of the situation.
Top cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Carol Cleveland.
The Meaning of Life (1983)
Bftv 9.5 / IMDb 7.5
The Monty Python troupe takes viewers on a surreal, satirical journey through life’s stages, from childbirth and education to middle-aged anxieties and the search for meaning, all punctuated by their signature brand of absurd humour and catchy musical numbers.
Top cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Terence Bayler.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Bftv 9.5 / IMDb 8.2
King Arthur and his knights embark on a madcap quest for the Holy Grail, encountering bizarre obstacles along the way, from a killer rabbit and rude French men, to a bridge-keeping philosopher and coconut-wielding servants, all delivered with classic Monty Python absurdity.
Top cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Connie Booth, Neil Innes, Carol Cleveland.
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
Bftv 8.5 / IMDb 7.5
A diamond heist crumbles into chaos as a gang of double-crossing thieves – a seductive con artist, a volatile weapons expert, a stuttering animal lover and their frustrated barrister – resort to outrageous schemes and romantic entanglements to find the hidden loot.
Top cast: John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Michael Palin, Maria Aitken, Tom Georgeson, Patricia Hayes, Geoffrey Palmer, Cynthia Cleese.
Fawlty Towers (1975)
Bftv 10.0 / IMDb 8.8
A perpetually exasperated hotelier, his domineering wife and a staff of well-meaning but bumbling employees create a chaotic comedy whirlwind in a seaside hotel as they cope with demanding guests, misunderstandings and Basil’s desperate attempts to maintain a veneer of respectability.
Top cast: John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Andrew Sachs, Connie Booth, Ballard Berkeley, Gilly Flower, Renee Roberts, Brian Hall.
Clockwise (1986)
Bftv 8.0 / IMDb 6.6
A time-obsessed headmaster’s meticulously planned trip to a conference unravels. Missing his train, he commandeers a student’s car, facing escalating mishaps and mounting chaos as he races against the clock, and his increasingly suspicious wife.
Top cast: John Cleese, Sharon Maiden, Penelope Wilton, Alison Steadman, Stephen Moore, Nadia Sawalha, Joan Hickson, John Bardon.
Monty Python’s and Now for Something
Completely Different (1971)
Bftv 9.5 / IMDb 7.5
“And Now for Something Completely Different” is a sketch comedy film based on the television series “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”. It features sketches from the show’s first two series, recreated without an audience for an American audience that hadn’t yet seen the series. The film includes iconic sketches like the “Dead Parrot”, “The Lumberjack Song” and “Nudge Nudge”. Although it initially didn’t break through in the US, it gained a cult following.
Top cast: John Cleese, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Carol Cleveland, Connie Booth.
Erik the Viking (1989)
Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 6.1
A peaceful Viking yearning for an end to violence seeks a mythical horn to reach Valhalla and plead with the gods. His quest, filled with eccentric companions and bizarre challenges, becomes a humorous exploration of faith, destiny and the absurdity of perpetual warfare.
Top cast: Tim Robbins, John Cleese, Mickey Rooney, Eartha Kitt, Imogen Stubbs, Tsutomu Sekine, Antony Sher, Tim McInnerny, John Gordon Sinclair, Samantha Bond, Jim Broadbent, Jim Carter.
Full filmography (@Wikipedia)
 John Cleese Gallery
