John Cleese
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 predominantly as a writer and occasional performer on such British series as "The Dick Emery Show" (BBC, 1963-1991) and "The Frost Report" (BBC, 1966). But with Monty Python, Cleese became an international star once the series began airing in America on PBS, which led to several films, two of which - "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (1974) and "Monty Python's Life of Brian" (1979) - became instant classics. Following the death of Chapman in 1989, Monty Python as a full unit ceased to be, though on several occasions the surviving members reunited for various stage performances. Meanwhile, after numerous supporting roles, Cleese broke through with "A Fish Called Wanda" (1988), which reintroduced him to a new generation and paved the way for a long, venerable career as a prominent character actor in major Hollywood blockbusters.
Photos
John Cleese
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
70% |
|
Rally Road Racers | Archie Vainglorious (Voice) | - | 2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Martini Shot | Unknown (Character) | - | 2023 |
10% |
|
The Palace | Arthur William Dallas III (Character) | - | 2023 |
No Score Yet |
|
Daddy Daughter Trip | Frank (Character) | - | 2022 |
58% |
|
Clifford the Big Red Dog | Bridwell (Character) | $48.9M | 2021 |
No Score Yet |
|
Father Christmas Is Back | John Christmas (Character) | - | 2021 |
18% |
|
The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee | John (Character) | - | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Crazy About You | Brian King (Character) | - | 2019 |
100% |
|
Assholes: A Theory | Self | - | 2019 |
13% |
|
Arctic Dogs | Otto Von Walrus (Voice) | $5.8M | 2019 |
22% |
|
Charming |
Fairy Godmother / |
- | 2018 |
30% |
|
Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer | Donner (Voice) | - | 2018 |
No Score Yet |
|
Albion: The Enchanted Stallion | General Eeder (Character) | - | 2017 |
76% |
|
Trolls | King Gristle Sr. (Voice) | $153.6M | 2016 |
No Score Yet |
|
Get Squirrely | Mr. Bellwood (Voice) | - | 2015 |
20% |
|
Absolutely Anything | Extraterrestrial (Voice) | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet |
|
Spud 3: Learning to Fly | The Guv (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet |
|
Spud 2: The Madness Continues | The Guv (Character) | - | 2013 |
94% |
|
The Last Impresario | Self | - | 2013 |
26% |
|
Planes | Bulldog (Voice) | $90.3M | 2013 |
No Score Yet |
|
God Loves Caviar | McCormick (Character) | - | 2012 |
45% |
|
A Liar's Autobiography - The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman | Self | - | 2012 |
No Score Yet |
|
Beethoven's Christmas Adventure | The Narrator (Voice) | - | 2011 |
90% |
|
Winnie the Pooh | Narrator | - | 2011 |
80% |
|
Spud | The Guv - Mr. Edly (Character) | - | 2010 |
58% |
|
Shrek Forever After | King Harold (Voice) | - | 2010 |
23% |
|
Planet 51 | Professor Kipple (Voice) | $42.2M | 2009 |
13% |
|
The Pink Panther 2 | Dreyfus (Character) | $35.9M | 2009 |
21% |
|
The Day the Earth Stood Still | Professor Barnhardt (Character) | $79.4M | 2008 |
40% |
|
Igor | Dr. Glickenstein (Voice) | $19.5M | 2008 |
42% |
|
Shrek the Third | King Harold (Voice) | $320.7M | 2007 |
38% |
|
Man About Town | Dr. Primkin (Character) | - | 2006 |
79% |
|
Charlotte's Web | Samuel (Voice) | $82.5M | 2006 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Art of Football From A to Z |
Host, Screenwriter |
- | 2006 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | L'entente cordiale | Lord Conrad (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys |
Scientist/ |
- | 2005 |
32% |
|
Valiant | Mercury (Voice) | $19.5M | 2005 |
32% |
|
Around the World in 80 Days | Sergeant (Character) | $24.0M | 2004 |
89% |
|
Shrek 2 | King Harold (Voice) | $444.8M | 2004 |
No Score Yet |
|
Wine for the Confused | Unknown (Character) | - | 2004 |
17% |
|
George of the Jungle 2 | Ape (Character) | - | 2003 |
41% |
|
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle | Mr. Munday (Character) | $100.8M | 2003 |
17% |
|
Scorched | Charles Merchant (Character) | - | 2002 |
55% |
|
Die Another Day | Q (Character) | $160.2M | 2002 |
83% |
|
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Nearly Headless Nick (Character) | $262.0M | 2002 |
6% |
|
The Adventures of Pluto Nash | James (Character) | $4.4M | 2002 |
81% |
|
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | Nearly Headless Nick (Character) | $317.9M | 2001 |
45% |
|
Rat Race | Donald Sinclair (Character) | $56.6M | 2001 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Magic Pudding | Albert, The Magic Pudding (Voice) | - | 2000 |
24% |
|
Isn't She Great | Henry Marcus (Character) | $3.0M | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Quantum Project | Unknown (Character) | - | 2000 |
28% |
|
The Out-of-Towners | Mr. Mersault (Character) | $28.5M | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
Parting Shots | Maurice Walpole (Character) | - | 1999 |
51% |
|
The World Is Not Enough | R (Character) | $126.9M | 1999 |
55% |
|
George of the Jungle | An Ape named "Ape" (Voice) | $105.3M | 1997 |
53% |
|
Fierce Creatures |
Rollo Lee (Character), Producer, Screenwriter |
$9.2M | 1997 |
75% |
|
The Wind in the Willows | Prawnik pana Ropuchy (Character) | $72.8K | 1996 |
80% |
|
Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book | Dr. Julien Plumford (Character) | $43.2M | 1994 |
50% |
|
The Swan Princess | Jean-Bob (Voice) | $9.8M | 1994 |
42% |
|
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein | Professor Waldman (Character) | $22.0M | 1994 |
7% |
|
Splitting Heirs | Raoul P. Shadgrind (Character) | $3.0M | 1993 |
57% |
|
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West | Cat R. Waul (Voice) | $20.2M | 1991 |
No Score Yet |
|
Bullseye! | Man on the Beach (Character) | - | 1989 |
50% |
|
Erik the Viking | Halfdan the Black (Character) | $656.7K | 1989 |
96% |
|
A Fish Called Wanda |
Archie Leach (Character), Director, Screenwriter, Executive Producer |
$60.0M | 1988 |
80% |
|
Clockwise | Brian Stimpson (Character) | $640.2K | 1986 |
78% |
|
Silverado | Sheriff John T. Langston (Character) | - | 1985 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Secret Policeman's Private Parts | Self | - | 1984 |
86% |
|
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life |
Fish #2 / Writer, Original Music |
- | 1983 |
22% |
|
Yellowbeard | Harvey "Blind" Pew (Character) | - | 1983 |
No Score Yet |
|
Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl |
Unknown (Character), Writer |
- | 1982 |
No Score Yet |
|
Privates on Parade | Major Giles Flack (Character) | - | 1982 |
78% |
|
The Great Muppet Caper | Neville (Character) | - | 1981 |
91% |
|
Time Bandits | Robin Hood (Character) | - | 1981 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Taming of the Shrew | Petruchio (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Secret Policeman's Ball | Unknown (Character) | - | 1979 |
96% |
|
Life of Brian |
Wise Man #1/ Writer |
$150.2K | 1979 |
96% |
|
Monty Python and the Holy Grail Sing-Along |
Second Soldier with an Interest in Birds/ Writer |
$1.8M | 1975 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Romance With a Double Bass | Unknown (Character) | - | 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Love Ban | Contraceptives Lecturer (Character) | - | 1973 |
88% |
|
And Now for Something Completely Different |
Announcer/ Writer |
- | 1972 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer |
Pumer (Character), Writer |
- | 1970 |
61% |
|
The Magic Christian | Director in Sotheby's (Character) | - | 1970 |
No Score Yet |
|
John Cleese on How to Irritate People | Unknown (Character) | - | 1968 |
No Score Yet |
|
At Last the 1948 Show | Unknown (Character) | - | 1967 |
No Score Yet |
|
Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse | Narrator | - |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | 61% | Late Night With Seth Meyers | Guest | 2015 2018 2020 |
56% | 64% | Hold the Sunset | Phil (Character) | 2018-2019 |
No Score Yet | 79% | Speechless | Martin (Guest Star) | 2018 |
No Score Yet | 50% | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert | Guest | 2015 2018 |
No Score Yet | 44% | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Guest | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Conan | Guest | 2015-2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Real Time With Bill Maher | Guest | 2014-2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Graham Norton Show | Guest | 2010 2014 |
21% | 42% | Whitney | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2012 |
65% | 82% | Entourage | John Cleese (Guest Star) | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Bonnie Hunt Show | Guest | 2009 |
No Score Yet | 42% | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Guest | 2009 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Monty Python's Personal Best |
Unknown (Character), Creator |
2006 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Comedy Connections | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2005 |
No Score Yet | 88% | Will & Grace | Lyle Finster (Guest Star) | 2003-2004 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Wednesday at 9:30 (8:30 Central) | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Heroes of Comedy | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1997 2002 |
No Score Yet | 71% | 3rd Rock From the Sun | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1998 2001 |
No Score Yet | 57% | Saturday Night Live | Guest | 1997 |
87% | 95% | Cheers | Dr. Simon Finch-Royce (Guest Star) | 1987 |
100% | 91% | Fawlty Towers |
Basil Fawlty (Character), Writer |
1975 1979 |
68% | 78% | Doctor Who | Art Gallery Visitor (Character) | 1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Classic Doctor Who | Art Gallery Visitor (Guest Star) | 1979 |
100% | 85% | Monty Python's Flying Circus |
Unknown (Character), Writer |
1969-1970 1972-1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Goodies | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1973 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Doctor in the House | Writer | 1969 |
No Score Yet | 87% | The Avengers | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1968 |