John Marwood Cleese (born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, writer and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report. In the late 1960s he became a member of Monty Python, the comedy troupe responsible for the sketch show Monty Python's Flying Circus and the four Monty Python films: And Now for Something Completely Different, Holy Grail, Life of Brian and The Meaning of Life. In the mid 1970s, Cleese and his first wife Connie Booth, co-wrote and starred in the British sitcom Fawlty Towers. Later, he co-starred with Kevin Kline, Jamie Lee Curtis and former Python colleague Michael Palin in A Fish Called Wanda and Fierce Creatures. He also starred in Clockwise, and has appeared in many other films, including two James Bond films, two Harry Potter films, and three Shrek films. With Yes Minister writer Antony Jay he co-founded the production company Video Arts, responsible for making entertaining training films. Description above from the Wikipedia article John Cleese, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Filmography

• 2025Fawlty Towers: The Play — Self, Writer, Adaptation
• 2025John Cleese Packs It In — Writer
• 2025The Cancellation Of Fawlty Towers
• 2023Rally Road Racers — Archie Vainglorious (voice)
• The Dinosaur Hour — Self, Creator
• The Dinosaur Hour Extra
• 2023The Martini Shot — Dr. Auyeung
• 2023The Palace — Arthur William Dallas III
• 2022Daddy Daughter Trip — Frank
• 2021Alexander Pope: Rediscovering a Genius — Interviewee
• 2021Clifford the Big Red Dog — Bridwell
• 2021Father Christmas Is Back — John Christmas
• The Croods: Family Tree — Creator
• 2020The Croods: A New Age — Thanks, Characters
• 2020The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee — John
• Why there is no hope — Actor
• 2019Arctic Dogs — Otto von Walrus (voice)
• 2019The Naked Wanderer — Brian King
• 2018Charming — Fairy Godmother / Executioner (voice)
• 2018Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer — Donner (voice)
• Hold the Sunset — Phil
• 2018Michael Palin: A Life on Screen
• 2016Albion: The Enchanted Stallion — General Eeder
• 2016British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves — Basil Fawlty (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Speechless — Martin
• 2016Trolls — Roi Gristle (voice)
• 2015A.C.O.R.N.S.: Operation Crackdown — Mr. Bellwood (voice)
• 2015Absolutely Anything — Chief Alien (voice)
• 2014Monty Python Live (Mostly) — Self, others, Writer
• Over the Garden Wall — Adelaide (voice), Quincy Endicott (voice)
• 2014Spud 3: Learning to Fly — Mr. 'The Guv' Edly
• 2013Planes — Bulldog (voice)
• 2013Spud 2: The Madness Continues — Mr. 'The Guv' Edly
• 2013The Croods — Story
• 2012A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman — Various (voice)
• 2012God Loves Caviar — McCormick
• 2011Beethoven's Christmas Adventure — Narrator
• 2011John Cleese: The Alimony Tour Live
• Mini Adventures of Winnie the Pooh — Narrator (voice)
• 2011The Big Year — Historical Montage Narrator (voice)
• Whitney — Dr. Grant
• 2011Winnie the Pooh — Narrator (voice)
• 2010Shrek Forever After — King Harold (voice)
• 2010Spud — Mr. 'The Guv' Edly
• 2009Planet 51 — Professor Kipple (voice)
• 2009The Pink Panther 2 — Dreyfus
• 2008Igor — Dr. Glickenstein (voice)
• 2008Life Of Brian Screenplay — Wise Man #1, Reg, Jewish Official, First Centurion, Screenplay
• 2008The Day the Earth Stood Still — Professor Barnhardt
• 2007Hitler: The Comedy Years — Adolf Hitler / Basil Fawlty (archive footage) (uncredited)
• More Dawn French's Boys Who Do: Comedy
• 2007Shrek the Third — King Harold (voice)
• 2006Charlotte's Web — Samuel the Sheep (voice)
• 2006L'Entente cordiale — Lord Conrad
• 2006Man About Town — Dr. Primkin
• 2006Monty Python's Flying Circus — Michael Palin's Personal Best — Various Roles (archive footage)
• 2006Monty Python's Flying Circus—Eric Idle's Personal Best — Various Characters
• 2006Monty Python's Flying Circus—Graham Chapman's Personal Best — Various Characters
• 2006Monty Python's Flying Circus—Graham Chapman's Personal Best — Various Characters
• 2006Monty Python's Flying Circus—John Cleese's Personal Best — Various Characters
• 2006Monty Python's Flying Circus—Terry Gilliam's Personal Best — Various Characters
• Monty Python's Personal Best — Self / Various Characters, Creator
• 2006The Art of Football from A to Z — Self, Executive Producer
• 2005Complete Guide to Guys — Noted Behavioral Scientist / Noted Doctor / Leading Social Scientist / Leading Orthopedic Surgeon
• 2005Valiant — Mercury (voice)
• 2004Around the World in 80 Days — Grizzled Sergeant
• Entourage — John Cleese
• 2004Shrek 2 — King Harold (voice)
• Canterbury Tales — Comedy Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 2003Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle — Mr. Munday
• 2003George of the Jungle 2 — An Ape Named 'Ape' (voice)
• 2003Scorched — Charles Merchant
• 2002Die Another Day — Q
• 2002Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets — Nearly Headless Nick (Sir Nicholas)
• 2002Mickey's House of Villains — Narrator (“Mickey's Mechanical House") (uncredited)
• 2002The Adventures of Pluto Nash — James
• Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central) — Red Lansing
• Disney's House of Mouse — Narrator (voice)
• 2001Fawlty Towers: An Interview with John Cleese — Kendisi
• 2001Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone — Nearly Headless Nick
• 2001Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse — Narrator (segment 'The Nutcracker') (voice)
• 2001Rat Race — Donald P. Sinclair
• The Human Face — Presenter, Writer
• 2001Zum letzten Kliff — Original Story, Creative Consultant
• 2000Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big — The Giant Alien (voice)
• 2000Isn't She Great — Henry Marcus
• 2000Quantum Project — Alexander Pentcho
• 2000Rockstar — Interviewer in lounge
• 2000The Magic Pudding — Albert the Magic Pudding (voice)
• Casper & Mandrilaftalen — Fake Bosse Bo Johansson
• Mickey Mouse Works — Narrator (voice)
• 1999Mickey’s Mechanical House — Narrator (voice)
• 1999Parting Shots — Maurice Walpole
• 1999The Nutcracker — Narrator
• 1999The Out-of-Towners — Mr. Mersault
• 1999The World Is Not Enough — R
• Will & Grace — Lyle Finster (uncredited)
• 1997Fierce Creatures — Rollo Lee, Screenplay, Producer
• 1997George of the Jungle — An Ape Named 'Ape' (voice)
• 3rd Rock from the Sun — Dr. Liam Neesam
• E! True Hollywood Story
• TFI Friday
• 1996The Wind in the Willows — Mr. Toad's Lawyer
• Look at the State We're In! — Harold Kingsby, Politician, Executive Producer, Writer, Creator
• 1994Mary Shelley's Frankenstein — Prof. Waldman
• 1994The Jungle Book — Dr. Julius Plumford
• 1994The Swan Princess — Jean-Bob (voice)
• 1993Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?
• 1993Splitting Heirs — Raoul P. Shadgrind
• Funny Business
• 1991An American Tail: Fievel Goes West — Cat R. Waul (voice)
• 1991Rabbit Ears - Tom Thumb — Narrator (voice)
• 1990Bullseye! — Man on the Beach in Barbados Who Looks Like John Cleese
• 1989Bosses From Hell — Brian
• 1989Colleagues From Hell
• 1989Communicators From Hell — Brian
• 1989Customer Service From Hell
• 1989Customers From Hell — Brian
• 1989Employees From Hell — Brian
• 1989Erik the Viking — Halfdan the Black
• 1989Interviewers From Hell
• 1989Parrot Sketch Not Included: Twenty Years of Monty Python — Self / Various Characters, Writer
• 1989Quark the Dragon Slayer
• 1989Sales People from Hell
• 1989Teams from Hell
• 1989The Big Picture — Bartender
• 1988A Fish Called Wanda — Archie Leach, Executive Producer, Story, Screenplay
• 1987Baby Quark
• 1987Dragonslayer Quark
• 1987Quark and the Highway Robber
• 1987The Secret Policeman’s Third Ball — Jim Cleese
• 1986Clockwise — Brian Stimpson
• 1985Silverado — Sheriff John T. Langston
• Fairly Secret Army — Script Editor, Executive Producer
• 1983Monty Python's The Meaning of Life — Various Roles, Screenplay
• 1983Privates on Parade — Major Giles Flack
• 1983Yellowbeard — Harvey 'Blind' Pew
• Cheers — Dr. Simon Finch-Royce
• 1982Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl — Various Roles, Writer
• 1982The Secret Policeman's Other Ball — Self - Various Roles, Producer, Assistant Director
• Whoops Apocalypse — Lacrobat
• 1981The Great Muppet Caper — Neville
• 1981Time Bandits — Robin Hood
• 1980The Queen Special — Man in Bar
• 1980The Taming of the Shrew — Petruchio
• 1980The Tom Machine — Computer (voice)
• 1979...To Norway, Home of Giants! — Norman Fearless
• 1979Away from It All — Nigel Farquhar-Bennett – Narrator (voice), Director, Writer
• 1979Doctor Who: City of Death — Art Gallery Visitor
• Friday Night, Saturday Morning
• 1979Golden Gordon — Passerby
• 1979Life of Brian — Wise Man #1 / Reg / Jewish Official / First Centurion / Deadly Dirk / Arthur, Screenplay
• Not the Nine O'Clock News
• 1979The Secret Policeman's Ball — Himself - Various Roles, Producer, Stage Director
• 1978Snavely — Creator
• The South Bank Show
• 1977The Mermaid Frolics — Self- Various roles, Writer
• 1977The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It — Sherlock Holmes, Screenplay
• 1977Three Piece Suite — Kevin
• Three Piece Suite — Kevin
• 1976Meetings, Bloody Meetings
• Ripping Yarns
• The Secret Policeman's Ball — Self, Creator
• 1975Awkward Customers — Brian, Writer
• Fawlty Towers — Basil Fawlty, Writer, Creator
• 1975How Not to Exhibit Yourself — John Cleese
• 1975Monty Python and the Holy Grail — Second Swallow-Savvy Guard / The Black Knight / Peasant 3 / Sir Launcelot the Brave / Taunting French Guard / Tim the Enchanter, Writer
• 1975More Awkward Customers — Brian, Writer
• 1974Romance with a Double Bass — Smychkov, Adaptation
• 1973Elementary, My Dear Watson — Sherlock Holmes
• 1973Is This a Record? — Various, Additional Writing
• 1973Monty Python In The Netherlands — Narrator / Pie Face 2
• 1973The Goodies and the Beanstalk — The Genie
• 1973The Love Ban — Contraceptives Lecturer
• Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus — Various Characters
• 1972Rentadick — Writer
• 1972The Philosophers' Football Match — Archimedes
• 1972Who Sold You This, Then? — Script
• 1971And Now for Something Completely Different — Announcer / Hungarian Citizen / self - Defence Teacher / Sir George Head / Policeman / Interviewer / Mr. Praline / Second General / Christopher Columbus / Mungo the Cook / Bank Robber / Accountant #2 (falling past the window) / Vocational Guidance Counselor / Vivian Smith Smythe Smith / Mountie / Town Guild Lady, Screenplay
• Six Dates with Barker — Writer
• 1971The Great Birds Eye Peas Relaunch 1971 — Writer
• 1971The Statue — Harry
• The Two Ronnies — Writer
• 1970Monty Python: Who's There? — Timothy
• 1970The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer — Pumer, Writer
• 1969How to Irritate People — Himself - Various, Writer
• Monty Python's Flying Circus — Various / Announcer, Writer
• 1969The Best House in London — Jones (uncredited)
• 1969The Magic Christian — Director in Sotheby's, Additional Writing
• 1968Interlude — Television public relations man
• 1968The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom — Post Office Clerk
• At Last the 1948 Show — Writer, Creator
• Misleading Cases — Mr. Partridge
• ABC Stage 67 — Writer
• The Frost Report
• Doctor Who — Art Gallery Visitor
• That Was the Week That Was — Writer
• The Avengers — Marcus Rugman
• Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python — Writer
• How to Make Her Cheat — Terry
• Monty Python: Live at Aspen — Creator
• Taking The Wheel — Nathan
• The Splendid Thing

Appearances as themselves (116)

• Joe & David's Magical Sitcom Tour — Self
• Soccer's American Dream — Self (archive footage)
• 2024The Roast of John Cleese — Self
• 2023Fawlty Towers: 50 Years of Laughs — Self
• 2022Jamie Lee Curtis: Hollywood Call of Freedom — Self (archive footage)
• LOL: Last One Laughing — Self
• 2021Monty Python's Best Bits Celebrated — Self (archive footage)(uncredited)
• 2021Why Are We (Not) Creative? — Self
• Gay Byrne's Late Late Moments — Self (archive footage)
• 2020Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness — Self
• 2020Time Warp Vol. 3: Comedy and Camp — Self
• Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All Time — Self
• 2019An Accidental Studio — Self (archive footage)
• 2019Assholes: A Theory — Himself
• 2019Python at 50: Silly Talks and Holy Grails — Self (archive footage)
• 2018Why Are We Creative? — Self
• John Bishop: In Conversation with... — Self
• 2015Behind Over the Garden Wall — Self
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert — Self
• A Life on Screen — Self
• Late Night with Seth Meyers — Self - Guest
• Monty Python's Best Bits (Mostly) — Self (archive footage)
• 2014Monty Python: And Now for Something Rather Similar — Self
• 2014Monty Python: The Meaning of Live — Self
• 2014The Last Impresario — Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — Self
• The Last Leg — Self
• 2013The Meaning of Monty Python — Self
• 2012Anatomy of a Liar — Self
• 2012The Many Faces of Ronnie Barker — Self
• 2011The Undefeated — Self (archive footage)
• Conan — Self - Guest
• 2010Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) - Theatrical Release — Self
• 2009Fawlty Exclusive: Basil's Best Bits — Self / Basil Fawlty
• 2009Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened — Self / Basil Fawlty
• Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) — Self
• Skavlan — Self - Guest
• Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation — Self - Contestant
• 2008Gaybo Laughs Back — Self
• Markus Lanz — Self
• 2008Marty Feldman: Six Degrees of Separation — Self
• 2008Monty Python Conquers America — Self
• 2008Monty Python: Before the Flying Circus — Self
• 2008The Seventh Python — Self
• 2008We Are Most Amused — Self - Presenter
• Movie Connections — Self
• The Graham Norton Show — Self - Guest
• 2007The Secret Life of Brian — Self
• 2007What the Pythons Did Next... — Self (archive footage)
• 2006Aud go'hjerta — Self (archive footage)
• Legends — Self
• Robins — Self - Guest
• The One Show — Self - Guest
• 2005Fawlty Towers Revisited — Himself
• 2005Return of the Goodies — Himself
• 2005The Funny Blokes of British Comedy — Self
• 2005The Roots of Monty Python — Self (archive footage)
• 2004Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball? — Self
• 2004The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 1 — Self (archive footage)
• 2004The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 2 — Self (archive footage)
• 2004The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 3 — Self (archive footage)
• 2004The Magic Touch of Harry Potter — Self
• 2004Wine for the Confused — Self
• 2003Concert for George — Self
• Real Time with Bill Maher — Self
• 2003Stupidity — Self
• 2003The Meaning of Making 'The Meaning of Life' — Self
• 2002Best Ever Bond — Self / R
• 2002Die Another Day: From Script to Screen — Self
• 2002Making Rat Race — Himself
• NDR Kultur – Das Journal — Self
• 2002Peter Cook: At a Slight Angle to the Universe — Self
• Richard & Judy — Self
• 2000Now Pay Attention 007: A Tribute to Actor Desmond Llewelyn — Self
• 2000The Life of Python — Self
• 199930 Years of Monty Python, a Revelation — Self
• 1999Monty Python: 30th Anniversary Sketches — Self
• 1999Monty Python: From Spam to Sperm — Self
• The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn — Self
• 1999The Monty Python Story — Self
• 1998In The Wild: Operation Lemur With John Cleese — Self
• 1998Monty Python: Live at Aspen — Self
• Parkinson — Self
• 1996Spike — Self
• The Daily Show — Self
• MADtv — Self
• The Unpleasant World of Penn & Teller — Self
• 1991Amnesty International's Big 30 — Self
• 1991Creativity in Management — Self
• 1990Life of Python — Himself / Various Roles (also archive footage)
• 1990The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson — Self
• 1989The Movie Life of George — Self
• 1989The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball — Self
• This Morning — Self
• 1987The Grand Knockout Tournament — Self
• 1985Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff — Self
• 1983Group Madness — Self
• Wogan — Self
• Wetten, dass..? — Self
• 1980Peter Cook & Co. — Himself / Various Characters
• 1979The Pythons: Somewhere in Tunisia, Circa A.D. 1979 — Self
• An Audience with... — Self
• 1978Michael Palin’s Super 8mm - “Life of Brian” — Self
• 1976Pleasure at Her Majesty's — Self
• The Muppet Show — Self - Special Guest Star
• Les Rendez-vous du dimanche — Self
• Saturday Night Live — Self / Various / Mr. Praline (uncredited)
• 1974Monty Python & the Holy Grail Location Report — Self
• 1971Euroshow '71: May Day Special — Self - Various (as Montypython Flyingcircus)
• Film '72 — Self
• Sez Les — self
• Omnibus — Self
• Titel, Thesen, Temperamente — Self (archive footage)
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson — Self
• Cancel Me — Self - Host / Presenter
• The Making of Shrek 2 — Self