John Cleese
Born 1939 · Age 86
English actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer and presenter; cofounder of Monty Python; co-writer/star of Fawlty Towers; writer/star of A Fish Called Wanda; long career in TV, film, stage, books and corporate training films.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England
John Marwood Cleese was born, only child of Reginald Francis Cleese and Muriel Evelyn (née Cross).
Awarded an exhibition to Clifton College
At age 13 Cleese won an exhibition (scholarship) to Clifton College; noted for height and sporting activity.
Formative event at Clifton College (house prefect disappointment)
At about 17 he discovered he had not been made a house prefect, an experience he cites as changing his outlook.
Taught at his preparatory school for two years
Could not go immediately to Cambridge due to post–National Service competition; returned to prep school to teach science, English, geography, history and Latin for two years.
Matriculated at Downing College, Cambridge (law)
Took up the place he had won at Downing College to read law and joined the Cambridge Footlights theatrical club.
Wrote material for Footlights revue 'I Thought I Saw It Move'
Provided extra material for the 1961 Footlights Revue which helped establish his Footlights credentials.
Registrar of Cambridge Footlights; cast member Double Take!
Served as registrar for the Footlights Club in 1962 and was in the cast of the 1962 revue Double Take!
Graduated from Cambridge with an upper second
Completed law degree at Downing College, Cambridge; continued work with Footlights and early professional comedy.
Wrote/acted in 'A Clump of Plinths' (Footlights) — Edinburgh success
The 1963 Footlights revue achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and later toured as 'Cambridge Circus'.
Stayed in the US performing (Half a Sixpence) and met Connie Booth & Terry Gilliam
Performed on/off Broadway, including Half a Sixpence; met future Monty Python member Terry Gilliam and future wife Connie Booth.
Cambridge Circus cast appears on The Ed Sullivan Show (Oct 1964)
The Footlights revue toured internationally including off-Broadway and an appearance on Ed Sullivan in October 1964.
Joined BBC radio show 'I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again'
Returned to Britain and joined the cast of the popular BBC radio comedy (series ran 1965–1974).
Began writing for The Frost Report
Started as a writer (and performer) on The Frost Report where he met future Python collaborators.
Worked on 'At Last the 1948 Show' (invited 1966)
Invited to work as writer/performer on At Last the 1948 Show where the 'Four Yorkshiremen' sketch was created.
Performed in 'Class' sketch on The Frost Report (7 Apr 1966)
Cleese's breakthrough TV moment as the tall patrician in the 'Class' sketch that became iconic.
Married Connie Booth in Manhattan
Married American actress Connie Booth on 20 February 1968 in Manhattan; she later became his writing partner on Fawlty Towers.
Co-founded Monty Python (creation of troupe and show)
Along with Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin he cofounded Monty Python and developed Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Monty Python's Flying Circus first broadcast (Oct 1969)
Television series premiered on BBC Television in October 1969 (series ran to December 1974).
Elected Rector of the University of St Andrews (1970–1973)
Served as Rector, modernised the post including making the assessor a student-elected position.
Daughter Cynthia Cleese born
Cynthia, his daughter with Connie Booth, was born (Connie Booth gave birth in 1971).
Left Monty Python's Flying Circus before Series 4
Grew tired of Chapman's alcoholism and script decline; officially left the TV series before the fourth season (remained involved in films/stage).
Co-wrote/acted in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (film, 1975 production)
Contributed to the writing and performed multiple roles in the film which became a comedy classic (released 1975).
Fawlty Towers Series 1 broadcast (19 Sep 1975)
Co-wrote (with Connie Booth) and starred as Basil Fawlty; series 1 began on BBC2 on 19 September 1975.
Instigated The Secret Policeman's Ball (Amnesty benefit) and produced training films via Video Arts
Was instrumental in starting The Secret Policeman's Ball benefit shows for Amnesty and produced corporate training films (e.g., Meetings, Bloody Meetings).
Produced corporate training film 'Meetings, Bloody Meetings' (1976)
One of several business training films produced through Video Arts that became widely used in corporate training.
Guest star on The Muppet Show (Dec 1977) and starred in 'The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It'
Appeared as a guest on The Muppet Show (December) and acted in the Sherlock Holmes spoof (1977).
TV Times: Funniest Man on TV award (1978–79)
Recognised as Funniest Man on TV in TV Times awards for 1978–79.
Fawlty Towers Series 2 broadcast (1979)
Returned to co-write/perform second series (6 episodes) despite his marriage to Connie Booth having ended by this time.
Won BAFTA TV Award for Best Entertainment Performance for Fawlty Towers (1980)
Awarded BAFTA for his performance as Basil Fawlty in recognition of the show's impact.
Played Petruchio in BBC's The Taming of the Shrew (1980)
Performed Petruchio for the BBC Television Shakespeare series.
Founded/ran Video Arts (company for training films) — active by early 1980s
Cofounded the production company Video Arts producing entertaining corporate training films and related productions.
Appeared in Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits (1981)
Acted as Robin Hood in the Gilliam-directed fantasy film.
Married Barbara Trentham (15 Feb 1981)
Second marriage; Barbara Trentham and Cleese married in February 1981. Their daughter Camilla was later born in 1984.
Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl filmed (1980) and released 1982
Participated in the live Monty Python concert film which was filmed in 1980 and released in 1982.
Co-wrote/acted in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983)
Returned to Monty Python films for The Meaning of Life.
Co-authored 'Families and How to Survive Them' with Robin Skynner (1983)
Published a relationship/psychology dialogue book with psychiatrist Robin Skynner.
Daughter Camilla Cleese born (1984)
Camilla, daughter with Barbara Trentham, was born in 1984 and later collaborated on projects with her father.
Small dramatic role in Silverado (1985)
Played a sheriff in the American western Silverado, sharing screen with Kevin Kline among others.
Starred in Clockwise (1986)
Played an uptight headmaster in the British comedy; film successful in the UK.
Won Peter Sellers Award for Comedy (Evening Standard, 1987)
Recognised with the Peter Sellers Award for Comedy for his work (notably Clockwise).
Won Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (Cheers)
Received an Emmy Award in 1987 for guest appearance on Cheers.
Wrote and starred in A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
Wrote and starred as Archie Leach; the film was a commercial and critical success, a top-ten US box office film that year.
Nominated for Academy Award (Best Original Screenplay) for A Fish Called Wanda
Received Academy Award nomination (and BAFTA/Golden Globe nominations) for the script of A Fish Called Wanda.
Graham Chapman death; Cleese gave eulogy (1989)
Monty Python colleague Graham Chapman died of throat cancer; Cleese gave a noted eulogy at the memorial.
Divorced Barbara Trentham (1990)
Divorce finalized in 1990 after marriage started in 1981.
Married Alyce Faye Eichelberger (28 Dec 1992)
Third marriage, to Alyce Faye Eichelberger on 28 December 1992; divorced in 2008.
Appeared in Magnavox commercials (1992–1994)
Appeared in televised commercials for Magnavox between 1992 and 1994.
Published 'Life and How to Survive It' with Robin Skynner
Follow-up dialogue-style book on relationships and psychology with Robin Skynner.
Appeared in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)
Played a supporting role in Kenneth Branagh's adaptation alongside Branagh and Robert De Niro.
Declined the honour of CBE (1996)
Refused the British honour of Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Starred in Fierce Creatures (1997)
Wrote/acted in the follow-up to A Fish Called Wanda; box-office and critical reception was mixed and he later regretted making it.
Appeared in James Bond: The World Is Not Enough (1999) as 'R'
Played Q's assistant nicknamed 'R' in the Bond film, beginning a franchise association.
Appointed Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University (1999–2006)
Became affiliated with Cornell University in a visiting professor role (later Provost's visiting professor).
Declined Liberal Democrats' nomination for life peerage (1999)
Turned down an offer to be nominated for a life peerage by the Liberal Democrats.
Fawlty Towers tops BFI's 100 Greatest British TV Programmes (2000)
Fawlty Towers named top of the British Film Institute's list in 2000, cementing its legacy.
Starred in Rat Race (2001)
Appeared as eccentric hotel owner Donald P. Sinclair (name based on hotelier who inspired Basil Fawlty).
Played Nearly Headless Nick in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
Appeared in the first Harry Potter film; reprised the role in the 2002 sequel.
Reprised James Bond role in Die Another Day and was promoted to Q (2002)
Returned to Bond franchise in Die Another Day (character promoted from R to Q).
Co-wrote 'Superman: True Brit' (2004)
Credited as co-writer on the DC Comics Elseworlds graphic novel.
Voiced King Harold in Shrek 2 (2004) (continuing franchise roles 2004–2010)
Became a recurring voice in the Shrek franchise (Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, Shrek Forever After).
Voted second best comedian in 'The Comedians' Comedian' poll (2005)
In a 2005 poll of comedians and comedy insiders, Cleese was voted second only to Peter Cook.
Voice work for video game 'Jade Empire' and TomTom navigation voice distribution
Lent his voice to BioWare's Jade Empire (Sir Roderick) and had voice available on some TomTom devices.
Tour: 'John Cleese — His Life, Times and Current Medical Problems' (New Zealand, 10 Nov–9 Dec 2005)
One-man stage show developed with William Goldman; included his daughter Camilla as writer/actor.
Species and asteroid named in his honour (Avahi cleesei and 9618 Johncleese)
A lemur species Avahi cleesei and asteroid 9618 Johncleese were named to honor Cleese's profile and activism.
Hosted Just for Laughs gala (2006) and again in 2009
Hosted gala events at the Montreal Just for Laughs comedy festival, performing sketches and material.
Released novelty song 'Don't Mention the World Cup' (2006)
Released a football-themed comedy song connected to his 'Philosophy Football' Monty Python sketch.
Hosted 'The Art of Soccer' TV special (2006)
Hosted a television special about football culture; DVD released in North America in January 2009.
Divorced Alyce Faye Eichelberger (2008)
Divorce from Alyce was finalized in 2008.
Collaborated on performance piece 'The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha' (2008)
Worked with guitarist William Kanengiser on text for a performance piece and narrated the premiere.
Published first Spectator article as contributing editor (March 2009)
Published 'The real reason I had to join The Spectator' as Contributing Editor at end of March 2009.
Appeared in adverts for Norwegian retailer Elkjøp (2009–2010)
Featured in a series of television adverts for the chain near the end of 2009 and into 2010.
Alimony Tour Year One & Two (2009–2010)
Toured Scandinavia and the US on the 'Alimony Tour' (Year One and Year Two), referencing divorce financial implications.
Announced voice role in Fable III (March 2010)
It was announced he would play Jasper in the video game Fable III.
Alimony Tour South Africa (Oct 2011)
Performed in Cape Town (21 & 22 Oct) and Johannesburg (25–30 Oct) on the Alimony Tour.
Alimony Tour UK begins (3 May 2011) — DVD recorded 2 July 2011 in Bath
First UK leg of the Alimony Tour began in Cambridge; final Bath date was recorded as a DVD on 2 July 2011.
Cast in Hunting Elephants but withdrew due to heart trouble (2012)
Cast in Reshef Levi's film but had to quit prior to filming because of heart problems; replaced by Patrick Stewart.
Married Jennifer Wade (2012)
Married Jennifer Wade in 2012 (fourth marriage listed in sources).
Australia tour of one-man show (Jan–Apr 2012)
Took one-man show to multiple Australian cities starting in Perth on 22 January 2012 and finishing in April in Canberra.
Cross-Canada 'Last Time to See Me Before I Die' tour (Sep–Oct 2013)
First-ever cross-Canada tour visiting major cities and mostly sold-out venues.
Performed in Dubai (Nov 2013)
Returned to the stage in Dubai in November 2013 to a sold-out theatre.
Monty Python reunion performances announced (Nov 2013 press conf) and performed O2 shows July 2014
Alongside surviving Pythons he reunited for live performances at the O2 Arena in July 2014.
Published memoir 'So, Anyway...' (2014)
Released his autobiography recounting his life and career.
Tour with Eric Idle: 'Together Again At Last ... For The Very First Time' (2015–2016)
North American, Canadian and ANZUS tour of small theatres featuring sketches, reminiscences and audience interaction.
Wrote stage adaptation 'Bang Bang!' (2017)
Adapted Georges Feydeau's play Monsieur Chasse! for the Mercury Theatre, Colchester; US premiere 2018.
Cancelled Cambridge Union appearance (2021)
Withdrew from speaking engagement after learning another participant had been blacklisted for impersonating Adolf Hitler; cited self-blacklisting.
Starred in Roman Polanski's film 'The Palace' (2023)
Performed in Polanski's drama film released in 2023.
Began presenting 'The Dinosaur Hour' on GB News (Oct 2023)
Launched a Sunday-evening program on GB News titled 'The Dinosaur Hour'.
Estimated net worth (recent public estimates)
By the mid-2020s public estimates and career earnings from TV, film, books, voice work and corporate training suggest a net worth in the tens of millions.
Key Achievement Ages
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