John Cleese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Cleese
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Cleese in 2023
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| Born |
John Marwood Cleese
27 October 1939 Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England
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| Alma mater | Downing College, Cambridge |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1961–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Barbara Trentham
(m. 1981; div. 1990)Alyce Eichelberger
(m. 1992; div. 2008)Jennifer Wade
(m. 2012) |
| Children | 2 |
John Marwood Cleese (born 27 October 1939) is a famous English actor, comedian, and writer. He is also a producer and TV presenter. He first became known in the 1960s. He was part of the Cambridge Footlights comedy group. Later, he helped create the very popular comedy group Monty Python.
Cleese starred in the TV show Monty Python's Flying Circus. He also appeared in Monty Python films like Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) and Life of Brian (1979). In the 1970s, he co-wrote and starred in the funny sitcom Fawlty Towers. He played the hotel owner Basil Fawlty. This role won him an award in 1980.
He has also acted in many movies. These include A Fish Called Wanda (1988), two James Bond films, and two Harry Potter films. In Harry Potter, he played Nearly Headless Nick. Cleese is known for his smart and sometimes dark humour. He often uses satire to make fun of serious topics.
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John Cleese's Early Life and School Days
John Cleese was born in Weston-super-Mare, England, on 27 October 1939. He was the only child of Reginald and Muriel Cleese. His family's original last name was Cheese! But his father changed it to Cleese in 1923. He thought Cheese was a bit embarrassing.
As a child, John supported Bristol City football club. He went to St Peter's Preparatory School. There, he won a prize for English. He was also good at cricket and boxing. When he was 13, he won a scholarship to Clifton College in Bristol. He was already very tall, over 6 feet!
At Clifton College, Cleese played cricket and did well in his studies. He passed eight O-Levels and three A-Levels. He later taught science and English at his old prep school for two years. This was before he went to Downing College, Cambridge to study law.
Joining the Cambridge Footlights
At Cambridge, John Cleese joined the Cambridge Footlights club. This was a famous comedy group. He met future comedy partners like Graham Chapman there. When he joined, he was asked if he could sing or dance. He said no, but added, "I make people laugh." This was a good sign for his future career!
John Cleese's Comedy Career
After Cambridge, Cleese performed in a show called Cambridge Circus. It was so popular that it went to London and even to Broadway in New York. While in America, he met actress Connie Booth. They married in 1968. Connie later became his writing partner.
Cleese then started working as a writer for BBC Radio. He wrote for several shows. He also joined the cast of a popular radio series called I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again.
Working on The Frost Report
In 1965, Cleese began writing for The Frost Report. This TV show was very important for British comedy. He worked with many talented writers and performers there. These included future Monty Python members Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. They all developed their unique comedy styles on this show.
Cleese became well-known on The Frost Report. He appeared in the famous ""Class" sketch". In this sketch, he played a tall, upper-class man. He stood next to shorter, middle-class and working-class comedians. This created a very funny contrast.
Creating Monty Python
In the late 1960s, Cleese and his friends formed Monty Python. Their TV show, Monty Python's Flying Circus, started in 1969. It ran for four series. Cleese often played sophisticated characters or silly, crazy ones.
One of his most famous characters was the man with the "dead Norwegian Blue parrot". He also played a serious government official in "The Ministry of Silly Walks". In this sketch, he did incredibly silly walks to his office. This made fun of serious people and rules.
Working with Graham Chapman
Cleese often wrote with Graham Chapman. Their sketches were sometimes dark and angry. Many of Cleese's characters showed hidden anger. This was a key part of his later role as Basil Fawlty.
They often wrote sketches where ordinary people acted absurdly. A great example is the "Dead Parrot sketch". Cleese wanted to make fun of bad customer service. Chapman suggested changing the broken item to a dead parrot. He also suggested it be a "Norwegian Blue". This made the sketch much funnier and more surreal.
Cleese and Chapman were good at playing authority figures. These included policemen or government officials. They would then make these serious characters act very silly. Cleese's tall height and serious face helped him play these roles well.
Monty Python Films
Cleese left the TV show after the third series. However, he stayed friends with the group. They all worked together on the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975). He also co-wrote and starred in Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983). In Life of Brian, his line "What have the Romans ever done for us?" was voted one of the funniest film lines.
Fawlty Towers Success
From 1975 to 1979, Cleese starred in Fawlty Towers. He co-wrote this sitcom with his first wife, Connie Booth. Cleese played Basil Fawlty, a very stressed and rude hotel manager. The show became hugely popular. In 2000, it was named the greatest British TV show ever.
Cleese based Basil Fawlty on a real hotel owner he met in 1970. This owner was supposedly very rude to his guests. Fawlty Towers only had two series, with six episodes each. Cleese and Booth wanted to keep the quality high. The show is still loved today and often re-shown.
Movies and Other Projects
In the 1980s and 1990s, Cleese worked mostly on films. He starred in Time Bandits (1981) and Clockwise (1986). In 1988, he wrote and starred in A Fish Called Wanda. This film was a big success. Cleese was nominated for an Academy Award for his script.
He also appeared in two James Bond films. He played "R" and later "Q", the gadget master. In the Harry Potter films, he played the ghost Nearly Headless Nick. He also lent his voice to the Shrek films.
Cleese also made business training films with his company, Video Arts. These films were entertaining and educational.
Recent Work and Tours
In the 2000s, Cleese continued to act in films. He was in Rat Race (2001) and voiced characters in video games like Jade Empire. He also toured with his one-man stage show. These tours were often called the "Alimony Tour" because they helped pay for his divorce settlement.
In 2014, Cleese reunited with the other surviving Monty Python members for a live show in London. He has also written plays and continued to appear in films. In 2023, he started hosting a new show on GB News called The Dinosaur Hour.
John Cleese's Style of Humour
John Cleese is known for his unique style of humour. He often uses black comedy, which finds humour in dark or serious topics. He has said he inherited this from his mother. He believes that you shouldn't take almost anything seriously.
Cleese has also spoken about "woke jokes" and political correctness. He thinks that being too careful about what you say can stop creativity. He believes that jokes depend on their context. He feels that political correctness can threaten humour and free speech.
He has also criticized the BBC for removing a Fawlty Towers episode. He argued that the show was making fun of prejudice, not supporting it. He believes that comedy can help discredit bad ideas by laughing at them.
Activism and Political Views
John Cleese has supported many good causes. He has worked a lot with Amnesty International. This is a group that works for human rights. He helped organize the Secret Policeman's Ball shows. These shows raised money for Amnesty International. Many musicians have said these shows inspired them to become activists.
Cleese has also been interested in politics. He used to support the Liberal Democrats party in the UK. He has spoken about his support for proportional representation, a different way of voting.
He has shared his views on various political topics. In 2016, he supported Brexit, which was the UK leaving the European Union. He felt that EU rules took away democratic control. He has also commented on leaders like Donald Trump, describing him as a "narcissist."
In 2018, Cleese moved to the Caribbean island of Nevis. He said this was partly due to his frustration with the political debates in the UK.
John Cleese's Personal Life
John Cleese has been married four times. His first wife was Connie Booth. They had a daughter named Cynthia. Cynthia later appeared in some of her father's films. Even after their divorce, John and Connie remained good friends.
He then married Barbara Trentham. They had a daughter named Camilla. His third marriage was to Alyce Faye Eichelberger. They divorced in 2008. In 2012, he married Jennifer Wade.
Cleese has talked about his relationships. He believes his mother influenced his relationships with women. He has also received treatment for depression.
Love for Lemurs
John Cleese has a special love for lemurs. After his film Fierce Creatures (1997), which featured lemurs, he hosted a BBC documentary. It was called In the Wild: Operation Lemur with John Cleese. The film followed a project to reintroduce lemurs into the wild in Madagascar. Cleese even donated money from his film's premiere to help this project.
Because of his love for lemurs, a new species of lemur was named after him! It's called the Bemaraha woolly lemur (Avahi cleesei). This shows how much his efforts to protect these animals are appreciated.
Fun Facts About John Cleese
- An asteroid, 9618 Johncleese, is named in his honour.
- He was the rector of the University of St Andrews from 1970 to 1973. This was an important role that he helped modernize.
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