Line #44 Creator/JohnCleese


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jc_5.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:''"And now for something completely different…"'']]
3
4	->''"John Cleese is very, very tall. He also has a very SillyWalk."''
5	-->--'''[=TeeVeePedia=] article on John Cleese'''
6
7	John Marwood Cleese (born October 27, 1939 in Weston-super-Mare, England) is a British actor and screenwriter. His comedy career, after exposure as part of the UsefulNotes/{{Oxbridge}} Footlights, really began with the ensemble comedy show ''Radio/ImSorryIllReadThatAgain''. He is most famous for his work in ''Creator/MontyPython'', where he often played authority figures and yelled a lot. His leaving the show before the fourth season is widely seen to be the moment when it JumpedTheShark. Beyond that, he, along with his then-wife Creator/ConnieBooth, created and starred in ''Series/FawltyTowers'', co-wrote and starred in ''Film/AFishCalledWanda'', helped write the ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' {{Elseworld}} ''ComicBook/SupermanTrueBrit'', made cameo appearances all over the place, and gave a [[PrecisionFStrike rather famous]] [[https://www.funeralwise.com/celebration-of-life/ceremony/eulogy/chapman/ eulogy]] to friend and fellow Python Creator/GrahamChapman.
8
9	He is the straightest StraightMan possible without having to resort to Asimo or attaching girders to one's back. Except when he's playing a raving lunatic. Although even then he manages to be the straightest raving lunatic you've ever encountered (see [[Series/FawltyTowers Basil Fawlty]] and [[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail Tim the Enchanter]]).
10
11	Long established career aside, younger generations likely know of him simply for portraying Nearly Headless Nick in the first two ''Film/HarryPotter'' films.
12
13	He started [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp5Sz0Iwjpz6Hh9bgbXoyaA his own YouTube channel]] in July 2016. The lemur species ''Avahi cleesei'' was named after him in 2005.
14
15	[[folder:Partial list of works:]]
16
17	'''Comic Books'''
18	* ''ComicBook/SupermanTrueBrit''
19
20	'''Live Action TV'''
21	* ''Series/ThatWasTheWeekThatWas'' (1962-1963)
22	* ''Series/AtLastThe1948Show'' (1967-1968)
23	* ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' (1969) (1970) (1971) (1972-1973) (1974): Many characters, but most memorably the "And now for something completely different..." presenter in black costume and the Minister of Silly Walks.
24	* ''Series/{{The Avengers\|1960s}}'' (1969): the episode "Look - (Stop Me If You've Heard This One) But There Were These Two Fellers".
25	* ''Series/FawltyTowers'' (1975) (1979): Basil Fawlty.
26	* ''Series/DoctorWho'': Appeared as an art gallery visitor in the episode [[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E2CityOfDeath City of Death]].
27	* ''Series/TheMuppetShow'': Appeared as himself in one episode.
28	* ''Series/{{Cheers}}'': Dr. Simon Finch-Royce in [[Recap/CheersS5E21SimonSays one episode]]
29	* ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'': Appeared as Dr. Liam Neesam in one episode
30
31	'''Films'''
32	* ''Literature/RomanceWithADoubleBass'' (1968)
33	* ''Film/TheBestHouseInLondon'' (1969)
34	* ''Film/TheBlissOfMrsBlossom'' (1968): Post office clerk
35	* ''Film/TheMagicChristian'' (1969): Art expert
36	* ''Film/TheRiseAndRiseOfMichaelRimmer'' (1970): Pumer
37	* ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' (1975): Sir Lancelot, The Black Knight, the taunting French Knight, Tim the Enchanter and various minor roles.
38	* ''Film/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian'' (1979): One of the three wise men, the Roman centurion and the head of the People's Front Of Judea.
39	* ''Film/TimeBandits'' (1981): Myth/RobinHood.
40	* ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper'' (1981): Has a cameo as a stuffy British man.
41	* ''Film/MontyPythonsTheMeaningOfLife'' (1983): One of the doctors in the "Birth" and "Liver Transplant" segment, the Sex Education teacher, a French waiter
42	* ''Film/{{Silverado}}'' (1985): Sheriff Langston.
43	* ''Film/{{Clockwise}}'' (1986): Brian Stimpson.
44	* ''Film/AFishCalledWanda'' (1988): Archie Leach.
45	* ''Film/ErikTheViking'' (1989): Halfdan the Black.
46	* ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTailFievelGoesWest'' (1991): Cat R. Waul (voice).
47	* ''Film/SplittingHeirs'' (1993): Shadgrind
48	* ''Film/MaryShelleysFrankenstein'' (1994): Professor Waldman
49	* ''Film/TheJungleBook1994'' (1994): Doctor Plumford
50	* ''Film/FierceCreatures'' (1995): Dr. Rollo Lee
51	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess'' (1996): Jean-Bob (voice).
52	* ''Film/GeorgeOfTheJungle'' (1997): Ape (voice in the movie).
53	* ''Film/JamesBond'': R (''Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough'', 1999), Q (''Film/DieAnotherDay'', 2002) -- same character, he just got promoted between films.
54	* ''Film/HarryPotter'' (2001-2011): Nearly Headless Nick.
55	* ''Film/RatRace'' (2002): Donald Sinclair.
56	* ''WesternAnimation/Shrek2'' (2004): King Harold (voice).
57	* ''WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird'' (2007): King Harold (voice).
58	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Planet 51}}'': Professor Kipple (voice).
59	* ''WesternAnimation/ShrekForeverAfter'' (2010): King Harold (voice).
60	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Winnie the Pooh\|2011}}'' (2011): The Narrator (voice).
61	* ''Film/TheBigYear'' (2011): Narrator.
62	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Planes}}'' (2014): Bulldog (voice).
63	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Trolls}}'' (2016): King Gristle Sr (voice).
64	* ''WesternAnimation/ArcticDogs'' (2019): Otto Van Walrus (voice).
65	* ''WesternAnimation/RallyRoadRacers'' (2023): Archie Vainglorious (voice).
66
67	'''Video Games'''
68	* ''VideoGame/StarshipTitanic'': The Bomb. ([[SameFaceDifferentName Credited as]] "Kim Bread".)
69	* ''VideoGame/EverythingOrNothing'': Q.
70	* ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'': Sir Roderick Ponce von Fontlebottom the Magnificent Bastard.
71	* ''VideoGame/ShrekTheThird'' (2007): King Harold (voice).
72	* ''VideoGame/FableIII'': Jasper (voice).
73	* ''VideoGame/Payday2'': Aldstone the Butler (voice and likeness).
74	* ''VideoGame/RAIDWorldWarII'': "Control".
75
76	'''Literature'''
77	* ''Literature/TheScrewtapeLetters'': Undersecretary Screwtape (voice in an audiobook edition).
78
79	'''Radio Shows'''
80	* ''Radio/ImSorryIllReadThatAgain'' (1965-1973)
81	* ''Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue'' (a few early episodes only)
82
83	'''Discography'''
84	* ''AudioPlay/AnotherMontyPythonRecord'' (1971)
85	* ''AudioPlay/TheMontyPythonMatchingTieAndHandkerchief'' (1973)
86	* ''AudioPlay/MontyPythonLiveAtDruryLane'' (1974)
87	* ''AudioPlay/MontyPythonsContractualObligationAlbum'' (1980)
88
89	'''Advertisement'''
90	* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfFz-EHEYEM A]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOLwdV44np0 series]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGbamk-60M0 of]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHfZQVxsuZo ads]] for Icelandic bank [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaupthing_Bank Kaupþing]].
91	* A [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euMIjKnvJXY&list=PL13A65492BC0A4B8B series]] of adverts for Compaq computers in the 80's where he [[AdamWesting portrays himself]] as being completely uninformed about what he is advertising and computers in general and OnlyInItForTheMoney.
92	* He channels Basil Fawlty in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9tSN0178Us this commercial]] for [=SpecSavers=].
93	[[/folder]]
94	----
95	!!Tropes associated with him include:
96	* AcronymAndAbbreviationOverload: In ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' an MPFC LP played by Cleese had this as the basis for a sketch.
97	-->'''Cleese:''' Gentlemen, our MP saw the PM this AM and the PM wants more LSD from the PIB by tomorrow AM or PM at the latest. I told the PM's PPS that AM was NBG so tomorrow PM it is for the PM nem. con.''
98	* TheBigGuy: His height is often used as a source for his comedy. He plays authoritarian characters or is pitched against smaller comedians. One can simply quote from the Archaeology Sketch: "Because I am six-foot-five, and I eat little twerps like you for breakfast!"
99	* BritishStuffiness: He has performed these kind of characters in many of his comedies, most notably Archie in ''Film/AFishCalledWanda''.
100	** The younger British comedian Creator/StewartLee is not the first person to observe that Cleese is acquiring some of these characteristics in real life, e.g. complaining about how London isn't an "English city" anymore.
101	* TheComicallySerious: Basil Fawlty himself was designed with this trope in mind. John Cleese has mentioned in interviews that the guiding principle he had when designing Fawlty was that someone having something embarrassing happen to them isn't funny; someone having something embarrassing happen to them and trying to press on as though everything is normal is hilarious.
102	* CreatorBacklash: Despite being the most famous member of Creator/MontyPython, he is the only one who grew dissatisfied with the format early, left the series after the third season because of SeasonalRot, and to this day still thinks most of what they did could've been a whole lot better if they had more time and money to perfect some stuff. He is also the only Python who once complained to the BBC about one of their sketches he deemed too vulgar and managed to have it cut.
103	* DeadpanSnarker: Cleese is very well known for saying odd stuff while remaining straight-faced.
104	** FreakOut: On the flip side, he does these pretty well too, such as the scene in ''Series/FawltyTowers'' where he loses his temper with his car and gives it "a damn good thrashing!"
105	* DrillSergeantNasty: Due to his imposing height, Cleese is often cast as a military officer, a teacher, a principal, a manager or any kind of person with power. It allows him to command orders and shout at people, with hilarious results. He played these kind of characters a lot in ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'', for instance in the "Self Defense Against Fresh Fruit" sketch.
106	* EmbarrassingLastName: Before he was born, his father changed his last name to Cleese from ''Cheese''.
107	* TheFunInFuneral: Both InUniverse as well as in reality. The "Undertaker" sketch in ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' has Cleese going to an undertaker with his mother's corpse in a bag and being convinced to eat her. In an episode of ''Series/FawltyTowers'' a hotel guest dies and needs to be smuggled out of the hotel in all discretion, which naturally goes completely wrong. When Creator/GrahamChapman died in 1989 Cleese livened up the funeral by saying at the eulogy: "Good riddance, the free loading bastard. I hope he fries!", explaining that Chapman loved a little controversy and would have been saddened if it didn't happen at his funeral.
108	* HamToHamCombat: In his appearance on ''Series/TheLateShowWithStephenColbert'', he and Stephen indulged in this during a Big Furry Hat segment; both with hats and ham.
109	* IAmVeryBritish: It may be difficult to find another British comedian who embodies all the stereotypical ideas about the QuintessentialBritishGentleman and StiffUpperLip more than Cleese. Maybe Creator/PeterSellers could, but he's more famous as [[Franchise/ThePinkPanther a French detective]].
110	* {{Japandering}}: Cleese was one of many Anglosphere celebrities who did commercials for the Polish banking firm BZ-WBK. Cleese's ads revolve around him hosting a cooking show and getting into a number of comedic mishaps thanks to his apparent lack of cooking skills, up to and including getting bitten by a dead fish.
111	* LargeAndInCharge: Subverted. He tends to play imposing figures that are undermined in various ways. Death, the Black Knight and a Roman officer in the ''Monty Python'' films are all prime examples.
112	* LargeHam: He may not always be loud about it, but this is most ''definitely'' the case.
113	* MauriceChevalierAccent: His French characters tend to be -- for lack of a better word -- outRAGEous! Seen in ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'', ''Film/MontyPythonsTheMeaningOfLife'' and ''Westernanimation/TheSwanPrincess''.
114	* MeaningfulRename: His actual last name is "Cheese", but his father changed this to avoid other pupils laughing at him as he had experienced in his own youth. It didn't help anyway, because the others still laughed at him. Interestingly enough Cleese is very fond of his actual last name and has often referred to cheese in a lot of his comedy, including the "Cheese Shop" sketch.
115	** Cleese stated that since his friends in the US tend to call him "Jack", he regretted that he could not use the name "Jack Cheese", which he thought was a great name for a comedian.
116	* NWordPrivileges: Came under fire for calling the late Graham Chapman a “poof” on live radio in 2018. Whilst this was an undeniably poor choice of words, the two had an extremely close friendship and working relationship, so it’s doubtful that Cleese actually harbours any real homophobic prejudice.
117	* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Cleese has a reputation for being very intent on earning money. (His divorce settlement was very expensive and pretty much forced him to do a lot more work than most actors of his age and recognition.) Creator/EricIdle complained a lot about this, especially because Cleese only wanted to do the post-Python projects (like the movies) if they brought in a lot of cash. Many of the films and TV sitcom appearances Cleese has done in the later years of his life have been criticized as this too. Ironically, Idle himself has gone the same route the last twenty years, such as his "Greedy Bastard Tour".
118	** BegoneBribe: Eric Idle on John Cleese in "The Pythons Autobiography":
119	--->''He once told me, and he won't deny this, "I'll do anything for money." So I offered him a pound to shut up, and he took it.''
120	* PlayingAgainstType: Gives what is probably his most quiet, dramatic performance in Branagh's ''Film/MaryShelleysFrankenstein''. Of course, [[WorldOfHam it's all relative]].
121	** He also has a more understated role as Sheriff Langston in ''Film/{{Silverado}}'', though he still gets to be a DeadpanSnarker in that one and his character has some other classic Cleese elements, namely being an intelligent and cultured man who is SurroundedByIdiots.
122	* PopCulturalOsmosis: In the USA he is best remembered for his roles in Creator/MontyPython, while in UK probably more people recognize him as Basil Fawlty in ''Series/FawltyTowers''.
123	* PrecisionFStrike: Believes that profanity has its place, but it must be handled carefully or it loses its effect. He abhors works that use it simply for the sake of being vulgar.
124	-->'''Cleese:''' I'd like to be the first person, at a British memorial service, to say 'fuck'.
125	* ProductionPosse: He enjoys working with Michael Palin and often goes out of his way to try and include Palin in his projects (which is why Monty Python was formed). He also enjoyed working with the cast of ''Film/AFishCalledWanda'' so much that he reunited them to work together on ''Film/FierceCreatures''.
126	* SadClown: Like most comedians, he suffered from depression with his failed marriages. He also got tired of the Creator/MontyPython format quickly and left after three seasons. His conversations with psychiatrist Robin Skynner led to the popular books ''Families and How To Survive Them'' and ''Life And How To Survive It''.
127	* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: In ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' Cleese often portrays characters who use very out of the ordinary words in their every day speech.
128	* SillyWalk: Not the UrExample, since other comedians before him have had silly walks, but he could be the TropeNamer and TropeCodifier. A famous Monty Python sketch has him as the Minister of Silly Walks and he goosestepped another funny walk in the ''Series/FawltyTowers'' episode "The Germans". It's one of his trademarks, though he doesn't particularly like the fact that he is pigeonholed for "[[CreatorBacklash such a ordinary and simple joke]]."
129	* StepfordSmiler: Turned his eulogy of Graham Chapman into an irreverent roast (including the famous line "Good riddance to him, the freeloading bastard, I hope he fries"). However, those close to Cleese would later comment that he was deeply bereaved by Chapman's death, to the point where he needed to be escorted out of Chapman's hospital room by physicians when Chapman passed away. Cleese was also clear ''during'' the eulogy that the roast was what Graham would have wanted.
130	* StiffUpperLip: Talks a lot between his teeth while remaining straight-faced.
131	* TypeCasting: He's pretty much the same in every movie. He often says "Jolly good", "Right!", "Marvelous", and "[sucks wind between teeth]...Still!". Since ''Film/AFishCalledWanda'', he is also often cast in films and TV series as somewhat of a ChickMagnet.
132	* WorkingWithTheEx: In ''Series/FawltyTowers'' Cleese plays Basil, while his then wife Creator/ConnieBooth plays Polly the maid. In the first series they were still together. In the second they were divorced. Still, [[AmicableExes they did get along fine]], seeing that she also co-wrote the scripts.
133	* WriteWhatYouKnow:
134	** He based Basil Fawlty on a very rude hotel manager called Donald Sinclair. The other Pythons left the hotel, but John chose to stay and study Donald's behavior. He would then go on to play a hotel tycoon named Donald Sinclair in ''Film/RatRace''.
135	** The Roman centurion from ''Film/LifeOfBrian'' who corrects Brian's GratuitousLatin rendition of "Romans go home" and then forces him to write it out a hundred times is based on his having been a Latin teacher (and going by Youtube comments, the only difference was that the teachers didn't carry swords).
136	* UnintelligibleAccent: In a commercial for Schweppes Ginger Ale, John Cleese asks the audience who they would like the ad to be pitched: the British approach, where he's sitting in a drawing room asking the audience to politely try the product; or the American approach, where he's at a beach party and clearly dubbed over by an American actor. In the original version of the ad, the British man spoke in an incredibly thick, indecipherable accent. A later version had the British man redubbed so that he spoke more clearly, the joke being his posh and incredibly polite manner.
137
138	----
139	->''[[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail Ooh, ooh, I see. Going to another page, eh? YOU YELLOW BASTARDS!! Come back here and read the article again! I'll bite your legs off!!]]''

Context Creator / JohnCleese