John Cleese
Known for Acting · 302 credits
- Born
- 1939-10-27 (age 86)
- Place of birth
- Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, England, UK
- Also known as
- John Marwood Cleese · Cleesey
Biography
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
Known For
TV Shows (79)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
as Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self
The Daily Show
1996
as Self
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self - Guest
Conan
2010
as Self - Guest
Real Time with Bill Maher
2003
as Self
Saturday Night Live
1975
as Self / Various / Mr. Praline (uncredited)
Markus Lanz
2008
as Self
The Graham Norton Show
2007
as Self - Guest
Wetten, dass..?
1981
as Self
Doctor Who
1963
as Art Gallery Visitor
Cheers
1982
as Dr. Simon Finch-Royce
Wogan
1982
as Self
Entourage
2004
as John Cleese
The Avengers
1961
as Marcus Rugman
The Last Leg
2013
as Self
Will & Grace
1998
as Lyle Finster (uncredited)
The One Show
2006
as Self - Guest
3rd Rock from the Sun
1996
as Dr. Liam Neesam
Omnibus
1967
as Self
Richard & Judy
2001
as Self
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
1975
as Self
Speechless
2016
as Martin
Film '72
1971
as Self
Parkinson
1998
as Self
Skavlan
2009
as Self - Guest
An Audience with...
1978
as Self
Disney's House of Mouse
2001
as Narrator (voice)
Monty Python's Flying Circus
1969
as Various / Announcer
The Muppet Show
1976
as Self - Special Guest Star
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
1999
as Self
Over the Garden Wall
2014
as Quincy Endicott (voice) / Adelaide (voice)
Robins
2006
as Self - Guest
Whitney
2011
as Dr. Grant
Mickey Mouse Works
1999
as Narrator (voice)
Fawlty Towers
1975
as Basil Fawlty
LOL: Last One Laughing
2021
as Self
Titel, Thesen, Temperamente
1967
as Self (archive footage)
Legends
2006
as Self
Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation
2009
as Self - Contestant
Canterbury Tales
2003
as Comedy Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Secret Policeman's Ball
1976
as Self
NDR Kultur – Das Journal
2002
as Self
Not the Nine O'Clock News
1979
Mini Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
2011
as Narrator (voice)
This Morning
1988
as Self
Casper & Mandrilaftalen
1999
as Fake Bosse Bo Johansson
John Bishop: In Conversation with...
2016
as Self
Sez Les
1969
as self
Ripping Yarns
1976
Friday Night, Saturday Morning
1979
Monty Python's Best Bits (Mostly)
2014
as Self (archive footage)
At Last the 1948 Show
1967
Hold the Sunset
2018
as Phil
Misleading Cases
1967
as Mr. Partridge
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
Soccer's American Dream
2026
as Self (archive footage)
Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central)
2002
as Red Lansing
MADtv
1995
as Self
Movies (223)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
2001
as Nearly Headless Nick
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2002
as Nearly Headless Nick (Sir Nicholas)
Shrek 2
2004
as King Harold (voice)
Shrek Forever After
2010
as King Harold (voice)
Shrek the Third
2007
as King Harold (voice)
Trolls
2016
as Roi Gristle (voice)
George of the Jungle
1997
as An Ape Named 'Ape' (voice)
Planes
2013
as Bulldog (voice)
Die Another Day
2002
as Q
The World Is Not Enough
1999
as R
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
1975
as Second Swallow-Savvy Guard / The Black Knight / Peasant 3 / Sir Launcelot the Brave / Taunting French Guard / Tim the Enchanter
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
2003
as Mr. Munday
Absolutely Anything
2015
as Chief Alien (voice)
Winnie the Pooh
2011
as Narrator (voice)
Clifford the Big Red Dog
2021
as Mr. Bridwell
Arctic Dogs
2019
as Otto von Walrus (voice)
Around the World in 80 Days
2004
as Grizzled Sergeant
Life of Brian
1979
as Wise Man #1 / Reg / Jewish Official / First Centurion / Deadly Dirk / Arthur
The Day the Earth Stood Still
2008
as Professor Barnhardt
Rat Race
2001
as Donald P. Sinclair
Charlotte's Web
2006
as Samuel the Sheep (voice)
A Fish Called Wanda
1988
as Archie Leach
Charming
2018
as Fairy Godmother / Executioner (voice)
The Jungle Book
1994
as Dr. Julius Plumford
Planet 51
2009
as Professor Kipple (voice)
Silverado
1985
as Sheriff John T. Langston
The Swan Princess
1994
as Jean-Bob (voice)
Valiant
2005
as Mercury (voice)
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
1983
as Various Roles
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West
1991
as Cat R. Waul (voice)
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
1994
as Prof. Waldman
The Big Year
2011
as Historical Montage Narrator (voice)
Why Are We Creative?
2018
as Self
The Pink Panther 2
2009
as Dreyfus
Time Bandits
1981
as Robin Hood
Igor
2008
as Dr. Glickenstein (voice)
Mickey's House of Villains
2002
as Narrator (“Mickey's Mechanical House") (uncredited)
Isn't She Great
2000
as Henry Marcus
Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer
2018
as Donner (voice)
Erik the Viking
1989
as Halfdan the Black
Spud
2010
as Mr. 'The Guv' Edly
George of the Jungle 2
2003
as An Ape Named 'Ape' (voice)
The Great Muppet Caper
1981
as Neville
The Adventures of Pluto Nash
2002
as James
Rally Road Racers
2023
as Archie Vainglorious (voice)
Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse
2001
as Narrator (segment 'The Nutcracker') (voice)
The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee
2020
as John
Father Christmas Is Back
2021
as John Christmas
Man About Town
2006
as Dr. Primkin
Employees From Hell
1989
as Brian
Beethoven's Christmas Adventure
2011
as Narrator
Monty Python Live (Mostly)
2014
as Self, others
Scorched
2003
as Charles Merchant
The Wind in the Willows
1996
as Mr. Toad's Lawyer
Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff
1985
as Self
The Cancellation Of Fawlty Towers
2025
A.C.O.R.N.S.: Operation Crackdown
2015
as Mr. Bellwood (voice)
The Magic Christian
1969
as Director in Sotheby's
Fierce Creatures
1997
as Rollo Lee
Albion: The Enchanted Stallion
2016
as General Eeder
Bosses From Hell
1989
as Brian
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
2005
as Self
Parting Shots
1999
as Maurice Walpole
Customers From Hell
1989
as Brian
An Accidental Studio
2019
as Self (archive footage)
The Big Picture
1989
as Bartender
Yellowbeard
1983
as Harvey 'Blind' Pew
The Undefeated
2011
as Self (archive footage)
The Palace
2023
as Arthur William Dallas III
The Secret Life of Brian
2007
as Self
And Now for Something Completely Different
1971
as 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
God Loves Caviar
2012
as McCormick
Euroshow '71: May Day Special
1971
as Self - Various (as Montypython Flyingcircus)
More Awkward Customers
1975
as Brian
The Out-of-Towners
1999
as Mr. Mersault
Anatomy of a Liar
2012
as Self
The Movie Life of George
1989
as Self
The Nutcracker
1999
as Narrator
Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened
2009
as Self / Basil Fawlty
Concert for George
2003
as Self
Splitting Heirs
1993
as Raoul P. Shadgrind
Spud 3: Learning to Fly
2014
as Mr. 'The Guv' Edly
Making Rat Race
2002
as Himself
Bullseye!
1990
as Man on the Beach in Barbados Who Looks Like John Cleese
Amnesty International's Big 30
1991
as Self
Hitler: The Comedy Years
2007
as Adolf Hitler / Basil Fawlty (archive footage) (uncredited)
Life of Python
1990
as Himself / Various Roles (also archive footage)
How to Irritate People
1969
as Himself - Various
John Cleese Packs It In
2025
A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman
2012
as Various (voice)
The Naked Wanderer
2019
as Brian King
How to Make Her Cheat
as Terry
Fawlty Towers: The Play
2025
as Self
Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness
2020
as Self
The Best House in London
1969
as Jones (uncredited)
Sales People from Hell
1989
Clockwise
1986
as Brian Stimpson
The Mermaid Frolics
1977
as Self- Various roles
Daddy Daughter Trip
2022
as Frank
Monty Python Conquers America
2008
as Self
Group Madness
1983
as Self
Interviewers From Hell
1989
Peter Cook & Co.
1980
as Himself / Various Characters
Fawlty Towers Revisited
2005
as Himself
The Taming of the Shrew
1980
as Petruchio
The Last Impresario
2014
as Self
The Magic Pudding
2000
as Albert the Magic Pudding (voice)
The Statue
1971
as Harry
Communicators From Hell
1989
as Brian
The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom
1968
as Post Office Clerk
Pleasure at Her Majesty's
1976
as Self
Best Ever Bond
2002
as Self / R
Complete Guide to Guys
2005
as Noted Behavioral Scientist / Noted Doctor / Leading Social Scientist / Leading Orthopedic Surgeon
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
1970
as Pumer
The Queen Special
1980
as Man in Bar
The Splendid Thing
The Monty Python Story
1999
as Self
Monty Python: Live at Aspen
1998
as Self
What the Pythons Did Next...
2007
as Self (archive footage)
Monty Python: And Now for Something Rather Similar
2014
as Self
About John Cleese
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 starre… With 302 credits spanning from 1961 to 2026, John Cleese has appeared in 223 films and 79 TV shows.
Fans searching for John Cleese movies, John Cleese filmography, or the latest projects starring John Cleese can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular John Cleese Movies
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) — as Nearly Headless Nick
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) — as Nearly Headless Nick (Sir Nicholas)
- Shrek 2 (2004) — as King Harold (voice)
- Shrek Forever After (2010) — as King Harold (voice)
- Shrek the Third (2007) — as King Harold (voice)
Where to Watch John Cleese Films
Most John Cleese movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring John Cleese, check our movies catalogue and browse page.