- published: 05 May 2016
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John Marwood Cleese (/ˈkliːz/; 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 co-founded 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, Monty Python and the 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, both of which he also wrote. He also starred in Clockwise, and has appeared in many other films, including two James Bond films as Q, two Harry Potter films, and the last three Shrek films.
With Yes Minister writer Antony Jay he co-founded Video Arts, a production company making entertaining training films. In 1976, Cleese co-founded The Secret Policeman's Ball benefit shows to raise funds for the human rights organisation Amnesty International.
Prunella Scales, CBE (born Prunella Margaret Rumney Illingworth; 22 June 1932) is an English actress best known for her role as Basil Fawlty's wife Sybil in the BBC comedy Fawlty Towers and her BAFTA award-nominated role as Queen Elizabeth II in A Question of Attribution (Screen One, BBC 1991) by Alan Bennett.
Scales was born in Sutton Abinger, Surrey, the daughter of Catherine (née Scales), an actress, and John Richardson Illingworth, a cotton salesman. She attended Moira House Girls School, Eastbourne.
Throughout her career, Scales has often been cast in comic roles. Her early work included the second UK adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (1952), Hobson's Choice (1954), Room at the Top (1959) and Waltz of the Toreadors (1962).
Her career break came with the early 1960s sitcom Marriage Lines starring opposite Richard Briers. In addition to Fawlty Towers, she has had roles in BBC Radio 4 sitcoms, and comedy series including After Henry, Smelling of Roses and Ladies of Letters; on television she starred in the London Weekend Television/Channel 4 series Mapp & Lucia based on the novels by E. F. Benson. She played Queen Elizabeth II in Alan Bennett's A Question of Attribution. In 1973, Scales was cast with Ronnie Barker in One Man's Meat which formed part of Barker's Seven of One series, also for the BBC. Her later film appearances include Escape from the Dark (1976), The Hound of the Baskervilles (1978), The Boys From Brazil (1978), The Wicked Lady (1983), The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987), Stiff Upper Lips (1997), Howards End (1992) and Wolf (1994). For the BBC Television Shakespeare production of The Merry Wives of Windsor (1982) she played Mistress Page and the Theatre Night series (BBC) she appeared with her husband Timothy West in the Joe Orton farce What the Butler Saw (1987) playing Mrs Prentice. The cast of the Orton play also included Dinsdale Landen and Tessa Peake-Jones.
Andreas Siegfried "Andrew" Sachs (born 7 April 1930 in Berlin) is a German-born British actor. He made his name on British television and is best known for his portrayals of Manuel in Fawlty Towers, a role for which he was BAFTA-nominated, and Ramsay Clegg in Coronation Street.
Sachs was born in Berlin, Germany, the son of Katharina (née Schrott-Fiecht), a librarian, and Hans Emil Sachs, an insurance broker. His father was Jewish and his mother was Catholic, and of half Austrian descent. He left with his parents for Britain in 1938, when he was eight years old, to escape the Nazis. They settled in north London, and he still lives in Kilburn.
In 1960, Sachs married Melody Lang, who appeared in one episode of Fawlty Towers, "Basil the Rat", as Mrs. Taylor. His stepson is John Sachs, formerly Capital Radio DJ and Gladiators commentator.
In the late 1950s, Sachs worked on radio productions, including Private Dreams and Public Nightmares by Frederick Bradnum, an early experimental programme made by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
Fawlty Towers is a BBC television sitcom that was first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975 and 1979. Twelve episodes were made (two series, each of six episodes). The show was written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, who both also starred in the show; they were married at the time of series 1 but divorced before recording series 2.
The series is set in Fawlty Towers, a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay, on the "English Riviera". The plots centre on tense, rude and put-upon owner Basil Fawlty (Cleese), his bossy wife Sybil (Prunella Scales), comparatively normal chambermaid Polly (Booth), and hapless Spanish waiter Manuel (Andrew Sachs), showing their attempts to run the hotel amidst farcical situations and an array of demanding and eccentric guests.
In a list drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, voted by industry professionals, Fawlty Towers was named the best British television series of all time.
In May 1970 the Monty Python team stayed at the Gleneagles Hotel (which is referred to in "The Builders" episode) in Torquay whilst filming on location. John Cleese became fascinated with the behaviour of the owner, Donald Sinclair, whom Cleese later described as "the rudest man I've ever come across in my life." This behaviour included Sinclair throwing a timetable at a guest who asked when the next bus to town would arrive; and placing Eric Idle's briefcase (put to one side by Idle while waiting for a car with Cleese) behind a wall in the garden on the suspicion that it contained a bomb (Sinclair explained his actions by claiming the hotel had 'staff problems'). He also criticised the American-born Terry Gilliam's table manners for not being "British" (that is, he switched hands with his fork whilst eating). Cleese and Booth stayed on at the hotel after filming, furthering their research of the hotel owner. Cleese later played a hotel owner called Donald Sinclair in the 2001 movie Rat Race.
Get ready for a stay in the Fawlty Towers hotel, where the staff is courteous but the manager is someone to steer clear of! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 "Fawlty Towers" moments. Check us out at http://www.Twitter.com/WatchMojo and http://www.Facebook.com/WatchMojo Special thanks to our users Emily Carlstrom and Ids Hofman for submitting the idea on our Suggest Page at WatchMojo.com/suggest If you want to suggest an idea for a WatchMojo video, check out our interactive Suggestion Tool at http://www.WatchMojo.com/suggest :) Check us out at http://www.Twitter.com/WatchMojo and http://www.Facebook.com/WatchMojo We have T-Shirts! Be sure to check out http://www.WatchMojo.com/store for more info.
Basil encounters the ferocious Mrs Richards, who is not entirely happy with her room in the hotel. Classic clip from the hilarious comedy Fawlty Towers starring John Cleese. Subscribe to the BBC Worldwide channel: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=BBCWorldwide BBC Worldwide Channel: http://www.youtube.com/BBCWorldwide This is a channel from BBC Worldwide who help fund new BBC programmes.
Classic comedy moment from John Cleese in Fawlty Towers, where Basil waits on some Germans. Subscribe to Comedy Greats for more hilarious videos: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=BBCComedyGreats
John Cleese stopped by the Google NYC office to further discuss So, Anyway... a book chronicling the early life of his career. So, Anyway… is a must read for comedy fans worldwide. For the first time, John Cleese tells the story of how a tall, shy youth went on to become a self-confessed comedy legend. En route, Cleese describes his nerve-racking first public performance and his first encounter with his writing partner for over two decades, Graham Chapman. And so on to his dizzying ascent via scriptwriting for Peter Sellers, David Frost, Marty Feldman and others to the heights of Monty Python. Moderated by Jason Sanders.
We hosted John Cleese and Eric Idle at Live Talks Los Angeles on Nov. 18. The occasion: Cleese' memoir, "So, Anyway..." The venue, a sold crowd at the Alex Theatre. For more information on Live Talks Los Angeles, visit: www.livetalksla.org
Watch the entire conversation between John Cleese and John Hodgman from our Nov 5, 2014 event, part the Unbound literary series co-presented by BAM and Greenlight Bookstore. From: Unbound: John Cleese In conversation with John Hodgman BAM Harvey Theater Nov 5, 2014 For more videos of talks at BAM, visit http://BAM.org/Talks
Subscribe to the Official Monty Python Channel here - http://smarturl.it/SubscribeToPython We've put together a compilation video of John Cleese's "10 All-Time Favourite" Python sketches and scenes, as told to Jeff Slate for Esquire in December 2015. John's picks include classic "Flying Circus" sketches - "Scott of the Sahara", "Sir Raymond Luxury Yacht" and "Upper Class Twit of the Year"; two scenes from "Monty Python's Life of Brian" - the two gaolers, and Brian telling his followers he is not the Messiah; "Mr Creosote" & "The Galaxy Song" scenes from "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life"; and the two guards being given their orders scene from "Monty Python & the Holy Grail". Visit the official Monty Python store - http://smarturl.it/MontyPythonStores Visit the NEW Monty Python iTu...
1968 television special by John Cleese and other members of the future Monty Python. Apparently the DVD has irritating backward packaging and deliberately faulty navigation. I also read it has fake fingerprints on the surface.
British comedy legend John Cleese picked up the 2016 Rose d'Or Lifetime Achievement award at the 55th Rose d'Or Ceremony in Berlin on 13 September 2016.
John Cleese, Actor; Writer; Producer; Author, So, Anyway… In conversation with Adam Savage, Host, “Mythbusters” Join Cleese as he takes us on a grand tour of his ascent in the entertainment world, from his humble beginnings in a sleepy English town to the pinnacle of comedy and worldwide success. With his signature characters – the Minister of Silly Walks and the owner (and would-be returner) of a dead parrot – Cleese's work with Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers has become legendary. His hit films Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian and A Fish Called Wanda, and his memorable roles in James Bond and Shrek have put him in a class of his own. From his hilarious tweets and new memoir, hear more from this towering comedic genius. PLEASE NOTE: This video contains som...
Comedy icon John Cleese, who played Basil Fawlty, the bumbling British hotel manager in the 1970s TV series, says a musical version of Fawlty Towers would never work. Read more here: http://ab.co/1Wt7XZU
So, Anyway ... A comedic genius whose influence has reached across generations, John Cleese will be forever known for his unique blend of irreverent humor, physical comedy, and madcap buffoonery played completely straight. In his new memoir, Cleese shares his journey from small town boy and aspiring lawyer to comedy pioneer and legend, weaving together stories and digressions into a fascinating primer on what's funny and why that's as entertaining as any of his shows.
Living legend John Cleese stops by to talk about his book "So, Anyway," how he and his fellow Pythons pitched their show, and why fish are funny.
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From Late Night with David Letterman - July 6, 1988. David Letterman talks to John Cleese about Independence Day, the English, fish, British holidays, cricket and his new film "A Fish Called Wanda". And they make toast!!!
Whether being shelled by the Germans or confusing his schoolteachers, John had an interesting upbringing. More CONAN @ http://teamcoco.com/video Team Coco is the official YouTube channel of late night host Conan O'Brien, CONAN on TBS & TeamCoco.com. Subscribe now to be updated on the latest videos: http://bit.ly/W5wt5D For Full Episodes of CONAN on TBS, visit http://teamcoco.com/video Get Social With Team Coco: On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamCoco On Google+: https://plus.google.com/+TeamCoco/ On Twitter: http://twitter.com/TeamCoco On Tumblr: http://teamcoco.tumblr.com On YouTube: http://youtube.com/teamcoco Follow Conan O'Brien on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ConanOBrien
John Cleese talks extensively about the making of "Fawlty Towers" and his feelings about its legacy. I believe this is from about 1999. Part 1 of 2.
John Cleese gives Carr a Master class in Comedy and timing (2 things Carr needs to learn a LOT about) as He slowly takes control of the interview and then tells his 'host' why He is there before leaving (Yes He did come back) but I left it there for the comedic value that Cleese wanted and lets face it when he DID come back all we got was Carr doing his usual talking about himself instead of the guest! He has NO respect! Well done John for putting him in his place....Looking forward to the O2..Why He is not SIR John Cleese is beyond Me when you look as some of the undeserving that are....Rock on!
The Life of Brian defended by Monty Python, John Cleese and Michael Palin. COMPLETE DEBATEThe two successful shorter snippets joined together in one complete 25 minutes for convenience. The debate between Monty Python, Muggeridge and the Bishop of Southwark, Mervyn Stockwood: http://www.facebook.com/antitheists http://www.atheist-meme.com http://antitheist-atheist.blogspot.com https://plus.google.com/116928273272856215188 http://www.antitheists.co.uk
Wasted along the way
I'm wasted along the way
I'm wasted along the way to reach you
Wasted along the way
I'm wasted along the way
I'm wasted along the way to reach you
Infernal ides
I trim the wick so fine
To carry forth your light
Comfort me
What will leave will leave
Comfort me to stem the tide
Wasted along the way
I'm wasted along the way
I'm wasted along the way to reach you
Wildflower in the wilderness outside
Take your chance with love and laughter
And every word I write yeah
From that body will never learn
When it's far too gone I'd move on
Wasted along the way
Wasted along the way
I'm wasted along the way to reach you
Wasted along the way
Wasted along the way
I'm wasted along the way to reach you
Ooh wildflower wildflower
Ooh wildflower wildflower
Ooh wildflower wildflower
Ooh wildflower wildflower