John Cleese

John Marwood Cleese, born on October 27, 1939, is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, and presenter. Known for his roles in the comedy troupe Monty Python, Cleese's works were highly influential in the world of comedy. He first gained success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report. He was a key figure in co-founding Monty Python, a comedy troupe responsible for the sketch show Monty Python's Flying Circus. Alongside his Python co-stars Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Graham Chapman, he starred in Monty Python films including 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 the sitcom Fawlty Towers, in which he starred as hotel owner Basil Fawlty. The show topped British Film Institute's list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes. Cleese co-starred with Kevin Kline, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Michael Palin in A Fish Called Wanda and Fierce Creatures, both of which he also wrote. For A Fish Called Wanda, he received Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and Golden Globe Award nominations. He continued to star in various films such as Time Bandits, Clockwise, and Rat Race and was part of popular franchises including two James Bond films, two Harry Potter films, and the last three Shrek films. His contribution to comedy and the film industry has earned him an enduring legacy worldwide.