John Cleese is an English actor, comedian, producer, screenwriter and writer. He is known for his work on screen and stage. He was a member of the comedy sketch group Monty Python. This is a filmography of his work which consists of about 180 various roles.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Interlude | TV Publicist | |
| The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom | Post Office Clerk | ||
| 1969 | Mr. Dougdale (director in Sotheby's) | ||
| Jones | Uncredited | ||
| 1970 | Pummer | Also writer | |
| 1971 | And Now for Something Completely Different | Various roles | |
| The Statue | Harry | ||
| 1973 | The Love Ban | Sex Therapist | |
| 1974 | Romance with a Double Bass | Musician Smychkov | Also writer |
| 1975 | Monty Python and the Holy Grail | Various roles | |
| 1976 | Meetings, Bloody Meetings | Manager, various roles | |
| 1977 | Arthur Sherlock Holmes | ||
| 1979 | Monty Python's Life of Brian | Various roles | |
| 1981 | Neville | Cameo | |
| Time Bandits | Gormless Robin Hood | ||
| 1982 | Privates on Parade | Major Giles Flack | |
| Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl | Various roles | Concert film; also writer | |
| 1983 | Yellowbeard | Harvey "Blind" Pew | |
| Monty Python's The Meaning of Life | Various roles | Also writer | |
| 1985 | Silverado | Langston | |
| 1986 | Clockwise | Mr. Stimpson | |
| 1988 | Barrister Archie Leach | Also writer and executive producer | |
| 1989 | Erik the Viking | Halfdan the Black | |
| The Big Picture | Bartender | Cameo | |
| 1990 | Bullseye! | Man on the Beach Who Looks Like John Cleese | |
| 1991 | Cat R. Waul | Voice | |
| 1993 | Splitting Heirs | Raoul P. Shadgrind | |
| 1994 | Mary Shelley's Frankenstein | Professor Waldman | |
| The Jungle Book | Dr. Julius Plumford | ||
| Jean-Bob | Voice | ||
| 1996 | Mr. Toad's Lawyer | Cameo | |
| 1997 | Fierce Creatures | Rollo Lee | Also writer and producer |
| George of the Jungle | Ape | Voice | |
| 1998 | In the Wild: Operation Lemur with John Cleese | Narrator | Documentary |
| 1999 | Mr. Mersault | ||
| R | |||
| 2000 | Isn't She Great | Henry Marcus | |
| The Magic Pudding | Albert The Magic Pudding | Voice | |
| 2001 | Quantum Project | Alexander Pentcho | |
| Here's Looking at You: The Evolution of the Human Face | Narrator | Documentary | |
| Rat Race | Donald P. Sinclair | ||
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Nearly Headless Nick | ||
| 2002 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | ||
| Roberto Benigni's Pinocchio | The Talking Cricket | Voice; English dub | |
| Die Another Day | Q | ||
| James | |||
| 2003 | Mr. Munday | ||
| Scorched | Charles Merchant | ||
| George of the Jungle 2 | Ape | Voice | |
| 2004 | Shrek 2 | King Harold | |
| Around the World in 80 Days | Grizzled Sergeant | ||
| 2005 | Valiant | Mercury | Voice |
| 2006 | Charlotte's Web | Samuel the Sheep | |
| Man About Town | Dr. Primkin | ||
| 2007 | Shrek the Third | King Harold | Voice |
| 2008 | Igor | Dr. Glickenstein | |
| Dr. Barnhardt | |||
| 2009 | Chief-Inspector Charles Dreyfus | ||
| Planet 51 | Professor Kipple | Voice | |
| 2010 | Spud | The Guv | |
| Shrek Forever After | King Harold | Voice | |
| 2011 | Beethoven's Christmas Adventure | Narrator | |
| The Big Year | Historical Montage Narrator | ||
| Winnie the Pooh | Narrator | ||
| 2012 | God Loves Caviar | McCormick | |
| A Liar's Autobiography | David Frost / Various roles | Voices | |
| 2013 | The Last Impresario | Himself | Documentary |
| The Croods | Story credit | ||
| The Guv | |||
| Planes | Bulldog | Voice | |
| 2014 | The Guv | ||
| 2015 | Absolutely Anything | Chief Alien | Voice |
| 2016 | Get Squirrely | Mr. Bellwood | |
| Albion: The Enchanted Stallion | General Eeder | ||
| Trolls | King Gristle Sr. | Voice | |
| 2018 | Charming | The Fairy Godmother | |
| Elliot the Littlest Reindeer | Donner | ||
| 2019 | The Naked Wanderer | Brian King | |
| Arctic Dogs | Doc Walrus | Voice | |
| 2020 | The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee | John | |
| 2021 | Father Christmas Is Back | John Christmas[1] | |
| Clifford the Big Red Dog | Mr. Bridwell | ||
| 2022 | Daddy Daughter Trip | Frank | |
| 2023 | Rally Road Racers | Archie Vainglorious | Voice |
| The Palace | Arthur William Dallas III | ||
| The Martini Shot | Dr. Auyeung |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962–1963 | That Was the Week That Was | Writer | ||
| 1966–1967 | The Frost Report | Various roles | 28 episodes; also writer | |
| 1967 | At Last the 1948 Show | 2 seasons; also writer | ||
| 1968 | How to Irritate People | Television film; also writer | ||
| The Avengers | Marcus Rugman | 1 episode | ||
| 1969–1974 | Monty Python's Flying Circus | Various roles | 40 episodes; also co-creator and writer | |
| 1971, 1974 | Sez Les | 18 episodes | ||
| 1972 | Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus | 2 episodes; also co-creator and writer | ||
| 1973 | The Goodies | The Genie | Episode: "The Goodies and the Beanstalk" | |
| Comedy Playhouse | Sherlock Holmes | Episode: "Elementary, My Dear Watson" | ||
| 1975–1979 | Fawlty Towers | Basil Fawlty | 12 episodes; also co-creator and writer | |
| 1977 | The Muppet Show | Himself | Episode: "John Cleese" | |
| 1979 | Ripping Yarns | Passer-by | Episode: "Golden Gordon" | |
| To Norway, Home of Giants | Norman Fearless | Television film | ||
| Doctor Who | Art Gallery Visitor | Cameo; City of Death Part 4 | ||
| 1980 | The Taming of the Shrew | Petruchio | Television film | |
| Himself (host) | Television special | |||
| 1982 | Whoops Apocalypse | Lacrobat | 3 episodes | |
| 1987 | Cheers | Dr. Simon Finch-Royce | Episode: "Simon Says" | |
| The Grand Knockout Tournament | Himself | Television special | ||
| 1988 | True Stories: Peace in our Time? | Neville Chamberlain | Television film | |
| 1993 | Last of the Summer Wine | Neighbour | Episode: "Welcome to Earth" | |
| 1993 | Dr. Seuss Video Classics | Narrator (voice) | Episode: "Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?" | |
| 1998 | Monty Python Live at Aspen | Himself | Television special | |
| 1998, 2001 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Dr. Liam Neesam | 4 episodes | |
| 1999 | Casper & Mandrilaftalen | Various roles | Episode #2.2 | |
| 2001 | The Human Face | Himself (host) | 4 episodes; also writer | |
| 2002 | Red Lansing | 12 episodes | ||
| Disney's House of Mouse | Narrator (voice) | 4 episodes | ||
| 2003–2004 | Will & Grace | Lyle Finster | 6 episodes | |
| 2004 | Wine for the Confused | Himself (host) | Documentary; also writer | |
| 2008 | Batteries Not Included | 6 episodes | ||
| We Are Most Amused | Television special | |||
| 2010 | Entourage | Himself | Episode: "Lose Yourself" | |
| 2012–2013 | Whitney | Dr. Grant | 2 episodes | |
| 2014 | Over the Garden Wall | Quincy Endicott / Adelaide (voices) | ||
| 2018–2019 | Hold the Sunset[2] | Phil | 13 episodes | |
| 2018 | Speechless | Martin | 2 episodes | |
| 2023 | Himself | 1 episode |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Half a Sixpence | Young Walsingham | Broadway production | |
| 2005 | Spamalot | God (voice) | ||
| 2014 | Monty Python Live (Mostly) | Various roles | Also writer | |
| 2017 | Bang Bang! | N/A | Writer, adapting Georges Feydeau's Monsieur Chasse! |
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Monty Python's Complete Waste of Time | Performer | Video |
| 1996 | Monty Python & the Quest for the Holy Grail | Performer | Video |
| 1997 | Monty Python's The Meaning of Life | ||
| 1998 | Starship Titanic | The Bomb | Credited as Kim Bread |
| 2000 | 007 Racing | R | |
| 007: The World Is Not Enough (Nintendo 64) | |||
| 007: The World Is Not Enough (PlayStation) | |||
| 2004 | Q | ||
| Time Troopers | Special Agent Wormold | ||
| History | |||
| 2005 | Jade Empire | Sir Roderick | |
| 2007 | Shrek the Third | King Harold | |
| 2010 | Fable III | Jasper | |
| 2012 | Smart As | The Narrator[3] | |
| 2014 | The Elder Scrolls Online | Sir Cadwell | |
| 2015 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited | ||
| 2016 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Edition | ||
| Payday 2 | The Butler (Aldstone)[4] | ||
| 2017 | Control | ||
| 2018 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset | Sir Cadwell | |
| 2019 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr | ||
| 2020 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor | ||
| 2021 | The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood |
| Year | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| 1964–1973 | I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again | |
| 1972 | I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue |
(list only includes audiobooks in which Cleese is sole reader, not those in which he is part of a cast)
| Year | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | The Inferno of Dante | |
| 1999 | The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis | |
| 2006 | Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? by Dr. Seuss | |
| 2012 | The Comedy Greats by Russell Davies | |
| 2012 | Tom Thumb | |
| 2016 | So, Anyway... autobiography by John Cleese |
| Year | Title | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | Royal Mail | Pirate / Sir Betty | |
| 1975 | Texaco | Himself | |
| 1978 | Accurist | ||
| 1980–82 | Sony | ||
| 1981 | Giroblauw (Netherlands) | Interviewer | |
| 1982 | Postbank (Netherlands) | Himself | |
| EAC Multilist (Australia) | Estate agent | ||
| American Express | Himself | ||
| 1980s | Compaq | ||
| Planters Pretzels (Australia) | |||
| 1986 | Maxwell House | ||
| 1988 | Talking Pages | Man who wants to marry Princess | |
| 1990–91 | Schweppes | Himself | |
| 1991–94 | Magnavox | ||
| 1992–93 | Talking Pages | Colin | |
| 1993 | Nestlé Milk Chocolate (Australia) | Himself | |
| Cellnet | Woman | ||
| 1993–95 | Health Education Authority (Smoking Quitline) | Himself | |
| 1996 | Norwich Union Direct | ||
| Tele Danmark (Denmark) | |||
| 1998 | Tostitos | French chef | |
| Lexus | Himself, voice only | ||
| 1998–99 | Sainsbury's | Himself | |
| 1999 | Melba toast | ||
| Artistdirect.com | |||
| 2001 | R | ||
| 2001–08 | Titleist | Ian MacCallister | |
| 2002 | Little Tikes | Himself | |
| Heineken | |||
| 2003 | Westinghouse Unplugged vacuum cleaner | ||
| 2005 | Intel | ||
| 2006 | TBS | ||
| TV Spielfilm (Germany) | |||
| 2006–08 | Kaupþing (Iceland) | ||
| 2008 | Bank Zachodni WBK (Poland) | ||
| 2009 | Elgiganten (Sweden) | ||
| Hashahar Ha'oleh (Israel) | Western general | ||
| Accurist | Himself | ||
| 2010 | William Hill (Austria) | ||
| 2010–11 | AA | ||
| 2011 | Dogtober (Australia) | Himself, voice only | |
| 2012 | Czech Olympic Team (Czech Republic) | Himself | |
| DirecTV | |||
| Canadian Club (Australia) | Himself, voice only | ||
| 2015 | Specsavers | Basil Fawlty |