John Cleese
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleeseis 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...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionActor
Date of Birth27 October 1939
writing giving actors
On movies, I like to involve the cast in the writing of the script. I like to have a rehearsal period, after which I do the last draft, which gives me a chance to incorporate anything the actors have come up with during the rehearsal period, so I'm very inclusive as a writer.
writing perfect want
I have a tendency sometimes to get too logical with what I'm writing, just because I want it to be kind of perfect.
girl writing film
Who's ever going to write a film in which I get the girl? Me!
writing thinking skills
Writing is the great skill, the creative skill. The acting is more an interpretative skill. And the thrill for me is the moment when I think of something. And then the challenge is how to get that funny idea to work in terms of the structure and that kind of thing, which is - and that's what I really love doing.
book writing want
I want to write a book which is the history of comedy.
writing past wells
Why write about the past? Well, there's more of it.
writing mind actors
I tend to have an odd split in my mind: I tend to look at it as a writer and when the writing thing is OK and I'm happy with it, then I put on my actor's hat.
writing circles important
The writing is the most important bit, and performing it is just closing the circle because I'm less likely to screw it up than anyone else.
writing actors performers
I've always called myself a writer/performer, not an actor because I basically write what I perform.
teenage writing kids
When the target audience is American teenage kids, you can have problems. My generation prized really fine acting and writing. Sometimes you have to go back to the basic principles which underpin great visual comedy.
children writing thinking
I think you can write very good comedy without a partner, but what I love about it, working with a partner, is that you get to places you'd never get on your own. It's like when God was designing the world and decided we couldn't have children without a partner; it was a way of mixing up the genes so you'd get a more interesting product.
writing laughing people
Tension is wonderful for making people laugh.
writing reality people
Naturally, people's image is of a performer, but the reality of it is the writing for me has always been the most important thing and the most rewarding thing.
writing creativity way
Creativity is not a talent. It is a way of operating.