John Cleese

John Cleese of Monty Python talks ‘Holy Grail’ tour

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John Cleese
John Cleese

British comedy legend visits the ‘Fan Theory’ podcast

Comedy legend John Cleese, a founding member of the iconic British comedy troupe Monty Python, is back on the road.

At the age of 77, the Academy Award nominee is crossing the country this fall, screening the stupendously silly 1975 cult classic film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” and engaging in question-and-answer sessions following the movie.

“I was amazed how easy it was to sell tickets,” Cleese told the Asbury Park Press’ “Fan Theory” podcast, “because Americans like ‘Holy Grail’ best of all …

“And the nice thing is the questions afterwards. You see, when I’m doing my one-man show I say pretty much the same thing every night, but when I’m answering questions from the audience they can be completely different. I can do two shows and they’re completely different because it just depends on the direction the audience takes it. That makes it much more interesting for me.”

Listen to the Fan Theory Podcast: John Cleese of Monty Python talks ‘Holy Grail’ tour

John Cleese’s Early Days on ‘I’m Sorry, I’ll Read That Again’

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When John Cleese looks back on his life in the first volume of his memoir, So, Anyway…, he doesn’t say that the happiest time in his life was starring in an immensely popular sit-com with his then-wife. It’s not working on Monty Python’s Flying Circus, or being in a Bond film, or performing comedy on the road in New Zealand or any of that. It was teaching for two years, before going to Cambridge. In a talk with fellow Python Eric Idle he explains that the reason for that is because “it was so wonderfully unstressful.” This would change rather quickly once Cleese went to university where he would become involved with Cambridge’s comedy revue group, where he would meet Graham Chapman. His final show with the group would then go to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which would then lead to a run at the West End under the name Cambridge Circus, which would then lead to a radio show, then a TV show [ . . . ]

Source: John Cleese’s Early Days on ‘I’m Sorry, I’ll Read That Again’ – Splitsider

Fawlty Towers stars John Cleese and Connie Booth salute Andrew Sachs

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John Cleese ‘He left me weak with laughter’:

The first time I set eyes on Andy Sachs was at the Lyric Theatre, London, in the autumn of 1973. Andy was appearing with Alec Guinness in Alan Bennett’s Habeas Corpus, an exquisitely crafted sex-farce about a respectable family in Brighton in the 1960s. Andy was playing a piano tuner, but the magnificent Margaret Courtenay mistook him for the man who was coming to measure her for a custom-made bra. When Andy started on the standard pianist’s hand-and-finger stretching routine, she began to register anticipation of nameless carnal delights, producing one of the funniest farcical moments I have ever seen. Weak with laughter, I managed to open my programme and underline his name [ . . . ]

Source: Fawlty Towers stars John Cleese and Connie Booth salute Andrew Sachs | Television & radio | The Guardian