John Cleese Page 4

Fawlty Towers legend John Cleese is to appear in the new Batman film, Justice League. The comedy icon will star alongside Batman and Superman themselves, Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in addition to Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg and Jeremy Irons.

John Cleese is set to join the cast of the next Batman film

The Sun reported that the Monty Python actor was first linked to upcoming DC movie when he started following both Ben Affleck and director Zach Snyder on Twitter.

Continue reading: John Cleese Will Star In New Batman Film, Justice League

Michael Palin has said that Terry Jones can count on his fellow Pythons to rally around him following his diagnosis with dementia and speech-limiting aphasia.

Last month Jones revealed he had been diagnosed with the devastating disease and on Sunday he appeared at Bafta Cymru to accept a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to film and television.

Terry Jones and Michael Palin

Continue reading: Michael Palin: "The Pythons Will Rally Round Terry Jones"

John Cleese is reportedly in talks to make a surprise return to the BBC, in a sitcom specially written for the comedy legend. His return to the BBC would be a shock to fans as last year he said he would never work for them again, because the corporation’s commissioning editors had “no idea what they’re doing”.

John Cleese is “in talks” to return to the BBC

But speaking to The Telegraph, the BBC’s head of comedy Shane Allen said Cleese was considering a return. “We’re in discussions about a piece that he might be in. It’s a sitcom and it’s very early days,” Mr Allen said.

Continue reading: John Cleese "In Talks" For New BBC Sitcom

John Cleese is reportedly considering taking legal action against an Australian theatre company for what he believes is a “brazen, utterly shameless rip-off” of his legendary ‘70s sitcom ‘Fawlty Towers’.

‘Faulty Towers the Dining Experience’, operated by Interactive Theatre International since 1997, has been hosted in London, most Australian cities and other locations around the world. It offers a three-course meal and two hour interactive theatrical show, in which many of the calamitous scenes from the sitcom are played out.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Cleese has known about the production for nearly a year but was only recently informed about the show’s massive financial success. The paper says that he claims that the people behind the production have not sought permission from either himself or co-creator Connie Booth.

Continue reading: John Cleese Considering Legal Action Against Australian Theatre Company For 'Fawlty Towers' "Rip Off"

Communications watchdog Ofcom is investigating the Monty Python live show after bad language was broadcast before the watershed. Many of the complaints about the farewell show on 'Gold' concerned offensive language though some fans had aired their dismay that other areas of swearing were cut.

The Monty Python live show has come in for criticism

An Ofcom spokesman said: "After receiving complaints about the broadcast of the most offensive language before the watershed, Ofcom is investigating a live performance of Monty Python on Gold."

Continue reading: They're Very Naughty Boys: Ofcom Probes Monty Python Swearing

Glastooo!: You'd have had to have been living under 17 rocks on the other side of the world to avoid the constant Glastonbury Festival coverage. As well as hundreds of thousands of punters, Somerset's Worthy Farm played host to one of the strongest line-ups seen in recent years, including Metallica, Arcade Fire, Kasabian, Jack White and Elbow.

Pop star Lily Allen raised a few eyebrows but more cheers with her foul-mouthed rant, whilst country rock superstar Dolly Parton was the biggest crowd draw ever seen and Rudimental were reduced to tears when their set was cut short due to the stormy weather.

Continue reading: A Week In News: Sheeran's 'x' Ed, 'Transformers' Schools Rivals, Monty Python Class Reunion, A 'Hundred-Year-Old Man' Breaks All The Rules

John Cleese, who played James Bond’s gadget man Q in 2002’s Die Another Day, has claimed that filmmakers are more interested in the Britsh Spy’s action sequences than the witty one-liners and quintessentially British themes that made him so popular.

John Cleese pictured outside BBC Radio 1's studios

"I did two James Bond movies and then I believe that they decided that the tone they needed was that of the Bourne action movies, which are very gritty and humourless," he told the Radio Times.

Continue reading: Recent James Bond Films Have Been Geared Towards Asian Audiences, Says John Cleese

Michael Palin, 70, has claimed that much of his pioneering comedy show Monty Python's Flying Circus was "crap". The comedian, writer and broadcaster conceded there had been some "gleaming moments" such as the Dead Parrot and Spanish Inquisition sketches but ultimately admitted that a lot of other material was "not really that good."

Michael Palin Has Called Much of Monty Python "Crap"

"People forgive you the things that don't work. A lot of Python was crap, it really was," he told The Daily Telegraph. "We put stuff in there that was not really that good, but fortunately there were a couple of gleaming things that everyone remembers while they've forgotten the dross."

Continue reading: Michael Palin: "A Lot Of Monty Python Was Crap, It Really Was"

The eagerly-awaited Monty Python stage show has been extended from one to five days, scheduled for early July next year. The move to add more live dates to the list came as organisers announced that the first show at London's O2 Arena sold out in 43.5 seconds, according to Sky News, giving modern pop bands a run for their money.

Tickets For The Monty Python One-Off Show Sold Out Almost Instantly.

However, it's easy to see why there was so much clamouring for tickets when they went on sale early this morning; the shows at the O2 will be the first time the comedy unit have performed together since 2009 when they celebrated their 40th anniversary with a special show in New York.

Continue reading: Monty Python Live Tickets Sell Out In Just 43 Seconds, More Shows Announced

They say timing is everything when it comes to comedy, although that logic applies to more then a well-delivered joke, it would seem. The cast of Monty Python, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, and Michael Palin, 70 – otherwise known as Monty Python – are reuniting for a stage show, The Sun reports.

The announcement comes just before Christmas, with tickets no doubt going on sale in time for many dads to see an envelope under the tree come December 25th, but Jones isn’t coy about why he wants to get the gang back together for the show.

"We're getting together and putting on a show - it's real," Jones told the BBC. "I'm quite excited about it. I hope it makes us a lot of money. I hope to be able to pay off my mortgage!"

Continue reading: Monty Python Back Together For Stage Show - Just In Time For Christmas

Less than a fortnight after the passing of his ex-wife of nine years, actor John Cleese has decided to vocalise his opinions about the UK press. Cleese was married to model Barbara Trentham until 1990 and the pair remained friends until she died at age 68 after suffering with Leukaemia. Having described his second wife and mother to his daughter, Camille, as "wonderfully kind," the Fawlty Towers star was back at work on the interview circuit for his new movie.

John Cleese Is Mourning The Passing Of His Ex-Wife, Barbara.

Whilst on tour to promote his new film, Disney Pixar's Planes, actor John Cleese told The Guardian exactly how he felt about modern British media, indicating he thought a prison sentence was on the horizon, probably as a reaction to the phone-hacking scandal. The full interview will be released tomorrow 15th Aug), ironically on the newspaper's website, but apparently Cleese did say the The Guardian, The Independent and The Mirror were exempt from his ill-wishes.

Continue reading: John Cleese Furiously Lashes Out At British Press As He Mourns Ex-Wife

British film director, actor and food writer, Michael Winner, died aged 77 today after battling a long illness. Such was his influence, both at work and away from it, the tributes are both heartfelt and ample.

His wife Geraldine confirmed his death at their home in Kensington today. Mrs Winner paid tribute to him in a statement: "Michael was a wonderful man, brilliant, funny and generous. A light has gone out in my life."

Actor John Cleese paid tribute to his friend in a statement on his website: "He was the dearest, kindest, funniest and most generous of friends. I shall miss him terribly." Restaurant critic Jay Rayner wrote on Twitter: "RIP Michael Winner. He could be absurd and made some lousy films. But he could also be a rather lovely man. Winner made life more interesting." Piers Morgan tweeted: "Very sad to hear Michael Winner has died. Hilarious, often proposterous, always generous, highly intelligent man. And terrific writer. RIP." Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "True originals come rarely in a lifetime. Madeleine and I will deeply miss you. ALW"

Continue reading: Tributes For Michael Winner Roll In

Robbie Williams, David Beckham, Princess Diana, and a few people actually deserving of the honour, have all been included in a 150-strong shortlist of potential replacements for Charles Darwin on the back of the £10 note.

The Bank Of England has released a list of more than 150 great Britons that have been suggested by members of the public for the honour when the new notes are printed. Currently, the Bank of England £10 notes are Series E, but are due to be replaced with the new Series F notes next year, which means a change to the person on the back of the note too.

Whilst the thought of having someone like Becks or Robbie on the English currency may have caused a series of face-palms to occur up and down the country, fortunately it is looking as though someone of genuine historic significance may take the honour instead. Phew!

Continue reading: Robbie Williams, David Beckham And John Cleese Among 150-Strong Shortlist To Feature On The New £10 Note

An enigmatic, mysterious man dubbed the 'seventh Python' is suing the stars of Monty Python for the cash they made while performing in the musical, Spamalot, a spin off from Monty Python And The Holy Grail, Sky News reports. 

Mark Forstater - who is much less enigmatic now we know his name - is the man behind the case, which is to be heard over 5 days. He - the producer of the 1975 comedy hit - claims that he is due more money from the musical spin off. The court heard that "for financial purposes" Mr Forstater should be treated as "the seventh Python". Posters for the musical call it "a new musical lovingly ripped off from the motion picture," and due to its fantastic success, the brand has been subject to numerous merchandising opportunities, which has boosted the Python's finances considerable, with Michael Palin describing it as his "pension plan". Mr Forstater is suing all five Pythons but John Cleese and Terry Gilliam, who live abroad are not expected to give evidence. The sixth member of the team, Graham Chapman, died in 1989.

The suit will cite an agreement made back in 1974, which will entitle Forstater to a great deal more money from the recent success of the brand. This enlarged figure is thought to be able to swell to £1m. 

The producer of Monty Python and the Holy Grail – Mark Forstater - is suing the remaining members of Monty Python over royalty rights to the stage show Spamalot. Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin are all due to give evidence at London’s High Court over the next few days. Terry Gilliam and John Cleese will most likely not attend the five-day court case, as they're based overseas. Graham Chapman passed away in 1989.

The popular stage musical Spamalot is described as being “lovingly ripped off” from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail and currently Forstater receives one fourteenth of a share of 50% of merchandising revenues. His lawyer, Tom Weisselberg, is arguing that his client should be considered as the ‘seventh Python’ and should therefore receive one seventh of the income. The Pythons are accused of “failing to pay Mr Forstater monies he says are owed to him under an agreement reached with PMP back in 1974.”

Mr Forstater was declared bankrupt in June, though last month, his bankruptcy was annulled and according to the BBC, “he entered an independent voluntary arrangement (IVA) to deal with his debts.” Spamalot was written by Eric Idle and premiered on Broadway in 2005. The show has won three Tony awards and took $1 million in its opening week on Broadway.