John Cleese Net Worth

What Is John Cleese's Net Worth?

John Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and producer who has a net worth of $20 million. John Cleese is best known as one of the founding members of the groundbreaking comedy group Monty Python. After studying law at Cambridge University, Cleese became active in the Cambridge Footlights, where he met future collaborator Graham Chapman. The duo later joined forces with Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam to create "Monty Python's Flying Circus," which debuted on the BBC in 1969 and revolutionized sketch comedy with its surreal, intellectual, and often absurd humor. Cleese's tall stature and deadpan delivery became trademarks in many of the troupe's most iconic sketches, including "The Ministry of Silly Walks," "The Dead Parrot," and "The Argument Clinic."

Beyond Monty Python, Cleese achieved further success as a writer and actor in the acclaimed sitcom "Fawlty Towers," which he co-created with his then-wife Connie Booth. Portraying the irritable and incompetent hotel owner Basil Fawlty, Cleese earned multiple BAFTA Awards, and the show remains widely regarded as one of the greatest British comedies of all time. In film, Cleese co-wrote and starred in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," "Life of Brian," and "The Meaning of Life," each a cult classic. He also found success in Hollywood with the Oscar-winning comedy "A Fish Called Wanda" (1988) and its follow-up, "Fierce Creatures" (1997).

Later in his career, Cleese appeared in major film franchises, including playing Q's assistant R in the James Bond films "The World Is Not Enough" and "Die Another Day," and voicing characters in the "Shrek" and "Harry Potter" series. Beyond acting, he is a respected author, lecturer, and advocate for creativity and mental health, with a career spanning over six decades of influence on comedy and popular culture.

Early Life

John Marwood Cleese was born on October 27, 1939, in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England. He was the only child of Reginald Francis Cleese, an insurance salesman, and Muriel Evelyn. The family's original surname was "Cheese," but Reginald changed it to Cleese while serving in the British Army during World War I, believing the original name might be a professional handicap.

Cleese attended St. Peter's Preparatory School, where his sharp intellect and mastery of language were apparent early on. He excelled in academics as well as sports, particularly cricket and boxing. At 13, he earned an exhibition to Clifton College, a respected public school in Bristol, where he developed a dry sense of humor that would later define his career.

After completing school, Cleese briefly worked as a teacher before enrolling at Downing College, Cambridge, to study law. It was there that he joined the renowned Cambridge Footlights theatrical club, a decision that changed the course of his life. Cleese's writing and performing talents flourished at Footlights, and he graduated in 1963 with a degree in law but an emerging career in comedy already taking shape.

Pre-Python Days

Cleese's first major breakthrough came as a writer and performer in the 1963 Cambridge Footlights Revue, which became a sensation at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The show, later renamed "Cambridge Circus," toured internationally, including a successful run on Broadway. During this period, Cleese met Graham Chapman, forming one of British comedy's most influential partnerships.

While in New York, Cleese also met future collaborators Terry Gilliam and American actress Connie Booth, who would later become his first wife. Returning to England, he began writing and performing for BBC Radio, contributing to popular programs such as "I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again" and "The Dick Emery Show." His clever wordplay and knack for absurdity earned him notice from television producers, and he soon joined "The Frost Report," a satirical news program that introduced him to fellow up-and-comers Michael Palin, Eric Idle, and Terry Jones — the future core of Monty Python.

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The Monty Python Years

By the late 1960s, Cleese and Chapman were among Britain's most in-demand comedy writers. Along with Gilliam, Idle, Jones, and Palin, they formed Monty Python, creating one of the most influential comedy groups in history. "Monty Python's Flying Circus" premiered on the BBC in 1969 and ran for four seasons through 1974, redefining sketch comedy with its surreal humor, intellectual absurdity, and disregard for traditional punchlines.

Cleese's towering presence, clipped diction, and deadpan intensity made him the perfect vessel for roles like the bureaucratic civil servant in "The Ministry of Silly Walks," the irate customer in "The Dead Parrot Sketch," and countless pompous authority figures skewered by the group's wit. Though he left the series after its third season, he continued collaborating on Monty Python's feature films, including "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," "Life of Brian," and "The Meaning of Life." These projects cemented the group's legacy and influenced generations of comedians across the world.

Film and Television Career

After Monty Python, Cleese co-created the acclaimed sitcom "Fawlty Towers" with Connie Booth, who also co-starred as Polly. The series, which aired in 1975 and 1979, featured Cleese as the perpetually exasperated hotel owner Basil Fawlty and is still hailed as one of the greatest British comedies ever made.

Cleese went on to enjoy a prolific film career, starring in "Clockwise," "Silverado," and "A Fish Called Wanda," which he also co-wrote. The latter earned him Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for Best Screenplay and became one of his most successful films. He reprised the tone with "Fierce Creatures" in 1997.

In Hollywood, Cleese became a familiar face to global audiences through roles in "George of the Jungle," "The Out-of-Towners," "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," and as gadget master Q's assistant R in the James Bond films "The World Is Not Enough" and "Die Another Day." He also appeared in the "Harry Potter" films as Nearly Headless Nick and voiced King Harold in the "Shrek" franchise. On television, he guest-starred on "Cheers," "3rd Rock from the Sun," and "Will & Grace," while continuing to tour and perform as a writer, lecturer, and stage performer well into his 80s.

(Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Personal Life and Divorce Settlement

John Cleese has been married four times. His first marriage to Connie Booth ended amicably in 1978, though they remained creative partners on "Fawlty Towers." He later married American actress Barbara Trentham, with whom he had a daughter, before their divorce in 1990. Cleese's third marriage, to psychotherapist Alyce Faye Eichelberger, ended in 2008 and resulted in one of the most expensive celebrity divorces in British history. He was ordered to pay her a $20 million settlement, including $13 million in assets and $1 million in annual payments through 2016.

Cleese later joked that the experience inspired him to create a comedy tour titled "The Alimony Tour." In 2012, he married jewelry designer Jennifer Wade, and the couple divides their time between the U.K. and the Caribbean. Despite his turbulent personal life, Cleese remains one of Britain's most celebrated and enduring comic talents, admired for his intellect, timing, and influence on modern comedy.

Philanthropic Efforts and Politics

Cleese joined forces with other members of the Python gang once again to assist in such charitable endeavors and causes as Amnesty International, and Cleese himself has been a long-standing supporter of the Liberal Democrats. In 2008, Cleese expressed his support for presidential candidate Barack Obama and even offered his services to the former commander-in-chief as a speech writer. He also has an asteroid (9618 Johncleese) named in his honor. Cleese is also well-known for his love of lemurs.

Cleese was named Provost's Visiting Professor at Cornell University, and he served as Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large from 1999 to 2006.

In 2016, Cleese went on record and criticized Donald Trump's U.S. presidential run, describing the former president early on as "A narcissist, with no attention span, who doesn't have clear ideas about anything and makes it all up as he goes along."

Cleese himself has been known to make occasional appearances on the Cornell campus that are always well-received.

Real Estate

In 1998, John paid $3.443 million for a home in Montecito, California. He listed the home for sale in 2008 for $11 million. He ultimately accepted $5.1 million in 2010.

In 1999, John paid an undisclosed amount for two side-by-side parcels in Montecito that combined into a 15+ acre equestrian ranch. He listed the home for sale in July 2007 for $28 million. In July 2008, he accepted a $16 million offer from cellular technology billionaire Craig McCaw.

In 2018, John announced that he was leaving England after being disappointed by Brexit. He listed a home near Bath for $3 million and a London apartment for $1.75 million. At the time, he announced his intention to relocate to the Caribbean island of Nevis.

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