Not a standup comedian per se but from the stage performances with the Pythons he might be slightly in that category. If Cleese had only done the Monty Python tv series and the M.P. movies, and Faulty Towers it would be a fine and hilarious body of work. A big thumbs up!

Monty Python HILARIOUS! Run away Run away!!

As an actor I love him. I wonder if he has ever done any stand-up? Probably not.

Cleese excels both in exaggerated physical slapstic humor and in subtle, dry, British wit. I cannot think of another comic actor able to master two such polar opposite techniques.

A very funny man but again not a stand up. He is a comedy genius but he is not a comedian. If you want some one to be funny in a situation, movie or skit Mr Cleese is a great choice.

sketch. funny guy though.

Sketch not Stand Up

Overrated----as a comedic actor.

John CLeese is not a stand up comedian

perfect time for as much english type humor as possible. lets hope his creative juices keep flowing even though the years are creeping up

Like so many others on this list, Cleese is not a stand-up comedian: he's a comedic actor. A pretty good one, as evidenced by his work with Monty Python and on Faulty Towers, but he hasn't done anything noteworthy in about 15 years. A Fish Called Wanda was one of the most overrated comedies of all time, and the guy's only significant exposure to the public in the past decade has been in unfunny television commercials. If guys like Cleese are so talented, so brimming with comedic ideas and were easily bankable in the past, why don't they come up with a brilliant script (or scripts) and find investors to support film/TV projects so these has-beens can continue working? A change a public tastes? I think not. It's more a matter of being just so talented, being overrated, being lazy and content to live off of the money made when the money was easy.

Was John Cleese ever a true stand-up comic? Nevertheless, the comedic talents of Cleese cannot be denied; however, he is best in a group so as to deliver in smaller doses (though I have never seen Faulty Towers). The group (of course) was Monty Python, dead parrots and all. Cleese's dry, buttoned down, pompous humor is a nice blend of British/American comedy. I for one will look forward to Cleese continuing to bring his talents to the role of Q in the James Bond series, having replaced the late Desmond Llewelyn. John Cleese was born on October 27, 1939 in Weston-Super-Mare, England.

I am a huge fan of John's career but he's not a stand up comedian - why have you put him in that category?

I love John Cleese... From the holy grail to Faulty towers!!

Very, very funny in his early TV appearances, such as Fawlty Towers and Monty Python, both showing Cleese to be a strong and versatile comedic actor. The Monty Python films were fantastic and Cleese was an essential part of the team ('tis but a scratch!). Other material is, sadly, not as good, such as the early-1980s film Clockwise which was short on laughs and cringe-worthy. More recently, he has been in good and bad productions. His appearances in Harry Potter and Ratrace were pretty unnecessary, although they helped to maintain his presence in the limelight in America. As I live in Scotland I've been subjected to the awful TV adverts for Sainsbury's that were screened a couple of years ago. Nevertheless, he redeemed himself in the recent Bond films, especially Die Another Day in which he was funny and quick witted. Overall, a good actor and very funny man that has perhaps seen his day - the early material is definitely his best and is highly recommended.

Whether it’s in Rat Race or Fawlty Towers or in between, he never fails to make me want to cheer for him. At times he seems to do and say the things that if I lost my senses I would do. His material is wonderful as is the physical part of his comedy.

Great in Python and Towers very very funny actor.

John taught me how to answer the phone.

Fantastic!! Especially in Basil the Rat (Faulty Towers), Mr. Hilter(Monty Python) and of course, The Holy Grail.

Great comedian. My favorite member of Monty Python. His stuffy, irritable persona worked well with the insanity of Eric Idle or Michael Palin which he was confronted with. And of course A Fish Called Wanda and Fawlty Towers add to his hilarious legacy.

Absolutely fantastic comedian, one of the first Monty Python members, and created a shedload of characters within their sketches which have all of us in stitches. Then he helped create Fawlty Towers with Connie Booth which was an absolute smash. I love the scene when his car breaks down and Basil starts thrashing it with a tree branch! Oh yes, Monty Python did go on the road, so they did do a bit of stand up then! He has been in some movies, the one that stands out for me has to be 'A Fish Called Wanda' Hopefully he'll still be coming up with more comedy sketches for many years to come!

Wonderful guy.

Did not know he was a stand up, but nevetheless, he cracks me up more than any other. Fawlty Towers was a masterpeice.

Cleese is sooo hillarious in Monty Python!

From the Ministry of Funny Walks to a Fish Called Wanda, the man is way talented, as a comedian and a writer (not to mention Faulty Towers and the Python Movies)

Cleese is a comedic genius! He did his best work was in Fawlty Towers, but the Python stuff was outstanding as well! Is he not an actor rather than just a comedian?

From "Fawlty Towers" to Monty Python, Cleese is one of the very best. One of his most memorable bits was in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" as the French guard. Now, go away or ah will taunt you a second time!