John Cleese
(1939-), Comedian and actorSitter in 9 portraits
Internationally admired as an outstanding writer and performer of comedy, Cleese rose to fame as a member of Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969-74) and consolidated his status as a leader of British television comedy with Fawlty Towers (1975, 1978). His film appearances have included Clockwise (1986) and A Fish Called Wanda (1988).
Watch a film clip on the sitter from the BBC Archive in the Media section below
by Lewis Morley
bromide fibre print, 1968
NPG x38935
John Cleese; Peter Cook; Rowan Atkinson
by Neil Libbert
digital print, June 1979
NPG x199191
by David Appleby
R-type colour print, 1982
NPG x45078
by Wolfgang Suschitzky
gelatin silver print, 1988
NPG x200731
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- Recent acquisition
by Coldwar Steve (Christopher Spencer), published by Time Magazine UK Ltd
colour offset lithograph magazine cover, published 17 June 2019
On display in Room 16 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG D48909
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- Recent acquisition
by Unknown photographer
gelatin silver print, 1967
NPG x198496
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