John Cleese

Awards & Honours

Awards Won

Honours

Rankings

Records

John Cleese's impact on comedy is measured not just in awards but in the sheer endurance of his work. Fawlty Towers was named the greatest British television programme of all time by the British Film Institute in 2000. Basil Fawlty ranked second on Channel 4's 100 Greatest TV Characters in 2001. In a 2005 poll of fellow comedians, Cleese was voted the second greatest comedian ever, behind only Peter Cook. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Bath and served as a visiting professor at Cornell University. His 1988 film A Fish Called Wanda remains one of the highest-grossing British comedies ever, and his work with Amnesty International's Secret Policeman's Ball helped pioneer the charity comedy benefit format.

AwardsJohn Cleese has won two major individual awards: a BAFTA Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance for Fawlty Towers in 1980, and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for Cheers in 1987. He also received Oscar, BAFTA, and Golden Globe nominations for Best Original Screenplay for A Fish Called Wanda.

Honours & Distinctions

Honorary Doctorate of Clinical Psychology

University of Bath·2016

Awarded for his contributions to comedy and mental health awareness.

Rector of St. Andrew's University

University of St. Andrews·1970

Served as the elected rector for a three-year term.

Visiting Professor

Cornell University·1999

Taught intermittently at Cornell's Department of Psychology from 1999 to 2006.

Rankings & Lists

100 Greatest TV Characters

Channel 4·2001

Greatest Comedian Ever (comedians' poll)

Channel 4·2005

100 Greatest British Television Programmes

British Film Institute·2000

Records & Feats

Only person to have both a BAFTA and a Primetime Emmy for acting in a comedy

Awards·1987

Won BAFTA for Fawlty Towers and Emmy for Cheers.