John Cleese

Film Deaths[edit | edit source]

And Now for Something Completely Different (1971) [Announcer/Vivian Smith-Smythe-Smith]: "The Announcer" is possibly killed in an explosion after announcing the title; he reappears several times afterwards (including one scene where he is being roasted on a spit for another possible "death"), so this may not count, but I thought I'd list it just in case. "Vivian Smith-Smythe-Smith" is accidentally shot in the stomach by Eric Idle during the Upper-Class Twit of the Year Competition.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) [The Black Knight]: Presumably dies from either starvation, infection, or blood loss when Graham Chapman severs his limbs and leaves him to die. John’s other characters survive the movie.

Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) [Stoning Official/Crucifee]: "Stoning Official" is crushed to death when a group of women drop a giant rock on him during a stoning, after he says "Jehovah" while explaining that the stoning hasn't started yet. "Crucifee" is executed by crucifixion; the movie ends with him and the other prisoners singing as they hang on their crosses. (Thanks to Katherine and Tommy)

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) [Sturridge]: Shot to death by German soldiers while John is getting a tablecloth to serve Terry Jones' cake in the trench. (All of John's other characters survive the movie.) (Thanks to Tommy)

Yellowbeard (1983) [Harry 'Blind' Pew]: Killed in an explosion after Peter Boyle and Marty Feldman lock him in a shed with a bomb. (Thanks to Anton)

Erik The Viking (1989) [Halfdan]: Crushed to death by Tim Robbins' ship as it falls from the sky.

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) [Professor Waldeman]: Stabbed in the stomach by Robert De Niro when John tries to give him a smallpox vaccination. Kenneth Branagh later removes his brain and transplant into Robert's head.

Parting Shots (1999) [Maurice Walpole]: Killed in a car explosion (off-camera) when Chris Rea lights a gas soaked cloth that's attached to John's open gas tank.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) [Nearly Headless Nick]: Plays a ghost who was executed by a botched beheading centuries ago. He reprises this role in Chamber of Secrets.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)' [Nearly Headless Nick]: Petrified (off-screen) when he spotted the basilisk's eyes. he later wake-up (also off-screen) when they get medicine of Mandrake roots.

Shrek the Third (2007; animated) [King Harold]: Providing the voice of a frog, he dies of old age/illness (after numerous "false alarms" of going in and out of consciousness), with his family gathered by his bedside. (Played for comic effect.) (Thanks to Eric)

Igor (2008; animated) [Dr. Glickenstein]: Killed in an explosion when his rocket malfunctions. (Played for comic effect.) (Thanks to Tommy)

Shrek Forever After (2010; animated) [King]: In an alternate timeline created by Rumpelstiltskin (voiced by Walt Dohrn), he disappears along with the Queen (voiced by Julie Andrews) when the two of them sign his contract; their deaths are revealed when Rumpelstiltskin tells Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) and the ending proceeds to negate that timeline from existence.

Absolutely Anything (2015) [Chief Alien]: Providing the voice of alien, John is blown up, along with the rest of the Galactic Council (voiced by Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Terry Jones), when Dennis the Dog (voiced by Robin Williams) uses his powers to wish the source of that power be destroyed, causing the alien laser heading towards Earth to curve back into their spaceship. (Played for comic effect.)

Trolls (2016; animated) [King Gristle]: Providing the voice of a "Bergen", John dies (off-screen) during the 20-year timegap between the prologue and the main story, having been superseded by his son (voiced by Christopher Mintz-Plasse).

The Avengers: Look - (Stop Me If You've Heard This One) But There Were These Two Fellers... (1968) [Marcus Rugman]: Shot (off-screen) by Jimmy Jewel after John slips on a banana peel that Jimmy and Julian Chagrin (dressed as clowns) have dropped on the floor, while John is taking a call from Linda Thorson and Patrick Macnee. We only hear the shot on Thorson's end of the line. (A "serious" death played in a comedic manner.) (Thanks to Brian)

Monty Python's Flying Circus: Episode 1, Whither Canada? (1969) [Doctor/Gestapo Officer]: "Doctor" laughs himself to death after reading the world's funniest joke while examining Michael Palin; we hear him laughing from outside the house, then see him fall halfway out of the window in the background. "Gestapo Officer" laughs himself to death after Michael Palin recites the world's funniest joke in German in the interrogation room. (Note: The Pythons played multiple roles in each episode; Only the specific characters that die are listed.)

Monty Python's Flying Circus: Episode 5, Man's Crisis of Identity in the Latter Half of the 20th Century (1969) [Man in the Street]: Hit by a car while standing in the road for a "man-in-the-street" interview.

Monty Python's Flying Circus: Episode 11, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Goes to the Bathroom (1969) [Inspector Tiger/Undertaker]: "Inspector Tiger" is shot in the head, shot in the neck with an arrow, and poisoned (all off-camera) when the lights go out; his body is shown when the lights come back on. "Undertaker" dies of exhaustion while carrying a heavy coffin with three other undertakers; the others then put his body in the coffin and continue carrying it.

Monty Python's Flying Circus: Episode 12, The Naked Ant (1970) [Nigel Incubator-Jones]: Commits suicide by shooting himself in the head at the end of the Upper-Class Twit of the Year Competition.

Monty Python's Flying Circus: Episode 13, Intermission (1970) [TV Interviewer]: Shot in the back by Eric Idle while presenting a TV show.

Monty Python's Flying Circus: Episode 17, The Buzz Aldrin Show (1970) [The Reverend Neuk]: Killed in an explosion when he prepares to baptize a "baby" which is actually a disguised bomb, just as Terry Jones arrives too late to warn him.

Monty Python's Flying Circus: Episode 21, Archeology Today (1970) [Sir Robert Eversley]: Killed (along with Carol Cleveland) in a fight with Terry Jones and Michael Palin at an archeological dig site, while Carol is standing on John's shoulders; their bodies are shown lying on the ground afterwards while the dying Michael speaks to the camera.

Monty Python's Flying Circus: Episode 30, Blood, Devastation, Death, War and Horror (1972) [Terence Rattigan]: Shot in the neck with an arrow by a pantomime goose.

Monty Python's Flying Circus: Episode 33, Salad Days (1972) [Pianist]: Bleeds to death when his hands are severed by the piano lid closes on them.

Monty Python's Personal Best: John Cleese's Personal Best (2006) [John Cleese]: Dies of a heart attack while going off on a racist rant during an interview with Dayna Devon. (Played for comic effect.) (Thanks to Tommy)

Over the Garden Wall; Lullaby in Frogland (2014; animated mini-series) [Adelaide]: Playing the voice of a female witch, "she" is melted after Beatrice (voiced by Melanie Lynskey) exposes her to the wind by opening her window in order to save Wirth (voiced by Elijah Wood) and Greg (voiced by Collin Dean) from becoming her child slaves.