The role of Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast (1991) was written with him in mind, and no other actor was considered for the role. But he still turned it down.
Voiced Jean-Bob, a frog who believes he's a prince, in The Swan Princess (1994), then went on to voice a king who used to be a frog in Shrek 2 (2004).
Was a member of the prestigious Cambridge University Footlights Club.
Was invited to the party Steve Martin was throwing that turned out to be his wedding.
Was the tallest member of Monty Python, having been about 2 inches taller than Graham Chapman.
Went to the United States with the Footlights stage show "Cambridge Circus" in 1964, and appeared on the Ed Sullivan's "The Ed Sullivan Show" (1948).
When he first started acting his original goal was to be a classically trained Shakespearean actor.
When he had to join the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in 1989, for his third appearance on American TV, none of the staff at the AFTRA office recognized him, or had any idea who he was.
When he left the Monty Python team, he was approached by the BBC to do something else, and together with Booth, created "Fawlty Towers (1975)" based on their experiences in a Torquay hotel.
When the Globe Theatre was rebuilt in London, a service was offered whereby you could have your name on a tile in the courtyard, for a donation to the project. Cleese and fellow python Michael Palin both signed up for tiles, but Palin's was spelled wrong. Cleese paid extra to ensure it would be spelled "Pallin."
Who's Who lists his recreations as "gluttony, sloth."