Michael Caine

Most Caine impressions repeat the catchphrase "...and not a lot of people know that", which was never actually used by Caine, except more recently when sending up himself and the mimics who established the catchphrase. In 2002 Cleese reprised his role in Die Another Day, however, the character was promoted, thus making Cleese the new quartermaster (Q) of MI6. Caine is a popular subject for impressionists and mimics, having a distinctive yet fairly easy to copy voice. In 1999, Cleese starred in the James Bond movie, The World Is Not Enough as Q's assistant, referred to as R. Unlike some actors who adopt their stage name for everyday use, Caine still uses his real name when he is not working. During the years 1973-1975 Cleese was rector of St Andrews University, a position which he left in favour of making Fawlty Towers. He was created Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1992 for services to drama, and in 2000 a Knight Bachelor, becoming Sir Maurice Micklewhite. Although he makes occasional, well-received appearances on the Cornell campus, he lives in the town of Montecito, California.

He has been Oscar-nominated six times, winning his first Academy Award for the 1986 film, Hannah and Her Sisters, his second in 1999 for The Cider House Rules, in both cases as a supporting actor (in common with his contemporary Sean Connery, Caine now plays supporting roles). White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University, his term having been extended until 2006. By this time Caine's reputation as an icon was assured, and recent performances in Little Voice (1998), Last Orders (2001) and others have rehabilitated his critical reputation. He is currently an Andrew D. However, I have seen the house that it paid for, and it is superb". In 1996 Cleese declined becoming a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Of the former, Caine famously said "I have not seen the film, but I hear it is terrible. He also produced and acted in a number of successful business training films, including Meetings, Bloody Meetings and More Bloody Meetings about how to set up and run successful meetings.

Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s Caine alternated between acclaimed performances in films such as Educating Rita (1983) and Mona Lisa (1986), and unashamedly mercenary roles in notorious duds such as Jaws: The Revenge (1987) and On Deadly Ground (1994). The books are presented as an ongoing dialogue between Skynner and Cleese. The 1970s proved to be a lean period for Caine, with successes such as Sleuth (1972) and The Man Who Would Be King (1975) overshadowed by disasters such as The Swarm (1978) and Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979). With Robin Skynner, Cleese wrote a number of books on dealing with relations: Families and how to survive them, and Life and how to survive it. After ending the 1960s with the equally iconic The Italian Job Caine entered the 1970s with Get Carter, one of the best British gangster films. The film became the most successful British film ever. His trademark horn-rimmed glasses did not prevent him becoming a pin-up. In 1988 he wrote and starred in A Fish Called Wanda along with Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline and fellow python Michael Palin.

He went on to play Palmer in a further two films. Cleese is noted for his talent for expressing indignation and peevish outrage. Zulu was closely followed by his two best-known roles: the spy "Harry Palmer", in The Ipcress File (1965), and the woman-chasing Alfie (1966). He achieved later success as the awful hotel manager Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers, which he also cowrote with then wife Connie Booth. At the time, Caine's working-class cockney, just as with The Beatles Liverpudlian accents, seemed like a breath of fresh air. He became famous as one of the members of the Monty Python team which created the 1969-74 television series Monty Python's Flying Circus; Cleese is particularly remembered for the "Cheese Shop", "The Ministry of Silly Walks", and "Dead Parrot" sketches. This proved to be ironic, as Caine was quickly to become notable for using a regional accent, rather than the 'BBC English' hitherto considered proper for film actors. He married Connie Booth on February 20, 1968 and they divorced in 1978.

After several minor roles, Caine came into the public eye as an upper-class British army officer in the 1963 film, Zulu. His family's surname was previously "Cheese", but his father Reginald Francis Cheese, an insurance salesman, changed his surname to "Cleese" upon joining the army in 1915 [1] (http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=John%20Cleese). He once joked to an interviewer that had he looked the other way, he would have ended up as Michael 101 Dalmatians. His talent for comedy emerged as a member of the Cambridge Footlights Revue during the time that he was a law student at Downing College, Cambridge. Looking around for inspiration, he noted that The Caine Mutiny was being shown at the Odeon cinema, and so he decided to change his name to Michael Caine. Cleese was educated at Clifton College in Bristol. His agent insisted that he come up with a new name immediately. John Marwood Cleese (born October 27, 1939 in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England) is a British comedian and actor most well known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for playing Basil Fawlty in the sitcom Fawlty Towers.

He happened to be speaking to his agent in a telephone box in London's Leicester Square when he was informed that he had to change his name again because another actor was already using the name Michael Scott. Around the World in 80 Days (2004) (Grizzled Sergeant). During the Second World War he was evacuated to Norfolk. When Michael Caine first became an actor he changed his name to Michael Scott. Shrek 2 (2004) (voice of Princess Fiona's father, King Harold). He was born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite in Rotherhithe, South London and grew up in nearby Camberwell. Die Another Day (2002) (second appearance in a James Bond film; replaces Desmond Llewelyn as Q in the series). Michael Caine (born March 14, 1933) is a British film actor. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) ditto.

Zulu (1964). Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) (as the ghost "Nearly Headless Nick" - although he prefers Sir Nicholas, if you don't mind). The Ipcress File (1965). Sinclair). Alfie (1966). Rat Race (2001) (as eccentric millionaire Donald P. The Wrong Box (1966). The World is Not Enough (1999) (a James Bond film) (as Q's assistant, nicknamed R by Bond).

Gambit (1966). The Out-of-Towners (1999). Funeral in Berlin (1966). Fierce Creatures (1996) (as Rollo Lee, owner of an English zoo; the novelization suggests that he is actually the twin brother of Archie Leach from A Fish Called Wanda, with a slight change of surname). Hurry Sundown (1967). Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book (1994) (Dr. Julien Plumford). Woman Times Seven (1967). Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994).

Billion Dollar Brain (1967). Shadgrind). Deadfall (1968). Splitting Heirs (1993) (Raoul P. The Magus (1968). Bullseye! 1990 as Man on the Beach in Barbados Who Looks Like John Cleese. Play Dirty (1968). A Fish Called Wanda (1988) (writer and actor: as lawyer Archie Leach (Cary Grant's real name)).

The Italian Job (1969). Stimpson, a school headmaster). Battle of Britain (1969). Clockwise (1986) (as Mr. Too Late the Hero (1970). His first line, as he walks in to a bar to break up a brawl, is, "What's all this, then?"). The Last Valley (1971). Silverado (1985) (plays Langston an English sheriff in a town in the western USA.

Get Carter (1972). Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) (writer and actor: various roles). Kidnapped (1972). Privates on Parade (1982) (Major Giles Flack). Sleuth (1972). Time Bandits (1981) (as a gormless Robin Hood). The Romantic Englishwoman (1975). The Great Muppet Caper (1981).

The Man Who Would Be King (1975). The Secret Policeman's Ball (1980). The Eagle Has Landed (1976). The Life of Brian (1979) (writer and actor: various roles including Reg). Dressed to Kill (1980). Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974) (writer and actor: various roles including Sir Lancelot and Tim the Enchanter). Deathtrap (1982). The Magic Christian (1969).

Educating Rita (1983). Numerous commercials. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). Will & Grace (2003-2004) as recurring character Lestor Finster. Half Moon Street (1986). Fawlty Towers (1975, 1979). The Fourth Protocol (1987). Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969-1974).

Without a Clue (1988). How to Irritate People (1968) with Michael Palin. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988). Doctor Who (1979, guest cameo as a favour to script editor Douglas Adams). Jekyll & Hyde (1990). Do Not Adjust Your Set. A Shock to the System (1990). Frost on Sunday.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). The Frost Report (1966). Bullet to Beijing (1997). I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again. Petersburg (1997). Midnight in St.