This article, reprinted here with the permission of its author, orginally appeared in Completely Different on March 3, 1993

Why should we pay any attention to an unauthorized biography of John Cleese? Because it is probably the only kind we'll ever see. While John Cleese is not as reclusive as Bob Dylan, he does discourage the media from delving into his personal life.

Such reticence would suggest that Cleese has been hiding a deep, shameful secret, but Jonathan Margolis' worst revelations are that Cleese has a bit of a temper, a short attention span, and an affinity for experts.

Margolis, despite Cleese's lack of cooperation, has put together an entertaining and informative book. Although Cleese was not interviewed specifically for the book, Margolis has sprinkled the text with relevant excerpts from various interviews conducted by others.

Cleese Encounters provides more than a superficial overview of old Cleese articles -- Margolis attempts to divine the motivations for Cleeses' behavior. If you have ever wondered why Cleese left Monty Python yet continued to tour with them, why he divorced Connie Booth yet wrote Fawlty Towers with her, or why he claims to hate the Silly Walk yet performs it on request, you should read Cleese Encounters. Die-hard Python fans will appreciate the curriculum vitae in the back, which lists all of Cleese's appearances in films, books, albums, radio programs, and television programs up to 1991.

The only aspect I found inadequate was an exploration of Cleese's friendship with the late, great Graham Chapman. The two were writing partners and friends throughout a good portion of Chapman's life, and yet Margolis barely mentions the friendship. I guess we'll just have to wait until Kim "Howard" Johnson writes a definitive biography (of Cleese or Chapman -- I'd welcome either). In the meantime, Cleese Encounters is a worthwhile addition to your Python collection.