Peter Sellers offered me a small part opposite him in a rather good scene where Sir Guy Grand purchases a ‘School of Rembrandt’ portrait and then cut… - John Cleese

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Peter Sellers offered me a small part opposite him in a rather good scene where Sir Guy Grand purchases a ‘School of Rembrandt’ portrait and then cuts out the nose of it with a knife, explaining to my character (a snotty young art dealer) that he only collects noses. I, of course, have to react with horror, and I exclaim ‘Shit!’ This was quite a naughty word in 1968 – so naughty, in fact, that when, some months later, my scene was shown on television to promote the movie I became, as far as I know, the first person ever to say ‘shit’ on British television. (This, incidentally, is one of my three claims to fame: the others are that I have a species of lemur named after me, and that I was once French-kissed – on camera – by Tim Curry.)

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About John Cleese

John Marwood Cleese (born 27 October 1939) is an English comedian and actor best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for co-writing the TV series Fawlty Towers in which he played Basil Fawlty.

Biography information from Wikiquote

Also Known As

Alternative Names: John Marwood Cleese
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Additional quotes by John Cleese

After I’d been in his class a few weeks he looked at me thoughtfully and said: ‘Ah . . . Cleeeese . . .’ ‘Sir?’ ‘Your housssemaster ssays you’re intelligent.’ ‘Oh!’ ‘. . . I don’t sssee it mysssself . . .’ I wasn’t hurt or surprised. I took his remark as pure information. It was only when I recalled this many years later that I found myself thinking, ‘What was he intending to achieve with this remark?’ And I came to the conclusion that it made him feel better about himself – the same reason people read snide gossip columns.

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