John Cleese has mocked the paltry royalty payments he receives for narrating Winnie The Pooh, revealing that one of his residual cheques totalled just 17 pence.
The comedy legend took to Twitter on Saturday to blast the low payments he banks for his voice work on the 2011 Disney movie – which had a budget of £26 million ($29 million) and made just £43 million ($49 million) worldwide at the box office.
Screen star John, 80, said: ‘In these difficult times, the arrival of residuals boosts my morale. Today I received royalties from The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: $0.20.’
Paltry pay: John Cleese has mocked the paltry royalty payments he receives for narrating Winnie The Pooh, revealing that one of his residual cheques totalled just 17 pence
It wasn’t the only movie the Fawlty Towers star blasted for a low payment, as he took aim at 2003 comedy sequel Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, writing: ‘Even better, from Charlie’s Angels – Full Throttle: $3.81.’
Referring to the coronavirus pandemic and official advice for those over the age of 70 to stay home for 12 weeks to help flatten the curve of the potentially-deadly virus, he added: ‘Where shall I celebrate tonight? I know! My room!’
Fans of the star were shocked by his revelation and expressed how much they loved his work for Winnie the Pooh, to which the comedian quipped to one follower: ‘One of my favourite jobs!
Narrator: The star served as narrator for the 2011 Disney movie, which had a budget of £26 million ($29 million) and made just £43 million ($49 million) worldwide at the box office
Pennies: Screen star John, 80, said: ‘In these difficult times, the arrival of residuals boosts my morale. Today I received royalties from The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: $0.20’
‘My wife and I collect Winnie the Pooh prints, along with Wind in the Willows and Alice in Wonderland. All part of a carefully planned strategy not to grow up too much.’
Meanwhile, the Monty Python star recently offered fans the chance to meet him for £235 ($275) via US website Fanmio.
John said: ‘I trust I’ve given you a few laughs over the years and now I’d love to give you the chance to meet me and ask questions – personally meet me on a one-on-one video meet-and-greet session.
‘It’ll just be the two of us talking and you can ask me whatever you want.’
Back together: Earlier this month, Jamie Lee Curtis reunited with Cleese, almost 32-years have they starred together in comedy classic A Fish Called Wanda
His revelation on Twitter came days after he reunited with Jamie Lee Curtis, almost 33 years after they starred together in comedy classic A Fish Called Wanda.
Taking to Instagram, American actress, Jamie 61, shared a snap of the pair enjoying lunch while reacting their famous cheek-to-cheek pose from the film’s promotional poster.
Captioning the image, she wrote: ‘Something’s fishy here…. oh right, WE ARE OLD! Wanderful lunch with Mr. Cleese.’
Confirming it was her first meeting with Cleese in years, she added: ‘Together again for the first time.’
Iconic: The pair reacted their famous cheek to cheek pose from the film’s promotional poster
The former co-stars were already household names when they appeared in director Charles Crichton’s hugely popular heist-comedy, based on an original screenplay by Cleese.
Curtis, the daughter of Hollywood legends Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, won instant fame after taking the lead role as virginal Laurie Strode in John Carpenter’s iconic Halloween – her first film role.
Cleese had enjoyed decades of success as part of the legendary Monty Python team, before redefining situation comedy as hapless hotelier Basil Fawlty in ’70s classic Fawlty Towers.
The pair starred alongside Micheal Palin, Kevin Kline and Maria Aitken in the film about gang of jewel thieves who double-cross each another to find stolen diamonds hidden by the gang leader
Kline would go on to win Best Supporting Actor for is role in the film at the 61st Academy Awards in 1988, while Cleese and Palin would claim Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the 1988 British Academy Awards.
Put together for less than £7million, it would would go on make more than £50million at the in the United States alone, where it became the number one box office film six weeks after its release.
The principal cast reunited a decade after their success in A Fish Called Wanda for Fierce Creatures – a ‘spiritual successor’ the original film, although not strictly a sequel.
While well received, the film did not fare as well as its predecessor, with critic Roger Ebert claiming ‘It lacks the hair-trigger timing, the headlong rush into comic illogic, that made Wanda so special.’
Old times: The former co-stars were already household names when they appeared in director Charles Crichton’s hugely popular heist-comedy, based on an original screenplay by Cleese