Actor John Cleese Settles Divorce for Almost $20 Million

British actor John Cleese has finally settled his 18-month-long divorce battle with ex-wife Alyce Faye Eichelberger Cleese. The Cleeses were married in 1992 and divorced last year – although their financial matters were bifurcated and not determined until just last week.

Cleese, who found fame in the Monty Python television show and films, agreed to pay Alyce, a psychotherapist, $13 million in cash and assets plus monthly spousal support of about $82,000 for the next seven years, taking the total package to almost $20 million.

Some of the assets going to Alyce Cleese? A $1.2 million apartment in New York’s Upper East Side, a $3.3 million house in London, and half the proceeds of a $10 million beach house in Santa Barbara that is still on the market.

Cleese was quoted as saying, “I got off lightly. Think what I’d have had to pay Alyce if she had contributed anything to the relationship.” (I’d probably be a bit cranky too if I had to hand over those kinds of assets!)

Although Cleese was already well off due to the Monty Python franchise and his other British TV hit, Fawlty Towers, his financial position and career were even more prosperous after the marriage as a result of good investments and popular films like A Fish Called Wanda. The couple moved from Great Britain to California shortly after their wedding.

After they decided to divorce, Alyce made substantial financial demands. She outlined the couple’s use of private jets, a staff of chefs, chauffeurs, massage therapists and personal stylists, and requested $117,000 a month in spousal support. She also sought half of everything Cleese had earned since their marriage and half of his nine real estate holdings – a typical demand in a community property state like California, where the divorce was filed.

Cleese disagreed with his wife’s memory of their lifestyle, claiming that they only used a private jet twice over 14 years. And many of his real estate holdings were devalued in the current market.

The actor, divorced twice before, has blamed Alyce’s tactics on her divorce attorney, Jacqueline Misho. He claims that his two previous divorces were “peaceful affairs”.