PomPoms Up! From Puberty to Python and Beyond ------------- Inscription by Carol Cleveland

Carol was born in London but grew up in America, first Texas and then California, returning to England in 1960 to study at RADA (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art). She now lives by the sea in Shoreham on England's south coast. She is best recognised as the featured female member of the Monty Python team, appearing in all the TV series, films and stage shows and is often referred to as 'the 7th Python'. She joined them on stage at the Hollywood Bowl and again at the N.Y. City Centre for Monty Python Live and in 1976 at the Royal Albert Hall, London for the George Harrison Tribute Concert. October, 2009 marked the 40th Anniversary of Python and she was back on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in Eric Idle's oratorio Not the Messiah (he's a very naughty boy!) She also made a substantial contribution to the book, Monty Python Live, about the touring days of Python. Carol also played lead roles in two additional BBC TV series, One-upmanship and The Lotus Eaters and in numerous cult TV classics such as, The Saint, The Avengers, The Persuaders, Man in a Suitcase, Randell and Hopkirk, Are You Being Served and Only Fools and Horses. In London's West End she played Rusty in Lenny (Criterion, Theatre) and outside London, lead roles in Front Page, The Glass Menagerie, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Annie and over twenty national tours, including a production of Five Blue Haired Ladies Sitting on a Green Park Bench which also played in PA. USA in 2005. Later, she appeared at the Edinburgh Festival in Best Western, written and directed by Rich Hall. Besides featuring in all the Python films, other film appearances include Return of the Pink Panther, Vampira and Mr.Daddy, playing Miss Hannigan. She also had the honour of being directed by Charlie Chaplin in The Countess from Hong Kong. Most recently, she had a starring role in the feature film Search for Simon and a cameo in a US RomCom Sweeter Side of Life. She also played a hard, Hollywood agent in the new TV sitcom Toast of London. Carol has written and performed two of her own shows; PomPoms Up, a semi-autobiographical look at the glamour business, and War Baby, a dramatised reading of her WWII Baby's Diary.