Biography for
Eric Idle More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

29 March 1943, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England, UK

Height

6' 1" (1.85 m)

Spouse

Tania Kosevich	(1981 - present) 1 daughter
Lyn Ashley	(7 July 1969 - 1978) (divorced) 1 child

Trade Mark

Signature Song: "Always look on the bright side of Life"

His characters on Monty Python were often mischievous and happy go lucky men.

Trivia

Daughter, Lily (b. 1990), with Tania Kosevich.

Son, Carey (b. 1973), with Lyn Ashley.

Member of the comedy group "Monty Python"

Studied English at Cambridge University. While at university, he was a member of the prestigious Cambridge Footlights Club, and later, President of the Footlights Club.

Eric's father, who served in the Royal Air Force, died in a car crash on Christmas eve when he was two years old.

The only member of the Monty Python group to write alone. Therefore, it was difficult at times for him to get his material accepted and used by the others.

In 1963, as a collegiate, he was admitted into the Cambridge Footlights comedy club. He became president of the club the following year and one of his first acts was to open the membership up to include women. Feminist/writer Germaine Greer was one of the first to join.

Supporter of Sunderland Football Club of the English Premiership

Proudly calls himself "the third tallest member of Monty Python."

Is an accomplished guitar player.

Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, pg. 225-226. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387

Defeated Charles Barkley and Martha Stewart on a celebrity episode of "Jeopardy!" (1984) in 2002.

Got permission from the other members of Monty Python (except, naturally, Graham Chapman) to go ahead with his play/musical "Spamalot" (set to hit Broadway in early 2005), a twist on their classic film Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), because they all found the script hilarious.

Was once tasked by his fellow Pythons with composing a response to an angry piece of fan mail. Monty Python member Graham Chapman was openly gay, and a letter had been written citing Bible verses, stating that homosexuals should be stoned to death. He jokingly replied that they had stoned Chapman to death.

Friend of Robin Williams.

Describes himself as having "creative dyslexia", meaning he can look at any word and automatically see the anagrams that can be made from it. One of the characters he played in "Monty Python's Flying Circus" was a man who speaks only in anagrams.

Admired by the other Pythons for his circle of friends, it was he who procured part of the production money for Life of Brian (1979) from former Beatle George Harrison.

Appears as the M.C. in the 3-D film Honey, I Shrunk the Audience (1994) at Disneyland.

Although his picture An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1997) was a commercial and critical disappointment, Idle has been asked for Alan Smithee's "autograph" in real life...and consented (Smithee was the nonexistent, pseudonymous director whom Idle "portrayed" in said movie).

Rented out his house to Carrie Fisher during the production of Life of Brian (1979), while she was in London filming Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980).

Steve Martin calls him his mentor.

The only member of Monty Python not to appear on "Friday Night, Saturday Morning" (1979).

Was invited to the party Steve Martin was throwing that turned out to be his wedding.

Member of Monty Python along with John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Graham Chapman and Terry Gilliam.

Personal Quotes

John Cleese once told me he'd do anything for money. So I offered him a pound to shut up, and he took it.

(On gay marriages) "It's about time they suffered too."

(On his favourite sexual position) "Flat on my back with my wallet open."

If the studios paid the artists, how would they ever be able to afford the executives?

There was a time when we were almost universally hated by large sections of society. Now that we are the cuddly old farts of comedy, I rather miss the hatred.

We couldn't get [Life of Brian (1979)] made then. We looked and looked for money and we couldn't find anyone to back it. Only George Harrison would back it - and that's because he mortgaged his house.

Americans like to think Python is how English people really are. There is an element of truth to that.

The odd thing is I knew that if [Spamalot] was going to be successful it would have to appeal to people who weren't just Python fans. What happened was that Middle America discovered Python through Spamalot.

I've been trying to write musicals since I did The Mikado (1987/I) (TV) with Jonathan Miller and the ENO in 1987. I'd do new gags each night. I thought, "I like this - we should find a subject". It took me about 20 years to find a subject.

Where Are They Now

(February 2005) Producer of hit Broadway musical 'Monty Python's Spamalot' ("lovingly ripped-off from Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975).")

(July 2005) Just signed a deal to have his musical "Spamalot" performed in Wynn's Resorts in Las Vegas in 2007. It will perform there for 10 years.