Monty Python's Flying Circus 

The original surreal sketch comedy showcase for the Monty Python troupe.

Creators:

Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Jones

Stars:

Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam

Top Rated TV #37 | 4 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Graham Chapman	...	Various / ... 46 episodes, 1969-1974
Eric Idle	...	Various / ... 46 episodes, 1969-1974
Terry Jones	...	Various / ... 46 episodes, 1969-1974
Michael Palin	...	It's Man / ... 46 episodes, 1969-1974
Terry Gilliam	...	Various / ... 46 episodes, 1969-1974
John Cleese	...	Announcer / ... 40 episodes, 1969-1973
Carol Cleveland	...	Various / ... 34 episodes, 1969-1974

Storyline

The irreverent Monty Python comedy troupe present a series of skits which are often surreal, bawdy, uncompromising and/or tasteless, but nearly always hilarious.

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Plot Keywords:

class system | monty python | comedy troupe | sketch comedy | black comedy | 

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Taglines:

And now for something completely digital...

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Official Sites:

PythOnline.com

Country:

UK

Language:

English Arabic French German Italian Mandarin Spanish

Release Date:

5 October 1969 (UK)

Also Known As:

Monty Python's Flying Circus

Filming Locations:

BBC Television Centre, Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC),Python (Monty) Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min (45 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Doctors, lawyers, politicians, academics, and police officers were frequent targets for sketches. Graham Chapman was a qualified (but never licensed) physician, and the son of a constable. John Cleese attended law school. Terry Gilliam majored in political science. Terry Jones and Eric Idle majored in English.

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Goofs

The Air Tube that operates Mr Tree's mouth can be seen in the profile shot, when light starts glinting off it.

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Quotes

Jacques Montgolfier: Don't forget we have a special guest coming this evening.
Joseph Montgolfier: Huh?
Jacques Montgolfier: Don't tell me you have forgotten already. The man who is giving us thousands of francs for our experiments.
Joseph Montgolfier: What man?
Jacques Montgolfier: Louis XIV!
Joseph Montgolfier: Isn't he dead?
Jacques Montgolfier: Evidently not.

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Crazy Credits

Depending on the content of the individual shows, the credits were changed accordingly, often appearing in anagrams (Tony M. Nyphot's Flying Risccu), with a different title completely (The Buzz Aldrin Show) or with strange additions to the names of the cast and crew, such as various foodstuffs, sex toys and political gambits.

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Alternate Versions

The A&E home video VHS & DVD versions, while restoring some footage, have eliminated some as well, including:

• The word "masturbation" in the "All-England Summarize Proust Competition" sketch.
• Graham Chapman's abbreviated rendition of "Tonight Tonight" from "West Side Story" in the "Funny Bus Conductor" sketch.
• The ending "Dad's Pooves" film from episode 38.
• Dialogue from "Biggles Dictates A Letter" sketch.
• A&E explains that: "All of the Monty Python[videos] available at the A&E online store were produced directly from masters that we received." And that some "rights issues" were involved in some of the cuts.

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Connections

Referenced in Two of Us (2000)

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Soundtracks

The Liberty Bell
(1893) (uncredited)
Music by John Philip Sousa
Performed by The Band of the Grenadier Guards
(opening theme music)

User Reviews

A letter of complaint

Dear Sir,

I am writing to complain about the silliness known as Monty Python's Flying Circus which plagues my television. The "jokes" are silly and pointless, and the sketches never have proper endings. I demand that this programme be removed from telly at once and replaced with programmes that are truly representative of the glories of British humour, such as Keeping Up Appearances and the BBC World News.

Sincerely, Col. Arthur von Gambolputty-Dinsdale of Ulm (deceased)

(Warning: This letter does not reflect the true feelings of the reviewer, who is a huge fan of Python and thinks that the above-mentioned gripes are the very reason that the show is awesome. The comedy still holds up after over 35 years, though several of the costumes and haircuts do not, and the mixture of zany oddball non sequiters, intellectual references and satires, and ingenious physical comedy makes Python something very special and unique. Viva Python! And remember, !las llamas son mas grande que las ranas!)