Monty Python - Revision history

Kurt at 16:42, 4 January 2023

2023-01-04T16:42:03Z

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	{{short description\|British surreal comedy group}}		{{short description\|British surreal comedy group}}
	{{about\|the comedy group\|their TV show frequently called Monty Python\|Monty Python's Flying Circus{{!}}''Monty Python's Flying Circus''}}		{{about\|the comedy group\|their TV show frequently called Monty Python\|Monty Python's Flying Circus{{!}}''Monty Python's Flying Circus''}}
	~~{{redirect\|Pythonesque\|the play by Roy Smiles\|Pythonesque (play){{!}}''Pythonesque'' (play)}}~~
	~~{{redirect\|The Pythons\|the documentary film about the group\|The Pythons (film){{!}}''The Pythons'' (film)}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=June 2017}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=July 2017}}~~
	{{Infobox comedian		{{Infobox comedian
	\| name = Monty Python		\| name = Monty Python
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	Back row: Chapman, Idle, Gilliam<br />Front row: Jones, Cleese, Palin		Back row: Chapman, Idle, Gilliam<br />Front row: Jones, Cleese, Palin
	\| medium = {{Flatlist\|		\| medium = {{Flatlist\|
	* [[Television show\|Television]]		* [[w:Television show\|Television]]
	* [[film]]		* [[w:film\|film]]
	* [[theatre]]		* [[theatre\|theatre]]
	* [[literature]]		* [[w:literature\|literature]]
	* [[Sound recording and reproduction\|audio recordings]]		* [[w:Sound recording and reproduction\|audio recordings]]
	}}		}}
	\| nationality = British<ref>Gilliam was born American and obtained British citizenship in 1968. In protest at [[George W. Bush]], he renounced his American citizenship in January 2006 and is now only a British citizen. {{citation\|place=DE\|url=http://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/;art772,2004101\|date=10 February 2006\|title=Kopflos am Potsdamer Platz\|work=Der Tagesspiegel\|language=de\|access-date=15 September 2007\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070828222440/http://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/;art772,2004101\|archive-date=28 August 2007\|df=dmy-all}}</ref>		\| nationality = British<ref>Gilliam was born American and obtained British citizenship in 1968. In protest at [[w:George W. Bush\|]], he renounced his American citizenship in January 2006 and is now only a British citizen. {{citation\|place=DE\|url=http://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/;art772,2004101\|date=10 February 2006\|title=Kopflos am Potsdamer Platz\|work=Der Tagesspiegel\|language=de\|access-date=15 September 2007\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070828222440/http://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/;art772,2004101\|archive-date=28 August 2007\|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
	\| active = {{hlist\|1969–1983\|1989\|1998–1999\|2002\|2013–2014}}		\| active = {{hlist\|1969–1983\|1989\|1998–1999\|2002\|2013–2014}}
	\| genre = {{Flatlist\|		\| genre = {{Flatlist\|
	* [[Satire]]		* [[w:Satire\|Satire]]
	* [[Surreal humour]]		* [[w:Surreal humour\|Surreal humour]]
	* [[Black comedy]]		* [[w:Black comedy\|Black comedy]]
	* [[Wordplay]]		* [[w:Wordplay\|Wordplay]]
	* [[~~Wit~~]]		* [[w:Wi\|t]]
	}}		}}
	\| current_members=		\| current_members=
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	{{Plainlist\|		{{Plainlist\|
	* [[Graham Chapman]]		* [[Graham Chapman]]
	* [[John Cleese]]		* [[w:John Cleese\|John Cleese]]
	* [[Terry Gilliam]]		* [[w:Terry Gilliam\|Terry Gilliam]]
	* [[Eric Idle]]		* [[w:Eric Idle\|Eric Idle]]
	* [[Terry Jones]]		* [[Terry Jones]]
	* [[Michael Palin]]		* [[w:Michael Palin\|Michael Palin]]
	}}		}}
	\| website ={{URL\|montypython.com\|MontyPython.com}}		\| website ={{URL\|montypython.com\|MontyPython.com}}
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	}}		}}

	'''Monty Python''' (also collectively known as the '''Pythons''')<ref>Wilmut (1980), p. 250.</ref><ref>{{cite book\|title=The Pythons\|first1=Graham\|last1=Chapman\|first2=Terry\|last2=Gilliam\|first3=John\|last3=Cleese\|first4=Eric\|last4=Idle\|first5=Terry\|last5=Jones\|first6=Sir Michael\|last6=Palin\|publisher=Orion\|year=2003\|isbn=978-0-7528-5293-5}}</ref> were a British [[Surreal humour\|surreal]] [[comedy troupe]] who created the [[sketch comedy]] television show ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'', which first aired on the [[BBC]] in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series. The Python phenomenon developed from the television series into something larger in scope and influence, including touring stage shows, films, albums, books and musicals. The Pythons' influence on comedy has been compared to [[the Beatles]]' influence on music.<ref name="CNN Beatles">{{cite news\|first=Todd\|last=Leopold\|title=How Monty Python changed the world\|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/10/monty.python/index.html\|publisher=CNN\|date=11 December 2003\|access-date=30 March 2007\|quote=Python has been called 'the Beatles of comedy'.}}</ref><ref name="Atlantic Beatles">{{cite news\|first=David\|last=Free\|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/01/the-beatles-of-comedy/309185/\|title=The Beatles of Comedy\|work=[[The Atlantic (magazine)\|The Atlantic]]\|date=January 2013\|access-date=23 January 2013}}</ref><ref name="BBC Beatles">{{cite web\|first= Mark\| last= Lewisohn\|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/m/montypythonsflyi_1299002137.shtml\|publisher=BBC \|access-date=31 March 2007 \|quote= In essence, the Monty Python team are the comedy equivalent of the Beatles.}}</ref> Regarded as an enduring icon of 1970s pop culture, their sketch show has been referred to as being "an important moment in the evolution of [[television comedy]]".<ref>{{cite news\|title=Monty Python Celebrates 25th Anniversary But Nixes Reunion\|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1994-10-02/entertainment/9409300444_1_python-flying-circus-monty-python-comedy\|work=Orlando Sentinel\|date=2 October 1996\|access-date=31 October 2016}}</ref>		'''Monty Python''' (also collectively known as the '''Pythons''')<ref>Wilmut (1980), p. 250.</ref><ref>{{cite book\|title=The Pythons\|first1=Graham\|last1=Chapman\|first2=Terry\|last2=Gilliam\|first3=John\|last3=Cleese\|first4=Eric\|last4=Idle\|first5=Terry\|last5=Jones\|first6=Sir Michael\|last6=Palin\|publisher=Orion\|year=2003\|isbn=978-0-7528-5293-5}}</ref> were a British [[w:Surreal humour\|surreal]] [[w:comedy troupe\|comedy troupe]] who created the [[w:sketch comedy\|sketch comedy]] television show ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'', which first aired on the [[BBC]] in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series. The Python phenomenon developed from the television series into something larger in scope and influence, including touring stage shows, films, albums, books and musicals. The Pythons' influence on comedy has been compared to [[w:the Beatles\|the Beatles]]' influence on music.<ref name="CNN Beatles">{{cite news\|first=Todd\|last=Leopold\|title=How Monty Python changed the world\|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/10/monty.python/index.html\|publisher=CNN\|date=11 December 2003\|access-date=30 March 2007\|quote=Python has been called 'the Beatles of comedy'.}}</ref><ref name="Atlantic Beatles">{{cite news\|first=David\|last=Free\|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/01/the-beatles-of-comedy/309185/\|title=The Beatles of Comedy\|work=[[The Atlantic (magazine)\|The Atlantic]]\|date=January 2013\|access-date=23 January 2013}}</ref><ref name="BBC Beatles">{{cite web\|first= Mark\| last= Lewisohn\|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/m/montypythonsflyi_1299002137.shtml\|publisher=BBC \|access-date=31 March 2007 \|quote= In essence, the Monty Python team are the comedy equivalent of the Beatles.}}</ref> Regarded as an enduring icon of 1970s pop culture, their sketch show has been referred to as being "an important moment in the evolution of [[television comedy]]".<ref>{{cite news\|title=Monty Python Celebrates 25th Anniversary But Nixes Reunion\|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1994-10-02/entertainment/9409300444_1_python-flying-circus-monty-python-comedy\|work=Orlando Sentinel\|date=2 October 1996\|access-date=31 October 2016}}</ref>

	Broadcast by the BBC between 1969 and 1974, ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' was conceived, written and performed by its members [[Graham Chapman]], [[John Cleese]], [[Terry Gilliam]], [[Eric Idle]], [[Terry Jones]], and [[Michael Palin]]. Loosely structured as a sketch show, but with an innovative [[Stream of consciousness writing\|stream-of-consciousness]] approach aided by Gilliam's animation, it pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in style and content.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.etonline.com/movies/120548_Holy_Flying_Circus_clip/index.html\|title='Holy' Monty Python History Lesson\|first=Jarrett\|last=Wieselman\|date=3 April 2012\|work=[[Entertainment Tonight]]\|access-date=24 April 2012\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202131614/http://www.etonline.com/movies/120548_Holy_Flying_Circus_clip/index.html\|url-status=dead\|archive-date=2 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/monty-python-reunion-planned-for-new-movie-68087/\|title='Monty Python' Reunion Planned for New Movie\|website=The Christian Post\|first=Sami K.\|last=Martin\|date=27 January 2012\|access-date=24 April 2012}}</ref> A self-contained comedy team responsible for both writing and performing their work, the Pythons had creative control which allowed them to experiment with form and content, discarding rules of television comedy. Following their television work, they began making films, including ''[[Monty Python and the Holy Grail]]'' (1975), ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian\|Life of Brian]]'' (1979) and ''[[Monty Python's The Meaning of Life\|The Meaning of Life]]'' (1983). Their influence on British comedy has been apparent for years, while in North America, it has coloured the work of [[cult following\|cult]] performers from the early editions of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' through to more recent [[Surreal humour\|absurdist]] trends in television comedy. "[[wikt:Pythonesque\|Pythonesque]]" has entered the English lexicon as a result.		Broadcast by the BBC between 1969 and 1974, ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' was conceived, written and performed by its members [[Graham Chapman]], [[John Cleese]], [[Terry Gilliam]], [[Eric Idle]], [[Terry Jones]], and [[Michael Palin]]. Loosely structured as a sketch show, but with an innovative [[Stream of consciousness writing\|stream-of-consciousness]] approach aided by Gilliam's animation, it pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in style and content.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.etonline.com/movies/120548_Holy_Flying_Circus_clip/index.html\|title='Holy' Monty Python History Lesson\|first=Jarrett\|last=Wieselman\|date=3 April 2012\|work=[[Entertainment Tonight]]\|access-date=24 April 2012\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202131614/http://www.etonline.com/movies/120548_Holy_Flying_Circus_clip/index.html\|url-status=dead\|archive-date=2 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/monty-python-reunion-planned-for-new-movie-68087/\|title='Monty Python' Reunion Planned for New Movie\|website=The Christian Post\|first=Sami K.\|last=Martin\|date=27 January 2012\|access-date=24 April 2012}}</ref> A self-contained comedy team responsible for both writing and performing their work, the Pythons had creative control which allowed them to experiment with form and content, discarding rules of television comedy. Following their television work, they began making films, including ''[[Monty Python and the Holy Grail]]'' (1975), ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian\|Life of Brian]]'' (1979) and ''[[Monty Python's The Meaning of Life\|The Meaning of Life]]'' (1983). Their influence on British comedy has been apparent for years, while in North America, it has coloured the work of [[cult following\|cult]] performers from the early editions of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' through to more recent [[Surreal humour\|absurdist]] trends in television comedy. "[[wikt:Pythonesque\|Pythonesque]]" has entered the English lexicon as a result.

Kurt: /* External links */

2023-01-04T16:36:12Z

External links

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	==External links==		==External links==
	~~{{Sister project links\|auto=1\|wikt=Pythonesque\|q=y\|d=y}}~~
	* {{Official website\|http://www.montypython.com/}}		* {{Official website\|http://www.montypython.com/}}
	* {{Discogs artist\|Monty Python}}		* {{Discogs artist\|Monty Python}}
	* {{IMDb name\|7758679}}		* {{IMDb name\|7758679}}
	* {{Curlie\|Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom/Arts_and_Entertainment/Performing_Arts/Comedy/Monty_Python/}}
	* [https://www.youtube.com/user/MontyPython Monty Python] – Official YouTube page		* [https://www.youtube.com/user/MontyPython Monty Python] – Official YouTube page
	* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091018050050/http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1930296_1967872,00.html 40 Years of Monty Python] – photo essay by ''TIME'' magazine		* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091018050050/http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1930296_1967872,00.html 40 Years of Monty Python] – photo essay by ''TIME'' magazine
	* [https://www.timeout.com/london/comedy/monty-python-interview 2014 interview on return to live shows]		* [https://www.timeout.com/london/comedy/monty-python-interview 2014 interview on return to live shows]
	* [https://www.youtube.com/user/etlcstn Monty Python on youtube]

	{{Monty Python\|state=~~expanded}}~~		{{Monty Python\|state=collapsed}}
	~~{{Graham Chapman}}~~
	~~{{Terry Jones}}~~
	~~{{European Film Academy Lifetime Achievement Award}}~~
	~~{{BAFTA Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award}}~~
	~~{{Surrealism}}~~
	~~{{Authority control~~}}

	[[Category:Monty Python\| ]]		[[Category:Monty Python\| ]]

Kurt: /* Style of the show */

2022-09-30T17:00:22Z

Style of the show

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	===Style of the show===		===Style of the show===
	[[File:Monty python foot.png\|thumb\|right\|[[The Foot of Cupid\|Cupid's foot]], as used by ''Monty Python's Flying Circus''. A trademark of Gilliam's stop-motion animation, the giant foot would suddenly squash things, including the show's title at the end of the opening credits.]]		[[File:Monty python foot.png\|thumb\|right\|[[The Foot of Cupid\|Cupid's foot]], as used by ''Monty Python's Flying Circus''. A trademark of Gilliam's stop-motion animation, the giant foot would suddenly squash things, including the show's title at the end of the opening credits.]]
	''Flying Circus'' popularised innovative formal techniques, such as the [[w:cold open\|cold open]], in which an episode began without the traditional opening titles or announcements.<ref name=MBC_piece>{{cite web\|last=Museum of Broadcast Communications\|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus\|url=http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|access-date=6 January 2007\|archive-date=4 April 2006\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060404194447/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|url-status=dead}}</ref> An example of this is the "It's" man: Palin, outfitted in [[Robinson Crusoe]] garb, making a tortuous journey across various terrains, before finally approaching the camera to state, "It's ...", only to be then cut off by the [[title sequence]] and theme music. On several occasions, the cold open lasted until mid-show, after which the regular opening titles ran. Occasionally, the Pythons tricked viewers by rolling the [[closing credits]] halfway through the show, usually continuing the joke by fading to the familiar [[History of BBC television idents#BBC Television Service/BBC One\|globe logo]] used for BBC continuity, over which Cleese would parody the clipped tones of a BBC announcer.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python: a golden age of British comedy \|url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/monty-python-a-golden-age-of-british-comedy-1.371481 \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)\|The National]]}}</ref> On one occasion, the credits ran directly after the opening titles. On the [[subversive]] nature of the show (and their subsequent films), Cleese states "anti-authoritarianism was deeply ingrained in Python".<ref name="Goon influence"/>		''Flying Circus'' popularised innovative formal techniques, such as the [[w:cold open\|cold open]], in which an episode began without the traditional opening titles or announcements.<ref name=MBC_piece>{{cite web\|last=Museum of Broadcast Communications\|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus\|url=http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|access-date=6 January 2007\|archive-date=4 April 2006\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060404194447/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|url-status=dead}}</ref> An example of this is the "It's" man: Palin, outfitted in [[w:Robinson Crusoe\|Robinson Crusoe]] garb, making a tortuous journey across various terrains, before finally approaching the camera to state, "It's ...", only to be then cut off by the [[w:title sequence\|title sequence]] and theme music. On several occasions, the cold open lasted until mid-show, after which the regular opening titles ran. Occasionally, the Pythons tricked viewers by rolling the [[closing credits]] halfway through the show, usually continuing the joke by fading to the familiar [[w:History of BBC television idents#BBC Television Service/BBC One\|globe logo]] used for BBC continuity, over which Cleese would parody the clipped tones of a BBC announcer.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python: a golden age of British comedy \|url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/monty-python-a-golden-age-of-british-comedy-1.371481 \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=[[w:The National (Abu Dhabi)\|The National]]}}</ref> On one occasion, the credits ran directly after the opening titles. On the [[w:subversive\|subversive]] nature of the show (and their subsequent films), Cleese states "anti-authoritarianism was deeply ingrained in Python".<ref name="Goon influence"/>

	{{Quote box\|width=29%\|bgcolor=#FFFFF0\|align=right\|quote="Our first rule was: no punchlines. [Some sketches] start brilliant, great acting, really funny sketch, but the punchline is just not as good as the rest of the sketch, so it kills the entire thing. That’s why we eliminated them."\|source=—Terry Gilliam in 2007.<ref name="25 sketches">{{cite news \|title=Top 25 Monty Python Sketches \|url=https://listverse.com/2007/11/03/top-25-monty-python-sketches/ \|access-date=26 April 2019 \|agency=ListVerse}}</ref>}}		{{Quote box\|width=29%\|bgcolor=#FFFFF0\|align=right\|quote="Our first rule was: no punchlines. [Some sketches] start brilliant, great acting, really funny sketch, but the punchline is just not as good as the rest of the sketch, so it kills the entire thing. That’s why we eliminated them."\|source=—Terry Gilliam in 2007.<ref name="25 sketches">{{cite news \|title=Top 25 Monty Python Sketches \|url=https://listverse.com/2007/11/03/top-25-monty-python-sketches/ \|access-date=26 April 2019 \|agency=ListVerse}}</ref>}}
	Because of their dislike of finishing with punchlines, they experimented with ending the sketches by cutting abruptly to another scene or animation, walking offstage, addressing the camera (breaking the [[fourth wall]]), or introducing a totally unrelated event or character. A classic example of this approach was the use of Chapman's "anti-silliness" character of "[[The Colonel (Monty Python)\|the Colonel]]", who walked into several sketches and ordered them to be stopped because things were becoming "far too silly".<ref>{{cite news\|first=William\|last=Langley\|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live\|title=Monty Python : Will the wrinkly revolutionaries have the last laugh?\|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]\|location=London, England\|date=5 July 2014\|access-date=15 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
			Because of their dislike of finishing with punchlines, they experimented with ending the sketches by cutting abruptly to another scene or animation, walking offstage, addressing the camera (breaking the [[w:fourth wall\|fourth wall]]), or introducing a totally unrelated event or character. A classic example of this approach was the use of Chapman's "anti-silliness" character of "[[The Colonel (Monty Python)\|the Colonel]]", who walked into several sketches and ordered them to be stopped because things were becoming "far too silly".<ref>{{cite news\|first=William\|last=Langley\|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live\|title=Monty Python : Will the wrinkly revolutionaries have the last laugh?\|newspaper=[[w:The Daily Telegraph\|The Daily Telegraph]]\|location=London, England\|date=5 July 2014\|access-date=15 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

	Another favourite way of ending sketches was to drop a cartoonish "16-ton weight" prop on one of the characters when the sketch seemed to be losing momentum, or a knight in full armour (played by Terry Gilliam) would wander on-set and hit characters over the head with a rubber chicken,<ref>''Monty Python's Flying Circus Just The Words'' Volume 1, p. 33. Methuen, 1990</ref> before cutting to the next scene. Yet another way of changing scenes was when John Cleese, usually outfitted in a dinner suit, would come in as a radio commentator and, in a rather pompous manner, make the formal and determined announcement "And now for something completely different.", which later became the title of [[And Now For Something Completely Different\|the first Monty Python film]].<ref>{{cite news \|title=And Now For Something Completely Different \|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/and-now-for-something-completely-different-102005497/ \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=Smithsonian}}</ref>		Another favourite way of ending sketches was to drop a cartoonish "16-ton weight" prop on one of the characters when the sketch seemed to be losing momentum, or a knight in full armour (played by Terry Gilliam) would wander on-set and hit characters over the head with a rubber chicken,<ref>''Monty Python's Flying Circus Just The Words'' Volume 1, p. 33. Methuen, 1990</ref> before cutting to the next scene. Yet another way of changing scenes was when John Cleese, usually outfitted in a dinner suit, would come in as a radio commentator and, in a rather pompous manner, make the formal and determined announcement "And now for something completely different.", which later became the title of [[And Now For Something Completely Different\|the first Monty Python film]].<ref>{{cite news \|title=And Now For Something Completely Different \|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/and-now-for-something-completely-different-102005497/ \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=Smithsonian}}</ref>

	The Python [[theme music]] is the [[Band of the Grenadier Guards]]' rendition of [[John Philip Sousa]]'s "[[The Liberty Bell (march)\|The Liberty Bell]]" which was first published in 1893.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=nlDOICBmhbkC&pg=PA1295&lpg=PA1295&dq=band+of+the+grenadier+guards+monty+python%27s+flying+circus+the+liberty+bell&source=bl&ots=304YKKuc2Q&sig=z-YMEIxEKJn3XdYqXnV8nQvLlQQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwib8eyoz5_ZAhUIzIMKHZYlBMMQ6AEIfDAT#v=onepage&q=band%20of%20the%20grenadier%20guards%20monty%20python's%20flying%20circus%20the%20liberty%20bell&f=false ''All Music Guide to Classical Music: The Definitive Guide to Classical Music''. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books, 2005.] Retrieved 11 February 2018</ref> Under the [[Berne Convention]]'s "country of origin" concept, the composition was subject to [[Copyright law of the United States\|United States copyright law]] which states that any work first published prior to 1924 was in the [[public domain]], owing to copyright expiration.<ref>[https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States – Cornell University Library Copyright Information Center.] Retrieved 11 February 2018</ref> This enabled Gilliam to co-opt the march for the series without having to make any [[royalty payment]]s.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/jul/11/monty-python-and-classical-music Clark, Philip. "Monty Python: Sousa, two-sheds and musical subversions," ''The Guardian'', Friday, 11 July 2014.] Retrieved 12 February 2018</ref>		The Python [[w:theme music\|theme music]] is the [[w:Band of the Grenadier Guards\|Band of the Grenadier Guards]]' rendition of [[w:John Philip Sousa\|John Philip Sousa]]'s "[[w:The Liberty Bell (march)\|The Liberty Bell]]" which was first published in 1893.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=nlDOICBmhbkC&pg=PA1295&lpg=PA1295&dq=band+of+the+grenadier+guards+monty+python%27s+flying+circus+the+liberty+bell&source=bl&ots=304YKKuc2Q&sig=z-YMEIxEKJn3XdYqXnV8nQvLlQQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwib8eyoz5_ZAhUIzIMKHZYlBMMQ6AEIfDAT#v=onepage&q=band%20of%20the%20grenadier%20guards%20monty%20python's%20flying%20circus%20the%20liberty%20bell&f=false ''All Music Guide to Classical Music: The Definitive Guide to Classical Music''. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books, 2005.] Retrieved 11 February 2018</ref> Under the [[w:Berne Convention\|Berne Convention]]'s "country of origin" concept, the composition was subject to [[w:Copyright law of the United States\|United States copyright law]] which states that any work first published prior to 1924 was in the [[w:public domain\|public domain]], owing to copyright expiration.<ref>[https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States – Cornell University Library Copyright Information Center.] Retrieved 11 February 2018</ref> This enabled Gilliam to co-opt the march for the series without having to make any [[w:royalty payment\|royalty payment]]s.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/jul/11/monty-python-and-classical-music Clark, Philip. "Monty Python: Sousa, two-sheds and musical subversions," ''The Guardian'', Friday, 11 July 2014.] Retrieved 12 February 2018</ref>

			[[File:Monty Python Live 02-07-14 12 24 16 (14598681721).jpg\|thumb\|right\|Jones and Cleese as housewives in the 2014 reunion. Playing Brian Cohen's mother in ''Life of Brian'', Jones delivered the line, "He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!".<ref>{{cite news \|title=Life of Brian wins the vote for film's best laughter line \|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385293/Life-of-Brian-wins-the-vote-for-films-best-laughter-line.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385293/Life-of-Brian-wins-the-vote-for-films-best-laughter-line.html \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \|access-date=18 August 2019 \|work=The Telegraph\|quote=Delivering the winning line to a crowd hoping to catch a glimpse of their idol, he declared: "He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy."}}{{cbignore}}</ref>]]

	[[File:Monty Python Live 02-07-14 12 24 16 (14598681721).jpg\|thumb\|left\|Jones and Cleese as housewives in the 2014 reunion. Playing Brian Cohen's mother in ''Life of Brian'', Jones delivered the line, "He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!".<ref>{{cite news \|title=Life of Brian wins the vote for film's best laughter line \|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385293/Life-of-Brian-wins-the-vote-for-films-best-laughter-line.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385293/Life-of-Brian-wins-the-vote-for-films-best-laughter-line.html \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \|access-date=18 August 2019 \|work=The Telegraph\|quote=Delivering the winning line to a crowd hoping to catch a glimpse of their idol, he declared: "He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy."}}{{cbignore}}</ref>]]		The use of Gilliam's [[w:Surrealism\|surreal]], [[w:collage\|collage]] [[w:stop motion\|stop motion]] animations was another innovative intertextual element of the Python style.<ref name="Gilliam animation">{{cite news \|title=Terry Gilliam Reveals the Secrets of Monty Python Animations: A 1974 How-To Guide \|url=http://www.openculture.com/2014/07/terry-gilliam-reveals-the-secrets-of-monty-python-animations.html \|access-date=18 August 2019 \|work=Open Culture}}</ref> Many of the images Gilliam used were lifted from famous works of art, and from [[w:Victorian era\|Victorian]] illustrations and [[engraving]]s. The giant foot which crushes the show's title at the end of the opening credits is in fact the foot of [[w:Cupid\|Cupid]], cut from a reproduction of the [[w:Italian Renaissance\|Renaissance]] masterpiece ''[[w:Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time\|Venus]]'' by [[w:Bronzino\|Bronzino]]. This foot, and Gilliam's style in general, are [[trademark look\|visual trademarks]] of the programme.<ref name="Gilliam animation"/>
	The use of Gilliam's [[Surrealism\|surreal]], [[collage]] [[stop motion]] animations was another innovative intertextual element of the Python style.<ref name="Gilliam animation">{{cite news \|title=Terry Gilliam Reveals the Secrets of Monty Python Animations: A 1974 How-To Guide \|url=http://www.openculture.com/2014/07/terry-gilliam-reveals-the-secrets-of-monty-python-animations.html \|access-date=18 August 2019 \|work=Open Culture}}</ref> Many of the images Gilliam used were lifted from famous works of art, and from [[Victorian era\|Victorian]] illustrations and [[engraving]]s. The giant foot which crushes the show's title at the end of the opening credits is in fact the foot of [[Cupid]], cut from a reproduction of the [[Italian Renaissance\|Renaissance]] masterpiece ''[[Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time]]'' by [[Bronzino]]. This foot, and Gilliam's style in general, are [[trademark look\|visual trademarks]] of the programme.<ref name="Gilliam animation"/>

	The Pythons used the British tradition of [[cross-dressing]] comedy by donning frocks and makeup and playing female roles themselves while speaking in [[falsetto]].<ref>{{cite news \|title=Cross-Dressing and Fish-Slapping, One Python at a Time \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/22/arts/television/crossdressing-and-fishslapping-one-python-at-a-time.html \|access-date=26 April 2019 \|agency=New York Times}}</ref> Jones specialised in playing the working-class housewife, or "ratbag old women" as termed by the BBC.<ref name="Circus profile"/> Palin and Idle generally played the role more posh, with Idle playing more feminine women.<ref name="Circus profile"/> Cleese played female roles more sparsely, while Chapman was frequently paired with Jones as a ratbag woman or with Idle portraying middle-class women commenting upon TV. Generally speaking, female roles were played by women only when the scene specifically required that the character be sexually attractive (although sometimes they used Idle for this). The troupe later turned to [[Carol Cleveland]], who co-starred in numerous episodes after 1970. In some episodes, and later in the stoning scene in ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian]]'', they took the idea one step further by playing women who impersonated men.<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Larsen \|first1=Darl \|title=A Book about the Film Monty Python's Life of Brian: All the References from Assyrians to Zeffirelli \|date=2018 \|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield \|page=80}}</ref>		The Pythons used the British tradition of [[cross-dressing]] comedy by donning frocks and makeup and playing female roles themselves while speaking in [[w:falsetto\|falsetto]].<ref>{{cite news \|title=Cross-Dressing and Fish-Slapping, One Python at a Time \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/22/arts/television/crossdressing-and-fishslapping-one-python-at-a-time.html \|access-date=26 April 2019 \|agency=New York Times}}</ref> Jones specialised in playing the working-class housewife, or "ratbag old women" as termed by the BBC.<ref name="Circus profile"/> Palin and Idle generally played the role more posh, with Idle playing more feminine women.<ref name="Circus profile"/> Cleese played female roles more sparsely, while Chapman was frequently paired with Jones as a ratbag woman or with Idle portraying middle-class women commenting upon TV. Generally speaking, female roles were played by women only when the scene specifically required that the character be sexually attractive (although sometimes they used Idle for this). The troupe later turned to [[Carol Cleveland]], who co-starred in numerous episodes after 1970. In some episodes, and later in the stoning scene in ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian]]'', they took the idea one step further by playing women who impersonated men.<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Larsen \|first1=Darl \|title=A Book about the Film Monty Python's Life of Brian: All the References from Assyrians to Zeffirelli \|date=2018 \|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield \|page=80}}</ref>

	Many sketches are well-known and widely quoted. "[[Dead Parrot sketch]]", "[[The Lumberjack Song]]", "[[Spam (Monty Python)\|Spam]]" (which led to the coining of the term [[email spam]]),<ref>{{cite news\|title=How Spam Meat Has Survived Spam E-Mail\|url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-17/how-spam-meat-has-survived-spam-e-mail\|url-status=unfit\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519203835/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-17/how-spam-meat-has-survived-spam-e-mail\|archive-date=19 May 2012}}</ref> "[[Nudge Nudge]]", "[[The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)\|The Spanish Inquisition]]", "[[Upper Class Twit of the Year]]", "[[Cheese Shop sketch\|Cheese Shop]]", "[[The Ministry of Silly Walks]]", "[[Argument Clinic]]", "[[The Funniest Joke in the World]]" (a sketch referenced in [[Google Translate]]), and [[Four Yorkshiremen sketch]]" are just a few examples.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python's 10 funniest sketches \|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/what-to-see/monty-pythons-10-funniest-sketches/ \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/what-to-see/monty-pythons-10-funniest-sketches/ \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \|access-date=6 August 2019 \|newspaper=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Greatest skits"/> Most of the show’s sketches satirise areas of public life, such as: Dead Parrot (poor customer service), Silly Walks (bureaucratic inefficiency), Spam (ubiquity of [[Spam (food)\|Spam]] post World War II), and Four Yorkshiremen (nostalgic conversations).<ref name="Thomas"/><ref>McCabe, Bob (2005). ''The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman''. pp. 90–91. London: Orion Books</ref><ref>{{cite news \|title=Hamming it up \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/nov/05/food.arts \|access-date=23 August 2019 \|work=The Guardian}}</ref> Featuring regularly in skits, [[List of recurring Monty Python's Flying Circus characters#Gumbys\|Gumbys]] (characters of limited intelligence and vocabulary) were part of the Pythons' satirical view of television of the 1970s which condescendingly encouraged more involvement from the "man on the street".<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Landy \|first1=Marcia \|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus \|date=2005 \|publisher=Wayne State University Press \|page=97}}</ref>		Many sketches are well-known and widely quoted. "[[Dead Parrot sketch]]", "[[The Lumberjack Song]]", "[[Spam (Monty Python)\|Spam]]" (which led to the coining of the term [[w:email spam\|email spam]]),<ref>{{cite news\|title=How Spam Meat Has Survived Spam E-Mail\|url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-17/how-spam-meat-has-survived-spam-e-mail\|url-status=unfit\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519203835/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-17/how-spam-meat-has-survived-spam-e-mail\|archive-date=19 May 2012}}</ref> "[[Nudge Nudge]]", "[[The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)\|The Spanish Inquisition]]", "[[Upper Class Twit of the Year]]", "[[Cheese Shop sketch\|Cheese Shop]]", "[[The Ministry of Silly Walks]]", "[[Argument Clinic]]", "[[The Funniest Joke in the World]]" (a sketch referenced in [[Google Translate]]), and [[Four Yorkshiremen sketch]]" are just a few examples.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python's 10 funniest sketches \|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/what-to-see/monty-pythons-10-funniest-sketches/ \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/what-to-see/monty-pythons-10-funniest-sketches/ \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \|access-date=6 August 2019 \|newspaper=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Greatest skits"/> Most of the show’s sketches satirise areas of public life, such as: Dead Parrot (poor customer service), Silly Walks (bureaucratic inefficiency), Spam (ubiquity of [[w:Spam (food)\|Spam]] post World War II), and Four Yorkshiremen (nostalgic conversations).<ref name="Thomas"/><ref>McCabe, Bob (2005). ''The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman''. pp. 90–91. London: Orion Books</ref><ref>{{cite news \|title=Hamming it up \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/nov/05/food.arts \|access-date=23 August 2019 \|work=The Guardian}}</ref> Featuring regularly in skits, [[List of recurring Monty Python's Flying Circus characters#Gumbys\|Gumbys]] (characters of limited intelligence and vocabulary) were part of the Pythons' satirical view of television of the 1970s which condescendingly encouraged more involvement from the "man on the street".<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Landy \|first1=Marcia \|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus \|date=2005 \|publisher=Wayne State University Press \|page=97}}</ref>

	===Introduction to North America and the world===		===Introduction to North America and the world===

Kurt: /* Style of the show */

2022-09-30T16:53:49Z

Style of the show

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:53, 30 September 2022
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	===Style of the show===		===Style of the show===
	''Flying Circus'' popularised innovative formal techniques, such as the [[cold open]], in which an episode began without the traditional opening titles or announcements.<ref name=MBC_piece>{{cite web\|last=Museum of Broadcast Communications\|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus\|url=http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|access-date=6 January 2007\|archive-date=4 April 2006\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060404194447/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|url-status=dead}}</ref> An example of this is the "It's" man: Palin, outfitted in [[Robinson Crusoe]] garb, making a tortuous journey across various terrains, before finally approaching the camera to state, "It's ...", only to be then cut off by the [[title sequence]] and theme music. On several occasions, the cold open lasted until mid-show, after which the regular opening titles ran. Occasionally, the Pythons tricked viewers by rolling the [[closing credits]] halfway through the show, usually continuing the joke by fading to the familiar [[History of BBC television idents#BBC Television Service/BBC One\|globe logo]] used for BBC continuity, over which Cleese would parody the clipped tones of a BBC announcer.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python: a golden age of British comedy \|url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/monty-python-a-golden-age-of-british-comedy-1.371481 \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)\|The National]]}}</ref> On one occasion, the credits ran directly after the opening titles. On the [[subversive]] nature of the show (and their subsequent films), Cleese states "anti-authoritarianism was deeply ingrained in Python".<ref name="Goon influence"/>		[[File:Monty python foot.png\|thumb\|right\|[[The Foot of Cupid\|Cupid's foot]], as used by ''Monty Python's Flying Circus''. A trademark of Gilliam's stop-motion animation, the giant foot would suddenly squash things, including the show's title at the end of the opening credits.]]
			''Flying Circus'' popularised innovative formal techniques, such as the [[w:cold open\|cold open]], in which an episode began without the traditional opening titles or announcements.<ref name=MBC_piece>{{cite web\|last=Museum of Broadcast Communications\|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus\|url=http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|access-date=6 January 2007\|archive-date=4 April 2006\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060404194447/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|url-status=dead}}</ref> An example of this is the "It's" man: Palin, outfitted in [[Robinson Crusoe]] garb, making a tortuous journey across various terrains, before finally approaching the camera to state, "It's ...", only to be then cut off by the [[title sequence]] and theme music. On several occasions, the cold open lasted until mid-show, after which the regular opening titles ran. Occasionally, the Pythons tricked viewers by rolling the [[closing credits]] halfway through the show, usually continuing the joke by fading to the familiar [[History of BBC television idents#BBC Television Service/BBC One\|globe logo]] used for BBC continuity, over which Cleese would parody the clipped tones of a BBC announcer.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python: a golden age of British comedy \|url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/monty-python-a-golden-age-of-british-comedy-1.371481 \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)\|The National]]}}</ref> On one occasion, the credits ran directly after the opening titles. On the [[subversive]] nature of the show (and their subsequent films), Cleese states "anti-authoritarianism was deeply ingrained in Python".<ref name="Goon influence"/>

	{{Quote box\|width=29%\|bgcolor=#FFFFF0\|align=~~left~~\|quote="Our first rule was: no punchlines. [Some sketches] start brilliant, great acting, really funny sketch, but the punchline is just not as good as the rest of the sketch, so it kills the entire thing. That’s why we eliminated them."\|source=—Terry Gilliam in 2007.<ref name="25 sketches">{{cite news \|title=Top 25 Monty Python Sketches \|url=https://listverse.com/2007/11/03/top-25-monty-python-sketches/ \|access-date=26 April 2019 \|agency=ListVerse}}</ref>}}		{{Quote box\|width=29%\|bgcolor=#FFFFF0\|align=right\|quote="Our first rule was: no punchlines. [Some sketches] start brilliant, great acting, really funny sketch, but the punchline is just not as good as the rest of the sketch, so it kills the entire thing. That’s why we eliminated them."\|source=—Terry Gilliam in 2007.<ref name="25 sketches">{{cite news \|title=Top 25 Monty Python Sketches \|url=https://listverse.com/2007/11/03/top-25-monty-python-sketches/ \|access-date=26 April 2019 \|agency=ListVerse}}</ref>}}
	Because of their dislike of finishing with punchlines, they experimented with ending the sketches by cutting abruptly to another scene or animation, walking offstage, addressing the camera (breaking the [[fourth wall]]), or introducing a totally unrelated event or character. A classic example of this approach was the use of Chapman's "anti-silliness" character of "[[The Colonel (Monty Python)\|the Colonel]]", who walked into several sketches and ordered them to be stopped because things were becoming "far too silly".<ref>{{cite news\|first=William\|last=Langley\|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live\|title=Monty Python : Will the wrinkly revolutionaries have the last laugh?\|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]\|location=London, England\|date=5 July 2014\|access-date=15 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>		Because of their dislike of finishing with punchlines, they experimented with ending the sketches by cutting abruptly to another scene or animation, walking offstage, addressing the camera (breaking the [[fourth wall]]), or introducing a totally unrelated event or character. A classic example of this approach was the use of Chapman's "anti-silliness" character of "[[The Colonel (Monty Python)\|the Colonel]]", who walked into several sketches and ordered them to be stopped because things were becoming "far too silly".<ref>{{cite news\|first=William\|last=Langley\|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live\|title=Monty Python : Will the wrinkly revolutionaries have the last laugh?\|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]\|location=London, England\|date=5 July 2014\|access-date=15 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

	[[File:Monty python foot.png\|thumb\|right\|[[The Foot of Cupid\|Cupid's foot]], as used by ''Monty Python's Flying Circus''. A trademark of Gilliam's stop-motion animation, the giant foot would suddenly squash things, including the show's title at the end of the opening credits.]]

	Another favourite way of ending sketches was to drop a cartoonish "16-ton weight" prop on one of the characters when the sketch seemed to be losing momentum, or a knight in full armour (played by Terry Gilliam) would wander on-set and hit characters over the head with a rubber chicken,<ref>''Monty Python's Flying Circus Just The Words'' Volume 1, p. 33. Methuen, 1990</ref> before cutting to the next scene. Yet another way of changing scenes was when John Cleese, usually outfitted in a dinner suit, would come in as a radio commentator and, in a rather pompous manner, make the formal and determined announcement "And now for something completely different.", which later became the title of [[And Now For Something Completely Different\|the first Monty Python film]].<ref>{{cite news \|title=And Now For Something Completely Different \|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/and-now-for-something-completely-different-102005497/ \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=Smithsonian}}</ref>		Another favourite way of ending sketches was to drop a cartoonish "16-ton weight" prop on one of the characters when the sketch seemed to be losing momentum, or a knight in full armour (played by Terry Gilliam) would wander on-set and hit characters over the head with a rubber chicken,<ref>''Monty Python's Flying Circus Just The Words'' Volume 1, p. 33. Methuen, 1990</ref> before cutting to the next scene. Yet another way of changing scenes was when John Cleese, usually outfitted in a dinner suit, would come in as a radio commentator and, in a rather pompous manner, make the formal and determined announcement "And now for something completely different.", which later became the title of [[And Now For Something Completely Different\|the first Monty Python film]].<ref>{{cite news \|title=And Now For Something Completely Different \|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/and-now-for-something-completely-different-102005497/ \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=Smithsonian}}</ref>

Kurt: /* Development of the series */

2022-09-30T16:51:19Z

Development of the series

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:51, 30 September 2022
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	===Development of the series===		===Development of the series===
			[[File:Monty Python Live 02-07-14 12 56 41 (14415567757).jpg\|thumb\|"[[The Ministry of Silly Walks]]" sketch performed at the 2014 Python reunion. Featuring Cleese as a [[w:bowler hat\|bowler-hatted]] [[w:civil servant\|civil servant]] in a fictitious British government ministry responsible for developing silly walks through [[w:Grant (money)\|grants]], it appears in season 2, episode 1 of ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]''.]]
	The Pythons had a definite idea about what they wanted to do with the series. They were admirers of the work of [[Peter Cook]], [[Alan Bennett]], [[Jonathan Miller]], and [[Dudley Moore]] on ''[[Beyond the Fringe]]''—seminal to the British "[[satire boom]]"—and had worked on ''Frost'', which was similar in style.<ref>[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1377417/index.html "The Roots of Monty Python"]. BFI Screenonline. Retrieved 23 January 2013</ref> They enjoyed Cook and Moore's sketch show ''[[Not Only... But Also]]''. One problem the Pythons perceived with these programmes was that though the body of the sketch would be strong, the writers would often struggle to then find a punchline funny enough to end on, and this would detract from the overall sketch quality. They decided that they would simply not bother to "cap" their sketches in the traditional manner, and early episodes of the ''Flying Circus'' series make great play of this abandonment of the punchline (one scene has Cleese turn to Idle, as the sketch descends into chaos, and remark that "This is the silliest sketch I've ever been in"—they all resolve not to carry on and simply walk off the set).<ref>[http://www.montypython.net/scripts/silliest.php "The Silliest Interview We've Ever Had / The Silliest Sketch We've Ever Done"]. MontyPython.net. Retrieved 23 January 2013</ref> However, as they began assembling material for the show, the Pythons watched one of their collective heroes, [[Spike Milligan]], whom they had admired on ''[[The Goon Show]]'' (a show the Pythons regard as their biggest influence, which also featured [[Peter Sellers]], whom Cleese called "the greatest voice man of all time") recording his groundbreaking BBC series ''[[Q... (TV series)\|Q...]]'' (1969).<ref name="Goon influence">{{cite news \|title=John Cleese on The Goon Show, His Earliest Comedy Influence \|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/07/talking-peter-sellers-and-the-goon-show-with-john-cleese.html \|access-date=10 September 2019 \|work=Vulture}}</ref><ref>{{cite news \|title=How Spike Milligan's Q Paved the Way for Monty Python \|url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/06/spike-milligan-q-comedy-show-monty-python.html \|access-date=21 August 2019 \|work=Vulture}}</ref> Not only was ''Q...'' more irreverent and anarchic than any previous [[television comedy]], but Milligan also would often "give up" on sketches halfway through and wander off set (often muttering "Did I write this?"). It was clear that their new series would now seem less original, and Jones in particular became determined the Pythons should innovate. Michael Palin recalls "Terry Jones and I adored the ''Q...'' shows...[Milligan] was the first writer to play with the conventions of television."<ref name="MilliganHisPartInOurLives">{{cite book\|last=Ventham\|first=Maxine\|title=Spike Milligan: His Part in Our Lives\|chapter=Michael Palin\|year=2002\|publisher=Robson\|isbn=1-86105-530-7\|pages=156–159}} (quote at (a), p. 157)</ref>		The Pythons had a definite idea about what they wanted to do with the series. They were admirers of the work of [[Peter Cook]], [[Alan Bennett]], [[Jonathan Miller]], and [[Dudley Moore]] on ''[[Beyond the Fringe]]''—seminal to the British "[[satire boom]]"—and had worked on ''Frost'', which was similar in style.<ref>[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1377417/index.html "The Roots of Monty Python"]. BFI Screenonline. Retrieved 23 January 2013</ref> They enjoyed Cook and Moore's sketch show ''[[Not Only... But Also]]''. One problem the Pythons perceived with these programmes was that though the body of the sketch would be strong, the writers would often struggle to then find a punchline funny enough to end on, and this would detract from the overall sketch quality. They decided that they would simply not bother to "cap" their sketches in the traditional manner, and early episodes of the ''Flying Circus'' series make great play of this abandonment of the punchline (one scene has Cleese turn to Idle, as the sketch descends into chaos, and remark that "This is the silliest sketch I've ever been in"—they all resolve not to carry on and simply walk off the set).<ref>[http://www.montypython.net/scripts/silliest.php "The Silliest Interview We've Ever Had / The Silliest Sketch We've Ever Done"]. MontyPython.net. Retrieved 23 January 2013</ref> However, as they began assembling material for the show, the Pythons watched one of their collective heroes, [[Spike Milligan]], whom they had admired on ''[[The Goon Show]]'' (a show the Pythons regard as their biggest influence, which also featured [[Peter Sellers]], whom Cleese called "the greatest voice man of all time") recording his groundbreaking BBC series ''[[Q... (TV series)\|Q...]]'' (1969).<ref name="Goon influence">{{cite news \|title=John Cleese on The Goon Show, His Earliest Comedy Influence \|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/07/talking-peter-sellers-and-the-goon-show-with-john-cleese.html \|access-date=10 September 2019 \|work=Vulture}}</ref><ref>{{cite news \|title=How Spike Milligan's Q Paved the Way for Monty Python \|url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/06/spike-milligan-q-comedy-show-monty-python.html \|access-date=21 August 2019 \|work=Vulture}}</ref> Not only was ''Q...'' more irreverent and anarchic than any previous [[television comedy]], but Milligan also would often "give up" on sketches halfway through and wander off set (often muttering "Did I write this?"). It was clear that their new series would now seem less original, and Jones in particular became determined the Pythons should innovate. Michael Palin recalls "Terry Jones and I adored the ''Q...'' shows...[Milligan] was the first writer to play with the conventions of television."<ref name="MilliganHisPartInOurLives">{{cite book\|last=Ventham\|first=Maxine\|title=Spike Milligan: His Part in Our Lives\|chapter=Michael Palin\|year=2002\|publisher=Robson\|isbn=1-86105-530-7\|pages=156–159}} (quote at (a), p. 157)</ref>

	[[File:Monty Python Live 02-07-14 12 56 41 (14415567757).jpg\|thumb\|"[[The Ministry of Silly Walks]]" sketch performed at the 2014 Python reunion. Featuring Cleese as a [[bowler hat\|bowler-hatted]] [[civil servant]] in a fictitious British government ministry responsible for developing silly walks through [[Grant (money)\|grants]], it appears in season 2, episode 1 of ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]''.]]
	After much debate, Jones remembered an animation Gilliam had created for ''Do Not Adjust Your Set'' called "Beware of the Elephants", which had intrigued him with its stream-of-consciousness style. Jones felt it would be a good concept to apply to the series: allowing sketches to blend into one another. Palin had been equally fascinated by another of Gilliam's efforts, entitled "Christmas Cards", and agreed that it represented "a way of doing things differently". Since Cleese, Chapman, and Idle were less concerned with the overall flow of the programme, Jones, Palin, and Gilliam became largely responsible for the presentation style of the ''Flying Circus'' series, in which disparate sketches are linked to give each episode the appearance of a single [[stream-of-consciousness]] (often using a Gilliam animation to move from the closing image of one sketch to the opening scene of another).<ref name="Gilliam animation"/> The BBC states, "Gilliam's unique animation style became crucial, segueing seamlessly between any two completely unrelated ideas and making the stream-of-consciousness work."<ref name="Circus profile">{{cite news \|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus \|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/montypython/ \|access-date=24 August 2019 \|agency=BBC}}</ref>		After much debate, Jones remembered an animation Gilliam had created for ''Do Not Adjust Your Set'' called "Beware of the Elephants", which had intrigued him with its stream-of-consciousness style. Jones felt it would be a good concept to apply to the series: allowing sketches to blend into one another. Palin had been equally fascinated by another of Gilliam's efforts, entitled "Christmas Cards", and agreed that it represented "a way of doing things differently". Since Cleese, Chapman, and Idle were less concerned with the overall flow of the programme, Jones, Palin, and Gilliam became largely responsible for the presentation style of the ''Flying Circus'' series, in which disparate sketches are linked to give each episode the appearance of a single [[stream-of-consciousness]] (often using a Gilliam animation to move from the closing image of one sketch to the opening scene of another).<ref name="Gilliam animation"/> The BBC states, "Gilliam's unique animation style became crucial, segueing seamlessly between any two completely unrelated ideas and making the stream-of-consciousness work."<ref name="Circus profile">{{cite news \|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus \|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/montypython/ \|access-date=24 August 2019 \|agency=BBC}}</ref>

	Writing started at 9 am and finished at 5 pm. Typically, Cleese and Chapman worked as one pair isolated from the others, as did Jones and Palin, while Idle wrote alone. After a few days, they would join with Gilliam, critique their scripts, and exchange ideas. Their approach to writing was democratic. If the majority found an idea humorous, it was included in the show. The casting of roles for the sketches was a similarly unselfish process, since each member viewed himself primarily as a "writer", rather than an actor eager for screen time. When the themes for sketches were chosen, Gilliam had a free hand in bridging them with animations, using a camera, scissors, and airbrush.<ref name="Gilliam animation"/>		Writing started at 9 am and finished at 5 pm. Typically, Cleese and Chapman worked as one pair isolated from the others, as did Jones and Palin, while Idle wrote alone. After a few days, they would join with Gilliam, critique their scripts, and exchange ideas. Their approach to writing was democratic. If the majority found an idea humorous, it was included in the show. The casting of roles for the sketches was a similarly unselfish process, since each member viewed himself primarily as a "writer", rather than an actor eager for screen time. When the themes for sketches were chosen, Gilliam had a free hand in bridging them with animations, using a camera, scissors, and airbrush.<ref name="Gilliam animation"/>

	[[file:Monty_Python_Live_02-07-14_12_46_43_(14415411808).jpg\|thumb\|~~left~~\|Gilliam, Palin and Jones performing "[[The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)\|The Spanish Inquisition]]" sketch during the 2014 Python reunion. As a sketch writer and creator of the animations, Gilliam did considerably less acting, although he did have some notable sketch roles such as this (Cardinal Fang).]]		[[file:Monty_Python_Live_02-07-14_12_46_43_(14415411808).jpg\|thumb\|right\|Gilliam, Palin and Jones performing "[[The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)\|The Spanish Inquisition]]" sketch during the 2014 Python reunion. As a sketch writer and creator of the animations, Gilliam did considerably less acting, although he did have some notable sketch roles such as this (Cardinal Fang).]]
	While the show was a collaborative process, different factions within Python were responsible for elements of the team's humour. In general, the work of the Oxford-educated members (Jones and Palin) was more visual, and more fanciful conceptually (e.g., the arrival of the [[Spanish Inquisition]] in a suburban front room), while the Cambridge graduates' sketches tended to be more verbal and more aggressive (for example, Cleese and Chapman's many "confrontation" sketches, where one character intimidates or hurls abuse, or Idle's characters with bizarre verbal quirks, such as "The Man Who Speaks In [[~~Anagram~~]]s"). Cleese confirmed that "most of the sketches with heavy abuse were Graham's and mine, anything that started with a slow pan across countryside and impressive music was Mike and Terry's, and anything that got utterly involved with words and disappeared up any personal orifice was Eric's".<ref>Wilmut (1980), p. 211</ref> Gilliam's animations ranged from the whimsical to the savage (the cartoon format allowing him to create some astonishingly violent scenes without fear of censorship).<ref name="Gilliam animation"/>		While the show was a collaborative process, different factions within Python were responsible for elements of the team's humour. In general, the work of the Oxford-educated members (Jones and Palin) was more visual, and more fanciful conceptually (e.g., the arrival of the [[w:Spanish Inquisition\|Spanish Inquisition]] in a suburban front room), while the Cambridge graduates' sketches tended to be more verbal and more aggressive (for example, Cleese and Chapman's many "confrontation" sketches, where one character intimidates or hurls abuse, or Idle's characters with bizarre verbal quirks, such as "The Man Who Speaks In [[w:anagram\|anagram]]s"). Cleese confirmed that "most of the sketches with heavy abuse were Graham's and mine, anything that started with a slow pan across countryside and impressive music was Mike and Terry's, and anything that got utterly involved with words and disappeared up any personal orifice was Eric's".<ref>Wilmut (1980), p. 211</ref> Gilliam's animations ranged from the whimsical to the savage (the cartoon format allowing him to create some astonishingly violent scenes without fear of censorship).<ref name="Gilliam animation"/>

	Several names for the show were considered before ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' was settled upon. Some were ''Owl Stretching Time'', ''The Toad Elevating Moment'', ''A Horse, a Spoon and a Bucket'', ''Vaseline Review'', and ''Bun, Wackett, Buzzard, Stubble and Boot''. ''Flying Circus'' stuck when the BBC explained it had printed that name in its schedules and was not prepared to amend it. Many variations on the name in front of this title then came and went (popular legend holds that the BBC considered ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' to be a ridiculous name, at which point the group threatened to change their name every week until the BBC relented). ''Gwen Dibley's Flying Circus'' was named after a woman Palin had read about in the newspaper, thinking it would be amusing if she were to discover she had her own TV show. ''Baron Von Took's Flying Circus'' was considered as an affectionate tribute to [[Barry Took]], the man who had brought them together.<ref>{{cite news\| first= Douglas \|last= Martin \|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/14/nyregion/barry-took-73-father-of-monty-python-dies.html \|title= Barry Took, 73, Father of Monty Python, Dies\| work= [[The New York Times]]\| date= 14 April 2002\| access-date= 1 May 2015}}</ref> ''Arthur Megapode's Flying Circus'' was suggested, then discarded. The name ''Baron Von Took's Flying Circus'' had the form of ''[[Baron Manfred von Richthofen]]'s [[Manfred von Richthofen#Flying Circus\|Flying Circus]]'' of WWI fame, and the new group was forming in a time when the [[Royal Guardsmen]]'s 1966 song "[[Snoopy vs. the Red Baron (song)\|Snoopy vs. the Red Baron]]" had peaked. The term 'flying circus' was also another name for the popular entertainment of the 1920s known as [[flying circus\|barnstorming]], where multiple performers collaborated with their stunts to perform a combined set of acts.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus – Four Yorkshiremen \|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/02/monty-pythons-flying-circus-four-yorkshiremen.html \|access-date=21 August 2019 \|work=[[Paste (magazine)\|Paste]]}}</ref>		Several names for the show were considered before ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' was settled upon. Some were ''Owl Stretching Time'', ''The Toad Elevating Moment'', ''A Horse, a Spoon and a Bucket'', ''Vaseline Review'', and ''Bun, Wackett, Buzzard, Stubble and Boot''. ''Flying Circus'' stuck when the BBC explained it had printed that name in its schedules and was not prepared to amend it. Many variations on the name in front of this title then came and went (popular legend holds that the BBC considered ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' to be a ridiculous name, at which point the group threatened to change their name every week until the BBC relented). ''Gwen Dibley's Flying Circus'' was named after a woman Palin had read about in the newspaper, thinking it would be amusing if she were to discover she had her own TV show. ''Baron Von Took's Flying Circus'' was considered as an affectionate tribute to [[Barry Took]], the man who had brought them together.<ref>{{cite news\| first= Douglas \|last= Martin \|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/14/nyregion/barry-took-73-father-of-monty-python-dies.html \|title= Barry Took, 73, Father of Monty Python, Dies\| work= [[The New York Times]]\| date= 14 April 2002\| access-date= 1 May 2015}}</ref> ''Arthur Megapode's Flying Circus'' was suggested, then discarded. The name ''Baron Von Took's Flying Circus'' had the form of ''[[Baron Manfred von Richthofen]]'s [[Manfred von Richthofen#Flying Circus\|Flying Circus]]'' of WWI fame, and the new group was forming in a time when the [[Royal Guardsmen]]'s 1966 song "[[Snoopy vs. the Red Baron (song)\|Snoopy vs. the Red Baron]]" had peaked. The term 'flying circus' was also another name for the popular entertainment of the 1920s known as [[flying circus\|barnstorming]], where multiple performers collaborated with their stunts to perform a combined set of acts.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus – Four Yorkshiremen \|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/02/monty-pythons-flying-circus-four-yorkshiremen.html \|access-date=21 August 2019 \|work=[[Paste (magazine)\|Paste]]}}</ref>

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en>Pkgrabowski: /* Monty Python Live (Mostly): One Down, Five to Go */ as seen at the video, available on youtube

2022-07-13T06:34:24Z

Monty Python Live (Mostly): One Down, Five to Go: as seen at the video, available on youtube

Show changes

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:00, 30 September 2022
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	===Style of the show===		===Style of the show===
	[[File:Monty python foot.png\|thumb\|right\|[[The Foot of Cupid\|Cupid's foot]], as used by ''Monty Python's Flying Circus''. A trademark of Gilliam's stop-motion animation, the giant foot would suddenly squash things, including the show's title at the end of the opening credits.]]		[[File:Monty python foot.png\|thumb\|right\|[[The Foot of Cupid\|Cupid's foot]], as used by ''Monty Python's Flying Circus''. A trademark of Gilliam's stop-motion animation, the giant foot would suddenly squash things, including the show's title at the end of the opening credits.]]
	''Flying Circus'' popularised innovative formal techniques, such as the [[w:cold open\|cold open]], in which an episode began without the traditional opening titles or announcements.<ref name=MBC_piece>{{cite web\|last=Museum of Broadcast Communications\|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus\|url=http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|access-date=6 January 2007\|archive-date=4 April 2006\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060404194447/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|url-status=dead}}</ref> An example of this is the "It's" man: Palin, outfitted in [[Robinson Crusoe]] garb, making a tortuous journey across various terrains, before finally approaching the camera to state, "It's ...", only to be then cut off by the [[title sequence]] and theme music. On several occasions, the cold open lasted until mid-show, after which the regular opening titles ran. Occasionally, the Pythons tricked viewers by rolling the [[closing credits]] halfway through the show, usually continuing the joke by fading to the familiar [[History of BBC television idents#BBC Television Service/BBC One\|globe logo]] used for BBC continuity, over which Cleese would parody the clipped tones of a BBC announcer.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python: a golden age of British comedy \|url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/monty-python-a-golden-age-of-british-comedy-1.371481 \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)\|The National]]}}</ref> On one occasion, the credits ran directly after the opening titles. On the [[subversive]] nature of the show (and their subsequent films), Cleese states "anti-authoritarianism was deeply ingrained in Python".<ref name="Goon influence"/>		''Flying Circus'' popularised innovative formal techniques, such as the [[w:cold open\|cold open]], in which an episode began without the traditional opening titles or announcements.<ref name=MBC_piece>{{cite web\|last=Museum of Broadcast Communications\|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus\|url=http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|access-date=6 January 2007\|archive-date=4 April 2006\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060404194447/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|url-status=dead}}</ref> An example of this is the "It's" man: Palin, outfitted in [[w:Robinson Crusoe\|Robinson Crusoe]] garb, making a tortuous journey across various terrains, before finally approaching the camera to state, "It's ...", only to be then cut off by the [[w:title sequence\|title sequence]] and theme music. On several occasions, the cold open lasted until mid-show, after which the regular opening titles ran. Occasionally, the Pythons tricked viewers by rolling the [[closing credits]] halfway through the show, usually continuing the joke by fading to the familiar [[w:History of BBC television idents#BBC Television Service/BBC One\|globe logo]] used for BBC continuity, over which Cleese would parody the clipped tones of a BBC announcer.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python: a golden age of British comedy \|url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/monty-python-a-golden-age-of-british-comedy-1.371481 \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=[[w:The National (Abu Dhabi)\|The National]]}}</ref> On one occasion, the credits ran directly after the opening titles. On the [[w:subversive\|subversive]] nature of the show (and their subsequent films), Cleese states "anti-authoritarianism was deeply ingrained in Python".<ref name="Goon influence"/>

	{{Quote box\|width=29%\|bgcolor=#FFFFF0\|align=right\|quote="Our first rule was: no punchlines. [Some sketches] start brilliant, great acting, really funny sketch, but the punchline is just not as good as the rest of the sketch, so it kills the entire thing. That’s why we eliminated them."\|source=—Terry Gilliam in 2007.<ref name="25 sketches">{{cite news \|title=Top 25 Monty Python Sketches \|url=https://listverse.com/2007/11/03/top-25-monty-python-sketches/ \|access-date=26 April 2019 \|agency=ListVerse}}</ref>}}		{{Quote box\|width=29%\|bgcolor=#FFFFF0\|align=right\|quote="Our first rule was: no punchlines. [Some sketches] start brilliant, great acting, really funny sketch, but the punchline is just not as good as the rest of the sketch, so it kills the entire thing. That’s why we eliminated them."\|source=—Terry Gilliam in 2007.<ref name="25 sketches">{{cite news \|title=Top 25 Monty Python Sketches \|url=https://listverse.com/2007/11/03/top-25-monty-python-sketches/ \|access-date=26 April 2019 \|agency=ListVerse}}</ref>}}
	Because of their dislike of finishing with punchlines, they experimented with ending the sketches by cutting abruptly to another scene or animation, walking offstage, addressing the camera (breaking the [[fourth wall]]), or introducing a totally unrelated event or character. A classic example of this approach was the use of Chapman's "anti-silliness" character of "[[The Colonel (Monty Python)\|the Colonel]]", who walked into several sketches and ordered them to be stopped because things were becoming "far too silly".<ref>{{cite news\|first=William\|last=Langley\|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live\|title=Monty Python : Will the wrinkly revolutionaries have the last laugh?\|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]\|location=London, England\|date=5 July 2014\|access-date=15 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
			Because of their dislike of finishing with punchlines, they experimented with ending the sketches by cutting abruptly to another scene or animation, walking offstage, addressing the camera (breaking the [[w:fourth wall\|fourth wall]]), or introducing a totally unrelated event or character. A classic example of this approach was the use of Chapman's "anti-silliness" character of "[[The Colonel (Monty Python)\|the Colonel]]", who walked into several sketches and ordered them to be stopped because things were becoming "far too silly".<ref>{{cite news\|first=William\|last=Langley\|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live\|title=Monty Python : Will the wrinkly revolutionaries have the last laugh?\|newspaper=[[w:The Daily Telegraph\|The Daily Telegraph]]\|location=London, England\|date=5 July 2014\|access-date=15 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

	Another favourite way of ending sketches was to drop a cartoonish "16-ton weight" prop on one of the characters when the sketch seemed to be losing momentum, or a knight in full armour (played by Terry Gilliam) would wander on-set and hit characters over the head with a rubber chicken,<ref>''Monty Python's Flying Circus Just The Words'' Volume 1, p. 33. Methuen, 1990</ref> before cutting to the next scene. Yet another way of changing scenes was when John Cleese, usually outfitted in a dinner suit, would come in as a radio commentator and, in a rather pompous manner, make the formal and determined announcement "And now for something completely different.", which later became the title of [[And Now For Something Completely Different\|the first Monty Python film]].<ref>{{cite news \|title=And Now For Something Completely Different \|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/and-now-for-something-completely-different-102005497/ \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=Smithsonian}}</ref>		Another favourite way of ending sketches was to drop a cartoonish "16-ton weight" prop on one of the characters when the sketch seemed to be losing momentum, or a knight in full armour (played by Terry Gilliam) would wander on-set and hit characters over the head with a rubber chicken,<ref>''Monty Python's Flying Circus Just The Words'' Volume 1, p. 33. Methuen, 1990</ref> before cutting to the next scene. Yet another way of changing scenes was when John Cleese, usually outfitted in a dinner suit, would come in as a radio commentator and, in a rather pompous manner, make the formal and determined announcement "And now for something completely different.", which later became the title of [[And Now For Something Completely Different\|the first Monty Python film]].<ref>{{cite news \|title=And Now For Something Completely Different \|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/and-now-for-something-completely-different-102005497/ \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=Smithsonian}}</ref>

	The Python [[theme music]] is the [[Band of the Grenadier Guards]]' rendition of [[John Philip Sousa]]'s "[[The Liberty Bell (march)\|The Liberty Bell]]" which was first published in 1893.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=nlDOICBmhbkC&pg=PA1295&lpg=PA1295&dq=band+of+the+grenadier+guards+monty+python%27s+flying+circus+the+liberty+bell&source=bl&ots=304YKKuc2Q&sig=z-YMEIxEKJn3XdYqXnV8nQvLlQQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwib8eyoz5_ZAhUIzIMKHZYlBMMQ6AEIfDAT#v=onepage&q=band%20of%20the%20grenadier%20guards%20monty%20python's%20flying%20circus%20the%20liberty%20bell&f=false ''All Music Guide to Classical Music: The Definitive Guide to Classical Music''. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books, 2005.] Retrieved 11 February 2018</ref> Under the [[Berne Convention]]'s "country of origin" concept, the composition was subject to [[Copyright law of the United States\|United States copyright law]] which states that any work first published prior to 1924 was in the [[public domain]], owing to copyright expiration.<ref>[https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States – Cornell University Library Copyright Information Center.] Retrieved 11 February 2018</ref> This enabled Gilliam to co-opt the march for the series without having to make any [[royalty payment]]s.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/jul/11/monty-python-and-classical-music Clark, Philip. "Monty Python: Sousa, two-sheds and musical subversions," ''The Guardian'', Friday, 11 July 2014.] Retrieved 12 February 2018</ref>		The Python [[w:theme music\|theme music]] is the [[w:Band of the Grenadier Guards\|Band of the Grenadier Guards]]' rendition of [[w:John Philip Sousa\|John Philip Sousa]]'s "[[w:The Liberty Bell (march)\|The Liberty Bell]]" which was first published in 1893.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=nlDOICBmhbkC&pg=PA1295&lpg=PA1295&dq=band+of+the+grenadier+guards+monty+python%27s+flying+circus+the+liberty+bell&source=bl&ots=304YKKuc2Q&sig=z-YMEIxEKJn3XdYqXnV8nQvLlQQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwib8eyoz5_ZAhUIzIMKHZYlBMMQ6AEIfDAT#v=onepage&q=band%20of%20the%20grenadier%20guards%20monty%20python's%20flying%20circus%20the%20liberty%20bell&f=false ''All Music Guide to Classical Music: The Definitive Guide to Classical Music''. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books, 2005.] Retrieved 11 February 2018</ref> Under the [[w:Berne Convention\|Berne Convention]]'s "country of origin" concept, the composition was subject to [[w:Copyright law of the United States\|United States copyright law]] which states that any work first published prior to 1924 was in the [[w:public domain\|public domain]], owing to copyright expiration.<ref>[https://copyright.cornell.edu/publicdomain Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States – Cornell University Library Copyright Information Center.] Retrieved 11 February 2018</ref> This enabled Gilliam to co-opt the march for the series without having to make any [[w:royalty payment\|royalty payment]]s.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/jul/11/monty-python-and-classical-music Clark, Philip. "Monty Python: Sousa, two-sheds and musical subversions," ''The Guardian'', Friday, 11 July 2014.] Retrieved 12 February 2018</ref>

			[[File:Monty Python Live 02-07-14 12 24 16 (14598681721).jpg\|thumb\|right\|Jones and Cleese as housewives in the 2014 reunion. Playing Brian Cohen's mother in ''Life of Brian'', Jones delivered the line, "He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!".<ref>{{cite news \|title=Life of Brian wins the vote for film's best laughter line \|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385293/Life-of-Brian-wins-the-vote-for-films-best-laughter-line.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385293/Life-of-Brian-wins-the-vote-for-films-best-laughter-line.html \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \|access-date=18 August 2019 \|work=The Telegraph\|quote=Delivering the winning line to a crowd hoping to catch a glimpse of their idol, he declared: "He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy."}}{{cbignore}}</ref>]]

	[[File:Monty Python Live 02-07-14 12 24 16 (14598681721).jpg\|thumb\|left\|Jones and Cleese as housewives in the 2014 reunion. Playing Brian Cohen's mother in ''Life of Brian'', Jones delivered the line, "He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!".<ref>{{cite news \|title=Life of Brian wins the vote for film's best laughter line \|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385293/Life-of-Brian-wins-the-vote-for-films-best-laughter-line.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385293/Life-of-Brian-wins-the-vote-for-films-best-laughter-line.html \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \|access-date=18 August 2019 \|work=The Telegraph\|quote=Delivering the winning line to a crowd hoping to catch a glimpse of their idol, he declared: "He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy."}}{{cbignore}}</ref>]]		The use of Gilliam's [[w:Surrealism\|surreal]], [[w:collage\|collage]] [[w:stop motion\|stop motion]] animations was another innovative intertextual element of the Python style.<ref name="Gilliam animation">{{cite news \|title=Terry Gilliam Reveals the Secrets of Monty Python Animations: A 1974 How-To Guide \|url=http://www.openculture.com/2014/07/terry-gilliam-reveals-the-secrets-of-monty-python-animations.html \|access-date=18 August 2019 \|work=Open Culture}}</ref> Many of the images Gilliam used were lifted from famous works of art, and from [[w:Victorian era\|Victorian]] illustrations and [[engraving]]s. The giant foot which crushes the show's title at the end of the opening credits is in fact the foot of [[w:Cupid\|Cupid]], cut from a reproduction of the [[w:Italian Renaissance\|Renaissance]] masterpiece ''[[w:Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time\|Venus]]'' by [[w:Bronzino\|Bronzino]]. This foot, and Gilliam's style in general, are [[trademark look\|visual trademarks]] of the programme.<ref name="Gilliam animation"/>
	The use of Gilliam's [[Surrealism\|surreal]], [[collage]] [[stop motion]] animations was another innovative intertextual element of the Python style.<ref name="Gilliam animation">{{cite news \|title=Terry Gilliam Reveals the Secrets of Monty Python Animations: A 1974 How-To Guide \|url=http://www.openculture.com/2014/07/terry-gilliam-reveals-the-secrets-of-monty-python-animations.html \|access-date=18 August 2019 \|work=Open Culture}}</ref> Many of the images Gilliam used were lifted from famous works of art, and from [[Victorian era\|Victorian]] illustrations and [[engraving]]s. The giant foot which crushes the show's title at the end of the opening credits is in fact the foot of [[Cupid]], cut from a reproduction of the [[Italian Renaissance\|Renaissance]] masterpiece ''[[Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time]]'' by [[Bronzino]]. This foot, and Gilliam's style in general, are [[trademark look\|visual trademarks]] of the programme.<ref name="Gilliam animation"/>

	The Pythons used the British tradition of [[cross-dressing]] comedy by donning frocks and makeup and playing female roles themselves while speaking in [[falsetto]].<ref>{{cite news \|title=Cross-Dressing and Fish-Slapping, One Python at a Time \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/22/arts/television/crossdressing-and-fishslapping-one-python-at-a-time.html \|access-date=26 April 2019 \|agency=New York Times}}</ref> Jones specialised in playing the working-class housewife, or "ratbag old women" as termed by the BBC.<ref name="Circus profile"/> Palin and Idle generally played the role more posh, with Idle playing more feminine women.<ref name="Circus profile"/> Cleese played female roles more sparsely, while Chapman was frequently paired with Jones as a ratbag woman or with Idle portraying middle-class women commenting upon TV. Generally speaking, female roles were played by women only when the scene specifically required that the character be sexually attractive (although sometimes they used Idle for this). The troupe later turned to [[Carol Cleveland]], who co-starred in numerous episodes after 1970. In some episodes, and later in the stoning scene in ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian]]'', they took the idea one step further by playing women who impersonated men.<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Larsen \|first1=Darl \|title=A Book about the Film Monty Python's Life of Brian: All the References from Assyrians to Zeffirelli \|date=2018 \|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield \|page=80}}</ref>		The Pythons used the British tradition of [[cross-dressing]] comedy by donning frocks and makeup and playing female roles themselves while speaking in [[w:falsetto\|falsetto]].<ref>{{cite news \|title=Cross-Dressing and Fish-Slapping, One Python at a Time \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/22/arts/television/crossdressing-and-fishslapping-one-python-at-a-time.html \|access-date=26 April 2019 \|agency=New York Times}}</ref> Jones specialised in playing the working-class housewife, or "ratbag old women" as termed by the BBC.<ref name="Circus profile"/> Palin and Idle generally played the role more posh, with Idle playing more feminine women.<ref name="Circus profile"/> Cleese played female roles more sparsely, while Chapman was frequently paired with Jones as a ratbag woman or with Idle portraying middle-class women commenting upon TV. Generally speaking, female roles were played by women only when the scene specifically required that the character be sexually attractive (although sometimes they used Idle for this). The troupe later turned to [[Carol Cleveland]], who co-starred in numerous episodes after 1970. In some episodes, and later in the stoning scene in ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian]]'', they took the idea one step further by playing women who impersonated men.<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Larsen \|first1=Darl \|title=A Book about the Film Monty Python's Life of Brian: All the References from Assyrians to Zeffirelli \|date=2018 \|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield \|page=80}}</ref>

	Many sketches are well-known and widely quoted. "[[Dead Parrot sketch]]", "[[The Lumberjack Song]]", "[[Spam (Monty Python)\|Spam]]" (which led to the coining of the term [[email spam]]),<ref>{{cite news\|title=How Spam Meat Has Survived Spam E-Mail\|url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-17/how-spam-meat-has-survived-spam-e-mail\|url-status=unfit\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519203835/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-17/how-spam-meat-has-survived-spam-e-mail\|archive-date=19 May 2012}}</ref> "[[Nudge Nudge]]", "[[The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)\|The Spanish Inquisition]]", "[[Upper Class Twit of the Year]]", "[[Cheese Shop sketch\|Cheese Shop]]", "[[The Ministry of Silly Walks]]", "[[Argument Clinic]]", "[[The Funniest Joke in the World]]" (a sketch referenced in [[Google Translate]]), and [[Four Yorkshiremen sketch]]" are just a few examples.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python's 10 funniest sketches \|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/what-to-see/monty-pythons-10-funniest-sketches/ \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/what-to-see/monty-pythons-10-funniest-sketches/ \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \|access-date=6 August 2019 \|newspaper=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Greatest skits"/> Most of the show’s sketches satirise areas of public life, such as: Dead Parrot (poor customer service), Silly Walks (bureaucratic inefficiency), Spam (ubiquity of [[Spam (food)\|Spam]] post World War II), and Four Yorkshiremen (nostalgic conversations).<ref name="Thomas"/><ref>McCabe, Bob (2005). ''The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman''. pp. 90–91. London: Orion Books</ref><ref>{{cite news \|title=Hamming it up \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/nov/05/food.arts \|access-date=23 August 2019 \|work=The Guardian}}</ref> Featuring regularly in skits, [[List of recurring Monty Python's Flying Circus characters#Gumbys\|Gumbys]] (characters of limited intelligence and vocabulary) were part of the Pythons' satirical view of television of the 1970s which condescendingly encouraged more involvement from the "man on the street".<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Landy \|first1=Marcia \|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus \|date=2005 \|publisher=Wayne State University Press \|page=97}}</ref>		Many sketches are well-known and widely quoted. "[[Dead Parrot sketch]]", "[[The Lumberjack Song]]", "[[Spam (Monty Python)\|Spam]]" (which led to the coining of the term [[w:email spam\|email spam]]),<ref>{{cite news\|title=How Spam Meat Has Survived Spam E-Mail\|url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-17/how-spam-meat-has-survived-spam-e-mail\|url-status=unfit\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519203835/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-17/how-spam-meat-has-survived-spam-e-mail\|archive-date=19 May 2012}}</ref> "[[Nudge Nudge]]", "[[The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)\|The Spanish Inquisition]]", "[[Upper Class Twit of the Year]]", "[[Cheese Shop sketch\|Cheese Shop]]", "[[The Ministry of Silly Walks]]", "[[Argument Clinic]]", "[[The Funniest Joke in the World]]" (a sketch referenced in [[Google Translate]]), and [[Four Yorkshiremen sketch]]" are just a few examples.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python's 10 funniest sketches \|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/what-to-see/monty-pythons-10-funniest-sketches/ \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/what-to-see/monty-pythons-10-funniest-sketches/ \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \|access-date=6 August 2019 \|newspaper=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Greatest skits"/> Most of the show’s sketches satirise areas of public life, such as: Dead Parrot (poor customer service), Silly Walks (bureaucratic inefficiency), Spam (ubiquity of [[w:Spam (food)\|Spam]] post World War II), and Four Yorkshiremen (nostalgic conversations).<ref name="Thomas"/><ref>McCabe, Bob (2005). ''The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman''. pp. 90–91. London: Orion Books</ref><ref>{{cite news \|title=Hamming it up \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/nov/05/food.arts \|access-date=23 August 2019 \|work=The Guardian}}</ref> Featuring regularly in skits, [[List of recurring Monty Python's Flying Circus characters#Gumbys\|Gumbys]] (characters of limited intelligence and vocabulary) were part of the Pythons' satirical view of television of the 1970s which condescendingly encouraged more involvement from the "man on the street".<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Landy \|first1=Marcia \|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus \|date=2005 \|publisher=Wayne State University Press \|page=97}}</ref>

	===Introduction to North America and the world===		===Introduction to North America and the world===

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	===Style of the show===		===Style of the show===
	''Flying Circus'' popularised innovative formal techniques, such as the [[cold open]], in which an episode began without the traditional opening titles or announcements.<ref name=MBC_piece>{{cite web\|last=Museum of Broadcast Communications\|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus\|url=http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|access-date=6 January 2007\|archive-date=4 April 2006\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060404194447/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|url-status=dead}}</ref> An example of this is the "It's" man: Palin, outfitted in [[Robinson Crusoe]] garb, making a tortuous journey across various terrains, before finally approaching the camera to state, "It's ...", only to be then cut off by the [[title sequence]] and theme music. On several occasions, the cold open lasted until mid-show, after which the regular opening titles ran. Occasionally, the Pythons tricked viewers by rolling the [[closing credits]] halfway through the show, usually continuing the joke by fading to the familiar [[History of BBC television idents#BBC Television Service/BBC One\|globe logo]] used for BBC continuity, over which Cleese would parody the clipped tones of a BBC announcer.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python: a golden age of British comedy \|url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/monty-python-a-golden-age-of-british-comedy-1.371481 \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)\|The National]]}}</ref> On one occasion, the credits ran directly after the opening titles. On the [[subversive]] nature of the show (and their subsequent films), Cleese states "anti-authoritarianism was deeply ingrained in Python".<ref name="Goon influence"/>		[[File:Monty python foot.png\|thumb\|right\|[[The Foot of Cupid\|Cupid's foot]], as used by ''Monty Python's Flying Circus''. A trademark of Gilliam's stop-motion animation, the giant foot would suddenly squash things, including the show's title at the end of the opening credits.]]
			''Flying Circus'' popularised innovative formal techniques, such as the [[w:cold open\|cold open]], in which an episode began without the traditional opening titles or announcements.<ref name=MBC_piece>{{cite web\|last=Museum of Broadcast Communications\|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus\|url=http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|access-date=6 January 2007\|archive-date=4 April 2006\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060404194447/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/montypython/montypython.htm\|url-status=dead}}</ref> An example of this is the "It's" man: Palin, outfitted in [[Robinson Crusoe]] garb, making a tortuous journey across various terrains, before finally approaching the camera to state, "It's ...", only to be then cut off by the [[title sequence]] and theme music. On several occasions, the cold open lasted until mid-show, after which the regular opening titles ran. Occasionally, the Pythons tricked viewers by rolling the [[closing credits]] halfway through the show, usually continuing the joke by fading to the familiar [[History of BBC television idents#BBC Television Service/BBC One\|globe logo]] used for BBC continuity, over which Cleese would parody the clipped tones of a BBC announcer.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python: a golden age of British comedy \|url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/monty-python-a-golden-age-of-british-comedy-1.371481 \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)\|The National]]}}</ref> On one occasion, the credits ran directly after the opening titles. On the [[subversive]] nature of the show (and their subsequent films), Cleese states "anti-authoritarianism was deeply ingrained in Python".<ref name="Goon influence"/>

	{{Quote box\|width=29%\|bgcolor=#FFFFF0\|align=~~left~~\|quote="Our first rule was: no punchlines. [Some sketches] start brilliant, great acting, really funny sketch, but the punchline is just not as good as the rest of the sketch, so it kills the entire thing. That’s why we eliminated them."\|source=—Terry Gilliam in 2007.<ref name="25 sketches">{{cite news \|title=Top 25 Monty Python Sketches \|url=https://listverse.com/2007/11/03/top-25-monty-python-sketches/ \|access-date=26 April 2019 \|agency=ListVerse}}</ref>}}		{{Quote box\|width=29%\|bgcolor=#FFFFF0\|align=right\|quote="Our first rule was: no punchlines. [Some sketches] start brilliant, great acting, really funny sketch, but the punchline is just not as good as the rest of the sketch, so it kills the entire thing. That’s why we eliminated them."\|source=—Terry Gilliam in 2007.<ref name="25 sketches">{{cite news \|title=Top 25 Monty Python Sketches \|url=https://listverse.com/2007/11/03/top-25-monty-python-sketches/ \|access-date=26 April 2019 \|agency=ListVerse}}</ref>}}
	Because of their dislike of finishing with punchlines, they experimented with ending the sketches by cutting abruptly to another scene or animation, walking offstage, addressing the camera (breaking the [[fourth wall]]), or introducing a totally unrelated event or character. A classic example of this approach was the use of Chapman's "anti-silliness" character of "[[The Colonel (Monty Python)\|the Colonel]]", who walked into several sketches and ordered them to be stopped because things were becoming "far too silly".<ref>{{cite news\|first=William\|last=Langley\|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live\|title=Monty Python : Will the wrinkly revolutionaries have the last laugh?\|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]\|location=London, England\|date=5 July 2014\|access-date=15 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>		Because of their dislike of finishing with punchlines, they experimented with ending the sketches by cutting abruptly to another scene or animation, walking offstage, addressing the camera (breaking the [[fourth wall]]), or introducing a totally unrelated event or character. A classic example of this approach was the use of Chapman's "anti-silliness" character of "[[The Colonel (Monty Python)\|the Colonel]]", who walked into several sketches and ordered them to be stopped because things were becoming "far too silly".<ref>{{cite news\|first=William\|last=Langley\|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html \|archive-date=10 January 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live\|title=Monty Python : Will the wrinkly revolutionaries have the last laugh?\|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]\|location=London, England\|date=5 July 2014\|access-date=15 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

	[[File:Monty python foot.png\|thumb\|right\|[[The Foot of Cupid\|Cupid's foot]], as used by ''Monty Python's Flying Circus''. A trademark of Gilliam's stop-motion animation, the giant foot would suddenly squash things, including the show's title at the end of the opening credits.]]

	Another favourite way of ending sketches was to drop a cartoonish "16-ton weight" prop on one of the characters when the sketch seemed to be losing momentum, or a knight in full armour (played by Terry Gilliam) would wander on-set and hit characters over the head with a rubber chicken,<ref>''Monty Python's Flying Circus Just The Words'' Volume 1, p. 33. Methuen, 1990</ref> before cutting to the next scene. Yet another way of changing scenes was when John Cleese, usually outfitted in a dinner suit, would come in as a radio commentator and, in a rather pompous manner, make the formal and determined announcement "And now for something completely different.", which later became the title of [[And Now For Something Completely Different\|the first Monty Python film]].<ref>{{cite news \|title=And Now For Something Completely Different \|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/and-now-for-something-completely-different-102005497/ \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=Smithsonian}}</ref>		Another favourite way of ending sketches was to drop a cartoonish "16-ton weight" prop on one of the characters when the sketch seemed to be losing momentum, or a knight in full armour (played by Terry Gilliam) would wander on-set and hit characters over the head with a rubber chicken,<ref>''Monty Python's Flying Circus Just The Words'' Volume 1, p. 33. Methuen, 1990</ref> before cutting to the next scene. Yet another way of changing scenes was when John Cleese, usually outfitted in a dinner suit, would come in as a radio commentator and, in a rather pompous manner, make the formal and determined announcement "And now for something completely different.", which later became the title of [[And Now For Something Completely Different\|the first Monty Python film]].<ref>{{cite news \|title=And Now For Something Completely Different \|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/and-now-for-something-completely-different-102005497/ \|access-date=20 August 2019 \|work=Smithsonian}}</ref>

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	===Development of the series===		===Development of the series===
			[[File:Monty Python Live 02-07-14 12 56 41 (14415567757).jpg\|thumb\|"[[The Ministry of Silly Walks]]" sketch performed at the 2014 Python reunion. Featuring Cleese as a [[w:bowler hat\|bowler-hatted]] [[w:civil servant\|civil servant]] in a fictitious British government ministry responsible for developing silly walks through [[w:Grant (money)\|grants]], it appears in season 2, episode 1 of ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]''.]]
	The Pythons had a definite idea about what they wanted to do with the series. They were admirers of the work of [[Peter Cook]], [[Alan Bennett]], [[Jonathan Miller]], and [[Dudley Moore]] on ''[[Beyond the Fringe]]''—seminal to the British "[[satire boom]]"—and had worked on ''Frost'', which was similar in style.<ref>[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1377417/index.html "The Roots of Monty Python"]. BFI Screenonline. Retrieved 23 January 2013</ref> They enjoyed Cook and Moore's sketch show ''[[Not Only... But Also]]''. One problem the Pythons perceived with these programmes was that though the body of the sketch would be strong, the writers would often struggle to then find a punchline funny enough to end on, and this would detract from the overall sketch quality. They decided that they would simply not bother to "cap" their sketches in the traditional manner, and early episodes of the ''Flying Circus'' series make great play of this abandonment of the punchline (one scene has Cleese turn to Idle, as the sketch descends into chaos, and remark that "This is the silliest sketch I've ever been in"—they all resolve not to carry on and simply walk off the set).<ref>[http://www.montypython.net/scripts/silliest.php "The Silliest Interview We've Ever Had / The Silliest Sketch We've Ever Done"]. MontyPython.net. Retrieved 23 January 2013</ref> However, as they began assembling material for the show, the Pythons watched one of their collective heroes, [[Spike Milligan]], whom they had admired on ''[[The Goon Show]]'' (a show the Pythons regard as their biggest influence, which also featured [[Peter Sellers]], whom Cleese called "the greatest voice man of all time") recording his groundbreaking BBC series ''[[Q... (TV series)\|Q...]]'' (1969).<ref name="Goon influence">{{cite news \|title=John Cleese on The Goon Show, His Earliest Comedy Influence \|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/07/talking-peter-sellers-and-the-goon-show-with-john-cleese.html \|access-date=10 September 2019 \|work=Vulture}}</ref><ref>{{cite news \|title=How Spike Milligan's Q Paved the Way for Monty Python \|url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/06/spike-milligan-q-comedy-show-monty-python.html \|access-date=21 August 2019 \|work=Vulture}}</ref> Not only was ''Q...'' more irreverent and anarchic than any previous [[television comedy]], but Milligan also would often "give up" on sketches halfway through and wander off set (often muttering "Did I write this?"). It was clear that their new series would now seem less original, and Jones in particular became determined the Pythons should innovate. Michael Palin recalls "Terry Jones and I adored the ''Q...'' shows...[Milligan] was the first writer to play with the conventions of television."<ref name="MilliganHisPartInOurLives">{{cite book\|last=Ventham\|first=Maxine\|title=Spike Milligan: His Part in Our Lives\|chapter=Michael Palin\|year=2002\|publisher=Robson\|isbn=1-86105-530-7\|pages=156–159}} (quote at (a), p. 157)</ref>		The Pythons had a definite idea about what they wanted to do with the series. They were admirers of the work of [[Peter Cook]], [[Alan Bennett]], [[Jonathan Miller]], and [[Dudley Moore]] on ''[[Beyond the Fringe]]''—seminal to the British "[[satire boom]]"—and had worked on ''Frost'', which was similar in style.<ref>[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1377417/index.html "The Roots of Monty Python"]. BFI Screenonline. Retrieved 23 January 2013</ref> They enjoyed Cook and Moore's sketch show ''[[Not Only... But Also]]''. One problem the Pythons perceived with these programmes was that though the body of the sketch would be strong, the writers would often struggle to then find a punchline funny enough to end on, and this would detract from the overall sketch quality. They decided that they would simply not bother to "cap" their sketches in the traditional manner, and early episodes of the ''Flying Circus'' series make great play of this abandonment of the punchline (one scene has Cleese turn to Idle, as the sketch descends into chaos, and remark that "This is the silliest sketch I've ever been in"—they all resolve not to carry on and simply walk off the set).<ref>[http://www.montypython.net/scripts/silliest.php "The Silliest Interview We've Ever Had / The Silliest Sketch We've Ever Done"]. MontyPython.net. Retrieved 23 January 2013</ref> However, as they began assembling material for the show, the Pythons watched one of their collective heroes, [[Spike Milligan]], whom they had admired on ''[[The Goon Show]]'' (a show the Pythons regard as their biggest influence, which also featured [[Peter Sellers]], whom Cleese called "the greatest voice man of all time") recording his groundbreaking BBC series ''[[Q... (TV series)\|Q...]]'' (1969).<ref name="Goon influence">{{cite news \|title=John Cleese on The Goon Show, His Earliest Comedy Influence \|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/07/talking-peter-sellers-and-the-goon-show-with-john-cleese.html \|access-date=10 September 2019 \|work=Vulture}}</ref><ref>{{cite news \|title=How Spike Milligan's Q Paved the Way for Monty Python \|url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/06/spike-milligan-q-comedy-show-monty-python.html \|access-date=21 August 2019 \|work=Vulture}}</ref> Not only was ''Q...'' more irreverent and anarchic than any previous [[television comedy]], but Milligan also would often "give up" on sketches halfway through and wander off set (often muttering "Did I write this?"). It was clear that their new series would now seem less original, and Jones in particular became determined the Pythons should innovate. Michael Palin recalls "Terry Jones and I adored the ''Q...'' shows...[Milligan] was the first writer to play with the conventions of television."<ref name="MilliganHisPartInOurLives">{{cite book\|last=Ventham\|first=Maxine\|title=Spike Milligan: His Part in Our Lives\|chapter=Michael Palin\|year=2002\|publisher=Robson\|isbn=1-86105-530-7\|pages=156–159}} (quote at (a), p. 157)</ref>

	[[File:Monty Python Live 02-07-14 12 56 41 (14415567757).jpg\|thumb\|"[[The Ministry of Silly Walks]]" sketch performed at the 2014 Python reunion. Featuring Cleese as a [[bowler hat\|bowler-hatted]] [[civil servant]] in a fictitious British government ministry responsible for developing silly walks through [[Grant (money)\|grants]], it appears in season 2, episode 1 of ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]''.]]
	After much debate, Jones remembered an animation Gilliam had created for ''Do Not Adjust Your Set'' called "Beware of the Elephants", which had intrigued him with its stream-of-consciousness style. Jones felt it would be a good concept to apply to the series: allowing sketches to blend into one another. Palin had been equally fascinated by another of Gilliam's efforts, entitled "Christmas Cards", and agreed that it represented "a way of doing things differently". Since Cleese, Chapman, and Idle were less concerned with the overall flow of the programme, Jones, Palin, and Gilliam became largely responsible for the presentation style of the ''Flying Circus'' series, in which disparate sketches are linked to give each episode the appearance of a single [[stream-of-consciousness]] (often using a Gilliam animation to move from the closing image of one sketch to the opening scene of another).<ref name="Gilliam animation"/> The BBC states, "Gilliam's unique animation style became crucial, segueing seamlessly between any two completely unrelated ideas and making the stream-of-consciousness work."<ref name="Circus profile">{{cite news \|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus \|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/montypython/ \|access-date=24 August 2019 \|agency=BBC}}</ref>		After much debate, Jones remembered an animation Gilliam had created for ''Do Not Adjust Your Set'' called "Beware of the Elephants", which had intrigued him with its stream-of-consciousness style. Jones felt it would be a good concept to apply to the series: allowing sketches to blend into one another. Palin had been equally fascinated by another of Gilliam's efforts, entitled "Christmas Cards", and agreed that it represented "a way of doing things differently". Since Cleese, Chapman, and Idle were less concerned with the overall flow of the programme, Jones, Palin, and Gilliam became largely responsible for the presentation style of the ''Flying Circus'' series, in which disparate sketches are linked to give each episode the appearance of a single [[stream-of-consciousness]] (often using a Gilliam animation to move from the closing image of one sketch to the opening scene of another).<ref name="Gilliam animation"/> The BBC states, "Gilliam's unique animation style became crucial, segueing seamlessly between any two completely unrelated ideas and making the stream-of-consciousness work."<ref name="Circus profile">{{cite news \|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus \|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/montypython/ \|access-date=24 August 2019 \|agency=BBC}}</ref>

	Writing started at 9 am and finished at 5 pm. Typically, Cleese and Chapman worked as one pair isolated from the others, as did Jones and Palin, while Idle wrote alone. After a few days, they would join with Gilliam, critique their scripts, and exchange ideas. Their approach to writing was democratic. If the majority found an idea humorous, it was included in the show. The casting of roles for the sketches was a similarly unselfish process, since each member viewed himself primarily as a "writer", rather than an actor eager for screen time. When the themes for sketches were chosen, Gilliam had a free hand in bridging them with animations, using a camera, scissors, and airbrush.<ref name="Gilliam animation"/>		Writing started at 9 am and finished at 5 pm. Typically, Cleese and Chapman worked as one pair isolated from the others, as did Jones and Palin, while Idle wrote alone. After a few days, they would join with Gilliam, critique their scripts, and exchange ideas. Their approach to writing was democratic. If the majority found an idea humorous, it was included in the show. The casting of roles for the sketches was a similarly unselfish process, since each member viewed himself primarily as a "writer", rather than an actor eager for screen time. When the themes for sketches were chosen, Gilliam had a free hand in bridging them with animations, using a camera, scissors, and airbrush.<ref name="Gilliam animation"/>

	[[file:Monty_Python_Live_02-07-14_12_46_43_(14415411808).jpg\|thumb\|~~left~~\|Gilliam, Palin and Jones performing "[[The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)\|The Spanish Inquisition]]" sketch during the 2014 Python reunion. As a sketch writer and creator of the animations, Gilliam did considerably less acting, although he did have some notable sketch roles such as this (Cardinal Fang).]]		[[file:Monty_Python_Live_02-07-14_12_46_43_(14415411808).jpg\|thumb\|right\|Gilliam, Palin and Jones performing "[[The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)\|The Spanish Inquisition]]" sketch during the 2014 Python reunion. As a sketch writer and creator of the animations, Gilliam did considerably less acting, although he did have some notable sketch roles such as this (Cardinal Fang).]]
	While the show was a collaborative process, different factions within Python were responsible for elements of the team's humour. In general, the work of the Oxford-educated members (Jones and Palin) was more visual, and more fanciful conceptually (e.g., the arrival of the [[Spanish Inquisition]] in a suburban front room), while the Cambridge graduates' sketches tended to be more verbal and more aggressive (for example, Cleese and Chapman's many "confrontation" sketches, where one character intimidates or hurls abuse, or Idle's characters with bizarre verbal quirks, such as "The Man Who Speaks In [[~~Anagram~~]]s"). Cleese confirmed that "most of the sketches with heavy abuse were Graham's and mine, anything that started with a slow pan across countryside and impressive music was Mike and Terry's, and anything that got utterly involved with words and disappeared up any personal orifice was Eric's".<ref>Wilmut (1980), p. 211</ref> Gilliam's animations ranged from the whimsical to the savage (the cartoon format allowing him to create some astonishingly violent scenes without fear of censorship).<ref name="Gilliam animation"/>		While the show was a collaborative process, different factions within Python were responsible for elements of the team's humour. In general, the work of the Oxford-educated members (Jones and Palin) was more visual, and more fanciful conceptually (e.g., the arrival of the [[w:Spanish Inquisition\|Spanish Inquisition]] in a suburban front room), while the Cambridge graduates' sketches tended to be more verbal and more aggressive (for example, Cleese and Chapman's many "confrontation" sketches, where one character intimidates or hurls abuse, or Idle's characters with bizarre verbal quirks, such as "The Man Who Speaks In [[w:anagram\|anagram]]s"). Cleese confirmed that "most of the sketches with heavy abuse were Graham's and mine, anything that started with a slow pan across countryside and impressive music was Mike and Terry's, and anything that got utterly involved with words and disappeared up any personal orifice was Eric's".<ref>Wilmut (1980), p. 211</ref> Gilliam's animations ranged from the whimsical to the savage (the cartoon format allowing him to create some astonishingly violent scenes without fear of censorship).<ref name="Gilliam animation"/>

	Several names for the show were considered before ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' was settled upon. Some were ''Owl Stretching Time'', ''The Toad Elevating Moment'', ''A Horse, a Spoon and a Bucket'', ''Vaseline Review'', and ''Bun, Wackett, Buzzard, Stubble and Boot''. ''Flying Circus'' stuck when the BBC explained it had printed that name in its schedules and was not prepared to amend it. Many variations on the name in front of this title then came and went (popular legend holds that the BBC considered ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' to be a ridiculous name, at which point the group threatened to change their name every week until the BBC relented). ''Gwen Dibley's Flying Circus'' was named after a woman Palin had read about in the newspaper, thinking it would be amusing if she were to discover she had her own TV show. ''Baron Von Took's Flying Circus'' was considered as an affectionate tribute to [[Barry Took]], the man who had brought them together.<ref>{{cite news\| first= Douglas \|last= Martin \|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/14/nyregion/barry-took-73-father-of-monty-python-dies.html \|title= Barry Took, 73, Father of Monty Python, Dies\| work= [[The New York Times]]\| date= 14 April 2002\| access-date= 1 May 2015}}</ref> ''Arthur Megapode's Flying Circus'' was suggested, then discarded. The name ''Baron Von Took's Flying Circus'' had the form of ''[[Baron Manfred von Richthofen]]'s [[Manfred von Richthofen#Flying Circus\|Flying Circus]]'' of WWI fame, and the new group was forming in a time when the [[Royal Guardsmen]]'s 1966 song "[[Snoopy vs. the Red Baron (song)\|Snoopy vs. the Red Baron]]" had peaked. The term 'flying circus' was also another name for the popular entertainment of the 1920s known as [[flying circus\|barnstorming]], where multiple performers collaborated with their stunts to perform a combined set of acts.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus – Four Yorkshiremen \|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/02/monty-pythons-flying-circus-four-yorkshiremen.html \|access-date=21 August 2019 \|work=[[Paste (magazine)\|Paste]]}}</ref>		Several names for the show were considered before ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' was settled upon. Some were ''Owl Stretching Time'', ''The Toad Elevating Moment'', ''A Horse, a Spoon and a Bucket'', ''Vaseline Review'', and ''Bun, Wackett, Buzzard, Stubble and Boot''. ''Flying Circus'' stuck when the BBC explained it had printed that name in its schedules and was not prepared to amend it. Many variations on the name in front of this title then came and went (popular legend holds that the BBC considered ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' to be a ridiculous name, at which point the group threatened to change their name every week until the BBC relented). ''Gwen Dibley's Flying Circus'' was named after a woman Palin had read about in the newspaper, thinking it would be amusing if she were to discover she had her own TV show. ''Baron Von Took's Flying Circus'' was considered as an affectionate tribute to [[Barry Took]], the man who had brought them together.<ref>{{cite news\| first= Douglas \|last= Martin \|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/14/nyregion/barry-took-73-father-of-monty-python-dies.html \|title= Barry Took, 73, Father of Monty Python, Dies\| work= [[The New York Times]]\| date= 14 April 2002\| access-date= 1 May 2015}}</ref> ''Arthur Megapode's Flying Circus'' was suggested, then discarded. The name ''Baron Von Took's Flying Circus'' had the form of ''[[Baron Manfred von Richthofen]]'s [[Manfred von Richthofen#Flying Circus\|Flying Circus]]'' of WWI fame, and the new group was forming in a time when the [[Royal Guardsmen]]'s 1966 song "[[Snoopy vs. the Red Baron (song)\|Snoopy vs. the Red Baron]]" had peaked. The term 'flying circus' was also another name for the popular entertainment of the 1920s known as [[flying circus\|barnstorming]], where multiple performers collaborated with their stunts to perform a combined set of acts.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Monty Python's Flying Circus – Four Yorkshiremen \|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/02/monty-pythons-flying-circus-four-yorkshiremen.html \|access-date=21 August 2019 \|work=[[Paste (magazine)\|Paste]]}}</ref>