Monty Python

Monty Python is a generic name applied to all the output of a group of comedians who were part of the Oxbridge Circus, a congregation of university graduates who broke into radio and television in the 1960s with a brand of topical and surreal humour. They comprised John Cleese (1939- ), Eric Idle (1943- ), Terry Jones (1942- ), Michael Palin (1943- ), Graham Chapman (1941-1989), Terry Gilliam (1940- ) and in their last BBC series Neil Innes. The TV programmes, Monty Python's Flying Circus, ran from 1969 to 1974 the last being known merely as Monty Python, since Cleese had left the show by then, and were notable for savage sketches, usually underpinned by Gilliam's somewhat frightening cartoons, which deliberately took Spike Milligan's philosophy of dispensing with a punchline to extraordinary lengths and adding stream of consciousness features.

After the TV shows concluded, the team made the occasional film, including Monty Python And The Holy Grail (1975), Monty Python's Life Of Brian (1979), and The Meaning Of Life (1983). The death of Graham Chapman from HIV effectively brought the collaboration to a close. Many of the sketches (such as 'The Ministry Of Silly Walks,' The Cheese Shop,' 'The Norwegian Blue Parrot' and 'Nudge Nudge' have passed into British comedy folklore. Many of these have also been issued as LPs in re-recordings.

Although he never took part in the shows, Peel was a fan of the series from its inception ("It must unquestionably be the best programme ever"), played some of the sketches from the LP issues on Top Gear, and chose an extract from The Holy Grail for inclusion on It Makes Me Laugh.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * None

Sessions

 * None (although Neil Innes recorded three).

Other Shows Played

 * 12 December 1970: Theme Music by John Philip Sousa, The Liberty Bell, played by the Eastman Wind Ensemble conducted by Frederick Fennell
 * 26 December 1970: 'Trade Description Act (LP-Monty Python's Flying Circus)' (BBC Radio Enterprises)
 * 26 December 1970: 'Interesting People (LP-Monty Python's Flying Circus)' (BBC Radio Enterprises)
 * 12 September 1972: 'The Spam Song (7")' (Charisma)