'Monty Python'

Spotlight:

'Monty Python's Flying Circus'

What do "Gwen Dibley's Flying Circus," "Owl-Stretching Time," "Bun, Whackett, Buzzard, Stubble and Boot," "A Toad Elevating Moment," "Sex and Violence " and "A Horse, a Bucket and a Spoon" have in common? They were all bandied about as possible names for the show that aired forty years ago today on BBC-TV — Monty Python's Flying Circus. Comic writers and actors Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin brought a new level of outrageous, bawdy and often tasteless satire to British television. The TV show spawned movies, albums and a wildly successful Broadway musical, Spamalot. The members of the Python troup became so popular that each one was honored with his own asteroid: 9617 Grahamchapman, 9618 Johncleese, 9619 Terrygilliam, 9620 Ericidle, 9621 Michaelpalin, and 9622 Terryjones.

Quote:

"No day of my life passes without someone saying the words 'Monty Python' to me. It's not bad." — Eric Idle