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Monty Python's Flying Circus. Image shows from L to R: Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam. Copyright: BBC.

Monty Python's Flying Circus

BBC Two and BBC One sketch show hit. 46 episodes (4 series), 1969 - 1974. Stars Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle and others.

Monty Python's Flying Circus. Image shows from L to R: Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam. Copyright: BBC.

Monty Python's Flying Circus

Highly influential off-the-wall 1970s sketch series, starring John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman and Terry Jones

  1. 22nd October via BBC: Dutch 'silly walks' crossing is a hit
  2. 1st August: Unseen Monty Python material published
Genre
Sketch Show
Broadcast
1969 - 1974
Channels
BBC Two, BBC One
Episodes
46   (4 series)
Starring
Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Carol Cleveland
Writers
Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin
Directors
John Howard Davies and Ian MacNaughton
Producers
John Howard Davies and Ian MacNaughton

Surrealist, observational and curiously subversive, Monty Python's Flying Circus is a sketch show not quite like any other.

Mixing off-the-wall animated sequences, observational humour, innuendo and plain silliness, it often shines an inquisitive and mocking light on the established conventions and idiosyncrasies of British life, and accepted ideas and norms.

Some of the most celebrated and memorable Monty Python sketches include: "The Parrot Sketch", "The Spanish Inquisition", "Nudge Nudge", "The Lumberjack Song", "The Ministry of Silly Walks" and "The Cheese Shop".

Production data

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