Monty Python was a British comedy group known for their surreal TV series Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Monty Python is one of the most influential and popular groups in the history of British television. Monty Python’s sketch shows first aired in October of 1969 and last aired in 1974. Monty Python is composed of Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Gillman, Terry Jones, John Cleese, and Michael Palin. The history of the formation of Monty Python and their ascent to fame is a very interesting one. Monty Python’s influence even on the history American sketch television can not be denied. In a poll conducted in 2005 to search for The Comedian's Comedian, three members pf Monty Python were voted by fellow comedians to be among the Top 50 comedians in history. These Monty Python members are Cleese (number 2), Idle (Number 21) and Palin (Number 30). Monty Python’s contribution to television comedy is truly one of the best and one that will last for as long as there is still television.
The history of the formation on the Monty Python began when Monty Python members Palin and Jones met at Oxford University. Meanwhile, Monty Python’s other two members Cleese and Champan met at Cambridge where they will also later meet Idle. Future Monty Python members (Palin and Jones) performed with the Oxford Revue. Cleese, Chapman and Idle became members of the Footlights, for which they performed in numerous revues. The future members of Monty Python appeared in several shows separately (sometimes a couple or three at a time) before their television show The Flying Circus. The television show The Frost Report is credited for introducing the members of Monty Python to each other.
Following the success of the previous projects of Monty Python members, the idea of creating a series together came into being. The members of Monty Python were fans of the show Beyond the Fringe and Not Only… But Also. However, they perceived that these shows’ punch lines are not often strong enough to end very funny sketches so for their own show they decided not to cap their sketches in the traditional manner. Monty Python also began linking disparate sketches to give them a single stream of consciousness through animation work by Gilliam.
The history of Monty Python continues with their career in creating films. The list of Monty Python films include: And Now for Something Completely Different (1971), Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979), Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982), and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983).
Monty Python projects will always be remembered with fondness, their unique style part of television history.
