| 1. Fruit In The Looms | | | | 8. Some Like it Hot |
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| 2. Python's Give Live Birth | | | | 9. Blazing Saddles |
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| 3. The Toad Elevating Moment | | | | 10. Planes, Trains and Automobiles6. Kim |
| | | | Bread Aka John CleeseJohn Cleese rode a |
| 4. Mystery Of The Lost Python Sketches | | | | roller coaster of fame during the 1970's |
| | | | playing the role of stressed hotelkeeper |
| 5. Brian's The Life Of The Party | | | | Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers. He continued |
| | | | his fame with films like Privates On Parade |
| 6. Kim Bread Aka John Cleese | | | | and Clockwise, then hit worldwide stardom |
| | | | with a A Fish Called Wanda in 1988. The |
| 7. Around The World In 80 Days | | | | follow-up film, Fierce Creatures faulted to |
| | | | gain attention with audiences. These days |
| 8. Get Yourself To Mars | | | | audiences know him best as the new Q in the |
| | | | James Bond films and Nearly Headless Ned in |
| 9. Keep It Real | | | | the Harry Potter films. He will next be seen |
| | | | playing father to Lucy Liu in Charlie's |
| 10. The 12 Fisher Monkey Kings | | | | Angels: Full Throttle and as the voice |
| | | | Fiona's Father in Shrek 2, Fiona is voiced by |
| 11. Parting Shots | | | | Charlie's Angel's co-star Cameron Diaz.7. |
| | | | Around The World In 80 DaysMichael Palin has |
| 1. Fruit In Your LoomsSomeone once said | | | | also rocketed to fame due to his turn with |
| something along the lines that, Monty Python | | | | the troupe and in 1977 he teamed with Terry |
| is to 'funny' what chartered accountants are | | | | Jones to make their own comedy series, |
| to 'boring'. Who are we to disagree?2. | | | | Ripping Yarns. Michael also appeared aside |
| Python's Give Live BirthThe legend of Monty | | | | John Cleese in A Fish Called Wanda, then went |
| Python emerged nobly from the dusty corridors | | | | on to do a reality show for BBC TV, called |
| of Oxford and Cambridge universities. All of | | | | Around the World in 80 Days, where he |
| the British Python members had their comedic | | | | attempted to literally follow in the |
| starts in revue shows put on by these | | | | footsteps of the Jules Verne literary |
| universities. They soon rose to the ranks of | | | | character, Phileas Fogg, by trying to travel |
| responsibility within these societies, "In | | | | around the world in the allotted time, but |
| bewilderment we saw a notice board informing | | | | without flying - By the way, it's Jules |
| us that we are now officers!" recalls John | | | | Verne's 175th birthday this week. During the |
| Cleese. Their well-received show, A Clump of | | | | Pole to Pole trip, he met up with Python fans |
| Plinths, transferred to London's West End and | | | | in Greece and ate snake in China while |
| later visited New Zealand and New York under | | | | struggling to meet his deadline.8. Get |
| the new title Cambridge Circus.Cleese stayed | | | | Yourself To MarsEric Idle continued his stint |
| on in New York and during a photo shoot for a | | | | in the limelight by teaming with Neil Innes |
| comic strip he met American illustrator Terry | | | | to create Rutland Weekend Television, a |
| Gilliam. Terry was soon folded into the every | | | | parody of regional broadcasting. He later |
| growing omelet.The BBC, on the advice of | | | | appeared in Graham Chapman's Yellowbeard, |
| producer Barry Took, signed the group - which | | | | Disney's Honey, I Shrunk the Audience and |
| now included Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam for | | | | Splitting Heirs. His recent novel titled, |
| a 13-show series. Ah, but what to name the | | | | "The Road to Mars" is about two comedians in |
| show?3. The Toad Elevating MomentOwl | | | | the 22nd century. Fans most likely know him |
| Stretching Time. A Horse, A Spoon and A | | | | today as the voice of Mr. Vosknocker in the |
| Bucket. The Toad Elevating Moment were all | | | | animated film, South Park: Bigger, Longer and |
| names in the running. But as planning for the | | | | Uncut.9. Keep It RealTerry Jones maintained a |
| series became more chaotic, the BBC | | | | diversity beyond mere comedy, by writing |
| management began to refer to the team as a | | | | about history, presenting documentaries, |
| 'flying circus', inspired by the Red Baron's | | | | penning children's books and going onto |
| World War One fighter squadron. The troupe | | | | direct the 1996 version of Wind in the |
| liked the sound of it and randomly added the | | | | Willows, starring his old pals - Michael |
| term Monty Python from their growing list of | | | | Palin, John Cleese and Eric Idle.10. The 12 |
| alternates. Funny that.4. Mystery Of The Lost | | | | Fisher Monkey KingsTerry Gilliam lent his |
| Python SketchesNo one knows what happened to | | | | talents to the troupe as a director and by |
| them. | | | | creating the very distinct animations that |
| | | | became Monty Python's visual trademark. We |
| Oh wait, 3 new sketches of never before seen | | | | soon followed it with his feature film debut, |
| Python material were recently discovered and | | | | Jabberwocky, starring Michael Palin. After |
| performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. | | | | helming the much loved, Time Bandits, his |
| The famed sketches were written by late | | | | fame skyrocketed in Hollywood. But his style |
| Python star Graham Chapman and were unearthed | | | | led to many conflictions in the biz including |
| by a literary executor in Los Angeles. Each | | | | a big throw down with Universal Studios over |
| sketch lasts four minutes and features a cast | | | | his film Brazil and then problems with |
| of characters including a gay parrot and an | | | | backers on the very expensive, Adventures of |
| overworked Messiah.5. Brian's The Life Of The | | | | Baron Munchausen, which starred Eric Idle and |
| PartyMonty Python's Life of Brian snagged the | | | | featured Robin Williams.His real success |
| funniest film of all time in a poll arranged | | | | followed by taking on unconventional studio |
| by Total Film magazine.The film satires the | | | | films including the critically acclaimed, The |
| rise of organized religion and caused more | | | | Fisher King starring Robin Williams and Jeff |
| controversy than a Kevin Smith baptismal when | | | | Bridges and the stylistic sci-fi thriller, 12 |
| it was released back in 1979. It was banned | | | | Monkeys starring Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt |
| in many parts of the UK and church leaders | | | | and the Hunter S Thompson extravaganza, Fear |
| accused it of blasphemy. Nothing like bad | | | | and Loathing in Las Vegas starring Johnny |
| publicity to push the ratings.Their King | | | | Depp and Benicio Del Toro. These six actors |
| Arthur era spoof, Monty Python and the Holy | | | | all gave some of the best performances of |
| Grail, trailed by only a few spots, landing | | | | their career in Gilliam's films.11. Parting |
| it at number five.Top 10 Comedy Films1. Life | | | | Shots"We weren't being satirical because it |
| of Brian | | | | wasn't the thing that interested us," Terry |
| | | | Jones says. "Ours was a slightly more |
| 2. Airplane! | | | | abstract humor - just being silly really. |
| | | | What satire there is, is more generalized |
| 3. Withnail & I | | | | satire."Referring to The Life of Brian - |
| | | | "Comedy is about reminding us of the truth of |
| 4. There's Something About Mary | | | | being human: we all have a body and we all |
| | | | must die, and it is okay," reckons Eric |
| 5. Monty Python and the Holy Grail | | | | Idle."Monty Python is a great combination of |
| | | | intellect and silly", concludes Robin |
| 6. American Pie | | | | Williams.To read more articles by Chad, visit |
| | | | the American Pop Culture Encyclopedia at: |
| 7. Groundhog Day | | | | American Pop Culture Encyclopedia. |
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