| Monty Python's Flying Circus | |
| https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6a/Gumbys-present-architects-sketch.jpg Gumbys | |
| Genre | Sketch comedy Surreal comedy Satire Black comedy |
| Created by | Graham Chapman John Cleese Eric Idle Terry Jones Michael Palin Terry Gilliam |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 45 |
| Production | |
|---|---|
| Running time | approx. 25–30 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC |
| Original release | Oct 1969 - Dec 1974 |
"It's" man
Played by Michael Palin. Dressed in rags, and sporting a long beard, much like an island castaway, this character would start most of the early shows by struggling to cross a landscape of dangers until he got close enough to the camera to say "It's--", immediately followed by the opening credits and musical theme. In one episode, the character had his own talk show, featuring Ringo Starr and Lulu as guests, but was unable to get past his single word catch phrase before being interrupted by Monty Python's opening theme music. At the end of the program he is usually forced to go back across the same dangerous landscape.
The Announcer
Played by John Cleese. Often found in a farmer's field, or the back of a moving truck, this character was a BBC Announcer who usually said only "And now for something completely different" as a way of linking unrelated sketches, or to introduce the show in the cold open. He's appeared in a pond, while wearing a bikini, in a pig pen, and many other odd places.
The Nude Organist
Initially played by Terry Gilliam in the Blackmail sketch inepisode eighteen, "Live at the Grill-O-Mat", the organist was made famous by Terry Jones during the third season, as he would appear in the opening sequence immediately followed by the two aforementioned characters, the "It's" man and The Announcer. Jones would appear naked in front of an organ, often placed in bizarre locations. The organist never had any true spoken lines but was considered a staple of the third series.
Mr. Badger
Played by Eric Idle, Mr. Badger's usual method is to interrupt sketches without warning ("I won't ruin your sketch, for a pound"). He speaks with a slight Scottish accent.
Pepperpots
The term "Pepperpots" refers to any of the middle-aged, matronly types played by the men of Monty Python, previously appearing on and receiving their namesake in How to Irritate People. A pepperpot is usually somewhat overweight and wears a rather unflattering ensemble often topped off by a small, old-fashioned hat. She holds a small purse in her gloved hands, and is very often seen out and about, apparently running errands while her husband is at work. She usually speaks in a high voice that sounds very much like that of a man imitating a woman. The Pepperpots are given different names in various sketches: Mrs. Premise, Mrs. Conclusion, Mrs. Nesbitt, Mrs. Smoker, Mrs. Non-Smoker, Mrs. Thing, Mrs. Entity, Mrs. Cutout etc.
Gumbys
A character generally played by Michael Palin, though the first was played by John Cleese. All of the Pythons have played one of them at one time or another. A Gumby is a character of limited intelligence and vocabulary. They speak haltingly, in a loud, indistinct manner. They wear round wire glasses, a Fair Isle pattern sweater-vest and wellington boots. Their shirt sleeves and trouser legs are always rolled up, exposing their socks and knees. Gumbys stand stoop-shouldered, with their hands permanently clenched in front of them, elbows slightly bent, and their feet turned to the outside. They wear folded white handkerchiefs knotted at the corners on their heads, which supposedly is what gives them their limited intelligence (as it sometimes has happened that they are more normal until they put them on), and have toothbrush moustaches. Their most famous catchphrases are "My brain hurts!" and repeated shouts of "Hello!" and "Sorry!"
The Colonel
Described in one of the scripts as “excruciatingly public school,” the Colonel, played by Graham Chapman, is an officer of the British Army with an authoritative bearing. He is known to interrupt sketches when he feels that they have become too silly and demand that something else be shown (The Colonel made a cameo appearance on an episode of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live when one of the sketches seemed to lack a conclusion).
The Knight
Played by Terry Gilliam. A Medieval knight whose only function is to conclude a sketch when it has run its course. He does this by entering the scene, hitting one of the characters on the head with a rubber chicken, and then turning around and walking away silently. His face is never seen, as he is wearing a helmet and full armour, and he never speaks, with the exception of a brief line in the "Johann Gambolputty" sketch, during a montage of people saying the long name of the central character. Only once does he not hit a victim on the head: during episode five, "Man's Crisis of Identity During the Latter Half of the Twentieth Century", he approaches a Gumby (played by John Cleese) who has finished a rant about foreigners. Cleese covers his head in anticipation, and the Knight strikes Cleese in the abdomen. Cleese limps away and the Knight follows him with his chicken raised.
Luigi Vercotti
Luigi is a low-level East End gangster with Sicilian connections. He is played by Michael Palin, who wears a mustache, sunglasses, and a pin stripes|pin-stripe suit. He is often involved in operations that turn out to be very poorly camouflaged illegal businesses, such as a nightclub "for the gentry" that is in reality a brothel. He is sometimes seen with his brother Dino, played by Terry Jones. He appears in "Ron Obvious," "Piranha Brothers," and "Army Protection Racket."
Mr Eric Praline
Played by John Cleese, Mr Eric Praline is introduced during the Crunchy Frog sketch. He later, more famously, returns a dead parrot to the pet shop where he bought it. Praline has more problems in series 2 when he tries to buy a license for his fish, Eric. He also pops up in a handful of short links, notably hosting a chat show with his flatmate Brooky (Idle) that is pre-empted and cut, although the two return in a later sketch (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) from the same episode.
The Batley Townswomans Guild
Appears on two occasions, once in episode 11 and once in episode 22. Their spokeswoman is Rita Fairbanks (Eric Idle). In both appearances, they act out an important moment in history (The Battle of Pearl Harbor in episode 11 and the first heart transplant in episode 22) by simply running at each other and beating, kicking, and hitting each other with their purses. All Pythons appear in this group dressed as women.