Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Monty Python

There were numerous names in contention, including “The Toad Elevating Moment”, “Owl Stretching Time” and “A Horse, a Spoon and a Bucket”. However, “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” is thought to relate to the collaborative stunts performed at a circus - quite appropriate really. The BBC didn’t like the name, so to toy with them further, the gang changed the first half of it several times, ultimately settling on “Monty Python”. The origins of that name have been connected to everything from a British general, to a sleazy entertainment agent.

“The Holy Grail” is one of the greatest comedy films ever made. Its initial budget was partly raised rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. But the starting sum was inadequate, so countless corners were cut on set. Coconuts were used as horses because they couldn’t afford real ones, plywood cutouts mimicked distant castles and nearby tourists were used as extras.. Oh, and the random, abrupt ending wasn’t planned. They had to make it up because the money ran out.

Speaking of random, a huge part of Monty Python's style is its surreal artwork and animations - featured prominently in its opening credits and when linking between jokes. These creature-like creations were created by Python Terry Gilliam. Perfectly capturing - and inspiring - the group’s erratic and unique style of comedy, Gilliam would often intersperse pop-culture elements into his work. The face of God in “Holy Grail”? That was ex-England cricketer W.G. Grace. The iconic foot that crushes the credits? None other than Cupid’s foot from the painting “Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time”.

Of course, we’ve probably all heard about how they met at Cambridge and Oxford, but it was their work together on shows like “Do Not Adjust Your Set” and “The Frost Report” that helped them refine their writing and fuel their reputation. Similarly to the “Flying Circus”, these shows featured satirical comedy sketches, as well as early appearances from the Two Ronnies and David Jason. But it’s clear from the shows disjointed, radically unpredictable set-up, that there was Python influence.

When they were starting out, the six Pythons were offered their own tv shows; Cleese and Chapman were approached by the BBC while ITV offered Palin, Idle, Jones and Gilliam contracts. But ITV couldn't get a studio together in time, and Cleese wasn't keen on a two man show, so the split never happened. Supposedly, Cleese's desire to work with Palin again was a major reason for why they stuck together. Anyway, we're glad they did.

With so many streams of creative comedy consciousness, you wonder how the Python’s made sense of any of their elaborate, left-field sketches. Well, apparently their writing process was organised, democratic and strictly 9 to 5. They would segment into small groups, usually Cleese and Chapman, Jones and Palin, and Idle on his own, then reconvene, Gilliam included, to discuss their ideas. They’d then take a vote on whether they thought each idea was funny enough to make the cut. Each member also had their own specialities - be it visual comedy or absurd violence.

As part of a lasting legacy, Monty Python have inspired the naming of several things over the years. For example, the overwhelming flow of unsolicited emails was appropriately labelled “Spam” after the Python’s famed Spam restaurant sketch, where the meaty treat floods the menu. Then there’s the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavour, "Vermonty Python", a huge prehistoric snake discovered in Australia, Montypythonoides riversleighensis and there’s even far-flung asteroids, 9617 Grahamchapman, 9622 Terryjones - the list goes on.

While George Martin was considered the fifth Beatle, the Python’s had their own unofficial member - Neil Innes. Predominantly helping write the music for Monty Python albums, films and TV series, Innes also contributed to some of the troupe’s sketches and even appeared in a few of them. He’s credited as co-writer on sketches like “Most Awful Family in Britain”, he appeared in “Holy Grail” and he wrote the film’s classic "Brave Sir Robin" and many, many more.

In 1975 the Pythons found their sketches being broadcast on the American network ABC. But huge chunks of their comic material was cut out to make way for adverts or because it was deemed inappropriate. Feeling their creative copyright had been infringed and that the sketches were ultimately made un-funny, they took ABC to court and won the case - for a milestone moment in American law. The thing that clinched it? Well, they showed the original sketches and the rehashed ones back-to-back. Censor the Pythons and you will be bitten.

The Dead Parrot sketch is without doubt one of the most famous nuggets of comedy ever created. Man buys parrot, parrot is dead, man complains. The sketch was actually inspired by a Car Salesman skit from the show “How to Irritate People”, a one-off tv special created by Cleese and Chapman before “Flying Circus”. It features a similar set-up, except the parrot is substituted for a faulty car. Palin plays the same salesman role with an answer for everything. Godspeed, Pythons!