![](http://image.absoluteastronomy.com/images//topicimages/noimage.gif)
List of Monty Python's Flying Circus episodes
Encyclopedia
This is a list of all 45 episodes from the television series Monty Python's Flying Circus
:
The original air dates do not all apply to BBC Scotland
, which took a different approach to airing the series.
This episode had the longest title.
Owl Stretching Time was a proposed name for the series itself.
BBC-1 began colour broadcasting officially on 15 November 1969. Since September 1969, however, they had been broadcasting colour programmes "unofficially", so while the whole of the first series was broadcast in colour, this episode was the first to be advertised as being in colour (source: Notes taken from BBC videotape operators and transmission managers made at the time).
Many sketches in this episode are ended prematurely by Graham Chapman's army character ("The Colonel"), who protests rip offs of the British army's slogan, "It's a Man's Life in the Modern Army"
This episode repeats a running gag from episode 4: a female cast member delivers a terrible joke, and upon protest from fellow cast members wails "But it's my only line!"
Most sketches in this episode are ended prematurely by Graham Chapman's army character ("The Colonel") from the first sketch, who protests that they are "too silly."
This is the first episode not to show an episode title at the beginning of the closing credits.
11. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
(episode 11; aired 28 December 1969; recorded 14 December 1969)
The Spanish Inquisitors (Palin
, Jones
, and Gilliam
) appear 7 times throughout this episode.
Cardinal Ximénez
makes a cameo appearance in this episode. Additionally, one character says "I didn't expect a Spanish Inquisition", but, being played by Michael Palin (as is Cardinal Ximènez), is told to shut up.
5. Live from the Grill-O-Mat
(episode 18; aired 27 October 1970; recorded 10 September 1970)
"And now for something completely different" and the opening sequence has a repeating groove.
This episode featured many famous characters from different episodes including The Nudge Man (Nudge Nudge
), Cardinal Ximenez (The Spanish Inquisition
), Ken Shabby, etc. Terry Gilliam
also reprised his role as the nude organist (Blackmail), a character usually played by Terry Jones
.
At one point a scrolling subtitle reports that the Queen is still watching The Virginian
.
Anagrams appear throughout this episode: "Tony M. Nyphot's Flying Risccu" for Monty Python's Flying Circus; "Chamran Knebt" for Merchant Bank, "Mary Recruitment Office" for Army Recruitment Office. The end credits are all in anagrams.
Richard Baker has also done gestures to indicate pauses in the news.
This episode is the first episode of Flying Circus to feature a full length story.
This is the first episode that doesn't have a formal opening sequence; instead, a simple caption "The Cycling Tour" appears at the beginning of the episode.
John Tomiczek, Graham Chapman's adopted son, makes a brief non-speaking appearance as an autograph seeker.
The entire episode was written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones; they each play exactly one character throughout the whole show.
The music to which Mr. Pither cycles is the Waltz from Act II of Faust
by Charles Gounod
.
The BBC censored this episode probably more than any other, cutting three sketches (Big Nosed Sculptor, Revolting Cocktails, Wee-Wee Wine Cellar) as well as much of Gilliam's animation.
"Party Political Broadcast (Choreographed)" and "Dad's Doctors, Dad's Pooves and Other Interesting Stories" have been cut out in many versions of this episode. A clip of "Party Political Broadcast (Choreographed)" has surfaced on YouTube, stated to have been found in Canada by David Morgan. It originates from WNED
in Buffalo
, New York; an identification card is seen at the beginning of the clip, and a "Support Channel 17" phone number shows up at the bottom of the screen. There is also a clip of the last sketch originating from German network WDR with German subtitles. "Dad's Doctors" has been restored to the iTunes version of the show as well as added to the Netflix streaming video version of the series.
This is the second episode without a formal opening sequence.
This episode has no opening sequence.
This is the second episode to feature a full length story.
The end credits appear immediately after the opening sequence.
The Nude Organist and the It's Man appear for the last time, in footage taken from the Dennis Moore episode.
Most of the sketches of the episode have a shared theme (World War II
) yet no apparent narrative.
Douglas Adams
made a brief appearance as a doctor treating a man suffering from lumbago.
This is the third episode to feature a full length story ("Cycling Tour" and "Michael Ellis" being the earlier two).
With the exception of "Post-box Ceremony," nearly the entire episode was co-written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones.
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
:
Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First in the series Season premiere In North America, a season premiere is the first episode of a new season of a given television show. It often airs in September or October, after several months of reruns.-Evaluating the changes:... |
Last in the series Season finale A season finale is the final episode of a season of a television program... |
|||
1 | 13 | 5 October 1969 | 11 January 1970 | |
2 | 13 | 15 September 1970 | 22 December 1970 | |
3 | 13 | 19 October 1972 | 18 January 1973 | |
4 | 6 | 31 October 1974 | 5 December 1974 |
The original air dates do not all apply to BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
, which took a different approach to airing the series.
- Series 1 was broadcast at the same time, except for the last two episodes, which were not shown in January 1970 but were held over to series 2.
- Series 2 was broadcast on Sundays from 17 September to 16 January 1971 (including the two episodes from series 1).
- Series 3 was broadcast at the same time.
- Series 4 was NOT broadcast at the same time. It is unclear when it was aired in Scotland.
1. Whither Canada?
(episode 1; aired 5 October 1969; recorded 7 September 1969)- It's Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Famous deaths
- Italian lesson
- Whizzo Butter
-
- The word "Whizzo" would be used throughout the series as the title of various companies and products, such as Whizzo's Finest Chocolates produced by the Whizzo Chocolate Company, for the Crunchy FrogCrunchy Frog"Crunchy Frog" is a fictional sketch originating from a Monty Python sketch titled "Trade Description Act", inspired by the British law Trade Descriptions Act 1968.- The sketch :In this sketch, Mr...
sketch of episode six.- "It's the Arts"
- Arthur 'Two Sheds' Jackson
- Picasso/Cycling Race
- The Funniest Joke in the WorldThe Funniest Joke in the World"The Funniest Joke in the World" is the title most frequently used for written references to a Monty Python's Flying Circus comedy sketch, which is also known by two other phrases that appear within it, "Joke Warfare" and "Killer Joke", the latter being the most commonly spoken title used to refer...
- The word "Whizzo" would be used throughout the series as the title of various companies and products, such as Whizzo's Finest Chocolates produced by the Whizzo Chocolate Company, for the Crunchy Frog
2. Sex and Violence
(episode 2; aired 12 October 1969; recorded 30 August 1969)- Flying Sheep
- French Lecture on Sheep-Aircraft
- A Man with Three Buttocks
- A Man with Two Noses
- Musical Mice
- Marriage Guidance CounsellorMarriage Guidance CounsellorThe Marriage Guidance Counsellor sketch is from the second Monty Python's Flying Circus episode, "Sex and Violence", first broadcast late on Sunday, 12th October 1969...
- The Wacky Queen
- Working-class playwright
- The Wrestling Epilogue
-
- Real professional wrestlers portrayed a monsignor and a college professor who debate the existence of God by wrestling.
- The Mouse ProblemThe Mouse Problem"The Mouse Problem" is a Monty Python sketch, first aired in 1969 as part of Sex and Violence, the second episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus....
- The Mouse Problem
- Real professional wrestlers portrayed a monsignor and a college professor who debate the existence of God by wrestling.
3. How to Recognise Different Types of Trees From Quite a Long Way Away
(episode 3; aired 19 October 1969; recorded 14 September 1969)This episode had the longest title.
- Court Scene with Cardinal Richelieu
- The Larch
- Bicycle Repair Man
- Tirade Against Communists
- Children's Stories
- Restaurant SketchThe Dirty ForkThe Dirty Fork, also known simply as Restaurant Sketch, is a Monty Python sketch that appeared in episode 3 of the television series Monty Python's Flying Circus, and later in the film, And Now For Something Completely Different...
- Seduced MilkmenSeduced MilkmenSeduced Milkmen is a sketch written and performed by Monty Python, portraying female sexuality as a trap. The sketch is wordless and just one minute long but was well received....
-
- The woman is often said to be Carol ClevelandCarol ClevelandCarol Cleveland is a British actress/comedienne, most notable for her appearances as the only significant female performer on Monty Python's Flying Circus.-Early life:...
, but it is another woman who is not credited. Cleveland does appear in a version of this sketch in the film And Now For Something Completely DifferentAnd Now For Something Completely DifferentAnd Now for Something Completely Different is a film spin-off from the television comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus featuring favorite sketches from the first two seasons. The title was used as a catchphrase in the television show....
.- Stolen newsreader
- The Horse Chestnut
- Children's Interview
- Nudge NudgeNudge Nudge"Candid Photography", better known as "Nudge Nudge", is a sketch from the third Monty Python's Flying Circus episode, "How to Recognise Different Types of Trees From Quite a Long Way Away" featuring Eric Idle and Terry Jones as two strangers who meet in a pub.-Sketch description:As patrons in a...
- The woman is often said to be Carol Cleveland
4. Owl Stretching Time
(episode 4; aired 26 October 1969; recorded 21 September 1969)Owl Stretching Time was a proposed name for the series itself.
BBC-1 began colour broadcasting officially on 15 November 1969. Since September 1969, however, they had been broadcasting colour programmes "unofficially", so while the whole of the first series was broadcast in colour, this episode was the first to be advertised as being in colour (source: Notes taken from BBC videotape operators and transmission managers made at the time).
- Song: "Jerusalem (And did those feet)And did those feet in ancient time"And did those feet in ancient time" is a short poem by William Blake from the preface to his epic Milton a Poem, one of a collection of writings known as the Prophetic Books. The date on the title page of 1804 for Milton is probably when the plates were begun, but the poem was printed c. 1808...
" - Art Gallery
- Art Critic
- It's a Dog's Life in the Modern Army
- Undressing in Public
- Self Defence Against Fresh Fruit
-
- First appearance of the 16-Ton Weight. The 16-Ton Weight would appear in several more episodes including "The BBC Entry to the Zinc Stoat of Budapest", "Intermission", and "Blood, Devastation, Death, War, and Horror".
- Secret Service Dentists
- First appearance of the 16-Ton Weight. The 16-Ton Weight would appear in several more episodes including "The BBC Entry to the Zinc Stoat of Budapest", "Intermission", and "Blood, Devastation, Death, War, and Horror".
Many sketches in this episode are ended prematurely by Graham Chapman's army character ("The Colonel"), who protests rip offs of the British army's slogan, "It's a Man's Life in the Modern Army"
5. Man's Crisis of Identity in the Latter Half of the 20th Century
(episode 5; aired 16 November 1969; recorded 3 October 1969)- Confuse-a-Cat
- The Smuggler
- A Duck, a Cat and a Lizard (discussion)
- Vox Pops on Smuggling
- Police Raid
- Letters and Vox Pops
- Newsreader Arrested
- Erotic film
- Silly Job Interview – first appeared on How to Irritate PeopleHow to Irritate PeopleHow to Irritate People is a 1968 television broadcast written by John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Marty Feldman and Tim Brooke-Taylor. Cleese, Chapman, and Brooke-Taylor also feature in it, along with future Monty Python collaborators Michael Palin and Connie Booth.In various sketches, Cleese...
. - Careers Advisory Board
- Burglar/Encyclopedia Salesman
6. It's the Arts (or: The BBC Entry to the Zinc Stoat of Budapest)
(episode 6; aired 23 November 1969; recorded 5 November 1969)- It's the Arts
- Johann Gambolputty
- Non-Illegal Robbery
- Vox Pops
- Crunchy FrogCrunchy Frog"Crunchy Frog" is a fictional sketch originating from a Monty Python sketch titled "Trade Description Act", inspired by the British law Trade Descriptions Act 1968.- The sketch :In this sketch, Mr...
(Whizzo Chocolate Company) - The Dull Life of a City Stockbroker
- Red Indian in Theatre
- Policemen Make Wonderful Friends
- A Scotsman on a Horse
- Twentieth-Century Vole
7. You're No Fun Anymore
(episode 7; aired 30 November 1969; recorded 10 October 1969)- Camel Spotting
- You're No Fun Any More
- The Audit
- Science Fiction Sketch
- Man Turns Into Scotsman
- Police station
- Blancmanges Playing Tennis
8. Full Frontal Nudity
(episode 8; aired 7 December 1969; recorded 25 November 1969)- Army Protection Racket
- Vox Pops on Full Frontal Nudity
- Art Critic – The Place of the Nude
- Buying a Bed
- Hermits
- Dead ParrotDead ParrotThe "Dead Parrot Sketch", alternatively and originally known as the "Pet Shop Sketch" or "Parrot Sketch", is a popular sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus, and one of the most famous in the history of British television comedy...
- The Flasher
- Hell's Grannies
-
- The theme song from the James BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film ThunderballThunderball (film)Thunderball is the fourth spy film in the James Bond series starring Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, which in turn was based on an original screenplay by Jack Whittingham...
is heard.
- The theme song from the James Bond
This episode repeats a running gag from episode 4: a female cast member delivers a terrible joke, and upon protest from fellow cast members wails "But it's my only line!"
Most sketches in this episode are ended prematurely by Graham Chapman's army character ("The Colonel") from the first sketch, who protests that they are "too silly."
9. The Ant, an Introduction
(episode 9; aired 14 December 1969; recorded 7 December 1969)- Llamas
- A Man with a Tape Recorder Up His Nose
- Kilimanjaro ExpeditionKilimanjaro ExpeditionKilimanjaro Expedition is a sketch from the episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus "The Ant, an Introduction", also appearing in the Monty Python film And Now For Something Completely Different...
(Double Vision) - A Man with a Tape Recorder Up His Brother's Nose
- Homicidal Barber
- The Lumberjack SongThe Lumberjack Song"The Lumberjack Song" is a song by the Monty Python comedy troupe. The song was written by Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Fred Tomlinson.It first appeared on the ninth episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus, "The Ant: An Introduction" on BBC1 on 14 December 1969...
- Gumby Crooner
- The Refreshment Room at Bletchley
- Ken Buddha and His Inflatable Knees
- Brian Islam and Brucie (animation)
-
- The music is "Banjoreno" by the Dixieland Jug BlowersDixieland Jug BlowersThe Dixieland Jug Blowers were a popular American musical group of the 1920s. While being a jug band, the group is often classified as a jazz band due to its set up which, while including regular Jug band instruments such as jug, banjo, guitar, and violin, also used alto saxophone, trombone, piano,...
.- Hunting Film
- The Visitors
- The music is "Banjoreno" by the Dixieland Jug Blowers
10. Untitled
(episode 10; aired 21 December 1969; recorded 30 November 1969)- Walk-on Part in Sketch
- Bank Robber in a Lingerie Shop
- Trailer
- It's A Tree
- Vocational Guidance CounsellorVocational Guidance CounsellorVocational Guidance Counsellor is a Monty Python sketch that first aired on December 21, 1969 in the episode "Episode 10". The sketch is credited with creating the popular stereotype of accountants being boring. Four decades on, the Financial Times reported that it still haunts the...
-
- The larch from episode 3 reappears.
- Ron ObviousRon Obvious (Monty Python character)Ron Obvious is a Monty Python character played by Terry Jones, appearing in a sketch in the first series episode 10. "Untitled".In the sketch, the extremely stupid Ron Obvious, encouraged by his unscrupulous manager Luigi Vercotti , undertakes several impossible tasks for publicity, in this order:1...
- The First Man to Jump the Channel
- Eating Chichester Cathedral
- Tunnelling from Godalming to Java
- Splitting a railway carriage with his nose
- Running to Mercury
- Most time being Underground
- Pet Conversions
- Gorilla Librarian
- Letters to Daily Mirror
- Strangers in the night
- Ron Obvious
- The larch from episode 3 reappears.
This is the first episode not to show an episode title at the beginning of the closing credits.
11. The Royal Philharmonic OrchestraRoyal Philharmonic OrchestraThe Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
Goes to the Bathroom
(episode 11; aired 28 December 1969; recorded 14 December 1969)
- Lavatorial Humour
-
- The RPO performs the opening of Tchaikovsky'sPyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyPyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
Piano Concerto No. 1Piano Concerto No. 1 (Tchaikovsky)The Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23 was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky between November 1874 and February 1875. It was revised in the summer of 1879 and again in December 1888. The first version received heavy criticism from Nikolai Rubinstein, Tchaikovsky's desired pianist....
in the bathroom.- Interruptions
- Agatha ChristieAgatha ChristieDame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
(Inspector Tiger) - Literary Football Discussion
- Interesting People
- Undertakers Film
- Eighteenth-Century Social Legislation
- The Battle of Trafalgar
- Batley Townswomans Guild Presents the Battle of Pearl Harbour
- Undertakers Film
- The RPO performs the opening of Tchaikovsky's
12. The Naked Ant
(episode 12; aired 4 January 1970; recorded 21 December 1969)- Falling From Building
- Spectrum – Talking About Things
- Visitors From Coventry
- Mr. Hilter and the Minehead by-election
- Silly Voices at the Police station
- Upper Class Twit of the YearUpper Class Twit of the YearThe Upper Class Twit of the Year is a classic comedy sketch that was seen on the TV show Monty Python's Flying Circus, and also in a modified format as the finale of the movie And Now For Something Completely Different...
- Ken Shabby
- How Far Can a Minister Fall?
13. It's the Arts (or: Intermission)
(episode 13; aired 11 January 1970; recorded 4 January 1970)- Restaurant Abuse/Cannibalism
- Advertisements
- Albatross
- Come Back to My Place
- Me Doctor
- Historical Impersonations
- Quiz Programme: "Wishes"
- Probe-Around on Crime
- Stonehenge and Mr. Attila the Hun
- Psychiatry
- Operating theatre
1. Face the Press (or: Dinsdale)
(episode 14; aired 15 September 1970; recorded 9 July 1970)- Face the Press
- New Cooker Sketch
- Tobacconist's (Prostitute Advert)
- The Ministry of Silly WalksThe Ministry of Silly Walks"The Ministry of Silly Walks" is a sketch from the Monty Python comedy troupe's television show Monty Python's Flying Circus, episode 14, which is entitled "Face the Press". The episode first aired in 1970. A shortened version of the sketch was performed for Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl...
- La March Futile
- Ethel the Frog/Piranha BrothersPiranha Brothers"Piranha Brothers" is a Monty Python sketch, first seen in Series 2, Episode 1 of Monty Python's Flying Circus, originally transmitted on September 15, 1970...
: introductory music: from Karelia SuiteKarelia SuiteThe Karelia Suite, Op. 11, is a collection of orchestral pieces composed by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.The pieces in this suite are drawn from several independent works he wrote in 1893 for a patriotic historical pageant to be presented by students of the University of Helsinki in Viipuri,...
by Jean SibeliusJean SibeliusJean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
2. The Spanish Inquisition
(episode 15; aired 22 September 1970; recorded 2 July 1970)- Man-Powered Flight
- The Spanish InquisitionThe Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)"The Spanish Inquisition" is a series of sketches in Monty Python's Flying Circus, Series 2 Episode 2, first broadcast 22 September 1970, parodying the real-life Spanish Inquisition. This episode is itself entitled "The Spanish Inquisition"...
- Jokes and Novelties Salesman
- Tax on Thingy
- Vox Pops
- Photos of Uncle Ted
- The SemaphoreFlag semaphoreSemaphore Flags is the system for conveying information at a distance by means of visual signals with hand-held flags, rods, disks, paddles, or occasionally bare or gloved hands. Information is encoded by the position of the flags; it is read when the flag is in a fixed position...
Version of Wuthering HeightsWuthering HeightsWuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847. It was her only novel and written between December 1845 and July 1846. It remained unpublished until July 1847 and was not printed until December after the success of her sister Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre... - Julius CaesarJulius Caesar (play)The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, also known simply as Julius Caesar, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1599. It portrays the 44 BC conspiracy against...
on an Aldis lamp - Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Morse CodeMorse codeMorse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
- Smoke signalSmoke signalThe smoke signal is one of the oldest forms of communication in recorded history. It is a form of visual communication used over long distance.-History and usage:...
Version of Gentlemen Prefer BlondesGentlemen Prefer BlondesGentlemen Prefer Blondes is a 1953 film adaptation of the 1949 stage musical, released by 20th Century Fox, directed by Howard Hawks and starring Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell, with Charles Coburn, Elliott Reid, Tommy Noonan, Taylor Holmes, and Norma Varden in supporting roles... - Court Charades
The Spanish Inquisitors (Palin
Michael Palin
Michael Edward Palin, CBE FRGS is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries....
, Jones
Terry Jones
Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team....
, and Gilliam
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
) appear 7 times throughout this episode.
3. Déjà Vu (or: Show 5)
(episode 16; aired 29 September 1970; recorded 16 July 1970)- A Bishop Rehearsing
- Flying Lessons
- Hijacked Plane
- The Poet McTeagle
- Psychiatrist Milkman
-
- Graham Chapman's character changes from Mrs. Ratbag to Mrs. Pim.
- Complaints
- Déjà Vu
- Graham Chapman's character changes from Mrs. Ratbag to Mrs. Pim.
4. The Buzz Aldrin Show (or: An Apology)
(episode 17; aired 20 October 1970; recorded 18 September 1970)- An apology
- GumbyGumbiesGumbys are recurring characters in Monty Python's Flying Circus, characterized by a very distinctive appearance. If a name was listed for them, the surname given would always be "Gumby", and the first name would usually be given as two initials...
announcement - Architects SketchArchitects SketchThe "Architects Sketch" is a Monty Python sketch, first seen in episode 17 of Monty Python's Flying Circus, "The Buzz Aldrin Show".-Description:...
- How to Recognize a Mason
- An apology/Another Gumby announcement
- Motor Insurance Sketch
- The BishopThe Bishop (Monty Python)The Bishop is a Monty Python sketch from season 2, episode 17 of Monty Python's Flying Circus . "The Bishop" is a parody of The Saint, a British crime-drama series of the 1960s starring Roger Moore as Simon Templar, enemy of gangland."The Bishop" stars Terry Jones as a crime-fighting bishop...
-
- The Peter Gunn Theme by Henry ManciniHenry ManciniHenry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
is prominent.- Living Room on Pavement
- Poets
- A Choice of Viewing
- An Interview with a Nude Man
- The Bishop...Again?!
- An apology
- Gumby Frog Curse/Another Another Gumby Announcement
- Chemist Sketch
- An Apology/Words Not to be Used Again
- After-shave
- Vox Pops
- Police Constable Pan-Am
- Another Apology
- End Credits
- Last Gumby announcement (The end)
- The Peter Gunn Theme by Henry Mancini
Cardinal Ximénez
The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)
"The Spanish Inquisition" is a series of sketches in Monty Python's Flying Circus, Series 2 Episode 2, first broadcast 22 September 1970, parodying the real-life Spanish Inquisition. This episode is itself entitled "The Spanish Inquisition"...
makes a cameo appearance in this episode. Additionally, one character says "I didn't expect a Spanish Inquisition", but, being played by Michael Palin (as is Cardinal Ximènez), is told to shut up.
5. Live from the Grill-O-MatLive from the Grill-O-Mat"Live from the Grill-O-Mat" is the fifth episode of Series 2 of Monty Python's Flying Circus. This show aired October 27, 1970 and was recorded 10 September 1970...
(episode 18; aired 27 October 1970; recorded 10 September 1970)
- Live From the Grill-o-Mat
- The First Item...
- Blackmail
-
- Terry Gilliam replaces Terry Jones as the Nude Organist.
- Society for Putting Things on Top of Other Things
- Escape from Film
- The Next Item (or dish)...
- Current Affairs
- Continued from the Escape from Film
- The Next Item (...Prawn Salad...?)...
- Accidents Sketch (Prawn Salad Ltd.)
- Interruption
- Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
- The Butcher Who is Alternately Rude and Polite
- The Last Item (coffee)...
- Ken Clean-Air System
- On the Bus (end credits)
- Terry Gilliam replaces Terry Jones as the Nude Organist.
6. It's a Living (or: School Prizes)
(episode 19; aired 3 November 1970; recorded 10 September 1970)- "It's a Living"
- The Time on BBC 1
- School Prize-Giving
- "if...." – a film by Mr Dibley
- "Rear Window" – a film by Mr Dibley
- "Finian's Rainbow" (starring the man from the off-licence)
- The Foreign Secretary and Other News
- Free Dung from the "Book of the Month" Club
- Dead Indian
- Timmy Williams interview
- Raymond Luxury Yacht (Throat Wobbler Mangrove interview)
- Marriage Registry office
- Election Night SpecialElection Night Special"Election Night Special" is a Monty Python sketch parodying the coverage of United Kingdom general elections, specifically the 1970 general election, on the BBC by including hectic actions by the media and a range of ridiculous candidates....
7. The Attila the Hun Show
(episode 20; aired 10 November 1970; recorded 2 October 1970)- "The Attila the HunAttila the HunAttila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared...
Show"
-
- Parody of The Debbie Reynolds ShowThe Debbie Reynolds ShowThe Debbie Reynolds Show is an American situation comedy which aired on the NBC television network during the 1969-70 television season. The series was produced by Filmways, but the distribution rights are currently owned by Universal Media Studios through its ownership of NBC Productions...
(1969), recreating the opening credits shot for shot and using a knockoff of the theme "'With A Little Love by Mike LeRoyMike LeRoyMike LeRoy Successful entrepreneur - Writer and singer.Mike was the singer of the theme song to the 1965 cult classic film, A High Wind in Jamaica. he also sang 'with a little love' in 1970, which was subsequently used on the Attila the hun sketch of Monty Python's Flying Circus.-Bio:Mike...
". - The opening sequence appears after this sketch.
- Attila the Nun
- Secretary of State Striptease
- Vox Pops on Political Groupies
- Ratcatcher
- Wainscotting
- Killer Sheep
- The News for Parrots
- The News for Gibbons
- Today in Parliament
- The News for WombatWombatWombats are Australian marsupials; they are short-legged, muscular quadrupeds, approximately in length with a short, stubby tail. They are adaptable in their habitat tolerances, and are found in forested, mountainous, and heathland areas of south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania, as well as...
s - Attila the Bun
- The Idiot in the Rural Society
- Test Match Against IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
- The Epsom Furniture Race
- "Spot The Braincell"
- Parody of The Debbie Reynolds Show
8. Archaeology Today
(episode 21; aired 17 November 1970; recorded 9 October 1970)- Trailer
- "Archaeology Today"
- Silly Vicar and Leapy Lee
- Registrar (wife swap)
- Silly doctor sketch (immediately abandoned)
- Mr. and Mrs. Git
- Roy and Hank Spim – Mosquito hunters
- Poofy Judges
- Mrs. Thing and Mrs. Entity
- Beethoven's Mynah Bird
- Shakespeare
- MichelangeloMichelangeloMichelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni , commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art...
- Colin "Chopper" Mozart (ratcatcher)
- Judges
9. How to Recognise Different Parts of the Body
(episode 22; aired 24 November 1970; recorded 25 September 1970)- "How to Recognise Different Parts of the Body"
- Bruces sketchBruces sketchThe Bruces sketch is a famous sketch from the TV show Monty Python's Flying Circus, and appears in episode 22, 'How to recognise different parts of the body'...
- Naughty Bits
- The Man who Contradicts People
- Cosmetic Surgery
- Camp Square-Bashing
- Killer Cars
- Cut-Price Airline
- Batley Townswomen's Guild Presents the First Heart Transplant
- The First Underwater Production of "Measure for Measure"
- The Death of Mary Queen of Scots
- Exploding PenguinPenguinPenguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
on the TV Set - There's Been a Murder
- Sgt. Duckie's Song – Police entry for Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song ContestThe Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
- "Bing Tiddle Tiddle Bang" (song) – contest winner from MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
10. Scott of the Antarctic
(episode 23; aired 1 December 1970; recorded 2 July 1970)- French Subtitled Film
- Scott of the AntarcticRobert Falcon ScottCaptain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...
- Scott of the Sahara
-
- The opening sequence appears after this sketch, seventeen and a half minutes into the show (out of about thirty).
- Conrad Poohs and His Dancing Teeth
- Fish LicenceFish LicenceThe Fish Licence is part one of a two-part segment of the popular British television series, Monty Python's Flying Circus. Eric Praline, played by John Cleese, takes on the role of the put-upon customer who, when seeking to obtain a licence for his pet halibut, Eric, has difficulty explaining to...
- Derby Council v. All Blacks Rugby Match
- Long John SilverLong John SilverLong John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Silver is also known by the nicknames "Barbecue" and the "Sea-Cook".- Profile :...
Impersonators v. BournemouthBournemouthBournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
GynaecologistsGynaecologyGynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
- The opening sequence appears after this sketch, seventeen and a half minutes into the show (out of about thirty).
11. How Not to Be Seen
(episode 24; aired 8 December 1970; recorded 23 July 1970)- Conquistador Coffee Campaign
- Repeating Groove
- Ramsay MacDonaldRamsay MacDonaldJames Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
Striptease - Job Hunter
- International Chinese Communist Conspiracy
- Crelm ToothpasteToothpasteToothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush as an accessory to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it serves as an abrasive that aids in removing the dental plaque and food from the teeth, assists in suppressing...
/ Shrill Petrol - Agatha ChristieAgatha ChristieDame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
Sketch (railway timetables) - Mr Neville Shunte-Railroad Playwright
- Gavin Millarrrrrrrrr Writes
- Film Director/Dentist Martin Curry (teeth)
- City Gents Vox Pops
- Crackpot Religions Ltd
-
- A scene at the end, with crosses that are actually telegraph poles, was cut out but can be seen at the end of the episode when the whole show is repeated.
- How Not to Be SeenHow Not To Be Seen"How Not to Be Seen" is a popular sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus. It was first aired as a the 11th episode of the 2nd series of the show ....
- Crossing the Atlantic on a Tricycle
- Interview in Filing Cabinet
- "Yummy Yummy Yummy, I've Got Love In My Tummy"Yummy Yummy Yummy"Yummy Yummy Yummy" is a bubblegum pop song by Arthur Resnick and Joey Levine, first recorded by Ohio Express in 1968. Their version reached #4 in the U.S. Pop Singles chart and #5 in the UK Singles Chart. It has since been covered by many artists. Ohio Express was a studio concoction and none of...
/Music Time - Monty Python's Flying Circus Again in Thirty Seconds
- How Not to Be Seen
- A recap of the episode.
- A scene at the end, with crosses that are actually telegraph poles, was cut out but can be seen at the end of the episode when the whole show is repeated.
"And now for something completely different" and the opening sequence has a repeating groove.
This episode featured many famous characters from different episodes including The Nudge Man (Nudge Nudge
Nudge Nudge
"Candid Photography", better known as "Nudge Nudge", is a sketch from the third Monty Python's Flying Circus episode, "How to Recognise Different Types of Trees From Quite a Long Way Away" featuring Eric Idle and Terry Jones as two strangers who meet in a pub.-Sketch description:As patrons in a...
), Cardinal Ximenez (The Spanish Inquisition
The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)
"The Spanish Inquisition" is a series of sketches in Monty Python's Flying Circus, Series 2 Episode 2, first broadcast 22 September 1970, parodying the real-life Spanish Inquisition. This episode is itself entitled "The Spanish Inquisition"...
), Ken Shabby, etc. Terry Gilliam
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
also reprised his role as the nude organist (Blackmail), a character usually played by Terry Jones
Terry Jones
Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team....
.
12. Spam
(Episode 25; aired 15 December 1970; recorded 25 June 1970)- "The Black Eagle"
- Opening credits
- Dirty Hungarian phrasebookDirty Hungarian Phrasebook- Plot :The sketch is set in Britain. A Hungarian enters a tobacconist's shop carrying a phrasebook and begins a dialogue with the tobacconist; he wants to buy some cigarettes but his phrasebook is poorly written and the translations of his desired phrases do not resemble in the slightest what he...
- Court (phrasebook)
-
- Includes a reference to the UK game show Take Your PickTake Your PickTake Your Pick was a UK game show originally broadcast by Radio Luxembourg in the early 1950s. The show transferred to television in 1955 with the launch of ITV, where it continued until 1968...
, where the prosecutor gongs Alexander Yalt (Michael Palin) for answering "yes" during a series of questions.- World Forum – Communist Quiz
- "Ypres 1914First Battle of YpresThe First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
" (abandoned) - Art Gallery Strikes
- "Ypres 1914First Battle of YpresThe First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
" - Hospital for Over-Actors
- Includes a Richard IIIRichard III of EnglandRichard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
Ward, due in part to many exaggerations on the character over the years.- Gumby Flower Arranging
- SpamSpam (Monty Python)"Spam" is a popular Monty Python sketch, first televised in 1970. In the sketch, two customers are in a greasy spoon café trying to order a breakfast from a menu that includes the processed meat product in almost every dish. The term spam is derived from this sketch...
- Includes a reference to the UK game show Take Your Pick
13. Royal Episode 13 (or: The Queen Will Be Watching)
(episode 26; aired 22 December 1970; recorded 16 October 1970)- The Queen Will Be Watching
-
- In honor of Her Majesty the Queen, a shortened opening sequence plays "Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1Pomp and Circumstance MarchesThe "Pomp and Circumstance Marches" , Op. 39 are a series of marches for orchestra composed by Sir Edward Elgar....
" in place of "The Liberty Bell".- Coal Mine in Llandarogh Carmarthen
- The Man Who Says Things in a Very Roundabout Way
- The Man Who Speaks Only the Ends of Words
- The Man Who Speaks Only the Beginnings of Words
- The Man Who Speaks Only the Middles of Words
- Commercials
- How to Feed a Goldfish
- The Man Who Collects Birdwatcher's Eggs
- Insurance Sketch
- Hospital Run by RSM
- Mountaineer
- Exploding Version of "The Blue Danube"
- Girls Boarding School
- Submarine
- A Man with a Stoat Through His Head
- Lifeboat (cannibalism)Lifeboat sketchMonty Python's Lifeboat sketch appeared on Monty Python's Flying Circus in Episode 26. It was also performed on the album, Another Monty Python Record, retitled Still No Sign Of Land. The sketch was inspired by the famous 1884 English criminal law case of The Queen v...
- Undertaker's sketchUndertaker's sketchThe Undertakers sketch is a comedy sketch from the 26th episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus, entitled "Royal Episode 13"...
- In honor of Her Majesty the Queen, a shortened opening sequence plays "Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1
At one point a scrolling subtitle reports that the Queen is still watching The Virginian
The Virginian (TV series)
The Virginian is an American Western television series starring James Drury and Doug McClure, which aired on NBC from 1962 to 1971 for a total of 249 episodes. Filmed in color, The Virginian became television's first 90-minute western series...
.
Series 3
In this season (only), the opening sequence begins with a nude organist, John Cleese saying "and now," and the "It's" Man.1. Whicker's World (or: Njorl's Saga)
(episode 27; aired 19 October 1972; recorded 14 January 1972)- Njorl's Saga/Opening Credits
- Multiple Murderer Court Scene
- Investigating the body
- Njorl's Saga – part II
- A Terrible Mess
- Njorl's Saga – part II: North Malden?
- Starting Over
- Njorl's Saga – part II: Invest in Malden?
- Phone conversation about the word "Malden" in the saga
- Eric Njorl Court Scene (Njorl's Saga – part III)
- Stock Exchange Report
- Mrs. Premise and Mrs. Conclusion at the Launderette
- Mrs. Premise and Mrs. Conclusion at North Malden
- Back to the saga...
- Njorl's Saga – part IV: Mrs. Premise and Mrs. Conclusion visit Sartre in Paris
- Whicker's WorldWhicker's WorldWhicker's World is an award-winning British television documentary series that ran from 1959 to 1988, presented by journalist and broadcaster Alan Whicker....
2. Mr. and Mrs. Brian Norris' Ford Popular
(episode 28; aired 26 October 1972; recorded 28 January 1972)- Emigration from Surbiton to Hounslow
-
- The opening sequence follows this sketch.
- Schoolboys' Life Assurance Company
- How to Do It
- Mrs. Niggerbaiter Explodes
- Vicar/Salesman
- Farming Club
- "Life of Tschaikowsky"
- Trim-Jeans Theatre
- The Fish-Slapping DanceThe Fish-Slapping DanceThe Fish-Slapping Dance is a comedy sketch written and performed by the Monty Python team. The sketch was originally recorded in 1971 for a pan-European May Day special entitled Euroshow 71...
- World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(Animation) - Titanic Sinking
- The BBC is Short of Money
- SS Mother Goose
- It's Man Show
- Shown after the closing credits. LuluLulu (singer)Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
and Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
appear as themselves. This is one of the few times you can hear the man say something besides "It's".
- The opening sequence follows this sketch.
3. The Money Programme
(episode 29; aired 2 November 1972; recorded 4 December 1971)- The Money ProgrammeThe Money ProgrammeThe Money Programme is a finance and business affairs television programme on BBC2.It was first broadcast on 5 April 1966 and presented by "commentators" William Davis, Erskine Childers and Joe Roeber. At this time David Attenborough was the controller of BBC2...
- Money Song
- Erizabeth L
- Fraud Film Director Squad
- Hands Up (Animation)
- Dead BishopDead BishopThe Dead Bishop sketch, also known as the Church Police or Salvation Fuzz, is a comedic sketch appearing in Episode 29 of Monty Python's Flying Circus, "The Money Programme"...
, AKA Church Police or Salvation Fuzz - Jungle Restaurant
- Apology for Violence and Nudity
- Ken RussellKen RussellHenry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell was an English film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. He attracted criticism as being obsessed with sexuality and the church...
's "Gardening Club" - The Lost World of Roiurama
- Six More Minutes of Monty Python's Flying Circus
- The Argument SkitThe Argument SkitThe Argument Sketch is a sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus. It appeared in the show's 29th episode, following the ending credits. It featured Michael Palin and John Cleese...
- Hitting on the Head Lessons
- Inspector Flying Fox of the Yard
- One More Minute of Monty Python's Flying Circus
4. Blood, Devastation, Death, War, and Horror
(episode 30; aired 9 November 1972; recorded 11 December 1971)- Blood, Devastation, Death, War and Horror
- The Man Who Speaks in Anagrams
-
- The opening sequence follows this sketch.
- Anagram Quiz
- Merchant Banker
- Pantomime Horses
- Life and Death Struggles
- Househunters
- Mary Recruitment Office
- Bus Conductor Sketch
- The Man Who Makes People Laugh Uncontrollably
- Army Captain as Clown
- Gestures to Indicate Pauses in a Televised Talk
- Neurotic Announcers
- The News with Richard BakerRichard Baker (broadcaster)Richard Baker OBE is a British broadcaster best known as a newsreader for the BBC News from 1954 to 1982. He was a contemporary of Kenneth Kendall and Robert Dougall and was the first person to read the BBC Television News in 1954. At one time he lived in Barnet, North London...
(vision only) - The Pantomime Horse is a Secret Agent
- The opening sequence follows this sketch.
Anagrams appear throughout this episode: "Tony M. Nyphot's Flying Risccu" for Monty Python's Flying Circus; "Chamran Knebt" for Merchant Bank, "Mary Recruitment Office" for Army Recruitment Office. The end credits are all in anagrams.
Richard Baker has also done gestures to indicate pauses in the news.
5. The All-England Summarize Proust Competition
(episode 31; aired 16 November 1972; recorded 24 April 1972- Summarize Proust Competition
-
- The end credits appear here.
- Hairdressers Climb Up Mount Everest
- Fire Brigade
- Our Eamonn
- "Party Hints" with Veronica Smalls
- Language Laboratory
- Travel Agent
- Watney's Red Barrel
- Anne Elk's Theory on BrontosaurusesAnne Elk's Theory on Brontosauruses"Anne Elk's Theory on Brontosauruses" is a sketch from the thirty-first Monty Python's Flying Circus episode, "The All-England Summarize Proust Competition"....
- The end credits appear here.
6. The War Against Pornography
(episode 32; aired 23 November 1972; recorded 21 January 1972)- Tory Housewives Clean-up Campaign
- Gumby Brain Specialist
- Molluscs – "Live" TV Documentary
- Report on the Minister reports
- Tuesday Documentary
- Children's Story
- Match of the Day
- An Apology
- Expedition to Lake Pahoe
- The Silliest Interview We've Ever Had
- The Silliest Sketch We've Ever Done
7. Salad Days
(episode 33; aired 30 November 1972; recorded 7 January 1972)- Biggles Dictates a Letter
-
- In some video editions, a technical glitch cut some of the dialogue; but the complete original does exist.
- Climbing the North Face of the Uxbridge Road
- Lifeboat
- Old lady snoopers
- Storage Jars
- The Show so Far
- Cheese Shop sketchCheese Shop sketchThe Cheese Shop is a well-known sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus.It appears in episode 33, "Salad Days". The script for the sketch is included in the book The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus : All the Words, Volume 2.-Origins:...
- Philip Jenkinson on Cheese Westerns
- Sam Peckinpah's "Salad Days"
- Apology
- The News with Richard BakerRichard Baker (broadcaster)Richard Baker OBE is a British broadcaster best known as a newsreader for the BBC News from 1954 to 1982. He was a contemporary of Kenneth Kendall and Robert Dougall and was the first person to read the BBC Television News in 1954. At one time he lived in Barnet, North London...
- Seashore Interlude Film
- In some video editions, a technical glitch cut some of the dialogue; but the complete original does exist.
8. The Cycling Tour
(episode 34; aired 7 December 1972; recorded 4 May 1972)- Mr. Pither
- Mr. Gulliver and Clodagh Rogers
- Trotsky
- SmolenskSmolenskSmolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
- Bingo-Crazed Chinese
- Not Secret Police
- Trotsky / Eartha KittEartha KittEartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...
- Firing Squad
- Eartha KittEartha KittEartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...
/ Edward HeathEdward HeathSir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
This episode is the first episode of Flying Circus to feature a full length story.
This is the first episode that doesn't have a formal opening sequence; instead, a simple caption "The Cycling Tour" appears at the beginning of the episode.
John Tomiczek, Graham Chapman's adopted son, makes a brief non-speaking appearance as an autograph seeker.
The entire episode was written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones; they each play exactly one character throughout the whole show.
The music to which Mr. Pither cycles is the Waltz from Act II of Faust
Faust (opera)
Faust is a drame lyrique in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, in turn loosely based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part 1...
by Charles Gounod
Charles Gounod
Charles-François Gounod was a French composer, known for his Ave Maria as well as his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.-Biography:...
.
9. The Nude Organist (or: The Nude Man)
(episode 35; aired 14 December 1972; recorded 11 May 1972)- Bomb on Plane
- A Naked Man
- Ten Seconds of Sex
- Housing Project Built by Characters from Nineteenth-century English Literature
- M1 Interchange Built by Characters from 'Paradise Lost'
- Mystico and Janet – Flats Built by Hypnosis
- Mortuary Hour
- The Olympic Hide-and-seek Final
- The Cheap-Laughs
- Bull-fighting
- The British Well-Basically Club
- Prices on the Planet Algon
- Mr. Badger Reads the Credits
10. E. Henry Thripshaw's Disease
(episode 36; aired 21 December 1972; recorded 25 May 1972)- Tudor Jobs Agency
- Pornographic Bookshop
- Elizabethan Pornography Smugglers
- Silly Disturbances
- The Free Repetition of Doubtful Words Sketch
- 'Is There?'... Life after Death?
- The Man Who Says Words in the Wrong Order
- Thripshaw's Disease
-
- The footage representing the movie version of Thripshaw's Disease was taken from a 1960 Polish movie Knights of the Teutonic OrderKnights of the Teutonic Order (film)Knights of the Teutonic Order is a 1960 Polish film directed by Aleksander Ford based on the novel of the same name by Henryk Sienkiewicz....
.- Silly Noises
- Sherry-drinking Vicar
- The footage representing the movie version of Thripshaw's Disease was taken from a 1960 Polish movie Knights of the Teutonic Order
The BBC censored this episode probably more than any other, cutting three sketches (Big Nosed Sculptor, Revolting Cocktails, Wee-Wee Wine Cellar) as well as much of Gilliam's animation.
11. Dennis Moore
(episode 37; aired 4 January 1973; recorded 17 April 1972)- "Boxing Tonight" – Jack BodellJack BodellJack Bodell is a retired English professional boxer who was active during the 1960s and 1970s....
v. Sir Kenneth Clark - Dennis Moore
- What the Stars Foretell
- Doctor
- TV4 or Not TV4 Discussion
- Lupins
- Ideal Loon Exhibition
- Off-Licence
- Dennis Moore Rides Again
- Prejudice
- Redistribution of Wealth
12. A Book at Bedtime
(episode 38; aired 11 January 1973; recorded 18 December 1971)- Party Political Broadcast (Choreographed) †
- A Book at Bedtime – "Redgauntlet"
- Kamikaze Scotsmen
- No Time to Lose
- Frontiers of Medicine – Penguins
- BBC programme planners
- Unexploded Scotsmen
- Spot the Looney
- Rival Documentaries
- Dad's Doctors, Dad's Pooves and Other Interesting Stories
"Party Political Broadcast (Choreographed)" and "Dad's Doctors, Dad's Pooves and Other Interesting Stories" have been cut out in many versions of this episode. A clip of "Party Political Broadcast (Choreographed)" has surfaced on YouTube, stated to have been found in Canada by David Morgan. It originates from WNED
WNED-TV
WNED-TV is a Public Broadcasting Service member Public televisionstation in Buffalo, New York. Owned by the Western New York Public Broadcasting Association, it broadcasts on digital channel 43 from studios in downtown Buffalo and a transmitter located in Grand Island, New York...
in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, New York; an identification card is seen at the beginning of the clip, and a "Support Channel 17" phone number shows up at the bottom of the screen. There is also a clip of the last sketch originating from German network WDR with German subtitles. "Dad's Doctors" has been restored to the iTunes version of the show as well as added to the Netflix streaming video version of the series.
13. Grandstand (or: The British Showbiz Awards)
(episode 39; aired 18 January 1973; recorded 18 May 1972)This is the second episode without a formal opening sequence.
- Thames TV Introduction
- "Light Entertainment Awards" with Dickie Attenborough
- Dickie Attenborough
- The Oscar Wilde Sketch
- Charwoman
- David Niven's Fridge
- Pasolini's Film "The Third Test Match"
- New Brain from Curry's
- Blood Donor
- International Wife-Swapping
- Credits of the Year
-
- The moment when the two men are discovered in bed together is John CleeseJohn CleeseJohn Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
's last appearance in the series.- The Dirty Vicar Sketch
- The moment when the two men are discovered in bed together is John Cleese
Series 4
On screen the final series was titled simply Monty Python although the full title, Monty Python's Flying Circus, is displayed at the beginning of the opening sequence. John Cleese is not in this series, except in the first episode uncredited. He also helped write all the episodes.1. The Golden Age of Ballooning
(episode 40; aired 31 October 1974; recorded 12 October 1974)This episode has no opening sequence.
- The Montgolfier Brothers
- Montgolfier Brothers in Love
- Louis XVI
- The Court of George III
-
- The end credits appear here.
- Party Political Broadcast on Behalf of the Norwegian Party (subtitled)
- Zeppelin
- The Golden Age of Colonic Irrigation
- The end credits appear here.
2. Michael Ellis
(episode 41; aired 7 November 1974; recorded 19 October 1974)This is the second episode to feature a full length story.
The end credits appear immediately after the opening sequence.
- Department Store
- Buying an Ant
- At Home with the Ant and Other Pets
- Documentary on Ants
- Ant Complaints
- Ant Poetry Reading
- Toupee Department
- Different Endings
3. The Light Entertainment War
(episode 42; aired 14 November 1974; recorded 26 October 1974)The Nude Organist and the It's Man appear for the last time, in footage taken from the Dennis Moore episode.
Most of the sketches of the episode have a shared theme (World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) yet no apparent narrative.
- Up Your Pavement
-
- Theme music is a variant of "When Does A Dream Begin?" and based very much on the theme tune to Steptoe and SonSteptoe and SonSteptoe and Son is a British sitcom written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson about two rag and bone men living in Oil Drum Lane, a fictional street in Shepherd's Bush, London. Four series were broadcast by the BBC from 1962 to 1965, followed by a second run from 1970 to 1974. Its theme tune, "Old...
, a popular BBC sitcom of the time. A little later in this sequence, the Blue PeterBlue PeterBlue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
theme tune can be heard very briefly.- RAF Banter
- Sketch opens with Terry Jones climbing out of Hawker HurricaneHawker HurricaneThe Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
Mk. I, L1592, now on display at the Science MuseumScience museumA science museum or a science centre is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, industry and industrial machinery, etc. Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of...
, London.- Trivializing the War
- Courtmartial
- Basingstoke in Westphalia
- "Anything Goes" (song)
- Film Trailer
- Opening titles appear here.
- The Public Are Idiots
- Programme Titles Conference
- The Last Five Miles (8 km) of the M4
- Woody and Tinny Words
- Show-Jumping
- Features Olympic silver medal-winning showjumper Marion Mould (see also Stroller (horse)Stroller (horse)Stroller was the only pony to compete at the Olympics in Show Jumping.* Color: Bay* Markings: Star, near hind sock* Height: 14.1 hh approx.* Sex: Gelding* Breed: Irish Sport Horse...
).- Newsflash
- "When Does a Dream Begin?" (song)
- Written and performed by Neil InnesNeil InnesNeil James Innes is an English writer and performer of comic songs, best known for his collaborative work with Monty Python, and for playing in the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and later The Rutles.-Personal life:...
, singing to Maggie Weston, the Python make-up girl, and future wife of Terry GilliamTerry GilliamTerrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
.
- Theme music is a variant of "When Does A Dream Begin?" and based very much on the theme tune to Steptoe and Son
Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
made a brief appearance as a doctor treating a man suffering from lumbago.
4. Hamlet
(episode 43; aired 21 November 1974; recorded 2 November 1974)- Bogus Psychiatrists
- Nationwide
- Police helmets
- Father-in-Law
-
- Opening titles appear here.
- Hamlet and Ophelia
- Boxing Match Aftermath
- Boxing Commentary
- Piston Engine (a Bargain)
- A Room in Polonius's House
- Dentists
- Live from Epsom – Jockey Interviews
- Queen Victoria Handicap
- Opening titles appear here.
5. Mr. Neutron
(episode 44; aired 28 November 1974; recorded 9 November 1974)This is the third episode to feature a full length story ("Cycling Tour" and "Michael Ellis" being the earlier two).
- Post-box Ceremony
- Mr. Neutron
- F.E.A.R. / Mr. Neutron is Missing!
- Teddy Salad
- Secretary of State and Prime Minister
- Bombing
- Mrs. Scum
- Teddy Salad Explodes
- Mr. Neutron Escapes
- Conjuring Today
With the exception of "Post-box Ceremony," nearly the entire episode was co-written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones.
6. Party Political Broadcast
(episode 45; aired 5 December 1974; recorded 16 November 1974)- Most Awful Family in Britain (co-written by Neil InnesNeil InnesNeil James Innes is an English writer and performer of comic songs, best known for his collaborative work with Monty Python, and for playing in the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and later The Rutles.-Personal life:...
) - Icelandic Honey Week
-
- Opening sequence appears here.
- Patient AbusePatient AbusePatient Abuse is a sketch from the final episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus, "Party Political Broadcast". The sketch is among the few not entirely written by members of Monty Python, and is notable for its considerable amount of black humour...
(co-written by Douglas AdamsDouglas AdamsDouglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
) - Brigadier and Bishop
- Appeal on Behalf of Extremely Rich People
- The Man Who Finishes Other People's Sentences
- David Attenborough
- The Walking Trees of Dahomey
- Batsmen of the Kalahari
- Cricket Match (assegais)
- Patient Abuse
- End credits appear here.
- BBC News (handovers)
- Announcements related to the party political broadcast on behalf of the Liberal Party.
- Opening sequence appears here.