I had the privilege to care for this wonderful, gentle, kind man on Cornwallis ward at Maidstone hospital where he died. His partner David who seemed to live in black jeans and leather jacket was also an incredibly gentle, humble, shy, softly spoken & gracious man who never took advantage of his status. You can tell a great deal about a person when they are so desperately ill by their visitors & there was no doubt that he was deeply loved by many exceptionally special people on so many levels.
@sleepypoodle - I'm 47, and just like my father before me... I'm a lifelong fan, These guys all helped make the world a better place, with greater understanding, They will always be one of my guiding forces in life, they even taught me to appreciate my own quirks and sense of humour 🙌🏻 RIP Graham and thank you. And to the rest of the Monty Python team we thank and love you all for bringing the world what it truly needed 🇦🇺 😎👍
Monty Python was wonderful. I don't think my life would have been the same without them. Years ago a childhood friend of mine died. In his obituary they mentioned how much he loved Monty Python. How many comedians get mentioned in obituaries? At one point we lived next door to each other. He took in a stray cat and naturally he named it Eric. Thanks for the memories boys, we all love ya.
I am an American, and there were a few American comedies that I liked, but I was never happier than when I discovered British humor in the Sixties. So outrageous and clever.
Richard Davis This documentary is from December 1989 and they'd just lost Chapman. Little did they know that 25 Years from then that due to Public demand, they'd get together for a series of HUGE live shows in London's O2 Arena (state of the Art Arena, wasn't around in 89, its housed in the Millenium Dome opened in 1999). Even Stephen Fry here, wasn't known in America then, but is quite big there now.
soeffingwhat I have known of Fry for quite some time, I learned of Python on the seventies. I love British humor going back to the sixties when I heard it on the radio while living as a boy in Spain. Radio was all there was in English for Americans.
Richard Davis Agreed. I think Python hit parts of the world that British Comedy didn't previously penetrate. British Comedy is great. We got it all the time here in Ireland, where I live.
soeffingwhat I am of Irish descent, perhaps our senses of humor are inherent. I really enjoy the sense of humor of the Isles, and I believe that much of it originates from the devastation of WW II and the black humor that comes along with that kind of experience, along with the propensity for being very well educated. One of my pet peeves is " Dumb 'Merican", I tend to demonstrate the absurdity of that particular generalization with great vehemence. Nothing so easily defeated as a generalization, is there? This is not to mention the ridiculous notion that geographical location determines intelligence. I chop them up quite nicely, thank you. I swear before the gods that I do not believe in, that one brain fart had the gall to refer to me as Jethro from the "Beverly Hillbillies". After I had mopped him up all day long, he said that not everyone had the "benefit of my education" and when I told him that I had only passed thru to the sixth grade elementary level, this turd had the nerve to call me "Jethro". People are so damn stupid.
soeffingwhat Scot/Irish, Cherokee. Pretty common here in the States. I had heard about the Goon Show, I think that I have seen clips of it here in YT, I''ll check. I give no pass to any Muslim, they cannot be trusted. They lie under the direction of the very "holy book" they live by. There are no bigger liars than Muslims and Socialists, in my experience.
It takes a special man to bring laughter to the world in his own absence. Graham was one of a kind. Mostly because they refused to make another one once they saw how he turned out.
"I feel I should say "nonsense". Good riddance to him, the freeloading bastard". The humour and intelligence and irreverance of these knowledgeable, well educated and aware people has keep me going for years. Whenever I get so tired of boringness, hypocrisy and hypocrits,prats, stupidity, and ignorance, I pull up some Python to remind myself that sanity and thoughtful perspective still exist. Thank you for posting.
I first saw Monty Python on Comedy Central when I was 18 and my love of the UK ,Wales and its people blossomed. I had an opportunity to study in England. Thank you Monty Python for making this insane world easy to bear.
I'm a yank nurse, and know well what you're referring to in regard to how such devastating circumstances truly reveal a person's character. Thank you for providing empathetic, respectful, skillful, and compassionate care to a character so very near and dear to my black little heart-Graham Chapman. Warmest Regards ~Kaycee, CNRN, CRRN
Every one of them would be a tremendous loss to the group, but Graham was the salt of the group. He had something very special. Can't really find the words. You other fans out there might know what I'm thinking about anyway.
Yes indeed, he had a genuine presence, a gift for timing, even the way he held his mouth on cue - and his speech was impeccable - just a natural wit in the classic sense.
Absolutely thats why the others had no problem with him as the leading character in the movies just the way he spoke and moved was funny as hell it is hard to explain
Chapman was the closest to the "straight man" of the group. Those who know comedy far better than me say that is the most difficult role in a comedy act or troupe. He was completely indispensable.
The first interviews of looking back, and when you're at your so emotional because of death, are always the best. This may not be the best documentary of Python, but the interviews in here are at their most real and revealing. That's what makes this documentary so good.
What a force of change in culture, these men. All comedy, and perhaps all satire they forever changed. The Lone Comic TM Defender of Creativity and Entertainment SM
I would personally like to thank you for looking after Graham in his final hours im 21 Ive watched python since a kid and got into comedy because of them there will never be anyone quite like the python crew, they deserve so much from us I thank you for looking after this kid man and im sure the rest of the world does to :)
And then there were five... Graham is gone but not forgotten. That day the humour should have died, but the other Pythons clearly disagreed... and we should all be thankful for that. Python is still king of the hill...
I watched the memorial service for Deke Slayton on NASA TV 20 years ago. One of the original Mercury Astronauts, he was grounded by heart murmur and given the job of Director of Flight Crew Operations. In other words HE decided who would be the first man to walk on the moon. A panel of famous astronauts each told their favorite stories about their boss. It was a joyous and very funny sendoff, shown on NASA TV so all the NASA centers across the US could say goodby to the "Chief Astronaut'.
WOAH! 44:40 I never realized it _started_ in Dallas!! I remember growing up with British comedies on PBS on certain nights/evenings (weekends, I think), and watching those religiously with my mom had an absolutely massive effect on who I am today, especially (of course) my sense of humor. I had no inkling then how lucky I was - I just knew that I loved those shows - and I still get strange looks when I tell people that I grew up on British comedy... in the 70s and 80s... in Texas! I just never imagined I was actually one of the first. I guess for many years I just supposed everyone got them somehow. I wonder why Dallas, of all places? Well anyway, I'm terribly, terribly grateful to KERA channel 13 for giving us the Flying Circus, and then all of the other British comedies they gave us through the years, shows which I adore to this day.
+Funnysterste Isn't it amazing how they defined not only an era, but the best in humor for ever!? Even today, in 2016 (ouch!) they are the AVANTGARDE of humor!
My favorite sketch was _not_ the one with the parrot, nor the cheese shop…..mine featured Cleese and Chapman as pepper pots, sitting in a laundromat chatting in outrageous accents, and somehow ending up arguing about Jean Paul Sartre-you know the one-and the next thing you know, they’re on a raft to Paris, but they get sidetracked, etc. etc. *THAT* is my favorite sketch!
I used to live near a pub in Marloes Rd, and Monty Python came on late on a sunday night. We used to invite people back to the flat to see Monty Python (which pretty well emptied the pub). I remember one evening two French girls saying 'all zese people, zey live in zat flat?'
Like the rest of us Americans.We really never knew what they were saying until years later.I mean we had an idea but it was the clever presentation that went from cheesy sets to a beautiful wooded scene or park in London somewhere that was more unlike we'd see here.I saw Graham Chapman interview on the Dick Cavett show and I learned a few things. I think I gave him a lot more respect than I use to give John Cleese.
My Indonesian wife laughs at Python without getting a lot of the jokes. Animated movies these days are praised for being able to entertain kids and parents with different gags, this is the genius of Python.
Free-loading bastard or not, he insisted on buying a round...when it was not his round! I was lucky enough to interview him in 1975. When we eventually left the bar he said, 'I hope you go straight to heaven, do not pass GO, do not collect £200' (a Monopoly reference). He was a talented and extraordinary character.
I have the 4cd box with all Flying circus episodes and I jst watch it all the time can't get enough of it. Mostly I like them playing women and Terry Jones & Michael Palin are my favorites for female roles :-) Love this type of humor. The ministry of silly walks, Dennis Moore, the Spanisch inquisition etc. I love their movies to. I've got the holy grail, life of Brian & meaning of life. The first 2 I think are the best. Side projects I love too, Time bandits, Yellowbeard... They're just amazing!
I found Monty Python in 1979 right after I graduated HS. It was on PBS Sunday night at 11, right after my dad went to bed. I would take my bong into the garage and smoke, come back and laugh my ass off. Life Of Brian and The Grail are two of the funniest movies ever made. I think Brian is second only to Blazing Saddles, the funniest movie of all-time. Great comedy is timeless and since I love ridiculous humor, when I need a laugh, I go straight to The Flying Circus.
Who (I'm pretty sure) I see in the audience (non-Pythons) 5:13 Jonathan Miller and Alan Bennett (from Beyond the Fringe) 5:15 Tim Brook-Taylor (The Goodies)
In reference to the comment of, "So how many of you silly twits looked for Tracking controls at the beginning of this program?" All you have to do is "become" Graham Chapman, in character, and shout, "Alright you bloody damn video tracking device. Either shape up..or ship out!"
Naseem Shanboor try to live beyond the stereotypical depiction of mindless girls who can only focus on appearance and not humour, intellect and humanity.
This video is mislabeled, as it should be titled "Life of Python (documentary: UK version) - 20 Years of Monty Python". It is a documentary produced in 1989 to mark 20 years of Monty Python. There were two versions, one broadcast in the USA, and the other shown in the UK. This video is the UK version which aired on Monty Python's 21st anniversary on 5 October 1990, as part of the BBC's Omnibus documentary series. I got this information from Wikipedia.
What about their seemingly fixation over chartered accountancy? Their depiction of it is extensive through Flying Circus and they even have that master piece that goes on the beginning of the Meaning of Life...
I'm not English, so this is an educated guess, but I think it's something to do with their "middle class" backgrounds. Chartered accountancy was supposed to be like the epitome of middle class, boring life, or something.
If anybody in the world has a technically better copy of this great show, in its complete form, with a improved steady image all the way thru, please post it.
John Cleese says that the individual members of Python want each other to do fairly well, but not to do anything brilliant and overshadow Python's achievements. I think he is forgetting his own achievement, Fawlty Towers which, in my humble opinion is better than Python.
+Todd O'Brien Cleese is rather tall, for a person, and he had a hot wife, for a girl, so I see no reason to believe anything he says. At least from you. Not to mention man's laughter. ;)
But it became joyful ultimately. Even rather dependably so. Much of the world would look to the Pythons for creative humor thinly disguised as social comment. And Graham was the straightest-laced, blankest-expressioned fellow ever to deliver a comedic punch-line since the addition of sound to film.
Monty Pythons ruined my life. As a young man I watched them all the time and as a result began to think and ask questions. I know God intended me to stand in a line and not ask anything. I was supposed to become a Chartered Accountant and wear a silly hat to work, but never did. Why, because Monty Pythons made me move into a direction is life that was radically and completely different. I am filing a law suit as soon as I can figure out which one I can sue because of ruining my life.
I have neither sufficient time nor any inclination to try and assess what percentage of this memorial to him contained any reference to him. Regards, Horatio Nelson.
