List of recurring characters in Monty Python's Flying Circus
Encyclopedia
Very few characters of the BBC
television series Monty Python’s Flying Circus appeared in more than one episode, and when they did, it was usually to link sketches together. A few well-known characters are described below.
in the Blackmail sketch in episode eighteen, "Live at the Grill-O-Mat", the organist was made famous by Terry Jones
during the third season as he would complete the opening sequence immediately following 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'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. Occasionally, Mr. Badger actually takes part in a sketch, such as the "silliest interview we've ever had on this programme" where he gives his views on the Magna Carta
(which he believes was a piece of chewing gum on a bedspread in Dorset). He also once attempted to hijack a Scottish airliner via explosives, eventually offering to reveal where the bomb is, in exchange for one pound. His wife ran off with a bottle of Bell's Whiskey during a particularly exciting soccer match.
, is a staple of many a two-person sketch (e.g., the Parrot Sketch, the Cheese Shop Sketch
, the Pet Shop sketch). He often speaks with a strong Cockney
accent. In the Cheese Shop sketch, he is indirectly identified as Mr. Wensleydale. As the customer (John Cleese
) tries to guess which of a lengthy list of cheeses the shop actually has in stock, the shopkeeper answers "Yes?" when the customer says "Wensleydale
". The shopkeeper then explains that he thought that he was calling his name rather than asking about the variety of cheese.
The character has no consistent name, as the sketch Fish Licence
reveals his name as Eric Last (the nameplate on his desk says "Mr. Last").
, though the first was played by Graham Chapman
and was created by John Cleese
. All of the Pythons have played him at one time or another except for Terry Gilliam
. Gumby is a character of limited intelligence and vocabulary. He speaks haltingly, in a loud, indistinct manner. He wears round wire glasses and a fair-isle pattern sweater-vest. His shirt sleeves and trouser legs are always rolled up, exposing his socks and his knees. Gumby stands stoop-shouldered, with his hands are permanently clenched in front of him, elbows slightly bent, and his feet turned to the outside. He wears a folded white handkerchief knotted at the corners on his head and sports a vaguely Hitler-esque mustache. His famous catchphrase is "my brain hurts."
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 Saturday Night Live when one of the sketches there seemed to lack a conclusion.)
. 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 dead chicken, and then turning around and walking away silently. His face is never seen (as he is wearing a helmet and full armor) 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 stomach. Cleese limps away and the Knight follows him with his chicken raised.
. 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," "The Piranha Brothers," and "Army Protection Racket."
man, Arthur Name (played by Eric Idle
) was seen in one of the earliest episodes of Monty Python. He is an annoying man and pub frequenter who speaks in a more or less inscrutable small talk. He is seen conversing with a gentleman (Terry Jones
) who is initially unable to pick up on the obscure sexual innuendos of his interlocutor and then becomes quite angry when he does. His conversation is laced with knowing smiles and the phrase “nudge-nudge,” accompanied by a slight elbow nudge to his interlocutor. An example: “Does your wife ‘go’? Is she a ‘goer’? Nudge-nudge - know what I mean? Say no more?” (The sketch's punch line "What's it like?" reveals Nudge's total lack of sexual experience.) A similar character, most likely the same character, appears later in the first series in the sketch "The Visitors." In a later episode, he makes a very brief (seconds-long) cameo appearance as “Archbishop Nudge” in a sketch about Crackpot Religions.
. The character was an example of a disgusting man with a nasty cough. He supposedly works as a cleaner of public lavatories, but in one sketch he enters a house with a goat, suggesting he either works on a farm or just owns a goat. The character was to appear in the sketch film And Now For Something Completely Different
, but executive producer Victor Lownes
thought the character to be too disgusting. He also briefly appears as "Archbishop Shabby" in the same sketch about obscure religions that "Archbishop Nudge" appears in.
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.
was revealed to suffer from an irrational fear of a giant hedgehog named Spiny Norman, Norman did indeed appear at the end of said episode. He later made various cameos. On numerous subsequent occasions when there were shots of buildings, Norman was seen wandering around. Voiced by Terry Gilliam.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television series Monty Python’s Flying Circus appeared in more than one episode, and when they did, it was usually to link sketches together. A few well-known characters are described below.
"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 as a guest, but was unable to get past his single word catch phrase before being interrupted by Monty Python's theme music.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. He's appeared in a pond, while wearing a bikini, in a pig pen, and many other odd places. In one memorable sketch, the Announcer is kidnapped by criminals (while broadcasting the news), and driven across country to be pushed off a dock and into the ocean.The Nude Organist
Initially played by Terry GilliamTerry 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...
in the Blackmail sketch in episode eighteen, "Live at the Grill-O-Mat", the organist was made famous 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....
during the third season as he would complete the opening sequence immediately following 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.
Reverend Arthur Belling
Vicar of St Loony up the cream bun and jam. Appeared in two separate sketches, once played by Graham Chapman and once played by Michael Palin. He does insane things like smashing a bunch of dinner plates while conversing with a young couple and making loud noises and waving puppets in peoples faces. he gets upset when he learns that other people get disturbed by these actions.Mr. Badger
Played by Eric IdleEric Idle
Eric Idle is an English comedian, actor, author, singer, writer, and comedic composer. He was as a member of the British comedy group Monty Python, a member of the The Rutles on Saturday Night Live and author of the play, Spamalot....
, 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. Occasionally, Mr. Badger actually takes part in a sketch, such as the "silliest interview we've ever had on this programme" where he gives his views on the Magna Carta
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
(which he believes was a piece of chewing gum on a bedspread in Dorset). He also once attempted to hijack a Scottish airliner via explosives, eventually offering to reveal where the bomb is, in exchange for one pound. His wife ran off with a bottle of Bell's Whiskey during a particularly exciting soccer match.
The Shopkeeper
The somewhat disreputable shopkeeper, played by Michael PalinMichael 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....
, is a staple of many a two-person sketch (e.g., the Parrot Sketch, the Cheese Shop Sketch
Cheese Shop sketch
The 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:...
, the Pet Shop sketch). He often speaks with a strong Cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
accent. In the Cheese Shop sketch, he is indirectly identified as Mr. Wensleydale. As the customer (John Cleese
John Cleese
John 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...
) tries to guess which of a lengthy list of cheeses the shop actually has in stock, the shopkeeper answers "Yes?" when the customer says "Wensleydale
Wensleydale (cheese)
Wensleydale cheese is a cheese produced in the town of Hawes in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England.-Varieties:There are five main types:...
". The shopkeeper then explains that he thought that he was calling his name rather than asking about the variety of cheese.
The character has no consistent name, as the sketch Fish Licence
Fish Licence
The 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...
reveals his name as Eric Last (the nameplate on his desk says "Mr. Last").
The Pepperpots
The term Pepperpots refers to any of the middle-aged, matronly types played by the men of Monty Python. 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, etc.Gumbys
A character generally played by Michael PalinMichael 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....
, though the first was played by Graham Chapman
Graham Chapman
Graham Arthur Chapman was a British comedian, physician, writer, actor, and one of the six members of the Monty Python comedy troupe.-Early life and education:...
and was created by John Cleese
John Cleese
John 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...
. All of the Pythons have played him at one time or another except for 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...
. Gumby is a character of limited intelligence and vocabulary. He speaks haltingly, in a loud, indistinct manner. He wears round wire glasses and a fair-isle pattern sweater-vest. His shirt sleeves and trouser legs are always rolled up, exposing his socks and his knees. Gumby stands stoop-shouldered, with his hands are permanently clenched in front of him, elbows slightly bent, and his feet turned to the outside. He wears a folded white handkerchief knotted at the corners on his head and sports a vaguely Hitler-esque mustache. His famous catchphrase is "my brain hurts."
The ColonelThe Colonel (Monty Python)The Colonel is a recurring fictional character from the British television show Monty Python's Flying Circus, played by Graham Chapman.-Character:...
Described in one of the scripts as “excruciatingly public schoolPublic School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
,” the Colonel, played by Graham Chapman
Graham Chapman
Graham Arthur Chapman was a British comedian, physician, writer, actor, and one of the six members of the Monty Python comedy troupe.-Early life and education:...
, 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 Saturday Night Live when one of the sketches there seemed to lack a conclusion.)
The Knight
Played by Terry GilliamTerry 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...
. 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 dead chicken, and then turning around and walking away silently. His face is never seen (as he is wearing a helmet and full armor) 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 stomach. 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-stripe suitPin stripes
Pinstripes are a pattern of very thin stripes of any color running in parallel found in cloth. The pinstriped suit has become associated with conservative business attire, although many designers now produce fashionable pinstripe patterns for fashion-conscious consumers...
. 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," "The Piranha Brothers," and "Army Protection Racket."
Arthur Name
The 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...
man, Arthur Name (played by Eric Idle
Eric Idle
Eric Idle is an English comedian, actor, author, singer, writer, and comedic composer. He was as a member of the British comedy group Monty Python, a member of the The Rutles on Saturday Night Live and author of the play, Spamalot....
) was seen in one of the earliest episodes of Monty Python. He is an annoying man and pub frequenter who speaks in a more or less inscrutable small talk. He is seen conversing with a gentleman (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....
) who is initially unable to pick up on the obscure sexual innuendos of his interlocutor and then becomes quite angry when he does. His conversation is laced with knowing smiles and the phrase “nudge-nudge,” accompanied by a slight elbow nudge to his interlocutor. An example: “Does your wife ‘go’? Is she a ‘goer’? Nudge-nudge - know what I mean? Say no more?” (The sketch's punch line "What's it like?" reveals Nudge's total lack of sexual experience.) A similar character, most likely the same character, appears later in the first series in the sketch "The Visitors." In a later episode, he makes a very brief (seconds-long) cameo appearance as “Archbishop Nudge” in a sketch about Crackpot Religions.
Ken Shabby
Played by Michael PalinMichael 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....
. The character was an example of a disgusting man with a nasty cough. He supposedly works as a cleaner of public lavatories, but in one sketch he enters a house with a goat, suggesting he either works on a farm or just owns a goat. The character was to appear in the sketch film And Now For Something Completely Different
And Now For Something Completely Different
And 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....
, but executive producer Victor Lownes
Victor Lownes
Victor Aubrey Lownes III An executive with Playboy Enterprises in various capacities, various vice-presidencies, always a close confidant of Hugh Hefner. Headed Playboy Europe and the UK Playboy Clubs from the mid-sixties until his dismissal in the early eighties...
thought the character to be too disgusting. He also briefly appears as "Archbishop Shabby" in the same sketch about obscure religions that "Archbishop Nudge" appears in.
Mr. Eric PralineMr PralineMr Eric Praline is a fictional character from the television show Monty Python's Flying Circus, played by comedian John Cleese.-Appearances:The Monty Python team consciously decided to avoid recurring characters...
Played by John Cleese, Mr Eric Praline is introduced during 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. He later, more famously, returns a dead parrot
Dead Parrot
The "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...
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.
Spiny Norman
Originally a one-shot gag, after one of the 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...
was revealed to suffer from an irrational fear of a giant hedgehog named Spiny Norman, Norman did indeed appear at the end of said episode. He later made various cameos. On numerous subsequent occasions when there were shots of buildings, Norman was seen wandering around. Voiced by Terry Gilliam.