List of recurring Monty Python's Flying Circus characters

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.

Played by Michael Palin. Dressed in rags, and sporting a long beard, much like an island castaway, this character would start most of the early shows by struggling to cross a landscape of dangers until he got close enough to the camera to say "It's--", immediately followed by the opening credits and musical theme. In one episode, the character had his own talk show, featuring Ringo Starr and Lulu as guests, but was unable to get past his single word catch phrase before being interrupted by Monty Python's opening theme music.

Played by John Cleese. Often found in a farmer's field, or the back of a moving truck, this character was a BBC Announcer who usually said only "And now for something completely different" as a way of linking unrelated sketches, or to introduce the show in the cold open. He's appeared in a pond, while wearing a bikini, in a pig pen, and many other odd places.

Initially played by Terry Gilliam 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 appear in the opening sequence immediately followed by the two aforementioned characters, the "It's" man and The Announcer. Jones would appear naked in front of an organ, often placed in bizarre locations. The organist never had any true spoken lines but was considered a staple of the third series.

His full title was "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. Palin's portrayal depicted him doing 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 got upset when he realized the couple was disturbed by these actions. When Chapman played the character, he had a fake axe lodged in his head and urged "people like you and me, who are out of our tiny little minds" to help normal people overcome their sanity.

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