Monty Python

Monty Python
The Pythons in 1969 Back row: Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam Front row: Terry Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin
Medium	Television film theatre audio recordings books
Nationality	British
Years active	1969–1983, 1998-1999, 2013-2014 (reunions: 1989, 2002)
Genres	Satire surreal humour black comedy
Notable works and roles	Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974) And Now for Something Completely Different (1971) Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982) Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) Monty Python Live (Mostly) (2014)
Members	Graham Chapman John Cleese Terry Gilliam Eric Idle Terry Jones Michael Palin
Website	Official website

Monty Python (sometimes known as The Pythons) were a British surreal comedy group who created their sketch comedy show Monty Python's Flying Circus, which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series. The Python phenomenon developed from the television series into something larger in scope and impact, including touring stage shows, films, numerous albums, several books, and a stage musical. The Pythons' influence on comedy has been compared to the Beatles' influence on music. The Orlando Sentinel referred to their sketch show as "not only one of the more enduring icons of 1970s British popular culture, but also an important moment in the evolution of television comedy."

Broadcast by the BBC between 1969 and 1974, Flying Circus was conceived, written, and performed by its members Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Loosely structured as a sketch show, but with an innovative stream-of-consciousness approach (aided by Gilliam's animation), it pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in style and content. A self-contained comedy team responsible for both writing and performing their work, the Pythons had creative control which allowed them to experiment with form and content, discarding rules of television comedy. Following their television work, they began making films, which include Holy Grail (1975), Life of Brian (1979) and The Meaning of Life (1983). Their influence on British comedy has been apparent for years, while in North America, it has coloured the work of cult performers from the early editions of Saturday Night Live through to more recent absurdist trends in television comedy. "" has entered the English lexicon as a result.