About the Book

On their 30th anniversary, the five surviving members of Monty Python remember what it was like to build a comedic collaboration for the ages. Photos.

Book Synopsis

Broadcast by the BBC between 1969 and 1974, Monty Python's Flying Circus introduced something completely different: a new brand of surrealistic, stream-of-consciousness comedy that pushed the traditional boundaries of format, style, and content. Blending brilliant satire with slapstick silliness, The Pythons--Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin--spoke to a generation eager to break free of the conventional. Making their way across the Atlantic and the world, the Pythons' zany approach to comedy would have a monumental influence on modern popular culture, paving the way for farcical entertainment from Saturday Night Live to The Simpsons to Austin Powers.

In Monty Python Speaks, David Morgan has collected interviews with Monty Python's founding members, actors, producers, and other collaborators to produce a no-holds-barred look at the Pythons' legendary sketches and films, including Monty Python's Life of Brian, Monty Python and the Holy Grail (the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical Spamalot), and The Meaning of Life.

From the Back Cover

Monty Python, the genius comedy troupe from Britain, single-handedly revolutionized sketch comedy and paved the way for everything from Saturday Night Live to Austin Powers. Now, in their official oral history, founding members John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin take readers behind the scenes in this no-holds-barred look at their lives and unforgettable comic works like "The Spanish Inquisition," "Dead Parrot," Monty Python's Life of Brian, Monty Python and the Holy Grail (inspiration for the hit Broadway musical Spamalot), and many, many more, with never-before-seen photos and rare interviews from friends and collaborators.

Review Quotes

"A cheerful and peppy survey of what those amazing TV shows and movies looked like to the men behind the curtain. . . . The nearest thing imaginable to a group autobiography." - San Francisco Gate
"Insightful and entertaining perspectives on comedy writing, television and film." - Publishers Weekly
"Morgan's informed questions elicit much detail that affords a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the creative process." - Booklist
Praise for the original publication of Monty Python Speaks:
"A witheringly honest oral history of the brilliant comedy troupe." - Entertainment Weekly