From the "dead parrot" sketch to the Ministry of Silly Walks, the comedy routines of Monty Python's Flying Circus are some of the most popular comic bits in television history.
First appearing on the BBC in 1969, Monty Python became popular in the United States through PBS, eventually making household names of Michael Palin, Eric Idle and John Cleese.
This Wednesday night one of those names will grace the Playhouse Square marquee as John Cleese comes to Northeast Ohio to screen the troupe's classic film from 1975, Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Today that film is a cult classic, but it began as just a series of sketches about the Middle Ages.
"In the end only 10-percent of the first draft made it into Holy Grail. We threw 90-percent out," Cleese said.
Before Holy Grail, the Pythons had a limited following in the United States, thanks to Flying Circus reruns on public television.
"When all of a sudden The Holy Grail opened in America just after we'd been put on PBS, and it was very successful. I found people putting ladders up against my bedroom window and throwing money in!" he joked.
From the ferocious knight-slaughtering bunny rabbit to King Arthur pretending to ride a horse to the sound of clapping coconuts, the beloved film is filled with memorable scenes that get quoted decades after its premiere.
A particular favorite of Cleese's is the famous "bring out your dead" scene when his character attempts to deliver an old man who isn't quite dead yet.
"I don't think in 1348 they anticipated that anyone would write a funny sketch about the Black Death. Now that's black humor," said Cleese.
Cleese believes that one of the keys to the troupe's success was the fact that each one of the Pythons had his own unique sense of humor.
"I think sometimes people expect teams or very good groups to be rather similar and of course that misses the point of teams. The whole point of a team is that you have people who're really good at different things," Cleese said.
John Cleese appears at Playhouse Square's State Theater Wednesday night to screen Monty Python and the Holy Grail followed by questions from the audience. ideastream's Mike McIntyre moderates.
Listen to the entire interview:
