Eric Idle is an English actor, comedian, songwriter, musician, screenwriter and playwright. He was a member of the British comedy group Monty Python and the parody rock band the Rutles. Idle studied at Pembroke College, Cambridge, and joined Cambridge University Footlights. He reached stardom when he co-created and acted in the sketch series Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974) and the films Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), Life of Brian (1979) and The Meaning of Life (1983) with John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Graham Chapman.
Idle in 2012
Eric Idle in 2003
Idle (right) and Terry Jones performing the "Nudge Nudge" sketch at the Python reunion in 2014
Idle (left) and Carol Cleveland performing the “Galaxy Song” (from Monty Python's The Meaning of Life) at Monty Python Live (Mostly) in 2014
Monty Python were a British comedy troupe formed in 1969 consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. The group came to prominence for the sketch comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus, which aired on the BBC from 1969 to 1974. Their work then developed into a larger collection that included live shows, films, albums, books, and musicals; their influence on comedy has been compared to the Beatles' influence on music. Their sketch show has been called "an important moment in the evolution of television comedy".
Monty Python in 1969: Back row: Chapman, Idle, Gilliam Front row: Jones, Cleese, Palin
"Four Yorkshiremen sketch" at the 2014 Monty Python reunion. Written by Cleese, Chapman, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Marty Feldman, it was originally performed on their TV series At Last the 1948 Show in 1967. It parodies nostalgic conversations about humble beginnings or difficult childhoods.
"The Ministry of Silly Walks" sketch performed at the 2014 Python reunion. Featuring Cleese as a bowler-hatted civil servant in a fictitious British government ministry responsible for developing silly walks through grants, it appears in season 2, episode 1 of Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Gilliam, Palin and Jones performing "The Spanish Inquisition" sketch during the 2014 Python reunion. As a sketch writer and creator of animations, Gilliam did considerably less acting, but did have some notable sketch roles such as this (Cardinal Fang).
