British surreal comedy troupe Monty Python was undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in the entertainment world. Rising to superstardom in 1969 with their BBC cult classic series Monty Python’s Flying Circus, the group has been the source of inspiration for countless television comedians all over the world for many decades. The series, which aired from 1969 to 1974, was a smashing success noted for its unorthodox approach.

Monty Python’s Flying Circus was written, produced, and performed by its six members - Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Unlike any other previous comedy series, Flying Circus rarely adhered to any classic theme and pioneered a unique break from tradition, reflecting the wave of the youth-oriented counterculture of the late 60s. Following the series' tremendous success, the Pythons went on to produce numerous feature films such as Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979), and Monty Python’s the Meaning of Life (1983).

After disbanding for the first time in 1983, Monty Python's members went on to pursue their respective solo careers. However, the troupe reunited on multiple occasions, the most recent of which was in 2014 when they performed live at the O2 Arena in London. Their humor still proved a massive draw as the tickets for the show sold out in just 43 seconds. More than 50 years since Flying Circus first aired, let's look at the life and career of each Monty Python member over the years.

Born on 8 January 1941, Graham Chapman was the son of a policeman. He grew up in Leicester and became a medical student at Cambridge and St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College. It was also at the college that he met his long-term writing partner John Cleese. During his education, Chapman joined the comedy trope Footlights and deferred his schooling for one year to tour New Zealand with the group. Following the Footlights' rise to fame, Chapman and Cleese were offered a professional contract to write for the BBC.

Alongside best friend John Cleese, Graham Chapman joined the other four Pythons in 1969. Throughout his career at Monty Python, Chapman was credited as initiating the removal of punchlines from the troupe's sketches. He was complimented for his straight acting skills, which earned him lead roles in Python's two feature films - Holy Grail and Life of Brian. Chapman died on 4 October 1989 from complications of tonsils cancer at age 48.

Born on 27 October 1939, John Cleese was the oldest member of the Pythons gang. Similar to Graham Chapman, Cleese first found fame after joining Cambridge's Footlights at university. There, he was the mastermind behind the 1963 Footlights Revue titled A Clump of Plinths, which became a smashing success. Cleese was later catapulted into stardom after introducing the satirical BBC show The Frost Report in 1966. The show also introduced Cleese and Chapman to three future Python members - Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin.

During Monty Python's rise to dominate the comedy world in the late 60s, Cleese is probably the member with the most contribution. Unfortunately, given Chapman's escalating alcoholism, the workload on Cleese became greater and led to his untimely departure by the start of Flying Circus' series 3. Notable for his black humor, Cleese wrote many of Monty Python's most famous lines - for example, the critically acclaimed Dead Parrot sketch. Cleese's line in the Pythons' film Life of Brian was voted the seventh funniest line in film in a 2002 poll.

At age 82, John Cleese is still dedicating his life to TV and film. Following his career highlights with the Pythons, Cleese continued to enjoy a highly accomplished solo career with memorable roles on the silver screen. His most famous film appearances include Nearly Headless Nick in the Harry Potter franchise and Q in the James Bond movie, Die Another Day. In January 2023, the veteran comedian will mark his big screen return in Roman Polanski's black comedy and drama The Palace. Aside from acting, Cleese, a visiting professor at Cornell University, is also active in services to charitable endeavors and causes.

Born on 5 May 1943, Michael Palin soon grew interested in acting and had his debut in a school performance of A Christmas Carol. After finishing university, Palin and his future Python pal Terry Jones became professional comedy writers for the BBC, creating the broadcaster's various programs such as The Ken Dodd Show, The Billy Cotton Bandshow, and The Illustrated Weekly Hudd. After the duo took part in The Frost Report, they met the other Pythons, including John Cleese. Cleese was so interested in collaborating with Palin that he accepted the other four to form Monty Python.

During his time in Monty Python, Palin portrayed various personalities, most of which were a stark contrast to the short-tempered characters played by John Cleese. Similar to Cleese and Chapman, Palin and long-term friend Terry Jones developed a harmonious writing partnership, creating many famous sketches including Argument Clinic, Dead Parrot, The Lumberjack Song, and The Fish-Slapping Dance.

After Monty Python disbanded, Palin continued his writing partnership with Jones in various projects, including the popular TV comedy series Ripping Yarns (1976). Palin has also starred, mostly as supporting characters, in a string of films such as American Friends and The Death of Stalin. Aside from acting, Palin is equally famous for his travel documentaries, which bring the audience to countries like North Korea or Iraq. In 2022, the 79-year-old former Python completed his Channel 5 documentary titled Michael Palin: Into Iraq.

Born on 1 February 1942, Jones graduated from Oxford University with a degree in English. There, he met his writing partner Michael Palin, one year his junior, and the pair began co-writing several high-profile comedy series for the BBC. After joining Monty Python, Jones contributed to the writing of various popular sketches. As the heart of the trouble, Jones' creativity saw him direct Python's two films - Life of Brian and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.

After leaving Python, Jones continued his solo career with various endeavors. A keen historian, he wrote many books and fronted TV documentaries on ancient history. He also published many political columns for famous newspapers such as The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent, and The Observer. In 1980, Jones published his first history book titled Chaucer's Knight: The Portrait of a Medieval Mercenary. Also a director, Jones' last production dated back in 2016 with the West End play Jeepers Creepers.

In 2015, Jones was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia, which hampered his speaking ability. After undergoing several therapies and treatments, the former Python star passed away from complications of dementia on 21 January 2020. His death also put an end to any possibility of a Python reunion, which last happened in 2014.

Born on 29 March 1943, Idle was the second-youngest member of the Python gang. He started his education at Cambridge University a year after Graham Chapman and John Cleese and followed in the duo's footsteps in joining the theatrical troupe Footlights. After working with the other Pythons in The Frost Report, Idle became a part of the six-piece troupe.

Unlike other Pythons who struck up a writing duo, namely Cleese-Chapman and Jones-Palin, Eric Idle was the only Python to write on his own. As a result, his independent work was often voted out of favor by the other Python members. During his time in the troupe, Python wrote many sketches that focused on verbal and communication jokes, characterized by personalities with speaking disorders and peculiarities. As a guitarist and musician, Idle also wrote Python's signature tune - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

Eric Idle was the only Python to stick to the troupe's roots even after they no longer worked together. In 2004, inspired by the work of Monty Python, he wrote the popular musical comedy Spamalot, which was based on Python's feature film Holy Grail. In 2020, it was announced that Idle would continue Spamalot by working on a feature film for Paramount Pictures. His post-Python career also extended to music, with over 150 songs to his credit.

Born on November 22, 1940, in Minnesota, Terry Gilliam was the only member of Monty Python to be born outside of Britain. After emigrating to the UK in 1965, Gilliam began his career as an animator and strip cartoonist, producing the children's series Do Not Adjust Your Set, which also starred his future Python members.

While Cleese was easily recognized as the leading character in most of Python's sketches, Gilliam played a more low-key role behind the cameras. Responsible for creating the animation and visual image of Monty Python's sketches, Gilliam's contributions to Python's success were of paramount importance. His style of art often incorporated cutouts from Victorian-era antiques.

Among all Python members, Gilliam is the most active in the film industry. After Python's success, Gilliam went on to direct several hits in the 1980s and 1990s, including The Fisher King, Time Bandits, Brazil, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, and most notably, 12 Monkeys, which starred Bruce Willis. Now in his 80s, Gilliam is still focusing on his future film projects, which include a reboot version of his 1985's Time Bandits.