| Parrot Sketch Not Included – 20 Years of Monty Python | |
|---|---|
 VHS cover art | |
| Created by | Graham Chapman John Cleese Terry Gilliam Eric Idle Terry Jones Michael Palin Steve Martin |
| Starring | Steve Martin Graham Chapman John Cleese Terry Gilliam Eric Idle Terry Jones Michael Palin |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Production | |
| Running time | 73 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC1 |
| Release | 18 November 1989 (1989-11-18) |
| Related | |
Parrot Sketch Not Included – 20 Years of Monty Python is a British television special dedicated toMonty Python, created to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the debut of the comedy group's television series,Monty Python's Flying Circus. Produced byTiger Aspect Productions for theBBC, it was compiled by renowned British comedy producerJohn Lloyd and aired on BBC1 on 18 November 1989.[1]
Introduced by actor and Monty Python fanSteve Martin, the special showcases various sketches fromMonty Python's Flying Circus, along with some sketches from the two German specials,Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus. As indicated by its title, the "Dead Parrot sketch" is intentionally[citation needed] omitted. It concluded with the final appearance of all six Python members together, beforeGraham Chapman's death in October 1989.[2]
The special was broadcast in the US on theShowtime network on 17 March 1990.[3] This was 90 seconds shorter than the UK version due to a cut scene from the end of the pre-credits sequence which had Steve Martin revealing, via a slowed down clip of theBruces sketch, that the Pythons wereSatanists. This shorter version was released on VHS in the UK byCBS/Fox in 1990 and later on DVD in the US byA&E in 2001, as part of theirMonty Python Live box set.
Originally, a brand new sketch featuring the Monty Python members and Steve Martin was to be included in the special. Filmed atTwickenham Studios on 3 September 1989,[4] the sequence featured the Monty Python members dressed as school boys, asking Martin questions and taking notes. Although present at the recording,Graham Chapman did not perform in the sketch. The sequence was removed at the Pythons' request, asTerry Jones explained: "There was this new sketch which featured us and Steve Martin. Somebody had cobbled this thing together and was passing it off, saying it was written byJohn or whatever. When I read it I thought, 'This is just terrible, we can't do this'. So we arrived and Steve Martin was there at the film studios. We had to turn up to do it and I'm very glad that they cut it".[5] Footage of the Pythons meeting up to record the sketch was aired in the US version of theLife of Python documentary.
The Pythons gave an alternative version of their appearance, which is featured in the special, in which Steve Martin briefly reveals that they are all in a cupboard. Chapman appears very pale and sallow; at the time thethroat cancer that would kill him was advancing rapidly. This would be his last filmed appearance before his death on 4 October 1989, which coincidentally was the day before the 20th anniversary of the broadcast of the first episode ofMonty Python's Flying Circus.
Parrot Sketch Not Included – 20 Years of Monty Python atIMDb