Terry Gilliam has been to Cannes with three of his own films since 1983, but one of his favorite memories of the festival takes him back to that very first time, at the 36th edition, as the co-writer and co-star of Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. Along with Graham Chapman and the film’s director Terry Jones, he’d emerged from the Carlton hotel’s iconic entrance, then bedecked with promotion for the upcoming Bond movie Octopussy, to encounter a camera crew. Jones started grabbing people at random, shouting, “Who Ees Monty Python???” in a ridiculous foreign accent, and got so carried away that, when they reached the hotel’s famous terrace, he accidentally did it to Gilliam too.
The crowd loved it, and the day only grew stranger. Out on the Carlton’s jetty, they gave an interview to British news channel ITN, with Jones hiding behind Graham...
The crowd loved it, and the day only grew stranger. Out on the Carlton’s jetty, they gave an interview to British news channel ITN, with Jones hiding behind Graham...
- 5/20/2024
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
In the late eighties/ early nineties, shortly after they did Predator together, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John McTiernan and writer Shane Black were all set to team on a big-budget movie adaptation of the DC comic book Sgt. Rock. This is why, at the end of Predator, Black is seen reading a Sgt Rock comic during the cast roll. According to author Nick de Semlyan’s new book, “The Last Action Heroes” (buy it here), the project was heavily developed in ’88 and ’89, only to be demolished by an unlikely candidate – Monty Python’s John Cleese.
At the time, Cleese was riding high on the success of A Fish Called Wanda, and McTiernan thought he would be an ideal addition to the movie’s cast. The film was set to adapt an old Danny Kaye comedy called Imitation General. Cleese would play an English cook posing as a general during WW2 and being...
At the time, Cleese was riding high on the success of A Fish Called Wanda, and McTiernan thought he would be an ideal addition to the movie’s cast. The film was set to adapt an old Danny Kaye comedy called Imitation General. Cleese would play an English cook posing as a general during WW2 and being...
- 5/16/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Stanley Kubrick's 1971 dystopian sci-fi film "A Clockwork Orange" points out that a modern British society -- so devoted to stuffy manners, politeness, and keeping evil out of sight -- won't know how to deal with legitimate sociopaths. Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell) is a violent little punk who regularly leads his teen gang -- the Droogs -- into fights, into bars that serve drug-laced milk, and into the locked homes of their victims. Alex beats and assaults people without a scrap of conscience, and sees the world as something to consume, use up, and have sex with. Kubrick toys with the audience a little, presenting Alex as charismatic and funny, even though he's a monster.
When Alex is finally apprehended for his many crimes, the juvenile delinquent is thrown into prison and subjected to a new kind of rehabilitation technique ... involving movies. Alex has his eyes clamped open and he...
When Alex is finally apprehended for his many crimes, the juvenile delinquent is thrown into prison and subjected to a new kind of rehabilitation technique ... involving movies. Alex has his eyes clamped open and he...
- 5/13/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Three members of Monty Python have reunited to celebrate Michael Palin’s birthday.
John Cleese posted a dinner table picture on X (formerly Twitter) of himself alongside Palin and Terry Gilliam after Palin turned 81 on May 5.
Cleese captioned the photo: “An 18 foot Python celebrates Pallin’s 181st Birthday and 195th Travel Book. Photo taken at cafe on peak of Mount Kilimanjaro.”
The day after Palin’s birthday, Cleese wrote: “I was travelling yesterday, and forgot to wish Mickey Pallin a joyous 81st Birthday. We shall shall [sic] celebrate it together tonight, along with Terry Gilliam, if he promises to behave.”
An 18 foot Python celebrates Pallin’s 181st Birthday and 195th Travel Book.
Photo taken at cafe on peak of Mount Kilimanjaro pic.twitter.com/8w4KVsbK3p
— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) May 8, 2024
Eric Idle, who lives in Los Angeles, appeared to be absent from the festivities following his online spat with Cleese and Gilliam earlier this year.
John Cleese posted a dinner table picture on X (formerly Twitter) of himself alongside Palin and Terry Gilliam after Palin turned 81 on May 5.
Cleese captioned the photo: “An 18 foot Python celebrates Pallin’s 181st Birthday and 195th Travel Book. Photo taken at cafe on peak of Mount Kilimanjaro.”
The day after Palin’s birthday, Cleese wrote: “I was travelling yesterday, and forgot to wish Mickey Pallin a joyous 81st Birthday. We shall shall [sic] celebrate it together tonight, along with Terry Gilliam, if he promises to behave.”
An 18 foot Python celebrates Pallin’s 181st Birthday and 195th Travel Book.
Photo taken at cafe on peak of Mount Kilimanjaro pic.twitter.com/8w4KVsbK3p
— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) May 8, 2024
Eric Idle, who lives in Los Angeles, appeared to be absent from the festivities following his online spat with Cleese and Gilliam earlier this year.
- 5/9/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for The Fall Guy, The Idea of You and Unfrosted.
AFI Life Achievement Award
The American Film Institute presented the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award to Nicole Kidman on Saturday in Hollywood, with Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts, Zoe Saldaña, Aaron Sorkin, Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Joey King, Mike Myers and Kidman’s husband Keith Urban all on hand to honor the star.
Miles Teller, Reese Witherspoon, Lee Daniels, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Zac Efron Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelley
The Idea of You premiere
Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Reid Scott and Ella Rubin joined producer Gabrielle Union and director Michael Showalter at the New York premiere of their Prime Video rom-com on Monday.
Reid Scott, Ella Rubin, Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine Gabrielle...
AFI Life Achievement Award
The American Film Institute presented the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award to Nicole Kidman on Saturday in Hollywood, with Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts, Zoe Saldaña, Aaron Sorkin, Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Joey King, Mike Myers and Kidman’s husband Keith Urban all on hand to honor the star.
Miles Teller, Reese Witherspoon, Lee Daniels, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Zac Efron Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelley
The Idea of You premiere
Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Reid Scott and Ella Rubin joined producer Gabrielle Union and director Michael Showalter at the New York premiere of their Prime Video rom-com on Monday.
Reid Scott, Ella Rubin, Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine Gabrielle...
- 5/3/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After fifty years, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is still rightfully hailed by many as one of the all-time greatest comedies, and for a seemingly countless number of reasons: King Arthur’s “horse”, the corpse collector, the Black Knight, the outlandish animations, the rude French knights, an enchanter named Tim, the Knights who say “Ni” a killer rabbit, the Holy Hand Grenade, and so and so on.
But while the end result is historically hilarious, the filmmaking process itself was often pure misery for most involved. Get ready to storm the castle and find out Wtf Happened to this Movie!
During the 1960s, British comedy writers and performers Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin had variously collaborated and found degrees of success before uniting in 1969 to form the group known as Monty Python. This alliance resulted in the BBC sketch comedy series Monty Python’s Flying Circus,...
But while the end result is historically hilarious, the filmmaking process itself was often pure misery for most involved. Get ready to storm the castle and find out Wtf Happened to this Movie!
During the 1960s, British comedy writers and performers Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin had variously collaborated and found degrees of success before uniting in 1969 to form the group known as Monty Python. This alliance resulted in the BBC sketch comedy series Monty Python’s Flying Circus,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Dave Davis
- JoBlo.com
From “The Jerk” to “Only Murders in the Building” and every stage and screen in between, it’s impossible to contain Steve Martin’s life and career into just one documentary. Apple TV+ will take a look at the five-decade career and seven-decade life of the comedy legend with two wild and crazy docs, tracing the path through all its highs and lows, then and now. Directed by Oscar winner Morgan Neville, “Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces” will premiere on Friday, March 29 on Apple TV+. You can watch Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+.
How to Watch ‘Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces’ Premiere When: Thursday, March 28, 2024 Where: Apple TV+ Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+. 7-Day Free Trial$9.99+ / month apple.com About ‘Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces’ Premiere
Oscar-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville takes an extended...
How to Watch ‘Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces’ Premiere When: Thursday, March 28, 2024 Where: Apple TV+ Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+. 7-Day Free Trial$9.99+ / month apple.com About ‘Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces’ Premiere
Oscar-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville takes an extended...
- 3/29/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Plot: Steve Martin is one of the most beloved and enigmatic figures in entertainment. “Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces” dives into his extraordinary story from two distinct points of view, with companion documentaries that feature never-before-seen footage and raw insights into Steve’s personal and professional trials and triumphs. “Then” chronicles Steve Martin’s early struggles and meteoric rise to revolutionize standup before walking away at 35. “Now” focuses on the present day, with Steve Martin in the golden years of his career, retracing the transformation that led to happiness in his art and personal life.
Review: It pains me to think that a generation is growing up that does not hold Steve Martin in the same regard as generations past. At 78 years old, Martin was the biggest comedian of all time for some, a movie star for others, and one of the old guys from Only Murders in the Building for the rest.
Review: It pains me to think that a generation is growing up that does not hold Steve Martin in the same regard as generations past. At 78 years old, Martin was the biggest comedian of all time for some, a movie star for others, and one of the old guys from Only Murders in the Building for the rest.
- 3/26/2024
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Monty Python’s The Meaning Of Life, directed by Terry Jones
Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life, 9pm, ITV4, Tuesday, March 26
Not really a film as such but rather a collection of sketches, loosely linked by shuffling in, about and off this mortal coil. As you might expect, that means the end result is a little bit hit and miss - and one or two sections haven't dated so well either - but there's plenty here to amuse fans of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin. Among the more enjoyable moments are satirical musical number Every Sperm is Sacred and the unforgettable dining experience of Mr Creosote, which certainly goes with a bang. It was in competition in Cannes in 1983 where it, perhaps surprisingly, took home the Grand Prix. Just go easy on the wafer-thin mints...
Cat Person, Netflix, from Wednesday, March 27
This...
Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life, 9pm, ITV4, Tuesday, March 26
Not really a film as such but rather a collection of sketches, loosely linked by shuffling in, about and off this mortal coil. As you might expect, that means the end result is a little bit hit and miss - and one or two sections haven't dated so well either - but there's plenty here to amuse fans of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin. Among the more enjoyable moments are satirical musical number Every Sperm is Sacred and the unforgettable dining experience of Mr Creosote, which certainly goes with a bang. It was in competition in Cannes in 1983 where it, perhaps surprisingly, took home the Grand Prix. Just go easy on the wafer-thin mints...
Cat Person, Netflix, from Wednesday, March 27
This...
- 3/25/2024
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Long before he became a major big-screen star through the ‘80s and ‘90s (subsequently going on to thrive in the streaming era too with Only Murders In The Building), Steve Martin was a stage comedian whose stand-up shows and album recordings quickly became the stuff of legend. That’s a big part of the story being told in upcoming double-pronged documentary feature Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces. As its title suggests, there are two strands to the film(s), from acclaimed director Morgan Neville – the first being ‘Then’, about Martin’s game-changing early comedy career; and ‘Now’, about his life and career in the present day. Check out an exclusive clip from the ‘Then’ portion, digging into the genius of Martin’s stand-up.
The films feature inclusions from fellow actors and comedians – there you heard Jerry Seinfeld and American folk musician John McEuen, while other contributors include Tina Fey,...
The films feature inclusions from fellow actors and comedians – there you heard Jerry Seinfeld and American folk musician John McEuen, while other contributors include Tina Fey,...
- 3/21/2024
- by Ben Travis
- Empire - Movies
Steve Martin in “Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces,” premiering March 29, 2024 on Apple TV (Credit: Apple TV+) Apple Original Films unveiled the trailer for the highly anticipated film “Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces,” starring Steve Martin, Finn Wittrock, Martin Short, Tina Fey, Jerry Seinfeld, Eric Idle, Diane Keaton and Selena Gomez, and directed by Academy Award winner Morgan Neville. Steve Martin is one of the most beloved and enigmatic figures in entertainment. “Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces” dives into his extraordinary story from two distinct points of view, with companion documentaries that feature never-before-seen footage and raw insights into Martin’s personal and professional trials and triumphs. “Then” chronicles Martin’s early struggles and meteoric rise to revolutionize stand-up before walking away at 35. “Now” focuses on the present day, with Martin in the golden years of his career, retracing the transformation that led to happiness in his art and personal life.
- 3/9/2024
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
On August 12, 2012, 750 million sets of eyes were entranced by the closing ceremony of the London Olympics, a spectacle celebrating the host city and nation. From under the stage emerged Eric Idle, surrounded by nuns on roller skates and Roman soldiers. Idle led the audience in a rendition of his hit comedy anthem “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”. The live crowd joined in on every word, even thirty years after the song’s initial release.
Since the 1960s, Eric Idle has reminded us to “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”. More than that, he has made doing so a lot easier with his unique brand of comedy and creativity. Idle rose to prominence with his fellow Pythons in the late 1960s and was a staple of screens big and small in the decades to follow. He has largely stepped away from the spotlight in recent years,...
Since the 1960s, Eric Idle has reminded us to “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”. More than that, he has made doing so a lot easier with his unique brand of comedy and creativity. Idle rose to prominence with his fellow Pythons in the late 1960s and was a staple of screens big and small in the decades to follow. He has largely stepped away from the spotlight in recent years,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Derek Mitchell
- JoBlo.com
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” Renewed For Two More Seasons
There’s harmony at Netflix and amidst the four nations. The streamer has announced a two-season renewal for its hit live-action “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” based on the hit Nickelodeon anime of the same name. The series will officially end with the third season, mirroring the animated series’ arc.
Watch the trailer for “Avatar: The Last Airbender” Season 1 below:
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” takes place in a world divided into four nations—Water, Earth, Fire, and Air—where Benders can manipulate and control their respective nation’s element. Amidst lost hope, Aang (played by Gordon Cormier), a young Air Nomad, reawakens to take his place as the next Avatar, the only individual who has the ability to bend all four elements, and he and his friends Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley) journey to end the Fire Nation’s war against...
There’s harmony at Netflix and amidst the four nations. The streamer has announced a two-season renewal for its hit live-action “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” based on the hit Nickelodeon anime of the same name. The series will officially end with the third season, mirroring the animated series’ arc.
Watch the trailer for “Avatar: The Last Airbender” Season 1 below:
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” takes place in a world divided into four nations—Water, Earth, Fire, and Air—where Benders can manipulate and control their respective nation’s element. Amidst lost hope, Aang (played by Gordon Cormier), a young Air Nomad, reawakens to take his place as the next Avatar, the only individual who has the ability to bend all four elements, and he and his friends Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley) journey to end the Fire Nation’s war against...
- 3/6/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
The upcoming fourth season of Only Murders in the Building won’t be the only opportunity to see Steve Martin on the small screen this year, as the beloved comic will be the focus of a two-part documentary debuting on Apple TV+ this month.
The streaming service has shared the first trailer for Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces, which examines Martin’s trailblazing rise in the comedy world, his decades as a Hollywood leading man, and his late-career transformation as a bluegrass musician and Only Murders co-star.
“This guy was getting people so happy,...
The streaming service has shared the first trailer for Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces, which examines Martin’s trailblazing rise in the comedy world, his decades as a Hollywood leading man, and his late-career transformation as a bluegrass musician and Only Murders co-star.
“This guy was getting people so happy,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
"I always thought, 'this just does not happen...' And it did." Apple TV has revealed the official trailer for the Steve Martin documentary titled simply Steve!, made by acclaimed doc filmmaker Morgan Neville. Set for a streaming debut at the end of March. The full, official title is actually Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces - one legend, two wild and crazy docs. Steve Martin is one of the most beloved and enigmatic figures in entertainment. Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces dives into his extraordinary story from two distinct points of view, with companion documentaries that feature never-before-seen footage and raw insights into Steve’s personal and professional trials and triumphs. "Then" chronicles his early struggles and meteoric rise to revolutionize standup before walking away. And "Now" focuses on the present day, with Steve Martin in the golden years of his career, retracing the transformation that led to happiness.
- 3/6/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Iconic actor and comedian Steve Martin is finally getting his own documentary after spending more than half a century in the spotlight.
The “Bowfinger,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” and “Only Murders in the Building” star is the subject of Oscar-winning documentarian Morgan Neville’s latest feature, which charts Martin’s personal life to his rise on “SNL” and later, his writing, directing, and acting career.
Titled “Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces,” the film dives into Martin’s extraordinary story from two distinct points of view, with companion documentaries that feature never-before-seen footage and raw insights into Steve’s personal and professional trials and triumphs. The “Then” portion chronicles Martin’s early struggles and meteoric rise to revolutionize standup before walking away at 35. The “Now” section focuses on the present day, with Martin in the golden years of his career, teasing retirement, retracing the transformation that led to happiness in his art and personal life.
The “Bowfinger,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” and “Only Murders in the Building” star is the subject of Oscar-winning documentarian Morgan Neville’s latest feature, which charts Martin’s personal life to his rise on “SNL” and later, his writing, directing, and acting career.
Titled “Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces,” the film dives into Martin’s extraordinary story from two distinct points of view, with companion documentaries that feature never-before-seen footage and raw insights into Steve’s personal and professional trials and triumphs. The “Then” portion chronicles Martin’s early struggles and meteoric rise to revolutionize standup before walking away at 35. The “Now” section focuses on the present day, with Martin in the golden years of his career, teasing retirement, retracing the transformation that led to happiness in his art and personal life.
- 3/6/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
While two of Monty Python’s most famous former members, Eric Idle and John Cleese, are embroiled in a very public feud, it wasn’t always this way. In recent weeks, Idle has been vocal about how he feels the Monty Python estate is being handled, with him targeting Terry Gilliam and his daughter, Holly, who manages the rights, directly. John Cleese jumped to their aid, writing on X (perhaps in a tongue-in-cheek way) that (referring to Idle) “we always loathed and despised each other, but it’s only recently that the truth has begun to emerge.”
Now, this might need to be taken with a grain of salt, as Cleese has a notoriously dry wit. Let’s not forget that he eulogized his best friend, Graham Chapman, by saying, “Good riddance to him, the freeloading bastard! I hope he fries.” That was lovingly tongue-in-cheek, although Idle and Cleese always...
Now, this might need to be taken with a grain of salt, as Cleese has a notoriously dry wit. Let’s not forget that he eulogized his best friend, Graham Chapman, by saying, “Good riddance to him, the freeloading bastard! I hope he fries.” That was lovingly tongue-in-cheek, although Idle and Cleese always...
- 2/25/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Paramount’s “Bob Marley: One Love” debuted atop the U.K. and Ireland box office with £6.9 million ($8.7 million), according to numbers from Comscore.
Universal’s animation “Migration” dropped a spot to second place with £2.7 million in its third weekend and now has a total of £13.5 million. Sony’s “Madame Web” debuted in third position with £2.2 million.
In fourth place, in its third weekend, Universal’s “Argylle” earned £544,846 for a total of £5 million. Rounding off the top five was Warner Bros.’ “Wonka” that collected £424,825 in its 11th weekend for a total of £62.1 million.
There were no other debuts in the top 10.
The midweek release coming up is the 48th & 1/2 anniversary, as the makers style it, re-release of Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones’ cult 1975 comedy “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” starring John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Gilliam and Jones, from Graft Entertainment. It opens Wednesday, Feb. 21.
“All of Us Strangers...
Universal’s animation “Migration” dropped a spot to second place with £2.7 million in its third weekend and now has a total of £13.5 million. Sony’s “Madame Web” debuted in third position with £2.2 million.
In fourth place, in its third weekend, Universal’s “Argylle” earned £544,846 for a total of £5 million. Rounding off the top five was Warner Bros.’ “Wonka” that collected £424,825 in its 11th weekend for a total of £62.1 million.
There were no other debuts in the top 10.
The midweek release coming up is the 48th & 1/2 anniversary, as the makers style it, re-release of Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones’ cult 1975 comedy “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” starring John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Gilliam and Jones, from Graft Entertainment. It opens Wednesday, Feb. 21.
“All of Us Strangers...
- 2/20/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
John Cleese says the media got it wrong when it quoted his tweet seemingly declaring that he and his Monty Python co-star Eric Idle have always “loathed and despised each other.”
Cleese originally made the comment amid an apparent online dispute over the beloved comedy troupe’s finances, sparked by Idle criticizing the other Pythons, as well as their asset manager Holly Gilliam — daughter of Python member Terry Gilliam.
The Cleese came to Holly’s defense — and he was apparently serious about that part. But 84-year-old claims he wasn’t being serious when he wrote, “We always loathed and despised each other, but it’s only recently that the truth has begun to emerge.”
“I’ve just seen the Press Association release,” Cleese wrote. “They got it totally wrong. My remark about ‘loathing and despising each other.’ 1. Referred to all the members of the group. 2. Was a joke I would...
Cleese originally made the comment amid an apparent online dispute over the beloved comedy troupe’s finances, sparked by Idle criticizing the other Pythons, as well as their asset manager Holly Gilliam — daughter of Python member Terry Gilliam.
The Cleese came to Holly’s defense — and he was apparently serious about that part. But 84-year-old claims he wasn’t being serious when he wrote, “We always loathed and despised each other, but it’s only recently that the truth has begun to emerge.”
“I’ve just seen the Press Association release,” Cleese wrote. “They got it totally wrong. My remark about ‘loathing and despising each other.’ 1. Referred to all the members of the group. 2. Was a joke I would...
- 2/15/2024
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Monty Python famously performed a sketch about a joke so funny, it was lethal. Well, it turns out that John Cleese’s latest attempt at a gag has been somewhat lost in translation.
In a social media spat for the ages, Eric Idle spent the weekend roasting his fellow Pythons on X (formerly Twitter). Cleese bit at Idle’s comments on Tuesday, posting a repost.
“We always loathed and despised each other, but it’s only recently that the truth has begun to emerge,” Cleese wrote in a cryptic response to an X user, who asked if he had fallen out with Idle.
The A Fish Called Wanda star has now clarified that he was joking, posting a series of messages on X lashing out at the reporting of his remarks.
Cleese said some publications “got it totally wrong,” arguing that his “loathed and despised” barb was a joke about all his fellow Pythons.
In a social media spat for the ages, Eric Idle spent the weekend roasting his fellow Pythons on X (formerly Twitter). Cleese bit at Idle’s comments on Tuesday, posting a repost.
“We always loathed and despised each other, but it’s only recently that the truth has begun to emerge,” Cleese wrote in a cryptic response to an X user, who asked if he had fallen out with Idle.
The A Fish Called Wanda star has now clarified that he was joking, posting a series of messages on X lashing out at the reporting of his remarks.
Cleese said some publications “got it totally wrong,” arguing that his “loathed and despised” barb was a joke about all his fellow Pythons.
- 2/15/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
To borrow a phrase from Paddy Chayefsky, Eric Idle is mad as hell, and he’s not going to take it anymore. The founding member of Monty Python, 80, has taken to X in recent days to clear the air on a number of matters regarding the legendary British troupe — whose catalog (four seasons of Monty Python’s Flying Circus plus five feature films, including Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Monty Python’s Life of Brian) have elevated them to “Beatles of comedy” status. (Idle, it’s worth noting, is also the mind behind the 1978 Beatles parody The Rutles.) The claims — which many fans say are ruining their cherished Python memories — are as follows:
Idle is Out of Money — and Blames the Gilliams
We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously. But I...
Idle is Out of Money — and Blames the Gilliams
We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously. But I...
- 2/14/2024
- by Seth Abramovitch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
John Cleese took to X (formerly Twitter) to respond to Eric Idle after the latter went viral for some heated comments related to Monty Python, the legendary British comedy troupe that Idle and Cleese co-founded in 1969 alongside Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. Idle made headlines for saying he still has to “work for my living” and heavily suggesting that Monty Python funds are being mismanaged.
“I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded,” Idle posted on X. “Python is a disaster. ‘Spamalot’ made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.”
“We own everything we ever made in ‘Python’ and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously,” he added. “But I guess if you put a Gilliam child in as your manager you should not be so surprised.
“I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded,” Idle posted on X. “Python is a disaster. ‘Spamalot’ made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.”
“We own everything we ever made in ‘Python’ and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously,” he added. “But I guess if you put a Gilliam child in as your manager you should not be so surprised.
- 2/13/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Update: John Cleese has responded to Eric Idle’s recent comments, and there doesn’t appear to be any love lost between the former Monty Python performers. Cleese defended Python manager Holly Gilliam, who Idle had suggested was responsible for dwindling income streams.
“I have worked with Holly for the last ten years,” Cleese tweeted, “and I find her very efficient, clear-minded, hard-working, and pleasant to have dealings with. Michael Palin has asked me to make it clear that he shares this opinion. Terry Gilliam is also in agreement with this.” Just in case there was any confusion over the status of the relationship between himself and Idle, Cleese drove the point home by saying, “We always loathed and despised each other, but it’s only recently that the truth has begun to emerge.” Yikes.
—Original article follows below—
Eric Idle may have written “Always Look on the Bright Side...
“I have worked with Holly for the last ten years,” Cleese tweeted, “and I find her very efficient, clear-minded, hard-working, and pleasant to have dealings with. Michael Palin has asked me to make it clear that he shares this opinion. Terry Gilliam is also in agreement with this.” Just in case there was any confusion over the status of the relationship between himself and Idle, Cleese drove the point home by saying, “We always loathed and despised each other, but it’s only recently that the truth has begun to emerge.” Yikes.
—Original article follows below—
Eric Idle may have written “Always Look on the Bright Side...
- 2/13/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
John Cleese is making it clear that he – and a few other Pythons – are in complete disagreement with long-ago co-star Eric Idle, who last weekend slammed manager (and daughter of Python co-founder Terry Gilliam) Holly Gilliam for what Idle suggested were the troupe’s dwindling finances.
“We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously,” Idle posted on X/Twitter Saturday. “But I guess if you put a Gilliam child in as your manager you should not be so surprised. One Gilliam is bad enough. Two can take out any company.”
Cleese left no doubt where he stands on the matter.
“I have worked with Holly for the last ten years,” the Fawlty Towers creator tweeted today, “and I find her very efficient, clear-minded, hard-working, and pleasant to have dealings with.”
Cleese continued, “Michael Palin...
“We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously,” Idle posted on X/Twitter Saturday. “But I guess if you put a Gilliam child in as your manager you should not be so surprised. One Gilliam is bad enough. Two can take out any company.”
Cleese left no doubt where he stands on the matter.
“I have worked with Holly for the last ten years,” the Fawlty Towers creator tweeted today, “and I find her very efficient, clear-minded, hard-working, and pleasant to have dealings with.”
Cleese continued, “Michael Palin...
- 2/13/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Eric Idle has set the record straight for anyone who thought he had a cushy life from his earnings as a member of Monty Python, saying that he still has to work for a living.
“I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded. Python is a disaster,” the 80-year-old actor and comedian wrote on Twitter. “Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.”
Later on, Idle clarified that though the British comedy troupe owns “everything” they ever made as part of the group, changes to royalty distribution — and what he sees as mismanagement of the company — have made a drastic impact on their earnings.
“I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously,” he wrote. “But I guess if you put a Gilliam child in as your manager you should not be so surprised.
“I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded. Python is a disaster,” the 80-year-old actor and comedian wrote on Twitter. “Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.”
Later on, Idle clarified that though the British comedy troupe owns “everything” they ever made as part of the group, changes to royalty distribution — and what he sees as mismanagement of the company — have made a drastic impact on their earnings.
“I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously,” he wrote. “But I guess if you put a Gilliam child in as your manager you should not be so surprised.
- 2/12/2024
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Film News
Eric Idle was in salty form on X/Twitter over the weekend.
The Monty Python star had some dismissive words for John Cleese and Terry Gilliam, co-founders of the comedy troupe, and he even took a shot at Netflix.
Idle wrote of his surprise that Monty Python’s income had dried up, complaining that he has to keep working at the age of 80.
“I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded,” he said. “Python is a disaster. Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.”
He blamed the mismanagement of the Python brand on Gilliam and his daughter, Holly. The latter runs Hdg Projects, which manages Python and helped stage Monty Python Live (mostly) – One Down Five to Go, the group’s 2014 reunion shows in London.
“We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed...
The Monty Python star had some dismissive words for John Cleese and Terry Gilliam, co-founders of the comedy troupe, and he even took a shot at Netflix.
Idle wrote of his surprise that Monty Python’s income had dried up, complaining that he has to keep working at the age of 80.
“I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded,” he said. “Python is a disaster. Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.”
He blamed the mismanagement of the Python brand on Gilliam and his daughter, Holly. The latter runs Hdg Projects, which manages Python and helped stage Monty Python Live (mostly) – One Down Five to Go, the group’s 2014 reunion shows in London.
“We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed...
- 2/12/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
“Monty Python” alum Eric Idle addressed an apparent fan misconception on Friday: that he and the rest of the legendary British comedy troupe’s members aren’t swimming in cash from their productions. As he put it, “I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded. Python is a disaster. Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.” Idle is 80 years old.
I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded. Python is a disaster. Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age. https://t.co/nFDbV9BOfC
— Eric Idle (@EricIdle) February 9, 2024
Hours later, Idle added, “We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously. But I guess if you put a Gilliam...
I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded. Python is a disaster. Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age. https://t.co/nFDbV9BOfC
— Eric Idle (@EricIdle) February 9, 2024
Hours later, Idle added, “We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously. But I guess if you put a Gilliam...
- 2/11/2024
- by Stephanie Kaloi
- The Wrap
Celebrating its 48th-and-a-bit anniversary, Monty Python And The Holy Grail is coming back to cinemas for a limited time only.
Forget your usual sing-along screenings of your favourite musical. You can go to a quote-along screening of Monty Python And The Holy Grail this February.
It’s been 48 (and a half) years since the iconic comedy premiered in cinemas. Starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin, Monthly Python And The Holy Grail marked the directorial debuts of Gilliam and Jones.
To mark the anniversary, the film is making a comeback in cinemas, but there will also be special quote-along screenings. They will give you an opportunity to shout out lines like “She’s a witch!” and “I fart in your general direction” at the screen.
Tickets for these are already on sale and you can purchase them here.
Monty Python’s Life Of Brian...
Forget your usual sing-along screenings of your favourite musical. You can go to a quote-along screening of Monty Python And The Holy Grail this February.
It’s been 48 (and a half) years since the iconic comedy premiered in cinemas. Starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin, Monthly Python And The Holy Grail marked the directorial debuts of Gilliam and Jones.
To mark the anniversary, the film is making a comeback in cinemas, but there will also be special quote-along screenings. They will give you an opportunity to shout out lines like “She’s a witch!” and “I fart in your general direction” at the screen.
Tickets for these are already on sale and you can purchase them here.
Monty Python’s Life Of Brian...
- 1/31/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
This past week saw the release of The Book of Clarence, a movie about a down-on-his-luck guy who hits upon a get-rich-quick scheme that leads him into a heap of trouble. It’s a classic topic for a movie, but it is treading on more controversial ground than usual. Because in the case of this story about a hustler getting in over his head, the hustle happens to be set around Israel and Palestine during the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth. In fact, that is Clarence’s whole scheme: He sees Jesus and decides to get into the messiah business.
This is not the first film to portray the story of one of Jesus’ fictional contemporaries. Monty Python’s Life of Brian attracted protests, controversy, and endless talk show guest slots over its portrayal of a man who was definitely not the messiah, just a very naughty boy.
This is not the first film to portray the story of one of Jesus’ fictional contemporaries. Monty Python’s Life of Brian attracted protests, controversy, and endless talk show guest slots over its portrayal of a man who was definitely not the messiah, just a very naughty boy.
- 1/18/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Jonathan Bennett has announced a major new role!
The 42-year-old Hallmark Channel star is headed to Broadway to star in the revival of Spamalot, replacing one of the show’s original actors just two months after it’s opening.
Keep reading to find out more…
“It’s my dream come true. I’m so pumped,” he told People of his new role.
The musical, featuring a book and lyrics by Eric Idle, is “lovingly ripped off” from the classic movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. “Everything that makes a great knight in the theatre is here, from flying cows to killer rabbits, British royalty to French taunters, dancing girls, rubbery shrubbery, and of course, the Lady of the Lake,” the synopsis reads.
Jonathan will be taking over the role of Sir Robin. Michael Urie is currently performing in the role, with his final performance set for Sunday, January 21st.
The 42-year-old Hallmark Channel star is headed to Broadway to star in the revival of Spamalot, replacing one of the show’s original actors just two months after it’s opening.
Keep reading to find out more…
“It’s my dream come true. I’m so pumped,” he told People of his new role.
The musical, featuring a book and lyrics by Eric Idle, is “lovingly ripped off” from the classic movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. “Everything that makes a great knight in the theatre is here, from flying cows to killer rabbits, British royalty to French taunters, dancing girls, rubbery shrubbery, and of course, the Lady of the Lake,” the synopsis reads.
Jonathan will be taking over the role of Sir Robin. Michael Urie is currently performing in the role, with his final performance set for Sunday, January 21st.
- 1/3/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
It's time to rent a Family Truckster, cue up Lindsey Buckingham's "Holiday Road," and hope our wife doesn't catch us checking out a mysterious hot babe in a sports car -- because it's time to rank all of the films in the "Vacation" franchise. Part family drama, part romantic comedy, part slapstick showcase, and 100 percent a showcase for Chevy Chase to prove why he's Chevy Chase and we're not, National Lampoon's "Vacation" series is home to some of the best bits in American comedy cinema.
Whether they're staying at home for the holidays, pressing their luck in Vegas, traveling cross country, or flying overseas, the Griswolds have set the bar hellishly low for family vacations (which means the only place to go is up for the rest of us). Sure, some of the jokes have seen better days, but the longevity of the series lies with the relatable family...
Whether they're staying at home for the holidays, pressing their luck in Vegas, traveling cross country, or flying overseas, the Griswolds have set the bar hellishly low for family vacations (which means the only place to go is up for the rest of us). Sure, some of the jokes have seen better days, but the longevity of the series lies with the relatable family...
- 12/26/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
If you want a risk-taking Broadway musical that weaponizes disco-glamour to tell a story of crumbling democracy, I hope you already invested in a ticket to the immersion of "Here Lies Love" in its dying breath. If you want a work of artistic and personal self-reflection, see the "Merrily We Roll Along" revival. But if you hunger for Broadway-based belly laughs, you have two musical options: "Gutenberg! The Musical!" or the "Monty Python's Spamalot" revival.
"Lovingly ripped off" from the 1975 "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" as well as other "Monty Python" media, "Spamalot" reigned for 1,575 performances from its 2005 Broadway premiere. Transported from the Kennedy Center run in May 2023, this Broadway revival at the St. James Theatre serves up the oldies with adequate variance to its secondhand Pythonesque humor.
From the moment the Arthurian tale opens with an irrelevant Finland number, anyone who has not seen anything "Monty Python" is in for hijinks.
"Lovingly ripped off" from the 1975 "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" as well as other "Monty Python" media, "Spamalot" reigned for 1,575 performances from its 2005 Broadway premiere. Transported from the Kennedy Center run in May 2023, this Broadway revival at the St. James Theatre serves up the oldies with adequate variance to its secondhand Pythonesque humor.
From the moment the Arthurian tale opens with an irrelevant Finland number, anyone who has not seen anything "Monty Python" is in for hijinks.
- 11/29/2023
- by Caroline Cao
- Slash Film
There was a lot of star power at the Broadway opening of Spamalot!
Brie Larson and Iman Vellani, two of the stars of The Marvels, sat together inside the theatre for the opening night performance on Thursday (November 16) at the St. James Theatre in New York City.
Cobie Smulders, who is also part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was in attendance to support her husband Taran Killam, who stars in the revival of the Tony-winning musical.
Some of the other celebs in attendance included Zachary Levi, Loot‘s Stephanie Styles, longtime friends Victor Garber and Andrea Martin, Kate Miccuci, theater owner Jordan Roth, American Idol‘s Constantine Maroulis, Broadway stars Adam Pascal, Patti Murin, and Montego Glover, and Broadway’s Potus cast members Vanessa Williams, Rachel Dratch, Julie White, and Lea DeLaria.
Monty Python’s Eric Idle also posed on the red carpet.
Ariana Grande was also there to support her boyfriend,...
Brie Larson and Iman Vellani, two of the stars of The Marvels, sat together inside the theatre for the opening night performance on Thursday (November 16) at the St. James Theatre in New York City.
Cobie Smulders, who is also part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was in attendance to support her husband Taran Killam, who stars in the revival of the Tony-winning musical.
Some of the other celebs in attendance included Zachary Levi, Loot‘s Stephanie Styles, longtime friends Victor Garber and Andrea Martin, Kate Miccuci, theater owner Jordan Roth, American Idol‘s Constantine Maroulis, Broadway stars Adam Pascal, Patti Murin, and Montego Glover, and Broadway’s Potus cast members Vanessa Williams, Rachel Dratch, Julie White, and Lea DeLaria.
Monty Python’s Eric Idle also posed on the red carpet.
Ariana Grande was also there to support her boyfriend,...
- 11/17/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
“Just think,” Sir Lancelot (Taran Killam) muses as he celebrates his gay wedding at the end of Monty Python’s Spamalot. “In a thousand-and-eighteen years time, this will still be controversial.” Killam puts special emphasis on the “eighteen,” an addition to the script that nods to the supposed ways in which Spamalot remains relevant nearly two decades after the Tony-winning musical adaptation of Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam’s 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail tore up the 2004-2005 Broadway season.
The construction of the joke suggests that not much has changed—either for good or ill—in the past decades. That’s hardly true, because when Hank Azaria delivered the punchline in 2005, gay marriage wouldn’t be legalized in New York State for another six years. It’s surprising how much of Spamalot’s humor, especially the gay jokes, now feels rooted in an earlier time. Even peppered...
The construction of the joke suggests that not much has changed—either for good or ill—in the past decades. That’s hardly true, because when Hank Azaria delivered the punchline in 2005, gay marriage wouldn’t be legalized in New York State for another six years. It’s surprising how much of Spamalot’s humor, especially the gay jokes, now feels rooted in an earlier time. Even peppered...
- 11/17/2023
- by Dan Rubins
- Slant Magazine
Late-night TV has had plenty of superstars appearing since the end of the writers strike.
But the end of the actors strike is another story.
Stars will now be able to promote films and series that were previously struck, opening the door to a slew of new bookings across The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show.
A case in point: NBC has adjusted its guests for Friday night’s The Tonight Show with Marvel stars Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson being added at the last minute.
The Loki star and The Marvels star are joining Eric Idle and musical guests Rick Ross and Meek Mill for the end-of-week show.
Hiddleston and Larson will be able to promote their Marvel wares now with Loki’s second-season finale airing tonight and The Marvels, where...
But the end of the actors strike is another story.
Stars will now be able to promote films and series that were previously struck, opening the door to a slew of new bookings across The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show.
A case in point: NBC has adjusted its guests for Friday night’s The Tonight Show with Marvel stars Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson being added at the last minute.
The Loki star and The Marvels star are joining Eric Idle and musical guests Rick Ross and Meek Mill for the end-of-week show.
Hiddleston and Larson will be able to promote their Marvel wares now with Loki’s second-season finale airing tonight and The Marvels, where...
- 11/9/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
John Cleese is best known as a member of the British comedy troupe Monty Python. Let’s look back at the Oscar-nominated funnyman and his 12 greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1939 in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, England, Cleese rose to prominence thanks to the British sketch series “Monty Python’s Flying Circus,” which ran for four seasons on the BBC from 1969-1974. The troupe — which also included Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin — revolutionized comedy with their surreal, experimental sketches, the best of which were assembled into the film “And Now for Something Completely Different” (1971). This led to other cinematic outings, including “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975), “Life of Brian” (1979) and “The Meaning of Life” (1983).
Cleese achieved big screen success of his own with “A Fish Called Wanda” (1988), which he wrote and starred in as an uptight English barrister who becomes entangled in an elaborate...
Born in 1939 in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, England, Cleese rose to prominence thanks to the British sketch series “Monty Python’s Flying Circus,” which ran for four seasons on the BBC from 1969-1974. The troupe — which also included Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin — revolutionized comedy with their surreal, experimental sketches, the best of which were assembled into the film “And Now for Something Completely Different” (1971). This led to other cinematic outings, including “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975), “Life of Brian” (1979) and “The Meaning of Life” (1983).
Cleese achieved big screen success of his own with “A Fish Called Wanda” (1988), which he wrote and starred in as an uptight English barrister who becomes entangled in an elaborate...
- 10/21/2023
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
There’s no more appropriate reason to put Monty Python and the Holy Grail back in theaters than the celebration of a comically off-year anniversary. That is exactly what’ll happen this December, when the 1975 comedy classic returns to the big screen to celebrate its 48th-and-a-half anniversary.
The film will screen in select theaters across the country on Dec. 3, with additional showings scheduled for Dec. 6. For those who simply cannot help themselves, select theaters will be showing a special “Quote-a-Long” version of the film, while offering a safe space for...
The film will screen in select theaters across the country on Dec. 3, with additional showings scheduled for Dec. 6. For those who simply cannot help themselves, select theaters will be showing a special “Quote-a-Long” version of the film, while offering a safe space for...
- 10/17/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
It’s been 48 and a half years since Monty Python’s landmark film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, first hit theaters, which means that it’s the perfect time to celebrate the film’s legacy, according to Monty Python at least. On Tuesday, it was announced that the film will return to theaters this December via Iconic Events Releasing and Mercury Studios.
Over 500 movie theaters across the United States will participate in the screenings, which will begin on Sunday, December 3rd, with “encore screenings” beginning on Wednesday, December 6th. Additionally, two versions of the film will be shown: the standard cut, and a brand-new “Quote-a-long” rendition, which will display the lines on the screen so that fans can “quote, laugh, and sing-a-long like never before.” Tickets for the event are on-sale now, and can be purchased here.
The announcement arrives with a new trailer for the film, advertising that...
Over 500 movie theaters across the United States will participate in the screenings, which will begin on Sunday, December 3rd, with “encore screenings” beginning on Wednesday, December 6th. Additionally, two versions of the film will be shown: the standard cut, and a brand-new “Quote-a-long” rendition, which will display the lines on the screen so that fans can “quote, laugh, and sing-a-long like never before.” Tickets for the event are on-sale now, and can be purchased here.
The announcement arrives with a new trailer for the film, advertising that...
- 10/17/2023
- by Jo Vito
- Consequence - Film News
The beloved musical Spamalot is returning to Broadway this season and the first photos of the cast have been released!
James Monroe Iglehart, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, Christopher Fitzgerald, and Ethan Slater are leading the cast of the Monty Python musical.
Also starring are Taran Killam, Jimmy Smagula, Michael Urie, and Nik Walker.
The musical, featuring a book and lyrics by Eric Idle, is “lovingly ripped off” from the classic movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. “Everything that makes a great knight in the theatre is here, from flying cows to killer rabbits, British royalty to French taunters, dancing girls, rubbery shrubbery, and of course, the Lady of the Lake,” the synopsis reads.
Performances begin at the St. James Theatre on October 31 ahead of opening night on November 16.
Ethan, best known for playing the title role in the SpongeBob SquarePants musical, will be seen in the upcoming movie musical Wicked...
James Monroe Iglehart, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, Christopher Fitzgerald, and Ethan Slater are leading the cast of the Monty Python musical.
Also starring are Taran Killam, Jimmy Smagula, Michael Urie, and Nik Walker.
The musical, featuring a book and lyrics by Eric Idle, is “lovingly ripped off” from the classic movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. “Everything that makes a great knight in the theatre is here, from flying cows to killer rabbits, British royalty to French taunters, dancing girls, rubbery shrubbery, and of course, the Lady of the Lake,” the synopsis reads.
Performances begin at the St. James Theatre on October 31 ahead of opening night on November 16.
Ethan, best known for playing the title role in the SpongeBob SquarePants musical, will be seen in the upcoming movie musical Wicked...
- 10/13/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
This post contains spoilers for this week’s episode of The Masked Singer.
Following the Season 10 premiere of The Masked Singer Wednesday night, actor and comedian Anthony Anderson was the first celebrity to be unmasked after being correctly guessed by panelist Ken Jeong. Stunned, Jeong praised Anderson for the fun and laughter he has brought to the entertainment industry.
“It’s a Season 10 miracle,” Jeong said.
During the Season Nine premiere, 97-year-old Dick Van Dyke took the stage in a Gnome costume, and Monty Python star Eric Idle and Star Trek...
Following the Season 10 premiere of The Masked Singer Wednesday night, actor and comedian Anthony Anderson was the first celebrity to be unmasked after being correctly guessed by panelist Ken Jeong. Stunned, Jeong praised Anderson for the fun and laughter he has brought to the entertainment industry.
“It’s a Season 10 miracle,” Jeong said.
During the Season Nine premiere, 97-year-old Dick Van Dyke took the stage in a Gnome costume, and Monty Python star Eric Idle and Star Trek...
- 9/28/2023
- by Kalia Richardson
- Rollingstone.com
Taran Killam, the former Saturday Night Live player and Hamilton cast member, will play Lancelot in the Broadway revival of Monty Python’s Spamalot, with Alex Brightman taking over the role in January following Killam’s limited engagement.
The casting rounds out the principal roles for the production, which begins previews at the St. James Theatre on Tuesday, Oct. 31, with an official opening on Thursday, November 16. Killam will play Lancelot from the first preview until January 7.
Brightman, who’ll take over the role on January 9, played Lancelot at the Kennedy Center staging earlier this year, but is currently starring in Broadway’s The Shark Is Broken, which closes Nov. 19.
The new Lancelots join a Spamalot cast that includes James Monroe Iglehart as King Arthur, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer as the Lady of the Lake, Michael Urie as Sir Robin, Christopher Fitzgerald as Patsy, Ethan Slater as the Historian/Prince Herbert, Jimmy Smagula as Sir Bedevere,...
The casting rounds out the principal roles for the production, which begins previews at the St. James Theatre on Tuesday, Oct. 31, with an official opening on Thursday, November 16. Killam will play Lancelot from the first preview until January 7.
Brightman, who’ll take over the role on January 9, played Lancelot at the Kennedy Center staging earlier this year, but is currently starring in Broadway’s The Shark Is Broken, which closes Nov. 19.
The new Lancelots join a Spamalot cast that includes James Monroe Iglehart as King Arthur, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer as the Lady of the Lake, Michael Urie as Sir Robin, Christopher Fitzgerald as Patsy, Ethan Slater as the Historian/Prince Herbert, Jimmy Smagula as Sir Bedevere,...
- 9/26/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Major film and TV productions are currently on hold due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, but the New York theater scene is still as active as ever. A new Broadway season is upon us, and there are five musicals set to open this fall. Will they contend at next year’s Tony Awards? Below, we give you a preview of the plot of each musical as well as the awards history of its author, cast and creative teams, plus the opening and (where applicable) closing dates.
“Merrily We Roll Along”
The first Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s 1981 musical adaptation of George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart‘s 1934 play spans three decades in the entertainment industry and charts the relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two friends — writer Mary and lyricist and playwright Charley. The original production directed by Hal Prince only ran for 16 performances,...
“Merrily We Roll Along”
The first Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s 1981 musical adaptation of George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart‘s 1934 play spans three decades in the entertainment industry and charts the relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two friends — writer Mary and lyricist and playwright Charley. The original production directed by Hal Prince only ran for 16 performances,...
- 9/20/2023
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Michael McGrath, the veteran stage actor who received a Tony Award for his performance in the musical Nice Work If You Can Get It, has died. He was 65.
McGrath died unexpectedly in his sleep Thursday at his home in Bloomfield, New Jersey, his publicist told The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death has been determined.
A regular in Broadway and off-Broadway musicals and musical comedy productions, McGrath had starring turns in Plaza Suite, Tootsie, Memphis, Born Yesterday and Wonderful Town. He was also the first actor to play Patsy, King Arthur’s long-suffering sidekick, in Spamalot, which earned him his first Tony nomination.
“Very saddened to hear that Michael McGrath, our first and most beloved Patsy in Spamalot, has passed away,” Idle wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Warm hugs to all the Spamalot family and very happy memories of a lovely man.”
McGrath was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Sept.
McGrath died unexpectedly in his sleep Thursday at his home in Bloomfield, New Jersey, his publicist told The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death has been determined.
A regular in Broadway and off-Broadway musicals and musical comedy productions, McGrath had starring turns in Plaza Suite, Tootsie, Memphis, Born Yesterday and Wonderful Town. He was also the first actor to play Patsy, King Arthur’s long-suffering sidekick, in Spamalot, which earned him his first Tony nomination.
“Very saddened to hear that Michael McGrath, our first and most beloved Patsy in Spamalot, has passed away,” Idle wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Warm hugs to all the Spamalot family and very happy memories of a lovely man.”
McGrath was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Sept.
- 9/15/2023
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For 24 years, The New Yorker has leaned on the talents of actors, writers, and others from the world of Hollywood to be a part of its annual New Yorker Festival, which will be held this year Oct. 6-8.
The ongoing Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes have thrown a wrench in many plans that have traditionally relied on Hollywood talent, but the festival will go on, New Yorker editor David Remnick tells The Hollywood Reporter. And there will still be plenty of star power.
The New Yorker, of course, is not owned by a struck company, but SAG has advised its members not to promote projects from studios that have not signed interim agreements, and the Condé Nast-owned publication has had to adapt accordingly: “We faced a challenge or two,” Remnick says.
“I think a lot of the navigation is on the side of the talent, and what they...
The ongoing Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes have thrown a wrench in many plans that have traditionally relied on Hollywood talent, but the festival will go on, New Yorker editor David Remnick tells The Hollywood Reporter. And there will still be plenty of star power.
The New Yorker, of course, is not owned by a struck company, but SAG has advised its members not to promote projects from studios that have not signed interim agreements, and the Condé Nast-owned publication has had to adapt accordingly: “We faced a challenge or two,” Remnick says.
“I think a lot of the navigation is on the side of the talent, and what they...
- 9/6/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It's nothing short of a miracle that anything nearly as weird as "Monty Python's Flying Circus" became a pop culture phenomenon. In the BBC television series that ran from 1969 to 1974, comedians Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin, along with animator Terry Gilliam and frequent co-stars Carol Cleveland and Connie Booth, obliterated all sense of sanity on the airwaves.
Their sketch comedy show — which had neither circuses, pythons, nor a character named "Monty" — crafted off-the-wall sketches about every strange thing they could think of. Silly walks, Hungarian phrase books, and how not to be seen were just the tip of the very absurd iceberg, and the comedy troupe's absolute dedication to defying convention remains, to this day, a gold standard to which any comedian can aspire.
Monty Python didn't stay on the airwaves forever. The troupe created four feature films together over the course of twelve years,...
Their sketch comedy show — which had neither circuses, pythons, nor a character named "Monty" — crafted off-the-wall sketches about every strange thing they could think of. Silly walks, Hungarian phrase books, and how not to be seen were just the tip of the very absurd iceberg, and the comedy troupe's absolute dedication to defying convention remains, to this day, a gold standard to which any comedian can aspire.
Monty Python didn't stay on the airwaves forever. The troupe created four feature films together over the course of twelve years,...
- 8/30/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) announced today that since its inception in 2008, the nonprofit has over $795 million pledged to fund critically needed cancer research.
Commemorating SU2C’s progress over the last 15 years, the organization’s biennial telecast aired on Saturday, August 19 and highlighted special moments with stars across film, television, sports and journalism who have supported the SU2C movement throughout the years.
Since the last telecast in 2021, funding pledged from the show as well as corporate, foundation and individual donors has totaled over $60.1 million.
“More than 1.9 million people in the U.S. are anticipated to be diagnosed with cancer in 2023; this disease affects so many – including myself and my fellow SU2C co-founders – it is critical that we come together and take action so that we can continue to help more cancer survivors thrive,” said Katie Couric, SU2C co-founder. “We are so appreciative of the generosity of the entertainment community,...
Commemorating SU2C’s progress over the last 15 years, the organization’s biennial telecast aired on Saturday, August 19 and highlighted special moments with stars across film, television, sports and journalism who have supported the SU2C movement throughout the years.
Since the last telecast in 2021, funding pledged from the show as well as corporate, foundation and individual donors has totaled over $60.1 million.
“More than 1.9 million people in the U.S. are anticipated to be diagnosed with cancer in 2023; this disease affects so many – including myself and my fellow SU2C co-founders – it is critical that we come together and take action so that we can continue to help more cancer survivors thrive,” said Katie Couric, SU2C co-founder. “We are so appreciative of the generosity of the entertainment community,...
- 8/25/2023
- Look to the Stars
Michael Urie and Ethan Slater are among those set to star in the upcoming Broadway revival of Spamalot.
The newly announced cast includes Christopher Fitzgerald as Patsy, James Monroe Iglehart as King Arthur, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer as The Lady of the Lake, Jimmy Smagula as Sir Bedevere and Nik Walker as Sir Galahad. Urie is set to portray Sir Robin, with Slater cast as The Historian/Prince Herbert.
Iglehart, Kritzer, Smagula, Urie and Walker have all reprised their roles from the show’s May run in D.C. at the Kennedy Center. Casting for Sir Lancelot will be announced at a later date. (Beetlejuice star Alex Brightman portrayed Sir Lancelot before it transferred to Broadway.)
Adapted from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which was written by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, the musical will open at the St. James Theatre on Nov.
The newly announced cast includes Christopher Fitzgerald as Patsy, James Monroe Iglehart as King Arthur, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer as The Lady of the Lake, Jimmy Smagula as Sir Bedevere and Nik Walker as Sir Galahad. Urie is set to portray Sir Robin, with Slater cast as The Historian/Prince Herbert.
Iglehart, Kritzer, Smagula, Urie and Walker have all reprised their roles from the show’s May run in D.C. at the Kennedy Center. Casting for Sir Lancelot will be announced at a later date. (Beetlejuice star Alex Brightman portrayed Sir Lancelot before it transferred to Broadway.)
Adapted from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which was written by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, the musical will open at the St. James Theatre on Nov.
- 8/9/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Casting for Broadway’s upcoming Spamalot revival is well underway, with James Monroe Iglehart, Michael Urie, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, Jimmy Smagula and Nik Walker set to reprise their roles from the popular Kennedy Center production and Ethan Slater and Christopher Fitzgerald joining as newcomers.
Performances of the Monty Python musical comedy begin Tuesday, October 31, at the St. James Theatre ahead of an official opening night of Thursday, November 16.
Also returning from the Washington D.C. production is Josh Rhodes as director and choreographer.
With a book & lyrics by Python’s Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Idle, the original 2005 Broadway production was nominated for 14 Tony Awards and won three including Best Musical.
The creative team for the revival, also announced today in addition to the casting, includes scenic and projection design by Paul Tate dePoo III, costume design by Jen Caprio, lighting design by Cory Pattak,...
Performances of the Monty Python musical comedy begin Tuesday, October 31, at the St. James Theatre ahead of an official opening night of Thursday, November 16.
Also returning from the Washington D.C. production is Josh Rhodes as director and choreographer.
With a book & lyrics by Python’s Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Idle, the original 2005 Broadway production was nominated for 14 Tony Awards and won three including Best Musical.
The creative team for the revival, also announced today in addition to the casting, includes scenic and projection design by Paul Tate dePoo III, costume design by Jen Caprio, lighting design by Cory Pattak,...
- 8/9/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Monty Python’s Spamalot is heading back to Broadway this fall. The revival, which follows a sold-out run at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., begins previews Tuesday, October 31, at the St. James Theatre, with an official opening night of November 16.
“I’m thrilled to see Spamalot back on Broadway,” said Eric Idle, who wrote the show’s book and lyrics and co-wrote the music with John Du Prez, in a statement. “More than ever, it seems we need a good laugh and it’s inspiring to see audiences still embracing this, the most happy of shows I have ever worked on. So put the News Cycle on Rinse Cycle and take a couple of hours to relax with the Lady of the Lake, King Arthur and the Knights Who Say Ni because we’re not dead yet!”
The show will mark the first production from the Kennedy Center...
“I’m thrilled to see Spamalot back on Broadway,” said Eric Idle, who wrote the show’s book and lyrics and co-wrote the music with John Du Prez, in a statement. “More than ever, it seems we need a good laugh and it’s inspiring to see audiences still embracing this, the most happy of shows I have ever worked on. So put the News Cycle on Rinse Cycle and take a couple of hours to relax with the Lady of the Lake, King Arthur and the Knights Who Say Ni because we’re not dead yet!”
The show will mark the first production from the Kennedy Center...
- 8/2/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Spamalot is returning to Broadway this fall in the first revival of the Tony-Award winning musical.
The production, which is transferring to Broadway after a May run at the Kennedy Center, will play the St. James Theatre starting Oct. 31, with an opening night scheduled for Nov. 16. The show originally ran on Broadway from 2005 to 2009, and won three Tony Awards, including best musical.
The musical, which is adapted from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, features a book and lyrics by Eric Idle, a member of the Monty Python comedy group, and music by John Du Prez and Idle. The original Broadway production was directed by Mike Nichols and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw. Josh Rhodes, who led the production at the Kennedy Center, direct and choreograph on Broadway.
Casting has not yet been announced. The Kennedy Center run featured Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice) as Sir Lancelot, James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin) as King Arthur,...
The production, which is transferring to Broadway after a May run at the Kennedy Center, will play the St. James Theatre starting Oct. 31, with an opening night scheduled for Nov. 16. The show originally ran on Broadway from 2005 to 2009, and won three Tony Awards, including best musical.
The musical, which is adapted from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, features a book and lyrics by Eric Idle, a member of the Monty Python comedy group, and music by John Du Prez and Idle. The original Broadway production was directed by Mike Nichols and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw. Josh Rhodes, who led the production at the Kennedy Center, direct and choreograph on Broadway.
Casting has not yet been announced. The Kennedy Center run featured Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice) as Sir Lancelot, James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin) as King Arthur,...
- 8/2/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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