List of Monty Python's Flying Circus episodes  

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This is a list of all 45 episodes from the television series Monty Python's Flying Circus:

Contents

[edit]

Series 1 (Oct. 1969 - Jan. 1970)

[edit]

1. Whither Canada?

(episode 1; aired October 5, 1969; recorded September 7, 1969)

Trivia

  • The word "Whizzo" would be used throughout the series as the title of various companies and products, such as Whizzo's Finest Chocolates produced by the Whizzo Chocolate Company, for the Crunchy Frog sketch of episode six.
[edit]

2. Sex and Violence

(episode 2; aired October 12, 1969; recorded August 30, 1969)

  • Flying Sheep
  • French Lecture on Sheep-Aircraft
  • A Man with Three Buttocks
  • A Man With Two Noses
  • Musical Mice
  • Marriage Guidance Counsellor
  • The Wacky Queen
  • Working-class playwright
  • The Wrestling Epilogue
  • The Mouse Problem

Trivia

  • The "Mouse Problem" sketch originally ended with an announcement that if any viewers suffered from the same problem they could dial a phone number that appeared on the screen. The number turned out to be David Frost's number, and after he complained the segment was wiped.
  • Real professional wrestlers appeared in the "Wrestling Epilogue" sketch, in which an Anglican monsignor and a college professor debate the existence of God by wrestling.
[edit]

3. How to Recognise Different Types of Trees From Quite a Long Way Away

(episode 3; aired October 19, 1969; recorded September 14, 1969)

  • Court Scene with Cardinal Richelieu
  • The Larch
  • Bicycle Repair Man
  • Tirade Against Communists
  • Children's Stories
  • Restaurant Sketch
  • Seduced Milkmen
  • Stolen newsreader
  • The Horse Chestnut
  • Children's Interview
  • Nudge Nudge

Trivia

  • This episode had the longest title.
[edit]

4. Owl Stretching Time

(episode 4; aired October 26, 1969; recorded September 21, 1969)

Trivia

  • The 16-Ton Weight makes its first appearance on Self-Defence Against Fresh Fruit.
  • The name Owl Stretching Time was a proposed name for the series itself.
  • Although the entire series was made in colour, the first four episodes were originally broadcast in black-and-white, as BBC One did not broadcast in colour until 15 November 1969.
[edit]

5. Man's Crisis of Identity in the Latter Half of the 20th Century

(episode 5; aired November 16, 1969; recorded October 3, 1969)

[edit]

6. It's the Arts (or: The BBC Entry to the Zinc Stoat of Budapest)

(episode 6; aired November 23, 1969; recorded November 5, 1969)

  • It's the Arts
  • Johann Gambolputty
  • Non-Illegal Robbery
  • Vox Pops
  • Crunchy Frog
  • The Dull Life of a City Stockbroker
  • Red Indian in Theatre
  • Policemen Make Wonderful Friends
  • A Scotsman on a Horse
  • Twentieth-Century Vole
[edit]

7. You're No Fun Anymore

(episode 7; aired November 30, 1969; recorded October 10, 1969)

  • Camel Spotting
  • You're No Fun Any More
  • The Audit
  • Science Fiction Sketch
  • Man Turns Into Scotsman
  • Police station
  • Blancmanges Playing Tennis
[edit]

8. Full Frontal Nudity

(episode 8; aired December 7, 1969; recorded November 25, 1969)

Trivia

[edit]

9. The Ant, an Introduction

(episode 9; aired December 14, 1969; recorded December 7, 1969)

  • Llamas
  • A Man with a Tape Recorder Up His Nose
  • Kilimanjaro Expedition (Double Vision)
  • A Man with a Tape Recorder Up His Brother's Nose
  • Homicidal Barber
  • The Lumberjack Song
  • Gumby Crooner
  • The Refreshment Room at Bletchley
  • Ken Buddha and His Inflatable Knees
  • Brian Islam and Brucie
  • Hunting Film
  • The Visitors
[edit]

10. (or: Untitled)

(episode 10; aired December 21, 1969; recorded November 30, 1969)

  • Walk-on part in sketch
  • Bank robber in a lingerie shop
  • Trailer
  • It's A Tree
  • Vocational Guidance Counsellor
  • Ron Obvious: The First Man to Jump the Channel
  • Tunnelling from Godalming to Java
  • Pet Conversions
  • Gorilla Librarian
  • Letters to "Daily Mirror"
  • Strangers in the night

Trivia

  • This episode does not have a title
  • Episode 3 is referenced in the middle of the "Vocational Guidance Counsellor" sketch when "The Larch" is shown.
[edit]

11. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Goes to the Bathroom

(episode 11; aired December 28, 1969; recorded December 14, 1969)

  • Lavatorial Humour
  • Interruptions
  • Agatha Christie (Inspector Tiger)
  • Literary Football Discussion
  • Interesting People
  • Undertakers Film
  • Eighteenth-Century Social Legislation
  • The Battle of Trafalgar
  • Batley Townswomans Guild Presents the Battle of Pearl Harbour
  • Undertakers Film
[edit]

12. The Naked Ant

(episode 12; aired January 4, 1970; recorded December 21, 1969)

[edit]

13. It's the Arts (or: Intermission)

(episode 13; aired January 11, 1970; recorded January 4, 1970)

  • Restaurant Abuse/Cannibalism
  • Advertisements
  • Albatross
  • Come Back to My Place
  • Me Doctor
  • Historical Impersonations
  • Quiz Programme: "Wishes"
  • Probe-around on crime
  • Stonehenge and Mr. Attila the Hun
  • Psychiatry
  • Operating theatre
[edit]

Series 2 (Sep. 1970 - Dec. 1970)

[edit]

1. Face the Press (or: Dinsdale)

(episode 14; aired September 15, 1970; recorded July 9, 1970)

[edit]

2. The Spanish Inquisition

(episode 15; aired September 22, 1970; recorded July 2, 1970)

  • Man-Powered Flight
  • The Spanish Inquisition
  • Jokes and Novelties Salesman
  • Tax on Thingy
  • Vox Pops
  • Photos of Uncle Ted
  • The Semaphore Version of "Wuthering Heights"
  • Julius Caesar on an Aldis lamp
  • "Gunfight at the OK Corral" in Morse Code
  • Smokesignal Version of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"
  • Court Charades

Trivia

[edit]

3. Déjà Vu (or: Show 5)

(episode 16; aired September 29, 1970; recorded July 16, 1970)

  • A Bishop Rehearsing
  • Flying Lessons
  • Hijacked Plane
  • The Poet McTeagle
  • Psychiatrist Milkman
  • Complaints
  • Déjà Vu

Trivia

  • Graham Chapman's character in the "Psychiatrist Milkman" sketch mysteriously changes from Mrs. Ratbag to Mrs. Pim.
[edit]

4. The Buzz Aldrin Show (or: An Apology)

(episode 17; aired October 20, 1970; recorded September 18, 1970)

  • An apology
  • Gumby announcement
  • Architect sketch
  • How to recognize a Mason
  • An apology/Another Gumby announcement
  • Motor insurance sketch
  • The Bishop
  • Living room on pavement
  • Poets
  • A choice of viewing
  • An interview with a nude man
  • The Bishop...again?!
  • An apology
  • Gumby Frog Curse/Another another Gumby announcement
  • Chemist sketch
  • An apology/Words not to be used again
  • After-shave
  • Vox Pops
  • Police Constable Pan-Am
  • An apology
  • End credits
  • Last Gumby announcement (The end)
[edit]

5. Live from the Grill-O-Mat

(episode 18; aired October 27, 1970; recorded September 10, 1970)

  • Live from the Grill-o-Mat
  • The first item...
  • Blackmail
  • Society for Putting Things on Top of Other Things
  • Escape from Film
  • The next item (or dish)...
  • Current Affairs
  • Continued from the Escape from Film
  • The next item (...Prawn Salad...?)...
  • Accidents Sketch (Prawn Salad Ltd.)
  • Interruption
  • Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
  • The Butcher Who is Alternately Rude and Polite
  • The last item (coffee)...
  • Ken Clean-Air System
  • On the bus (end credits)
[edit]

6. It's A Living (or: School Prizes)

(episode 19; aired November 3, 1970; recorded September 10, 1970)

  • "It's a Living"
  • The Time on BBC 1
  • School prize-giving
  • "If" - a film by Mr Dibley
  • "Rear Window" - a film by Mr Dibley
  • "Finian's Rainbow" (starring the man from the off-licence)
  • The Foreign Secretary and Other News
  • Free Dung from the "Book of the Month" Club
  • Dead Indian
  • Timmy Williams interview
  • Raymond Luxury Yacht (Throatwobbler Mangrove interview)
  • Marriage Registry office
  • Election Night Special
[edit]

7. The Attila the Hun Show

(episode 20; aired November 10, 1970; recorded October 2, 1970)

  • "The Attila the Hun Show"
  • Attila the Nun
  • Secretary of State Striptease
  • Vox pops on political groupies
  • Ratcatcher
  • Wainscotting
  • Killer sheep
  • The News for Parrots
  • The News for Gibbons
  • Today in Parliament
  • The News for Wombats
  • Attila the Bun
  • The Idiot in the Rural Society
  • Test Match Against Iceland
  • The Epsom furniture race
  • "Spot The Braincell"
[edit]

8. Archaeology Today

(episode 21; aired November 17, 1970; recorded October 9, 1970)

  • Trailer
  • "Archeology Today"
  • Silly Vicar and Leapy Lee
  • Registrar (wife swap)
  • Silly doctor sketch (immediately abandoned)
  • Mr. and Mrs. Git
  • Roy and Hank Spim - Mosquito hunters
  • Poofy judges
  • Mrs. Thing and Mrs. Entity
  • Beethoven's mynah bird
  • Shakespeare
  • Michaelangelo
  • Colin "Chopper" Mozart (ratcatcher)
  • Judges
[edit]

9. How to Recognise Different Parts of the Body

(episode 22; aired November 24, 1970; recorded September 25, 1970)

  • "How to Recognise Different Parts of the Body"
  • Bruces sketch
  • Naughty bits
  • The man who contradicts people
  • Cosmetic surgery
  • Camp square-bashing
  • Killer cars
  • Cut-price airline
  • Batley Townswomen's Guild presents the first heart transplant
  • The first underwater production of "Measure for Measure"
  • The death of Mary Queen of Scots
  • Exploding penguin on the TV set
  • There's Been a Murder
  • Sgt. Duckie's Song - Police entry for Eurovision Song Contest
  • "Bing Tiddle Tiddle Bang" (song) - contest winner from Monaco
[edit]

10. Scott of the Antarctic

(episode 23; aired December 1, 1970; recorded July 2, 1970)

  • French Subtitled Film
  • Scott of the Antarctic
  • Scott of the Sahara
  • Opening credits
  • Conrad Poohs and His Dancing Teeth
  • Fish Licence
  • Derby Council v. All Blacks rugby match
  • Long John Silver Impersonators v. Bournemouth Gynaecologists
[edit]

11. How Not to Be Seen

(episode 24; aired December 8, 1970; recorded July 23, 1970)

Trivia

[edit]

12. Spam

(Episode 25; aired December 15, 1970; recorded June 25, 1970)

  • "The Black Eagle"
  • Opening credits
  • Dirty Hungarian phrasebook
  • Court (phrasebook)
  • World Forum - Communist Quiz
  • "Ypres 1914" (abandoned)
  • Art Gallery Strikes
  • "Ypres 1914"
  • Hospital for Over-Actors
  • Gumby Flower Arranging
  • Spam
[edit]

13. Royal Episode 13

(episode 26; aired December 22, 1970; recorded October 16, 1970)

  • The Queen Will be Watching
  • Coal Mine in Llandarogh Carmarthen
  • The Man Who Says Things in a Very Roundabout Way
  • The Man Who Speaks Only the Ends of Words
  • The Man Who Speaks Only the Beginnings of Words
  • The Man Who Speaks Only the Middles of Words
  • Commercials
  • How to Feed a Goldfish
  • The Man Who Collects Birdwatcher's Eggs
  • Insurance Sketch
  • Hospital Run by RSM
  • Mountaineer
  • Exploding Version of "The Blue Danube"
  • Girls Boarding School
  • Submarine
  • A Man with a Stoat Through His Head
  • Lifeboat (cannibalism)
  • Undertaker's sketch
[edit]

Series 3 (Oct. 1972 - Jan. 1973)

[edit]

1. Whicker's World (or: Njorl's Saga)

(episode 27; aired October 19, 1972; recorded January 14, 1972)

  • Njorl's Saga/Opening Credits
  • Multiple Murderer Court Scene
  • Investigating the body
  • Njorl's Saga - part II
  • A terrible mess
  • Njorl's Saga - part II: North Malden?
  • Starting over
  • Njorl's Saga - part II: Invest in Malden?
  • Phone conversation regarding about the word "Malden" in the saga
  • Eric Njorl Court Scene (Njorl's Saga - part III)
  • Stock Exchange Report
  • Mrs. Premise and Mrs. Conclusion at the Launderette
  • Mrs. Premise and Mrs. Conclusion at North Malden
  • Back to the saga...
  • Njorl's Saga - part IV: Mrs. Premise and Mrs. Conclusion visit Sarte in Paris
  • Whicker's World

Trivia

  • Just for this season, the prologue of the opening credits feature a nude organist, John Cleese saying "and now," and the "It's" man.
[edit]

2. Mr. and Mrs. Brian Norris' Ford Popular

(episode 28; aired October 26, 1972; recorded January 28, 1972)

  • Emigration from Surbiton to Hounslow
  • Schoolboys' Life Assurance Company
  • How to Do It
  • Mrs. Niggerbaiter Explodes
  • Vicar/Salesman
  • Farming Club
  • "Life of Tschaikowsky"
  • Trim-Jeans Theatre
  • The Fish-Slapping Dance
  • World War Two (Animation)
  • Titanic sinking
  • The BBC is Short of Money
  • SS Mother Goose
  • It's Man Show
[edit]

3. The Money Programme

(episode 29; aired November 2, 1972; recorded December 4, 1971)

  • The Money Programme
  • "There is nothing quite so wonderful as money" (song)
  • Erizabeth L
  • Fraud Film Director's Squad
  • Hands up (Animation)
  • Dead Bishop, AKA Church Police or Salvation Fuzz
  • Jungle Restaurant
  • Apology for Violence and Nudity
  • Ken Russell's "Gardening Club"
  • The Lost World of Roiurama
  • Six More Minutes of Monty Python's Flying Circus
  • The Argument Skit
  • Hitting on the Head Lessons
  • Inspector Flying Fox of the Yard
  • One More Minute of Monty Python's Flying Circus
[edit]

4. Blood, Devastation, Death, War and Horror

(episode 30; aired November 9, 1972; recorded December 11, 1971)

  • Blood, Devastation, Death, War and Horror
  • The Man Who Speaks in Anagrams
  • Anagram Quiz
  • Merchant Banker
  • Pantomime Horses
  • Life and Death Struggles
  • Househunters
  • Mary Recruitment Office
  • Bus Conductor Sketch
  • The Man Who Makes People Laugh Uncontrollably
  • Army Captain as Clown
  • Gestures to Indicate Pauses in a Televised Talk
  • Neurotic Announcers
  • The news with Richard Baker (vision only)
  • The Pantomime Horse is a Secret Agent
[edit]

5. The All-England Summarize Proust Competition

(episode 31; aired November 16, 1972; recorded April 24, 1972

[edit]

6. The War Against Pornography

(episode 32; aired November 23, 1972; recorded January 21, 1972)

  • Tory Housewives Clean-up Campaign
  • Gumby Brain Specialist
  • Molluscs - "Live" TV Documentary
  • Report on the Minister reports
  • Tuesday Documentary
  • Children's Story
  • Match of the Day
  • An Apology
  • Expedition to Lake Pahoe
  • The Silliest Interview We've Ever Had
  • The Silliest Sketch We've Ever Done
[edit]

7. Salad Days

(episode 33; aired November 30, 1972; recorded January 7, 1972)

Trivia

  • In some video editions of the Biggles Dictates a Letter sketch, a technical glitch cut some of the dialogue but the complete original does exist.
[edit]

8. The Cycling Tour

(episode 34; aired December 7, 1972; recorded May 4, 1972)

  • Mr. Pither
  • Mr. Gulliver and Clodagh Rogers
  • Trotsky
  • Smolensk
  • Bingo-crazed Chinese
  • Not Secret Police
  • Trotsky / Eartha Kitt
  • Firing Squad
  • Eartha Kitt/ Edward Heath

Trivia

  • This episode is the first episode of Flying Circus to feature a full length story.
  • John Tomiczek, Graham Chapman's adopted son, makes a brief, non-speaking appearance as an autograph seeker.
[edit]

9. The Nude Organist

(episode 35; aired December 14, 1972; recorded May 11, 1972)

  • Bomb on Plane
  • A Naked Man
  • Ten Seconds of Sex
  • Housing Project Built by Characters from Nineteenth-century English Literature
  • M1 Interchange Built by Characters from 'Paradise Lost'
  • Mystico and Janet - Flats Built by Hypnosis
  • Mortuary Hour
  • The Olympic Hide-and-seek Final
  • The Cheap-Laughs
  • Bull-fighting
  • The British Well-Basically Club
  • Prices on the Planet Algon
  • Mr. Badger Reads the Credits
[edit]

10. E. Henry Thripshaw's Disease

(episode 36; aired December 21, 1972; recorded May 25, 1972)

  • Tudor Jobs Agency
  • Pornographic Bookshop
  • Elizabethan Pornography Smugglers
  • Silly Disturbances
  • The Free Repetition of Doubtful Words Sketch
  • 'Is There?'... Life after Death?
  • The Man Who Says Words in the Wrong Order
  • Thripshaw's Disease
  • Silly Noises
  • Sherry-drinking Vicar

Trivia

  • The BBC censored this episode probably more than any other, cutting three sketches as well as a lot of Gilliam's animation. The three sketches were: Big Nosed Sculptor, Revolting Cocktails, and Wee-Wee Wine Cellar.
[edit]

11. Dennis Moore

(episode 37; aired January 4, 1973; recorded April 17, 1972)

  • "Boxing Tonight" - Jack Bodell v. Sir Kenneth Clark
  • Dennis Moore
  • What the Stars Foretell
  • Doctor
  • TV4 or Not TV4 Discussion
  • Lupins
  • Ideal Loon Exhibition
  • Off-licence
  • Dennis Moore Rides Again
  • Prejudice
  • Redistribution of Wealth
[edit]

12. A Book at Bedtime

(episode 38; aired January 11, 1973; recorded December 18, 1971)

  • Party Political Broadcast (Choreographed) †
  • A Book at Bedtime - "Redgauntlet"
  • Kamikaze Scotsmen
  • No Time to Lose
  • Frontiers of Medicine - Penguins
  • BBC programme planners
  • Unexploded Scotsmen
  • Spot the Looney
  • Rival Documentaries
  • Dad's Doctors, Dad's Pooves and Other Interesting Stories

Trivia

  • "Party Political Broadcast (Choreographed)" and "Dad's Doctors, Dad's Pooves and Other Interesting Stories" have been cut out in many versions of this episode.[1] A clip of Party Political Broadcast (Choreographed) has surfaced on Youtube, stated to have been found in Canada by David Morgan. It originates from WNED in Buffalo, NY; an identification card is seen at the beginning of the clip, and a "Support Channel 17" phone number shows up at the bottom of the screen. [2]
[edit]

13. Grandstand

(episode 39; aired January 18, 1973; recorded May 18, 1972)

  • Thames TV Introduction
  • "Light Entertainment Awards" with Dickie Attenborough
  • Dickie Attenborough
  • The Oscar Wilde Sketch
  • Charwoman
  • David Niven's Fridge
  • Pasolini's Film "The Third Test Match"
  • New Brain from Curry's
  • Blood Donor
  • International Wife-Swapping
  • Credits of the Year
  • The Dirty Vicar Sketch

Trivia

  • The Credits of the Year sketch, specifically the moment when the two men are discovered in bed together, marked John Cleese's final appearance in the Python series.
[edit]

Series 4 (Oct. 1974 - Dec. 1974)

(On screen the final series was titled simply Monty Python although the full title, Monty Python's Flying Circus, is displayed at the beginning of the opening credits.)

[edit]

1. The Golden Age of Ballooning

(episode 40; aired October 31, 1974; recorded October 12, 1974)

  • The Montgolfier Brothers
  • Montgolfier Brothers in Love
  • Louis XVI
  • The Court of George III
  • Party Political Broadcast on Behalf of the Norwegian Party (subtitled)
  • Zeppelin
[edit]

2. Michael Ellis

(aired November 7, 1974; recorded October 19, 1974)

  • Opening credits
  • End credits
  • Department Store
  • Buying an Ant
  • At Home with the Ant and Other Pets
  • Documentary on Ants
  • Ant Complaints
  • Ant Poetry Reading
  • Toupee Department
  • Different Endings

For entry on scriptwriter and playwright see Michael J Ellis.

[edit]

3. The Light Entertainment War

(episode 42; aired November 14, 1974; recorded October 26, 1974)

  • Up Your Pavement
  • RAF Banter
  • Trivializing the War
  • Courtmartial
  • Basingstoke in Westphalia
  • "Anything goes" (song)
  • Film trailer
  • Weird opening credits
  • The Public Are Idiots
  • Programme Titles Conference
  • The last five miles of the M4
  • Woody and Tinny Words
  • Show-jumping
  • Newsflash
  • "When Does a Dream Begin?" (song)

Trivia

  • The "Show-jumping" sketch features Olympic silver medal-winning showjumper Marion Mould (see also Stroller (horse)).
  • "When Does a Dream Begin" was written, and performed on the programme, by Neil Innes.
  • Douglas Adams made a brief appearance as a doctor treating a man suffering from lumbago.
[edit]

4. Hamlet

(episode 43; aired November 21, 1974; recorded November 2, 1974)

  • Bogus Psychiatrists
  • Nationwide
  • Police helmets
  • Father-in-Law
  • Hamlet and Ophelia
  • Boxing Match Aftermath
  • Boxing Commentary
  • Piston Engine (a Bargain)
  • A Room in Polonius' House
  • Dentists
  • Live from Epsom - Jockey Interviews
  • Queen Victoria Handicap
[edit]

5. Mr. Neutron

(episode 44; aired November 28, 1974; recorded November 9, 1974)

  • Post-box Ceremony
  • Mr. Neutron
  • F.E.A.R. / Mr. Neutron is Missing!
  • Teddy Salad
  • Secretary of State and Prime Minister
  • Bombing
  • Mrs. Scum
  • Teddy Salad Explodes
  • Mr. Neutron Escapes
  • Conjuring Today
[edit]

6. Party Political Broadcast

(episode 45; aired December 5, 1974; recorded November 16, 1974)

  • Most Awful Family in Britain
  • Icelandic Honey Week
  • Patient Abuse (Cowritten by Douglas Adams)
  • Brigadier and Bishop
  • Appeal on behalf of extremely rich people
  • The man who finishes other people's sentences
  • David Attenborough
  • The walking trees of Dahomey
  • Batsmen of the Kalahari
  • Cricket match (assegais)
  • BBC News (handovers)



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