Monty Python on Public TV in 1975

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KERA-TV in Dallas was the first PBS station to broadcast Monty Python's Flying Circus, and it was the Pythons' first stop in the US after the premier of Monty Python and the Holy Grail in Los Angeles in 1975. This interview footage first aired live on KERA that year, and hasn't been seen by the public since. It was discovered on an old reel that had been saved by an engineer, and as you can see, it cuts off after about 14 minutes... the engineer taped over the rest. It's a look at the group being candidly questioned by fans at the peak of their fame and creative powers.

Provided by The Sound of Young America, a public radio show about things that are awesome. On the web at ; clip is downloadable at

Channel: Film & Animation
Uploaded: March 2, 2006 at 6:39 pm
Author: YoungAmerican

Length: 00:13:57
Rating: 4.84
Views: 132504

Tags: monty python montypython comedy british uk sketch pbs

Video Comments:
54spiritedwill54 (August 21, 2008 at 4:58 am)
What Terry Jones was about to say was "Owl stretching Time" Which was one of the 1st names to be suggested for the show.
Diceydee (August 13, 2008 at 7:45 am)
Amazing footage. I knew many of the sketches from them being played on one of the local FM stations for several years before the show came to the US. I remember the great anticipation we all had for the show to finally arrive.
colibri1 (August 2, 2008 at 8:26 am)
I didn't see this interview when it aired, but I was lucky enough to be living in the Dallas area when Monty Python aired. I had no idea it was the first area of the country to broadcast it. Now I feel special.
jagdwurstmadl (August 1, 2008 at 1:44 pm)
But Cleese lives in America now and I think Idle does, too.
RrosiePosiie (July 18, 2008 at 11:21 am)
ahahah i love those movies
IM ASHLEA VIST ME PLEASE IM BORED
humptyodumptyo (July 18, 2008 at 10:21 am)
Does anyone know why John Cleese wasn't there?
MiIIenia (July 26, 2008 at 7:42 am)
This is according to Wikipedia's entry on Fawlty Towers: "Fawlty Towers was a British sitcom made by the BBC and first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975." Could probably be chalked up to bad timing. Hope that helps...
cheesewhizmasta (July 11, 2008 at 6:15 am)
I've seen an interview with Michael Palin where he says one of the first names for the show was going to be "its". There were others also...too bad it cut off!
PokerPlum (July 6, 2008 at 10:06 pm)
oh man, just as we were about to learn what they COULD have been called, I'd love to know if anyone has that info
jagdwurstmadl (August 1, 2008 at 1:42 pm)
In their biography there are lots od possible names, for example: "it's" "owl stretching time" "Gwen Dibley's Flying Circus" "A horse, a spoon and a bucket" "The toad elevating moment" "Megapodes Flying Circus" "Bun, Wackett, Buzzard, Stubble and Boot" "Them"... And much more:-)