Fiction    From 7/12/1969 

Dead Parrot Sketch

One of the most famous of the sketches in the television comedy series 'Monty Python's Flying Circus'. Written by Graham Chapman and John Cleese, and performed by Cleese and Michael Palin. Initially performed in the 8th episode of the 1st series, first aired 7 December 1969.

An angry customer complains to a pet shop owner that he has been sold a parrot that: ''is no more", "has ceased to be", "bereft of life, it rests in peace" etc. Wait for the ads to go away and you can watch it here.

Margaret Thatcher (who was not known for her sense of humour) was reportedly mystified when quotes from it were included in one of her speeches. She had never heard of the television show, let alone seen the sketch. After finally being shown it, she was even more bewildered, and is supposed to have asked: 'This Monty Python, is he one of us?'. To avoid further confusion she was told he was a big Thatcher fan.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Dead Parrot Sketch

Commemorated ati

Dead Parrot monument

Created by artist John Reardon, in homage to the Monty Python's Flying Circus...

Read More

Other Subjects

Dogs killed in medical experiments in 1902

Dogs killed in medical experiments in 1902

232 dogs died in 1902 as a result of medical experiments. Wikipedia gives: "In 1875 there were around 300 experiments on animals in the UK, a figure that had risen to 19,084 in 1903 when the brown...

Animal, Animals, Medicine

2 memorials
Band of Mercy

Band of Mercy

Locally led organisations aimed at teaching young people about kindness to animals. They also worked to prevent cruelty to animals. Founded by Catherine Smithies as a furtherance of the temperance ...

Group, Animals, Community / Clubs

1 memorial
Margaret Mary Damer Dawson

Margaret Mary Damer Dawson

Born Sussex. Founder of the Women’s Police Force, in WW1. Organizing Secretary of the animal campaigning organisation the Animal Defence and Anti-Vivisection Society. This opposed vivisection, camp...

Person, Animals, Armed Forces

2 memorials
Giro

Giro

The dog of the German Ambassador, von Hoesch. Died from accidental contact with an exposed wire.  Some say Giro was an Alsatian, other a terrier.

Animal, Animals, Germany

1 memorial
Stables at Camden Goods Depot

Stables at Camden Goods Depot

The excellent Camden Railway Heritage Trust tells you all you need to know about this Goods Depot.  The horses and stables have their own page from which our picture comes.

Building, Animals, Property

1 memorial