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

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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

Jim

Jim

Died aged almost 16, faithful dog of Sir Henry Cole, buried in the V&A garden. First mentioned in Cole’s diary entry for 11 December 1863: "Walked out with Tishy & Jimmy". And on 30 Januar...

Animal, Animals

1 memorial
Frances Power Cobbe

Frances Power Cobbe

Irish social reformer and suffragist. Writer, social reformer, anti-vivisection activist and leading women's suffrage campaigner. She founded a number of animal advocacy groups, including the Nati...

Person, Animals, Gender Issues, Ireland, Wales

1 memorial
Bernard N. Mills

Bernard N. Mills

Second son of Bertram.  The picture shows him with his brother, Cyril.  We think Bernard is on the left.  Died at home in London.

Person, Animals, Theatre

1 memorial
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

Founded by Mary Tealby in 1860 as the Temporary Home for Lost and Starving Dogs. She established a place where people could send lost dogs from the streets and where their owners could retrieve th...

Group, Animals

1 memorial
Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter

Artist, writer and sheep breeder. Born Helen Beatrix Potter at 2 Bolton Gardens, South Kensington where she lived in the third floor nursery until she was in her thirties. She used her second name ...

Person, Art, Children, Animals, Literature, Seriously Famous

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Anne Frank tree - N5

Anne Frank tree - N5

N5, Highbury Fields

Anne Frank's diary often referred to the horse chestnut tree that she could see from her window. In 2005 the Anne Frank House museum noti...

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Elizabeth I statue - Harrow - Hamilton plaque

Elizabeth I statue - Harrow - Hamilton plaque

HA1, Peterborough Road, Harrow War Memorial Building and Speech Room

This plaque refers to this statue.

2 subjects commemorated
Ali Mohammed Abbas

Ali Mohammed Abbas

Barrister and one of the founders of Pakistan. Ali Mohammed Abbas was born on 1 January 1922 in West Bengal, India (now Pakistan) and according to the Open University website he came to London tow...

Person, Law, Nationalism, Politics & Administration, India, Pakistan

1 memorial
Marshal Ferdinand Foch

Marshal Ferdinand Foch

Soldier and writer. Born in Tarbes, Hautes-Pyrénées, France. He enlisted in the French army in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian war. During the First World War he distinguished himself at the battle...

Person, Armed Forces, Literature, France

1 memorial