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

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
Hodge, Johnson's cat

Hodge, Johnson's cat

Johnson described Hodge as 'a very fine cat indeed'. All the information you might want on Hodge is available at Moggies The poet, Percival Stockdale wrote An Elegy on the Death of Dr Johnson's Fa...

Animal, Animals

1 memorial
Gavin Maxwell

Gavin Maxwell

Author and Naturalist. Born at House of Elrig, Mochrum, Wigtownshire. During World War II he served as an instructor with the Special Operations Executive. In 1956 he toured the reed marshes of Sou...

Person, Animals, Literature, Iraq, Scotland

1 memorial
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

The following text came from The RSPCA site: "In 1822, Richard Martin MP piloted the first anti-cruelty bill giving cattle, horses and sheep a degree of protection through parliament. ‘Humanity Dic...

Group, Animals

5 memorials
Charles Cruft

Charles Cruft

Dog show promoter. Worked as a travelling salesman for Spratt's. His first dog show was run in 1878 at the request of the French breeders at the Paris Exhibition. There followed some more on beh...

Person, Animals

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Rev. Joseph Toulson

Rev. Joseph Toulson

From Famous Pulpits of our Churches - Caledonian Road, by by Rev. William Mincher: "In 1868 Joseph Toulson became minister. He was a man of wonderful resource, untiring patience, and consummate tac...

Person, Religion

1 memorial
George Lowton

George Lowton

13th E. Surrey

Person

War dead, WW1
1 memorial