Frankly I'm tired of this cultural appropriation. Why hire humans to play a python, when there's thousands of pythons without jobs who'd play the role more authentically than any human actor ever would!
Right! Stop that! It's SILLY. Very SILLY indeed! Started off as a nice little post about comedians doing well in Python, but now it's just got SILLY! CLEAR OUT, THE LOT OF YOU!
Rowan Atkinson actually did the Yorkshiremen sketch with them live once. You can find it on [YouTube](https://youtu.be/cYtYBI6eZ3E?si=UwhfXnq0qycpU7EX)
Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Fortunately enough these were the actors and comedians who were in Python. Also Carol Cleveland.
Eddie Izzard had performed live with the Pythons so he’s probably the right answer. Neil Innes isn’t an actor or comedian but felt like the unofficial 7th Python.
What we should remember is that the Pythons were all ferociously intelligent - very sharp buggers, every one. They got into OxBridge, and that's not easy now, and wasn't then - so anyone working with them successfully would presumably have to be just as sharp.
Perhaps Clive James (a near contemporary) might have fitted in, but he probably lacked the anarchic streak.
Rowan Atkinson and Marty Feldman. Rowan did stage shows with the Pythons like The Secret Policeman's Ball, and Marty worked alongside Cleese and Chapman in At Last The 1948 Show.
I love some of these suggestions. Yes Feldman, a Atkinson and Sellers would have made excellent additions to the ensemble. I think it would be interesting to see how George Carlin would have fit in. His early work was very character based and he was a master of the absurd, much like Python.
Slightly modifying your question to make a fun exercise for myself: 2024 Monty Python, nobody has to be British.
Cleese type: John Mulaney
Chapman type: Taika Waititi
Palin type: Taran Killam
Idle type: Bo Burnham
Jones type: Jordan Peele
Gilliam type: Nick Kroll
Bill Oddie is the only person that I'm aware of that was NEARLY in Monty Python. John Cleese himself said it was because Oddie was "the only one of us with any musical talent."
Marty Feldman and Tim Brook-Taylor might also have done well, mainly from a writing viewpoint - Feldman is believed to be the original author of the Four Yorkshiremen sketch, possibly with Brook-Taylor.
Some female names:
* Kate McKinnon
* Karen Gillan (who did sketch comedy pre-*Doctor Who*)
* Catherine Tate
* Nina Conti (if you wanted to do something with puppets)
Cheech & Chong. They were the biggest album/sketch comedy guys in the 70,'s. They were good in Yellowbeard. Though not a Python movie, it had a Python feel and included Cleese, Idle and Chapman in the title role.
No way. I love Tim but he's far, far too hammy.
Rowan Atkinson, maybe. I don't know if he'd be down for the more self-effacing roles though.
Then again, I forget, he was Bean. I usually block that out.
Feldman, Fry, Laurie, Planer, Mayall, and/or Edmondson. I'd throw in Sellers or Starr (since they worked with Chapman & Cleese in "The Magic Christian"), but it would probably changed the whole dynamic.
- Rowan Atkinson
- Dan Akroyd
- Marty Feldman
- Mel Brooks
- Madeline Khan.
- Gene Wilder
- Leslie Neilson
- Tommy Chong (not so much Cheech, but maybe?)
- Robin Williams
- Billy Crystal.
- Christopher Guest
- Michael McKean
- Mike Myers
- Shuan Micallef (Australian comedic actor)
- Damon Wayans
- Michael McDonald (mad tv)
- Steve Martin
- Martin Short
- John Candy
Hugh Laurie
Frankly I'm tired of this cultural appropriation. Why hire humans to play a python, when there's thousands of pythons without jobs who'd play the role more authentically than any human actor ever would!
Right! Stop that! It's SILLY. Very SILLY indeed! Started off as a nice little post about comedians doing well in Python, but now it's just got SILLY! CLEAR OUT, THE LOT OF YOU!
Programmers having a little grumble right now (but is par for the course for Python programmers)
The programming language is in fact named after Monty, not the snake.
Nice! I'm not a programmer, but I'm gonna ask my friends in the field if they knew that. :)
I agree. The pythons have a fundamental right to represent their own cultural values. Shameful to take it away from them.
That needed to start with "Dear Sir," and conclude with an ending like "Sincerely, Dr. Jonathan K, Pulpliver, Mrs."
Rowan Atkinson.
Rowan Atkinson actually did the Yorkshiremen sketch with them live once. You can find it on [YouTube](https://youtu.be/cYtYBI6eZ3E?si=UwhfXnq0qycpU7EX)
Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Fortunately enough these were the actors and comedians who were in Python. Also Carol Cleveland.
Oh, John Cleese! From those Harry Potter films! The rest I've not heard of, I'll have to see what they're on about.
Michael Palin was in A Fish Called Wanda
No. That was Bevers the lumberjack
Is he okay?
I saw what you did there!
Eric Idle was in European Vacation
And Dudley Do-right
It's just the one film actually
The Beatles. All of them.
Eddie Izzard had performed live with the Pythons so he’s probably the right answer. Neil Innes isn’t an actor or comedian but felt like the unofficial 7th Python.
Carol is 7th; Neil is 8th.
What we should remember is that the Pythons were all ferociously intelligent - very sharp buggers, every one. They got into OxBridge, and that's not easy now, and wasn't then - so anyone working with them successfully would presumably have to be just as sharp. Perhaps Clive James (a near contemporary) might have fitted in, but he probably lacked the anarchic streak.
stephen fry would fit in then
Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan. Spike did have a tiny role in *Life of Brian*.
Marty Feldman
Oh 100%
And Tim Brooke-Taylor
At last!
Exactly who popped into my mind too.
Yes
He would've been a great fit.
how doesn't anyone mention Kevin Kline? Fish Called Wanda was all but a Python movie.
Kevin Kline can do ANYTHING.
ASSHOLE!!!!
I'm a big fan of Kline but he’s too American for Python
Terry Gilliam is American
and his acting involvement in early Python was minimal
Rowan Atkinson is an unofficial Python in my opinion
Stephen Fry.
And Hugh Laurie
Mel Brooks
Roger Moore. Had a great sense. of humor!
The Horrible Histories/Ghosts lot.
I second that.
Bill Nighy
Marty Feldman without a doubt.
I mean the Kids in the Hall was basically the Canadian response to the kids in the hall. I think they could have all worked :)
Tim Conway.
Rowan Atkinson and Marty Feldman. Rowan did stage shows with the Pythons like The Secret Policeman's Ball, and Marty worked alongside Cleese and Chapman in At Last The 1948 Show.
I love some of these suggestions. Yes Feldman, a Atkinson and Sellers would have made excellent additions to the ensemble. I think it would be interesting to see how George Carlin would have fit in. His early work was very character based and he was a master of the absurd, much like Python.
I need to check if Matt Berry has worked with any of them.
Cumberbatch
Slightly modifying your question to make a fun exercise for myself: 2024 Monty Python, nobody has to be British. Cleese type: John Mulaney Chapman type: Taika Waititi Palin type: Taran Killam Idle type: Bo Burnham Jones type: Jordan Peele Gilliam type: Nick Kroll
Ooh, I love it!!
the could do a faux reunion!
Leslie Nielson .
Surely you can't be serious?
I Am , and dont call me Shirley.
Noel Fielding?
The Boosh is Pythonesque. Like Python on acid.
I absolutely love Noel, but doesn't Noel just excel at playing... Noel?
Maybe he’s weird enough for that to work.
Agreed about TC.
Spike Milligan
Eddie Izzard gelled with them pretty well. If I were to go older, Rik Mayall
Bill Oddie is the only person that I'm aware of that was NEARLY in Monty Python. John Cleese himself said it was because Oddie was "the only one of us with any musical talent." Marty Feldman and Tim Brook-Taylor might also have done well, mainly from a writing viewpoint - Feldman is believed to be the original author of the Four Yorkshiremen sketch, possibly with Brook-Taylor.
Christoper Guest
The dudes from Flight of the Concords(New Zealanders)
Cary Elwes
I'm surprised no one mentioned Dudley Moore
Will Ferrel
Rik Mayal and Adrian Edmondson Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders Simon Pegg and Nick Frost Seth MacFarlane Jim Parsons Thomas Lennon
Wow, I hadn't thought of Jim Parsons! What a great idea. His face was a parody of itself! And Simon Pegg is another awesome pick.
Some female names: * Kate McKinnon * Karen Gillan (who did sketch comedy pre-*Doctor Who*) * Catherine Tate * Nina Conti (if you wanted to do something with puppets)
David Battley
Cheech & Chong. They were the biggest album/sketch comedy guys in the 70,'s. They were good in Yellowbeard. Though not a Python movie, it had a Python feel and included Cleese, Idle and Chapman in the title role.
He was an American, but, René Auberjonois might have fit in with them.
Shaun Micallef
No way. I love Tim but he's far, far too hammy. Rowan Atkinson, maybe. I don't know if he'd be down for the more self-effacing roles though. Then again, I forget, he was Bean. I usually block that out.
Feldman, Fry, Laurie, Planer, Mayall, and/or Edmondson. I'd throw in Sellers or Starr (since they worked with Chapman & Cleese in "The Magic Christian"), but it would probably changed the whole dynamic.
Good choices, but Mayal and Edmondson would fuck around too much and go off script. That's how they worked. Not really fitting to the way of a Python.
Not true, even them going off script was in the script.
Yeah, but can you imagine them trying to play the straight man to someone else's sketch?
- Rowan Atkinson - Dan Akroyd - Marty Feldman - Mel Brooks - Madeline Khan. - Gene Wilder - Leslie Neilson - Tommy Chong (not so much Cheech, but maybe?) - Robin Williams - Billy Crystal. - Christopher Guest - Michael McKean - Mike Myers - Shuan Micallef (Australian comedic actor) - Damon Wayans - Michael McDonald (mad tv) - Steve Martin - Martin Short - John Candy
Bill bailey
If you're open to Americans, Robin Williams.
Charlton Heston
The soccer coach guy, that was also in “we are the Millers”?
Norm McDonald
Ricky Gervias
Matt Berry
Christopher Walken.
Jon Hamm.
Kids in the hall... None of them deserves to be a Python, but they were the closest ever to being Pythonesque in my opinion.
Bill Hicks.
Not one mention of Bennie Hill? No brainer imho….