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Graham Chapman
English actor, comedian and writer (1941–1989)

Graham Chapman (1941–1989) was a British actor, comedian, and writer, best known as one of the six members of the surrealist comedy group Monty Python. Born in Leicester and raised in Melton Mowbray, he studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge before rejecting a medical career. Chapman portrayed iconic roles, including The Colonel and leads in Holy Grail (1975) and Life of Brian (1979). Openly homosexual and an advocate of gay rights, he was in a long-term partnership with David Sherlock. Chapman died of tonsil cancer in 1989, with his life celebrated by the remaining Pythons at St Bartholomew's Hospital memorial.

Early life and education

Chapman was born on 8 January 1941 at the Stoneygate Nursing Home, Stoneygate, Leicester, the son of policeman Walter Chapman and Edith Towers.12 Walter Chapman was a police constable at the time of Graham's birth; he ended his career as a chief inspector. He had been trained as a French polisher for a coffin-maker before entering the police force in the 1930s.3

Chapman had an elder brother, John, who was born in 1936.4 They had, according to Chapman and his brother, an "extremely poor upbringing".5 One of Chapman's earliest memories was seeing the remains of Polish airmen who had suffered an aeroplane accident near Leicester, later saying the sight remained in his memory.6

Chapman was educated at Melton Mowbray Grammar School. He showed a strong affinity for science, sports and amateur dramatics and was singled out for attention when a local paper reviewed his performance of Mark Antony in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.7 Graham and his brother John were both avid fans of radio comedy, being especially fond of The Goon Show8 and Robert Moreton's skill of telling jokes the wrong way round and reversing punchlines. Biographer Jim Yoakum said "the radio shows didn't necessarily make him laugh".9

In 1959, Chapman began to study medicine at Emmanuel College, Cambridge.10 He joined the Cambridge Footlights, where he first began writing with John Cleese.11 Following graduation, Chapman joined the Footlights show Cambridge Circus and toured New Zealand, deferring his medical studies for a year.12 After the tour, he continued his studies at St Bartholomew's Medical College,13 but became torn between whether to pursue a career in medicine or acting. His brother John later said, "He [Graham] wasn't ever driven to go into medicine... it wasn't his life's ambition."14

Career

Pre-Python career

Following their Footlights success, Chapman and Cleese began to write professionally for the BBC,15 initially for David Frost but also for Marty Feldman. Frost had recruited Cleese, and in turn Cleese decided he needed Chapman as a sounding board.16 Chapman also contributed sketches to the radio series I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again and wrote material on his own and with Bill Oddie.17 He wrote for The Illustrated Weekly Hudd (starring Roy Hudd), Cilla Black, This Is Petula Clark and This Is Tom Jones.18 Chapman, Cleese and Tim Brooke-Taylor later joined Feldman in the television comedy series At Last the 1948 Show.19 It was Chapman's first significant role as a performer as well as a writer20 and he displayed a gift for deadpan comedy (such as in the sketch "The Minister Who Falls to Pieces") and imitating various British dialects.21 The series was the first to feature Chapman's sketch of wrestling with himself.22

Despite the series' success, Chapman was still unsure about abandoning his medical career. In between the two series of At Last The 1948 Show, he completed his studies at St Bartholomew's and became professionally registered as a doctor.23 Chapman and Cleese also wrote for the long-running television comedy series Doctor in the House,24 and both appeared on a one-off television special, How to Irritate People alongside Brooke-Taylor and future Python member Michael Palin.25 One of Cleese's and Chapman's sketches, featuring a used car salesman refusing to believe a customer's model had broken down, became the inspiration for the Dead Parrot sketch.26 Chapman also co-wrote several episodes of Doctor in the House's follow up, Doctor in Charge, with Bernard McKenna.27

Monty Python

Main article: Monty Python

In 1969, Chapman and Cleese joined the other Pythons, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam, for their sketch comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus.2829 The group's writing was split into well-defined teams, with Chapman collaborating almost exclusively with Cleese.30 Chapman was particularly keen to remove stereotypical punchlines in sketches31 and created The Colonel, who would stop them in mid-flow by saying they were "too silly".32

Although the pair were officially equal partners, Cleese later thought that Chapman contributed comparatively little in the way of direct writing, saying "he would come in, say something marvelous and then drift off in his own mind".33 The other Pythons have said that Chapman's biggest contribution in the writing room was an intuition for what was funny.34 Gilliam later recalled that "Graham would do the nudge that would push it into something extraordinary".35 The series was an immediate success, and Chapman was delighted to learn that medical students at St Bartholomew's crowded round the television in the bar to watch it.36 Chapman was frequently late for rehearsing or recording,37 leading to the other Pythons calling him "the late Graham Chapman".38

Chapman's main contribution to the "Dead Parrot sketch", derived from the piece within How to Irritate People and involving a customer returning a faulty toaster, was "How can we make this madder?", turning the toaster into a dead Norwegian Blue parrot. Cleese later said he and Chapman believed that "there was something very funny there, if we could find the right context for it".39 Cleese was in particular concerned that the Cheese Shop sketch simply was not funny, in that it was just mainly a man listing different types of cheese. Chapman urged his partner to continue with it, telling him "Trust me, it's funny." When it was read out at the next script meeting, Cleese found that the others, particularly Palin, thought it was hilarious. The group felt that Chapman had the best acting skills among them. Cleese complimented Chapman by saying that he was "particularly a wonderful actor".40

Chapman played the lead role in two Python films, Holy Grail and Life of Brian. He was chosen to play the lead in Holy Grail because of the group's respect for his straight acting skills, and because the other members wanted to play lesser, funnier characters.41 Chapman did not mind being filmed fully nude in front of a crowd in Life of Brian, but the scene, filmed in Tunisia, caused problems with the female Muslim extras.42

Other work

In 1975, Chapman and Douglas Adams wrote a pilot for a television series, entitled Out of the Trees, but it received poor ratings after being broadcast at the same time as Match of the Day and only the initial episode was produced.43 In 1978, Chapman co-wrote the comedy film The Odd Job with McKenna and starred as one of the main characters. Chapman wanted his friend Keith Moon to play a co-lead role alongside him, but Moon could not pass an acting test, so the part went to David Jason who had previously appeared on Do Not Adjust Your Set with Pythons Idle, Jones and Palin. The film was moderately successful.44 Chapman guest-starred on several television series including The Big Show.45

In 1976, Chapman began writing a pirate film, Yellowbeard (1983), which came out of conversations between Chapman and Moon while in Los Angeles. Moon had always wanted to play Long John Silver, so Chapman began to write a script for him.46 Moon died in 1978 and the work stalled, eventually being rewritten by McKenna, then by Peter Cook.47 The film, which starred Chapman as the eponymous pirate, also featured appearances from Cook, Marty Feldman, Cleese, Idle, Spike Milligan and Cheech & Chong.48 It marked the last appearance of Feldman, who suffered a fatal heart attack in December 1982.49 The project was fraught with financial difficulties and at times there was not enough money to pay the crew.50 It was released to mixed reviews. David Robinson, reviewing the film in The Times, said that "the Monty Python style of comic anarchy requires more than scatology, rude words and funny faces".51

Chapman published his memoirs, A Liar's Autobiography, in 1980, choosing the title because he said "it's almost impossible to tell the truth".52 He returned to Britain permanently after Yellowbeard was released. He became involved with the extreme sports club Dangerous Sports Club, which popularised bungee jumping. Chapman was scheduled to perform a bungee jump himself, but it was cancelled due to safety concerns.53

After reuniting with the other Pythons in the film The Meaning of Life (1983), Chapman began a lengthy series of US college tours, talking about The Pythons, the Dangerous Sports Club and his friend Moon, among other subjects.54 Saturday Night Live creator and Python fan Lorne Michaels persuaded Chapman to star in The Big Show.55

In 1988, Chapman appeared in the Iron Maiden video "Can I Play with Madness".56 The same year, he starred in a pilot of a proposed television series, Jake's Journey, but financial problems prevented a full series from being made.57 In 1988, he also appeared on stage with three other Pythons (Gilliam, Jones and Palin) at the 41st British Academy Film Awards where Monty Python received the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution To Cinema.58

Broadcast in November 1989, the 20th anniversary television special, Parrot Sketch Not Included – 20 Years of Monty Python, hosted by Python fan Steve Martin, was Chapman's final onscreen appearance with the other five Python members.59 Chapman was intended to be cast in the Red Dwarf episode "Timeslides", but died before shooting could begin.60

Personal life

Chapman first met his long-term partner David Sherlock in Ibiza in 1966.61 He later described realising he was gay as "an important moment in my life".626364

The following year, he told his close friends, including Cleese and Feldman, about his relationship.65 Chapman and Sherlock moved to Belsize Park in 1968,66 and the pair enjoyed visiting gay clubs in Central London.67 In the early 1970s, after Chapman had found fame with Monty Python, they moved to a house in Highgate, North London.68

In 1972, on a television show hosted by English jazz and blues singer George Melly, Chapman first disclosed his homosexuality publicly, becoming one of the first celebrities to do so.6970 He was a vocal spokesman for gay rights, supporting the Gay Liberation Front.71 In 1972, Chapman supported the newspaper Gay News, which listed him as one of the publication's "special friends" in recognition.72 During a college tour, Chapman mentioned that a television audience member had written to the Pythons to complain about them having a gay member, citing a Bible passage that said any man who lies with a man should be taken out and stoned. Idle replied jokingly that they had found the perpetrator and killed him.73

In 1971, Chapman and Sherlock adopted John Tomiczek as their son. Chapman met Tomiczek when Tomiczek was a 14-year-old run-away from Liverpool. After discussions with Tomiczek's father, it was agreed that Chapman would become Tomiczek's legal guardian.74 Both Sherlock and Tomiczek remained a constant presence in Chapman's life.75 During the 1970s, Chapman became increasingly concerned about the Pythons' income and finances. He subsequently moved to Los Angeles to avoid British income tax.76 In the mid-1980s, he returned to the UK and moved to Maidstone, Kent, with Sherlock and Tomiczek.77 Tomiczek later became Chapman's business manager; he died of a heart attack in 1992 at age 35.78

Chapman took up pipe smoking aged 15, which became a lifelong habit.79 He began drinking heavily during his time at Cambridge and St. Bartholomew's, favouring gin. He was an alcoholic from his time at Cambridge until he quit drinking shortly before working on Life of Brian.80 By the time Monty Python went out on tour in 1973, Chapman's drinking had begun to affect his performance, causing him to miss cues to go on stage, and was known to suffer from delirium tremens (DTs).8182 He stopped drinking during Christmas 1977, concerned about being able to act in Life of Brian successfully, and remained sober for the rest of his life.83

Illness and death

In 1988 Chapman made a routine visit to a dentist, who found a small, malignant tumour on one of his tonsils, leading to both being removed via a tonsillectomy.84 The following year it was discovered that the cancer had spread into Chapman's spinal column, where another tumour was surgically removed. Chapman had several chemotherapy treatments and surgeries during the final months of his life, but ultimately the cancer was declared inoperable.85 According to his brother, Chapman was visibly upset by the death of his mother that July, by which time he was terminally ill.86 Shortly afterwards, Chapman filmed scenes for the 20th anniversary of the first broadcast of Monty Python's Flying Circus, the final time he appeared on television.8788

Chapman died on 4 October 1989 in Maidstone Hospital from resulting complications, aged 48.89 At the time of his death, he was being visited by Sherlock, brother John and his sister-in-law, and fellow Pythons Palin and Cleese, the latter of whom had to be led out of the room to deal with his grief.9091

Palin was alone with Chapman when he died, and recounted the moment of death in his diary entry of 4 October 1989:

I walk round to the window and then come back to his right-hand side; take his cold hand in my hot one and tell him, quite loudly, that we all love him.

The regularity of his breathing is broken. A long pause, then a long inhalation. His lower jaw rises, his mouth closes and bares his lower teeth. I reach for my cup of tea. He breathes heavily. I start to talk again. A single tear emerges from his right eye and rolls down his cheek. The mouth is set. The great ridge of Adam's apple is still. There's no more noise from him. Nothing dramatic, no rattles or chokes or cries. He's not moving any more.

I don't want to leave him, nor do I want to make any noise or sudden movement. It's a moment out of time. All I feel is that I shouldn't be here, that David and John his brother should be.

There's noise outside. The clatter of patients and visiting friends. I call John and David to go in. They re-emerge a minute or so later. Graham is dead. It's about twenty past seven.92

Peter Cook had intended to visit, but arrived too late and was visibly shaken by the news.93 Chapman's death occurred on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Pythons' collective debut on British television, and Jones called it "the worst case of party-pooping in all history".94

Memorial service

The five surviving Python members had decided to stay away from Chapman's private funeral to prevent it from becoming a media circus and to give his family some privacy. They sent a wreath in the shape of the Python foot, with the message: "To Graham from the other Pythons with all our love. PS: Stop us if we're getting too silly". The Rolling Stones also sent a floral arrangement, saying "Thanks for all the laughs."95

A public memorial service for Chapman was held in the Great Hall of St Bartholomew's on 3 December, two months after his death. The service began with a chorus of the hymn "Jerusalem" sung in Engrish with a mock Chinese accent.96 Cleese delivered a eulogy to Chapman with shock humour that he believed Chapman would have appreciated97 and became the first person at a televised British memorial service to say "fuck".98 Palin also delivered a eulogy to Chapman, as did Idle, quipping that Chapman had decided to die rather than listen to Palin again. Idle led the other surviving Pythons and Chapman's close friends and family in a rendition of the song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", from Life of Brian, and later closed his remarks by saying: "I'd just like to be the last person at this meeting to say 'fuck'."99

Ten years after Chapman's death, his ashes were first rumoured to have been "blasted into the skies in a rocket" with assistance from the Dangerous Sports Club.100 In a second rumour, Chapman's ashes had been scattered on the mountains of Snowdonia, Wales, where he had visited regularly as a climber.101

Legacy

Following Chapman's death, reformations of the Pythons have included an urn said to contain his ashes. At the 1998 Aspen Comedy Arts festival, the urn, brought onstage by a stiff English butler, was "accidentally" knocked over by Terry Gilliam, spilling the "ashes" on-stage. The apparently cremated remains were then removed with a DustBuster.102 Idle recalled meeting Sherlock, saying "I wish he [Chapman] was here now" and Sherlock replied "Oh, but he is. He's in my pocket!"103

Asteroid 9617 Grahamchapman, named in Chapman's honour, is one of six asteroids named after the Python members.

In 1997, Sherlock allowed Jim Yoakum to start the "Graham Chapman Archives". Later that year, the novel Graham Crackers: Fuzzy Memories, Silly Bits, and Outright Lies was released. It is a semi-sequel to A Liar's Autobiography, with Chapman's works compiled by Yoakum.104 A compendium of writings, Calcium Made Interesting: Sketches, Letters, Essays & Gondolas, also compiled and edited by Yoakum, was published in 2005 in association with the David Sherlock and John Tomiczek trust.105 In 2000, Chapman's play O Happy Day was performed by Dad's Garage Theatre Company in Atlanta, Georgia, with the assistance of Cleese and Palin.106 In 2006, the album and DVD release Looks Like Another Brown Trouser Job came out, featuring a college lecture recorded in April 1988.107

In June 2011, it was announced that Cleese, Jones, Gilliam and Palin would perform in a 3D-animated version of Chapman's memoir A Liar's Autobiography: Volume VI.108 Co-director Jeff Simpson worked closely with Chapman's estate and the surviving Python members to "get this exactly right".109 The film, titled A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman, was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2012 and premiered in the UK the following month as part of the BFI London Film Festival. The voices of Cleese, Gilliam, Jones and Palin were spliced into commentary recorded by Chapman reading from his memoir and taped shortly before his death. The film's official trailer quoted Chapman as saying, "This is the best film I've been in since I died."110

In September 2012, a British Comedy Society blue plaque commemorating Chapman was unveiled at The Angel pub in Highgate by Jones, Palin, Barry Cryer, Ray Davies and Carol Cleveland.111 Palin said, "Highgate was his patch, and he should be celebrated because he was a very good, brilliant, funny, nice, wise, kind man, who occasionally drank too much."112

In December 2014, a green plaque funded by Leicestershire County Council was placed on Chapman's former home in Burton Road, Melton Mowbray.113 A year later, a blue plaque at the entrance of Chapman's old school, King Edward VII School, was reported as stolen but was later found inside the building.114 In March 2017, the plaque was moved to Melton Mowbray town centre.115

Filmography

Film

YearFilmRoleNotes
1969The Magic ChristianOxford CrewUncreditedAlso writer
1970Doctor in TroubleRoddy
The Rise and Rise of Michael RimmerFromageAlso writer
1971And Now for Something Completely DifferentVarious roles
The StatueNews reader
1975Monty Python and the Holy GrailKing Arthur, various rolesAlso writer
1978The Odd JobArthur HarrisAlso writer/producer
1979Monty Python's Life of BrianBrian, various rolesAlso writer
1982Monty Python Live at the Hollywood BowlVarious roles
1983Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
The Crimson Permanent AssuranceClerkShort filmUncredited
YellowbeardCaptain YellowbeardAlso writer
1987Still Crazy Like a FoxDetective Inspector PalmerTV film
1988Jake's JourneySir George/QueenTV filmAlso writer
1989Stage FrightSmart AlecUncredited
2012A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham ChapmanHimself (Archive footage)Voice
2014Monty Python Live (Mostly)The Colonel and other characters (archive footage)Also writer

Television

YearFilmRoleNotes
1967At Last the 1948 ShowVarious rolesAlso writer; 13 episodes
1967–1970No – That's Me Over Here!Man on TrainAlso creator; 1 episode
1968Broaden Your MindVarious roles1 episode
1969–1974Monty Python's Flying CircusVarious rolesAlso writer; 45 episodes
1972Monty Python's Fliegender ZirkusVarious roles2 episodes
1976–1982Saturday Night LiveHimself
1976Out of the Trees116Various rolesAlso writer; 1 episode

Music videos

YearSongArtistRoleNotes
1988"Can I Play with Madness"Iron MaidenTeacherFinal television appearance

Bibliography

References

  1. Evans, Gillian (2004). "Chapman, Graham (1941–1989), comedian and writer". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). oup.com. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/55386. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.) http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/55386

  2. McCabe 2005, p. 2. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  3. Cleese, John; Terry Gilliam; Bob McCabe; Eric Idle; Graham Chapman; Michael Palin; Terry Jones (2005). The Pythons' Autobiography by the Pythons. Orion. ISBN 978-0-7528-6425-9. 978-0-7528-6425-9

  4. McCabe 2005, p. 3. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  5. Cleese, John; Terry Gilliam; Bob McCabe; Eric Idle; Graham Chapman; Michael Palin; Terry Jones (2005). The Pythons' Autobiography by the Pythons. Orion. ISBN 978-0-7528-6425-9. 978-0-7528-6425-9

  6. McCabe 2005, pp. 1, 7. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  7. McCabe 2005, p. 10. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  8. McCabe 2005, p. 11. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  9. Chapman & Yoakum 2006, p. xvii. - Chapman, Graham; Yoakum, Jim (2006). Jim Yoakum (ed.). Calcium Made Interesting: Sketches, Letters, Essays & Gondolas. London: Sidgwick & Jackson. ISBN 978-0-3304-3543-7. https://archive.org/details/calciummadeinter0000chap

  10. McCabe 2005, p. 18. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  11. McCabe 2005, p. 23. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  12. McCabe 2005, p. 43. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  13. "Entertainment". Queen Mary University of London. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120312063307/http://www.qmul.ac.uk/alumni/notablealumni/28914.html

  14. McCabe 2005, p. 48. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  15. "Monty Python stars pay tribute to Terry Jones". BBC News. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-51209197

  16. McCabe 2005, p. 56. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  17. McCabe 2005, p. 57. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  18. Chapman 1980, p. 136. - Chapman, Graham (1980). A Liar's Autobiography (Volume VI). Methuen Publishing. ISBN 978-0-4137-7728-7.

  19. McCabe 2005, p. 67. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  20. McCabe 2005, p. 67. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  21. Wilmut 1980, p. 148. - Wilmut, Roger (1980). From Fringe to Flying Circus – 'Celebrating a Unique Generation of Comedy 1960–1980'. Eyre Methuen. ISBN 978-0-4134-6950-2. https://archive.org/details/fromfringetoflyi0000roge

  22. McCabe 2005, p. 67. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  23. McCabe 2005, p. 68. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  24. McCabe 2005, p. 88. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  25. McCabe 2005, p. 89. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  26. McCabe 2005, p. 90. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  27. McCall 2013, p. 15. - McCall, Douglas (2013). Monty Python: A Chronology, 1969–2012 (2nd ed.). McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-7811-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=ZTAFAgAAQBAJ&q=Monty+Python:+A+Chronology,+1969%E2%80%932012

  28. McCabe 2005, pp. 92–94. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  29. "Monty Python stars pay tribute to Terry Jones". BBC News. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-51209197

  30. McCabe 2005, p. 98. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  31. McCabe 2005, p. 99. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  32. Langley, William (5 July 2014). "Monty Python: Will the wrinkly revolutionaries have the last laugh?". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2015. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html

  33. McCabe 2005, p. 103. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  34. McCabe 2005, p. 103. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  35. McCabe 2005, pp. 139–140. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  36. McCabe 2005, p. 107. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  37. McCabe 2005, p. 139. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  38. Chapman & Yoakum 2006, p. 53. - Chapman, Graham; Yoakum, Jim (2006). Jim Yoakum (ed.). Calcium Made Interesting: Sketches, Letters, Essays & Gondolas. London: Sidgwick & Jackson. ISBN 978-0-3304-3543-7. https://archive.org/details/calciummadeinter0000chap

  39. McCabe 2005, pp. 90–91. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  40. McCabe 2005, p. 154. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  41. McCabe 2005, pp. 185–186. - McCabe, Bob (2005). The Life of Graham, The authorised biography of Graham Chapman. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-0-7528-5773-2. https://archive.org/details/lifeofgrahamauth0000mcca

  42. Chapman & Yoakum 2006, p. 17. - Chapman, Graham; Yoakum, Jim (2006). Jim Yoakum (ed.). Calcium Made Interesting: Sketches, Letters, Essays & Gondolas. London: Sidgwick & Jackson. ISBN 978-0-3304-3543-7. https://archive.org/details/calciummadeinter0000chap

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