Match the Python Trivia Quiz

Answer: Terry Jones

What may well be the grossest character the Pythons developed, Mr. Creosote (Terry Jones) was a rotund diner at a restaurant in which John Cleese played the Maitre d'. After eating pretty much everything the restaurant had to offer (and vomiting multiple times along the way), Mr. Creosote ate a "wafer-thin mint" after prodding by the Maitre d' and exploded, somehow managing to survive with an open chest cavity.

The film "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life" consisted of several sketches rather than a continuous plot and was directed by Jones who also directed "Monty Python's Life of Brian" and co-directed "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" with Terry Gilliam.

Answer: Michael Palin

"The Lumberjack Song" first appeared in 1969 in the ninth episode of the series. Written by Michael Palin, Terry Jones and Fred Tomlinson, the song featured Palin as a lumberjack who had a secret life as a cross-dresser, something that apparently was unknown to his "best girl" and the Mounties who sang backup for him. Connie Booth, who was married to John Cleese at the time, portrayed the "best girl" in the original skit.

There have been numerous versions of the song; a version performed in 2001 at the George Harrison memorial "Concert for George" included Carol Cleveland as the "best girl" and Tom Hanks as one of the Mounties.

Answer: Graham Chapman

Graham Chapman was frequently called upon to play the authority figure in the TV show, so he was the likely cast member to play King Arthur in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". The film retold the story of Arthur's quest to find the Holy Grail with a few quirks for medieval times (like the Holy Hand Grenade).

In the film, he also played the voice of God (a role which John Cleese assumed for the Broadway musical "Spamalot"), and he was the middle head of the Three-headed Knight that confronted Sir Robin.

Answer: John Cleese

Mr. Praline was a recurring character on the TV show; he appeared as a policeman in the "Crunchy Frog" skit and as the man trying to buy a license for his pet halibut, Eric. But perhaps his most famous appearance was in the "Dead Parrot Sketch" which first appeared in 1969 in the eighth episode of the series.

In the skit, John Cleese tried to return a dead "Norwegian Blue" parrot to the shopkeeper played by Michael Palin. Probably one of the most quoted Python skits, a list of euphemisms for death is provided by Mr. Praline: "This parrot is no more.

He has ceased to be. He's expired and gone to meet his maker. He's a stiff. Bereft of life, he rests in peace..." It ended with the quote: "THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!" At Graham Chapman's memorial service in 1989, Cleese used part of the dialogue in his humorous eulogy.

Answer: Graham Chapman

Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman) was born in the stable next to Jesus, and from then on, his story mimicked that of Christ, which not surprisingly, made "Monty Python's Life of Brian" controversial. The film was even banned in a few countries, which of course, made it all the more popular. Chapman also played the Second Wise Man and Biggus Dickus in the film.

Interesting note on the film: Spike Milligan had a cameo as a prophet who was ignored by the mob following Brian. Milligan was on vacation in Tunisia where the film was being made, and when the Pythons found out about it, they convinced him to appear in the scene.

Answer: Eric Idle

The "Nudge, Nudge" skit was also known as "Candid Photography", and it appeared in 1969 in the third episode of the show. Eric Idle wrote the sketch and appeared in it along with Terry Jones. Jones played a respectable older British gentleman having a pint at the pub while Idle prodded him with personal questions with a bit of sexual innuendo. Idle was the musician of the group and wrote many of the Python's songs including "The Philosophers' Song", "Eric the Half-a-Bee" and "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", the latter song appearing at the end of "Monty Python's Life of Brian".

Answer: Terry Gilliam

Terry Gilliam provided the animation for the "Monty Python" skits and films, and usually when he appeared on screen, he had a background role. However he did have the important role of the Keeper at the Bridge of Death in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", who was also "The Old Man from Scene 24".

In order to cross the Bridge of Death, King Arthur and the knights had to answer five questions ("Three questions!") correctly, or they'd be tossed into the Gorge of Eternal Peril. Sadly for the Bridgekeeper, the rules also applied to him, and when he didn't know the answer when King Arthur asked him a swallow question, he was cast to certain death.

Answer: Michael Palin

The Python's version of Pontius Pilate had a problem pronouncing the letter "r" which caused the imprisonment of several centurions who couldn't keep a straight face around him and which caused the people of Jerusalem to mock him ("Welease Woger!"). Among the other characters that Michael Palin played in the film were Mr. Big-Nose, Francis and the Third Wise Man.

Answer: John Cleese

The "Ministry of Silly Walks" skit was first broadcast in 1970 in the first episode of second series. The skit was actually written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones, but the lanky John Cleese was the natural choice to play the main character. In the skit, Cleese worked for a government ministry that issued grants to people to develop their own style of a silly walk. Cleese later went on to use a version of the walk in his "Fawlty Towers" TV show in "The Germans" episode.

Answer: Eric Idle

Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot was one of the Knights of the Round Table. He was the subject of the "Brave Sir Robin" song performed by his minstrels: "He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways". But in reality, he had a large chicken on his shield, he soiled himself when faced with the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog, and when King Arthur asked him to go first to answer the five questions ("Three questions!") at the Bridge of Death, he volunteered Sir Lancelot instead.