Terry Jones Page 2

Michael Palin has said that Terry Jones can count on his fellow Pythons to rally around him following his diagnosis with dementia and speech-limiting aphasia.

Last month Jones revealed he had been diagnosed with the devastating disease and on Sunday he appeared at Bafta Cymru to accept a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to film and television.

Terry Jones and Michael Palin

Continue reading: Michael Palin: "The Pythons Will Rally Round Terry Jones"

Monty Python star Michael Palin has penned a moving post about his friend and colleague Terry Jones’ dementia diagnosis. Jones’ diagnosis was revealed earlier this week, with a spokesperson for the actor and writer saying he was no longer able to give interviews.

Michael Palin has written about his friend Terry Jones’ dementia diagnosis

In a Facebook post Palin shared a recent photo of the pair together and wrote: “Terry J has been my close friend and workmate for over fifty years. The progress of his dementia has been painful to watch and the news announced yesterday that he has a type of aphasia which is gradually depriving him of the ability to speak is about the cruellest thing that could befall someone to whom words, ideas, arguments, jokes and stories were once the stuff of life. Not that Terry is out of circulation."

Continue reading: Michael Palin Writes Moving Post After Terry Jones Reveals Dementia Diagnosis

Terry Jones, one of the comedy legends behind Monty Python, has been diagnosed with dementia and is no longer able to give interviews, it has been revealed.

The 74 year old’s battle with the devastating disease was revealed via a statement by his representative, who was acknowledging a special BAFTA for his lifetime’s contribution to film and television on Jones’s behalf.

“Terry Jones has been diagnosed with progressive Primary Progressive Aphasia, a variant of Frontotemporal Dementia. This illness affects his ability to communicate and he is no longer able to give interviews.”

Continue reading: 'Monty Python' Genius Terry Jones Diagnosed With Dementia

The eagerly-awaited Monty Python stage show has been extended from one to five days, scheduled for early July next year. The move to add more live dates to the list came as organisers announced that the first show at London's O2 Arena sold out in 43.5 seconds, according to Sky News, giving modern pop bands a run for their money.

Tickets For The Monty Python One-Off Show Sold Out Almost Instantly.

However, it's easy to see why there was so much clamouring for tickets when they went on sale early this morning; the shows at the O2 will be the first time the comedy unit have performed together since 2009 when they celebrated their 40th anniversary with a special show in New York.

Continue reading: Monty Python Live Tickets Sell Out In Just 43 Seconds, More Shows Announced

They say timing is everything when it comes to comedy, although that logic applies to more then a well-delivered joke, it would seem. The cast of Monty Python, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, and Michael Palin, 70 – otherwise known as Monty Python – are reuniting for a stage show, The Sun reports.

The announcement comes just before Christmas, with tickets no doubt going on sale in time for many dads to see an envelope under the tree come December 25th, but Jones isn’t coy about why he wants to get the gang back together for the show.

"We're getting together and putting on a show - it's real," Jones told the BBC. "I'm quite excited about it. I hope it makes us a lot of money. I hope to be able to pay off my mortgage!"

Continue reading: Monty Python Back Together For Stage Show - Just In Time For Christmas

The producer behind Monty Python and the Holy Grail has won the lawsuit against the comedy team, entitling him to one seventh of the profits from Spamalot – a musical, based on the film. Mark Forstater – one of the people behind Monty Python’s 1975 movie, claimed that he was entitled to an equal share of the Spamalot royalties, while the comedians had only paid him half of that – one fourteenth. While those fractions might not sound too profitable, the musical achieved great success on Broadway in 2005 and entitles Forstater to a hefty sum of money.

Forstater was entitled to twice the amount he was paid for Spamalot.

The agreement, which was under dispute, was created in 1975 between the producer and Python Pictures. It stated that Forstater was entitled to one seventh of the 50% royalties off any merchandise and spinoff income that the team might receive. Since the musical falls under spinoffs… well that means that there’s a lot more cash in it for Forstater. Justice Norris at the high court ruled that this agreement was valid and that in this case, Forstater should be treated like a full member of the comedy team – or at least be entitled to the respective salary. According to Forstater’s own calculations, said salary amounts to £220,000 plus interest. However, despite the monetary reward, the 69-year-old producer regretted that the lawsuit had cost him his friendship with the comedians.

Continue reading: Producer Of "Monty Python And The Holy Grail" Wins Royalty Lawsuit Against The Comedians

An enigmatic, mysterious man dubbed the 'seventh Python' is suing the stars of Monty Python for the cash they made while performing in the musical, Spamalot, a spin off from Monty Python And The Holy Grail, Sky News reports. 

Mark Forstater - who is much less enigmatic now we know his name - is the man behind the case, which is to be heard over 5 days. He - the producer of the 1975 comedy hit - claims that he is due more money from the musical spin off. The court heard that "for financial purposes" Mr Forstater should be treated as "the seventh Python". Posters for the musical call it "a new musical lovingly ripped off from the motion picture," and due to its fantastic success, the brand has been subject to numerous merchandising opportunities, which has boosted the Python's finances considerable, with Michael Palin describing it as his "pension plan". Mr Forstater is suing all five Pythons but John Cleese and Terry Gilliam, who live abroad are not expected to give evidence. The sixth member of the team, Graham Chapman, died in 1989.

The suit will cite an agreement made back in 1974, which will entitle Forstater to a great deal more money from the recent success of the brand. This enlarged figure is thought to be able to swell to £1m. 

The producer of Monty Python and the Holy Grail – Mark Forstater - is suing the remaining members of Monty Python over royalty rights to the stage show Spamalot. Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin are all due to give evidence at London’s High Court over the next few days. Terry Gilliam and John Cleese will most likely not attend the five-day court case, as they're based overseas. Graham Chapman passed away in 1989.

The popular stage musical Spamalot is described as being “lovingly ripped off” from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail and currently Forstater receives one fourteenth of a share of 50% of merchandising revenues. His lawyer, Tom Weisselberg, is arguing that his client should be considered as the ‘seventh Python’ and should therefore receive one seventh of the income. The Pythons are accused of “failing to pay Mr Forstater monies he says are owed to him under an agreement reached with PMP back in 1974.”

Mr Forstater was declared bankrupt in June, though last month, his bankruptcy was annulled and according to the BBC, “he entered an independent voluntary arrangement (IVA) to deal with his debts.” Spamalot was written by Eric Idle and premiered on Broadway in 2005. The show has won three Tony awards and took $1 million in its opening week on Broadway.