After 40 Years, It's Still Onward and Upward for Monty Python and His Flying Circus

To commemorate Monty Python's 40th anniversary this week seems a tad conventional, according to Michael Palin, one of six comedians who established Monty Python's Flying Circus in 1969. "We should have had the 37th anniversary or the 41½ anniversary; 40 seems too predictable for Python," he tells USA Today.

Regardless, according to the report in USA Today, the accolades for the beloved comedic troupe keep pouring in. The anniversary will be celebrated with a six-part documentary dedicated to the troupe: 'Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut)' that will air on the IFC this Sunday-Friday at 9 EST, a book of sketches reminiscing their 1970s touring days, and a 10-channel feature dedicated to Python on Sirius XM Radio. Additionally, the five surviving members - Palin, John Cleese, Terry Gillam, Eric Idle and Terry Jones were honored in a ceremony last night in New York City by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Read the full report in USA Today here.

The troupe's decades-long catalog of shtick includes The Life of Brian, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, And Now for Something Completely Different, and, of course, the Broadway monster hit, Spamalot--that lovable, legendary journey of King Arthur and his quest for the Holy Grail, directed by Mike Nichols that charmed Broadway for nearly four years and 1575 performances.  The Broadway musical sensation will also face a bittersweet reality when, after four successful years on the road, the national tour takes its final curtain call this Sunday, October 18 in Costa Mesa.

Self-described as a musical "lovingly ripped-off" from the cult hit film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, SPAMALOT is a musical melange of all the of the funniest bits from (mostly) the film as well as from their oeuvre of silly madcap vignettes found in other Monty Python movies and their popular British TV series The Flying Circus. 

Upon closing, the national touring production will have:

Played a total of 1,435 performances, 183 weeks in 101 cities.

Been seen by 2.5 million people and grossed $170,586,675

Used over 1,840 coconuts, supplied by the Coconut King in Florida.

Used a total of 8,610 pounds of confetti.

Used 1,098 tanks of liquid carbon dioxide to create the low-ground fog effect and 1,464 fire extinguishers for the Feet of God "blast off" effect.

Consumed over 115,000 AAA batteries in the 40 wireless microphones.

Ran over 101 miles of cable

Hired 5,050 local crew members to load the show in and out, and 2,525 local crew members to run the show.

and Ironed a total of 4,305 feet of "blood."

The grail may have been found and the quest over, but the legend that is Monty Python and his Flying Circus will live on forever.  Or at least through the anniversary weekend.