Unlike his Cantabrigian cohorts in the comedy troupe Monty Python, Welsh-born Terry Jones was a student of medieval literature at Oxford, where he was participated in the Experimental Theatre Club. After graduation, he was employed as a script editor and gag writer by the BBC, where he met Michael Palin. The pair formed a writing partnership and they contributed material to TV series like "The Ken Dodd Show" as well as comedy material for Marty Feldman and others. In 1967, Jones with Palin and Eric Idle wrote and appeared in the British TV sketch comedy series "Do Not Adjust Your Set" (1967-69). Palin and Jones were the team behind the delightful "The Complete and Utter History of Britain" (London Weekly Television, 1969) and the pair, along with John Cleese and Graham Chapman were contributing writers to "Marty" (BBC-2, 1968-69), starring Marty Feldman. BBC comedy consultant Barry Took brought together Jones, Palin, Idle, Cleese and Chapman and added American Terry Gilliam to the mix in 1969 to form what became Monty Python.Originally intended as a late night satire series, "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (BBC, 1969-74) developed into a cult hit on both sides of the Atlantic. With their distinctive yet innovative brand of irreverent and surreal sketch comedy, the troupe savaged the pomposity and repression of British society, spoofed European history and satirized intellectuals and other cultural figures. (Additionally, a number of the sketches relied on drag performances.) The TV show spawned five films ranging from "And Now for Something Completely Different" (1971) to "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (1975, co-directed by Jones) to the biblical spoof "Monty Python's Life of Brian" (1979, directed by Jones).
Palin and Jones also wrote the witty series parodying English literature "Ripping Yarns" (BBC-2, 1977) and the 1979 sequel "More Ripping Yarns". Solo, Jones found a secondary career as an author, publishing the scholarly "Chaucer's Knight: Portrait of a Medieval Mercenary" in 1980 and a series of children's book. He also co-scripted the concert film "The Secret Policeman's Ball" (1979) and wrote the Jim Henson-directed "Labyrinth" (1986), an uneven but engrossing children's film about a teenaged girl who must negotiate a maze in order to rescue her baby brother. Moving away from children's fare, Jones directed "Personal Services" (1987), a very adult, well-acted yet comic look at a woman who is drawn into the world of prostitution. In 1989, he adapted his children's book as "Erik the Viking", a wildly uneven look at Norse mythology. Like many of the Python sketches, "Erik" attempted to retell European history with a comic twist, but most critics felt that Jones and his cast (headed by Tim Robbins) missed the mark. It was nearly a decade before Jones returned to the big screen as writer-director and co-star of "The Wind in the Willows" (1997), a charming live-action version of the classic novel. The film fell victim to the vagaries of contemporary moviemaking. Originally produced by Disney, "Willows" was acquired by Columbia Pictures which basically dumped this critically-praised version, partly because Disney retained the video release rights.
Profession(s):
director, screenwriter, Actor, author, script editor, gagwriter, producer's assistant
Sometimes Credited As:
Cannes Film Festival Special Jury Prize Award "Monty Python's Meaning of Life" 1983
1997 Returned to films as director, star and co-scenarist of "The Wind in the Willows"; also acted and wrote songs
1989 Wrote and directed "Erik the Viking", adapted from his book for children; also acted; last feature for nearly a decade
1987 Wrote a regular column, "Input" for YOUNG GUARDIAN
1987 Directed "Personal Services", a comic look at a woman who becomes embroiled in prostitution, inspired by real-life events
1986 First screeplay credit outside the Monty Python circle, "Labyrinth"
1980 US stage debut in California production of Monty Python at the Hollywood Bowl
1979 Solo directorial debut, "Monty Python's Life of Brian"; also acted in and co-wrote
1975 First feature as co-director (with Terry Gilliam), also credited for screenplay and various character appearances, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"
1971 Feature debut, co-wrote screenplay and appeared in, "And Now For Something Completely Different"
1969 Joined the "Monty Python's Flying Circus"
1968 Scripted the pantomime "Alladin" for the Waterford Civic Theatre Repertory Company
1967 Wrote and acted in the short "Twice a Fortnight"; aired on BBC
1967 Appeared on the TV series "Do Not Adjust Your Set"; also wrote
1967 Contributed to the series "The Frost Report"
1966 With Palin, made short films for "THe Late Show" (BBC)
1965 - 1967 Worked in the script department for BBC-TV series "Late Night Line-Up"; also first collaborations with Michael Palin
With Palin, co-wrote the BBC series "Ripping Yarns"
