Diaries 1969–1979 The Python Years Read online

  DIARIES 1969–1979

  THE PYTHON YEARS

  ALSO BY MICHAEL PALIN

  Himalaya

  Sahara

  Michael Paliris Hemingway Adventure

  Full Circle

  Hemingway’s Chair

  DIARIES 1969–1979

  THE PYTHON YEARS

  MICHAEL PALIN

  Thomas Dunne Books

  St. Martin’s Press

  New York

  THOMAS DUNNE BOOKS.

  An imprint of St. Martin’s Press.

  DIARIES 1969–1979. Copyright © 2006 by Michael Palin. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

  www.thomasdunnebooks.com

  www.stmartins.com

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Palin, Michael.

  Diaries 1969-1979 : the Python years / Michael Palin.—1st U.S. ed.

  p. cm.

  Includes index.

  ISBN-13: 978-0-312-36935-4

  ISBN-10: 0-312-36935-2

  1. Palin, Michael—Diaries. 2. Actors—Great Britain—Diaries. 3. Comedians—Great Britain—Diaries. 4. Monty Python (Comedy troupe) I. Title.

  PN2598.P27 A3 2007

  791.4502'8092—dc22

  [B]

  2007027910

  First published in Great Britain by Weidenfeld & Nicolson,

  an imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd

  First U.S. Edition: September 2007

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  For my mother and father

  Contents

  List of illustrations

  Who’s Who in the Diaries

  Acknowledgements

  Introduction

  1969

  1970

  1971

  1972

  1973

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  Index

  List of illustrations

  On pages xviii and xxi of the preliminary pages:

  As Ethelred the Unready in Complete and Utter History of Britain, 1969 1

  MP in Hampstead pub 1

  Section One:

  Edward Palin, MP’s great-grandfather 1

  Edward Palin, MP’s father 1

  Edward ‘Ted’ and Mary Palin 1

  With Ian Davidson at a Python rehearsal, 1970 2

  At a charity football match, 1970 2

  The Pythons in Germany, 1971 1

  With Hazel Pethig and Eric Idle at Norwich Castle, 1971 1

  With Eric Idle, 1972 1

  With Ian MacNaughton, Windsor, 1972 1

  Anne Gibbins with William and Tom Palin, 1972 1

  Cathy Gibbins with Tarquin, Abbotsley 1

  With Helen at a local fete, 1972 1

  With Tom at home, 1973 1

  Edward and Mary Palin, 1975 1

  ‘Dead Parrot’ sketch with John Cleese, 1973 1

  Front cover of the Radio Times, August 14th, 1973 1

  With Eric Idle and Mark Forstater on location for The Holy Grail, 1974 3

  Cast and crew of Holy Grail on location for The Holy Grail, 1974 3

  The Pythons on location for The Holy Grail, 1974 3

  With Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones on stage, 1975 2

  With Terry Jones, 1975 1

  Section Two:

  On stage with John Cleese, Drury Lane, 1975 1

  MPs passport photograph, 1975 1

  With Terry Jones and Graham Chapman on Central Park South, New York, 1975 4

  With Terry, Mary Palin, Jeremy Herbert and Alison Jones in Camberwell 1

  Helen, the children and Diana and Sean Duncan on Pikomayo, River Dee, 1975 1

  MP and Graham Chapman with fans in America, 1975 4

  Python publicity photo with Neil Innes standing in for Terry Jones 2

  With Stephen Moore, Tim Curry and Montmorency on the set of Three Men in a Boat, 1975 1

  Three Men in a Boat on location, June 1975 1

  With Mary Palin and Angela Herbert, Dulwich 1

  Miles Innes and Tom Palin, New York, 1976 1

  Rachel and Helen Palin, Gospel Oak, 1976 1

  Peter Cook on stage with the Pythons, 1976 2

  On stage performing ‘Gumby Flower Arranging’, City Center, New York, 1976 1

  The Pythons at Bronx Zoo, 1976 1

  During filming of Jabberwocky at Chepstow Castle, 1976 1

  As Dennis Cooper in Jabberwocky, 1976 1

  Helen and Ranji Veling, Amsterdam, 1971 1

  With a submarine cannon in the back garden at Gospel Oak, 1978 5

  Section Three:

  With John Belushi on Saturday Night Live, 1978 6

  The Chilites dance routine with Garrett Morris, Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, 1978 6

  MP dancing with live cats down his trousers, Saturday Night Live, 1978 6

  With Rachel Palin, Eric idle and his son, Carey, Tunisia, 1978 1

  Tom Palin during filming of Tlie Life of Brian, 1978 1

  With Helen, Tom, Anthea, Ian Davidson and Edward Burd on holiday at Roques 1

  Rachel, Tom and William Palin, The Coach House, Sag Harbour, New York, 1979 1

  Graham Stuart-Harris 1

  On the pond at Abbotsley, 1979 1

  Opening a school fete at William Ellis School, 1979 1

  Mary and Edward Burd, Roques 1

  With Lome Michaels before the show, Saturday Night Live 1

  Helen, Rachel, Tom and William and Mikoto, 1979 1

  Rachel with Al Levinson, Sag Harbour, New York, July 1979 1

  With Donald Carroll, July Cooper, Steve Race and Katharine Whitehorn at a Yorkshire Post literary lunch, 1979 1

  With Will, Rachel and Tom, Gospel Oak, 1979 1

  1 From the author’s private albums

  2 John Ferro Sims

  3 Drew Mara

  4 Carl Samrock

  5 Camera Press (Lionel Cherrvault)

  6 Edie Baskin

  While every effort has been made to trace copyright holders, if any have inadvertently been overlooked, the publishers will be pleased to acknowledge them in any future editions of this work.

  Who’s Who in the Diaries 1969–1979

  Certain names recur at various points during the diaries. Here is a rough list of those who make regular appearances.

  FAMILY

  Edward (Ted) Palin born July 1900

  Mary Palin (née Ovey) born January 1904

  Retired from Sheffield to Reydon, near Southwold, Suffolk in December 1966 Children:

  Angela born 1934, died 1987

  Michael born 1943

  Angela married Veryan Herbert in 1958 Children:

  Jeremy, born 1960

  Camilla, born 1962

  Marcus, born 1963

  Michael married Helen Gibbins, born 1942, on April 16, 1966 Children:

  Thomas (Tom), born 1968

  William, born 1970

  Rachel, born 1975

  Helens family:

  Father, Dearman Gibbins, died 1963

  Mother, Anne Gibbins, born 1913

  Elder sister, Mary, born 1940. Married Edward Burd in 1964.

  Daughter, Catherine.

  Younger sister, Cathy, born 1945

  FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES

  The Stuart-Harris family. Lived next door to the Palins in Sheffield. Father, Charles, was a doctor and became Professor of Medicine
at Sheffield University. Mother, Marjorie. Graham, the eldest son, married to Margot, and MP’s oldest friend. Daughter Susan is a psychologist and younger son, Robin, also a doctor. Married to Barbara, a New Zealander.

  Robert Hewison. Contemporary of MP at Brasenose College Oxford, 1962–5. Fellow cabaret performer and writer. Author of a series of books on modern cultural history, expert on John Ruskin.

  Terry Jones. Met MP at Oxford in 1963. First performed together in the Oxford Revue, Edinburgh Festival 1964. Wrote together for television on The Frost Report, 1966. Married Alison Telfer, 1969. Children: Sally and Bill.

  John Cleese, married to Connie Booth. Separated in mid-1970s.

  Eric Idle, married to Lyn Ashley. Separated in mid-1970s.

  Terry Gilliam, married to Python make-up supremo Maggie Weston.

  Graham Chapman, lived with David Sherlock, later adopted John Tomiczek.

  Ian and Anthea Davidson. Met MP at Oxford. Encouraged him to perform in revue and gave him early work at the BBC. A writer and director and occasional Python performer.

  Ranji and Rolf Veling. Ranji is a friend from Helen Palin’s teaching days. She is Sri Lankan, he is Dutch.

  Simon and Phillida Albury. Simon met MP after Oxford in 1965. Television journalist, producer and gospel music fan.

  Graeme Garden. Contemporary of Eric Idle at Cambridge. Writer-performer who worked with MP on Twice a Fortnight (1967) and Broaden Your Mind (1968). First wife Liz and daughter Sally were frequent visitors.

  Bill Oddie. Cambridge contemporary of Eric’s. Lived nearby. Also worked with MP on Twice a Fortnight. Regular source of football tickets.

  Tim Brooke-Taylor. Friend and provider of work for MP on Broaden Your Mind.

  PYTHON’S EXTENDED FAMILY

  Ian MacNaughton. Director of TV series and first film And Now for Something Completely Different.

  Eke Ott. Became the second Mrs MacNaughton.

  André Jacquemin. Recording engineer with whom MP went into business as Redwood Studios. Besides being official Python sound genius, André, with partner Dave Howman, wrote and recorded songs for Python and Ripping Yarns.

  Michael Henshaw. MP’s first accountant, from 1966 to 1974.

  Anne Henshaw. Michael’s wife, who took over Python affairs as de facto manager in 1974.

  Barry Took. Marty Feldman’s co-writer and the man who helped push Python to the BBC.

  Carol Cleveland. Started as glamour girl casting but her talent for well-played, well-timed comedy made her Python’s favourite real woman. She appeared in the films and stage shows as well as the TV series.

  Neil Innes. Musician. First worked with MP, TJ and Eric I. on Do Not Adjust Your Set. Indispensable to the Python stage shows. Neil also appeared in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Monty Python’s Life of Brian as well as helping Idle create the Rutles.

  Hazel Pethig. Costume designer from episode one of the Monty Python TV series through to Monty Python and the Meaning of Life, thirteen years later.

  Julian Doyle. Editor, cameraman, who could turn his hand to any part of the film-making process. Indispensable part of both Python and Gilliam films.

  Geoffrey Strachan. Hugely supportive editor at Methuen who encouraged Python to go into print. Also published the Ripping Yarn books.

  Tony Stratton-Smith. What Geoffrey Strachan was to Python books, Tony Stratton-Smith was to Python records. Endlessly encouraging founder/proprietor of Charisma Records, who enthusiastically indulged most of Python’s whims and even named a racehorse of his ‘Monty Python’.

  Jill Foster. MP and TJ’s agent at Fraser & Dunlop.

  John Gledhill. Agent at the Roger Hancock office who looked after Python affairs until 1974.

  Mark Forstater. Producer of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

  John Goldstone. Producer of Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Monty Python’s Life of Brian.

  AT THE BBC

  John Howard Davies. Child actor who played Oliver Twist at the age of nine, director of three earliest episodes of Monty Python, then Head of Comedy during the later Ripping Yarns.

  James (Jimmy) Gilbert. Producer/director of The Frost Report - MP and TJ’s first TV writing break. Head of Comedy in the latter days of Python, then Head of Light Entertainment Department at the time of Ripping Yarns.

  Duncan Wood. Head of Comedy during first three Python series.

  Bill Cotton Jnr. Head of Light Entertainment.

  Terry Hughes. Director of the hugely popular Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett series. Producer/director of first three Ripping Yarns, until elevated to Head of Variety.

  Jim Franklin. Special effects expert on The Frost Report who took over the production and direction of the next four Ripping Yarns after Terry Hughes was promoted.

  Alan J.W. Bell. Produced and directed last two Ripping Yarns – ‘Golden Gordon’ and ‘Whinfrey’s Last Case’.

  Mark Shivas and Richard Broke. Drama producers who backed TJ and MP and encouraged them to write Secrets (1973).

  IN AMERICA

  Nancy Lewis. Publicist for Buddah Records who almost single-handedly fought to get Python accepted in America, and became their US manager.

  Ina Lee Meibach. Lawyer in New York who organised Python’s battle against ABC TV in 1975.

  Al Levinson. Writer, teacher and dramaturg for American Public Theatre who became MP’s good friend and regular correspondent in the late 1970s. Lived in New York and Sag Harbour, with his wife Eve.

  Lome Michaels. Producer of Saturday Night Live.

  Acknowledgements

  I must thank my editor Ion Trewin for reducing mountains to molehills, and Michael Dover at Weidenfeld & Nicolson for his unfailing encouragement. Steve Abbott, my agent, has been a model of sympathy and naked commercial brutality and my wife and family, lured on by curiosity perhaps, have been trusting, realistic and supportive.

  The Monty Python team fills these pages and reading through the material made me realise how intricately our lives intertwined. Our differences are not glossed over here but neither is the very close bond of friendship that links, or in Graham Chapman’s case, linked us all together. Last, but certainly not least, I owe enormous thanks to Kath Du Prez who typed up over a million words and not only lived to tell the tale, but more than anyone, convinced me that this might be a tale worth telling.

  MP

  As Ethelred the Unready, Complete and Utter History of

  Britain, 1969. ‘Well you won’t be doing any more of those’,

  John predicted, accurately as it turned out.

  ___________________________________________________

  Introduction

  I HAVE KEPT A DIARY, more or less continuously, since April 1969. I was twenty-five years old then, married for three years and with a six-month-old son. I had been writing comedy with Terry Jones since leaving university in 1965 and, in addition to contributing material to The Frost Report, Marty Feldman, The Two Ronnies and anyone else who’d take us, we had written and performed two series of Do Not Adjust Your Set (with Eric Idle, David Jason and Denise Coffey) and six episodes of The Complete and Utter History of Britain. After the last one went out in early 1969, John Cleese rang me.

  ‘Well, you won’t be doing any more of those,’ he predicted, accurately as it turned out, ‘so why don’t we think of something new.’

  So it was that, quite coincidentally, Monty Python came into my life, only a month or so after the diary.

  This was far from my first stab at keeping a regular account of how I spent my time. At the age of eleven I resolved to record each day of the year, and kept it up until the 18th of July. The style was staccato, and looking back now, quite surreal.

  Letts Schoolboy’s Diary, January, 1955

  Tuesday, 18th. Big blow-up in prayers. Had easy prep. Listened to Goon

  Show. Got sore hand.

  Monday 24th. Had fight with (form) VR. Got hit on nose. Did two sets of

  prep. Jolly hard! Cabbage for lunch. Watched TV.


  At regular intervals I tried to resume the habit, but as I grew older keeping a diary seemed an irksome duty, like writing to one’s parents, and anyway, there was far too much going on in my teens and early twenties to have either the time or the inclination to write it all down. Yet there remained a nagging feeling that it was a small failure to let life go by without in some way documenting it. The feeling persisted as I grew older. All I lacked was the will-power.

  Then, one night, after a meal at the house with my wife Helen and Terry Gilliam, who happened to have dropped by, I found I’d run out of cigarettes (at the time I had a twenty-a-day habit). I looked for a half-crown piece for the slot machine up the road, but could find nothing. I rifled through drawers, flung open cupboards and slid my hand down the back of sofas with increasing desperation.

  ‘You’re an addict,’ warned Terry.

  I smiled wanly. ‘I’m not an addict, I would quite like one last cigarette before bed, that’s all.’

  ‘Look at you,’ Terry persisted, as I began rummaging in ever more unlikely sources, in the laundry basket and amongst the marmalade, ‘you need your fix!’

  ‘Look,’ I hissed, tipping up the shoe-cleaning box and forensically scrutinising the contents, ‘I don’t have to have a cigarette. I never have to have a cigarette, it’s just a small pleasure, all right?’

  ‘Not if you can’t sleep without one.’

  The only way to face down these taunts was to deny myself the single thing I wanted most, a nice firm pull on a freshly-lit, deliriously soothing, pungently bracing tube of tightly packed tobacco coaxed from a brand-new packet of Piccadilly Tipped. And that’s where the will-power came in. For the first time in many years I went to bed without a cigarette.