Idle wrote for Python mostly by himself, at his own pace, although he sometimes found it difficult in having to present material to the others and make it seem funny without the back-up support of a partner.

" Idle originally wrote " Nudge, Nudge " for Ronnie Barker, but it was rejected because there was ' no joke in the words '.

Idle also wrote the book and co-wrote the music and lyrics for the musical Monty Python's Spamalot, based on the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Idle wrote the lyrics and book for Spamalot, collaborating with John Du Prez on much of the music.

In Slate, Sam Anderson wrote in the article " And Now for Something Completely Deficient " that though Idle " has earned a spot in Comedy Heaven for his Python days ... his jokey ' exposure ' of his own exploitation ( he has called tours ' Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python ' and ' The Greedy Bastard Tour ') is more irritating than funny.

In the 1940s, he wrote a series of book musicals with social messages, including the very successful Bloomer Girl ( 1944 ) ( about temperance and women's rights activist Amelia Bloomer ) and his most famous Broadway show, Finian's Rainbow ( 1947 ) ( perhaps the first Broadway musical with a racially integrated chorus line, featuring Harburg's " When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich ").

Whilst trying to come up with a way of ending the film Monty Python's Life of Brian, Eric Idle wrote an original version of the song which was sung in a more straight fashion, which the other Python members agreed would be good enough for the end of the film.

* Eric Idle, a former member of Monty Python's Flying Circus, wrote a children's book entitled The Quite Remarkable Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat which was based on the poem.

Idle received good critical notices appearing in projects written and directed by others – such as Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen ( 1989 ), alongside Robbie Coltrane in Nuns on the Run ( 1990 ) and in Casper ( 1995 ).

In 1998, the film An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn was released, in which a man named Alan Smithee ( Eric Idle ) wishes to disavow a film he has directed, but is unable to do so because the only pseudonym he is permitted to use is his own name.

All You Need Is Cash, directed by SNL film director Gary Weis ( responsible for the programme's short films ), though Idle was credited as co-director.

All You Need is Cash, a 1978 American-British mockumentary film written and directed by Eric Idle, featured the satirical history of the The Beatles | Beatles parody " The Rutles ".

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a 1988 British adventure fantasy comedy film written and directed by Terry Gilliam, starring John Neville, Sarah Polley, Eric Idle, Jonathan Pryce, Oliver Reed, Uma Thurman and Robin Williams ( credited as Ray D. Tutto ).

The film was co-produced by the production companies of Eric Idle and Lorne Michaels, and directed by Idle and Gary Weis.

Category: Films directed by Eric Idle

The Idle Class is a 1921 American silent film written and directed by Charlie Chaplin for First National Pictures.

Idle Hands is a 1999 horror comedy film directed by Rodman Flender, written by Terri Hughes and Ron Milbauer, and starring Devon Sawa, Seth Green, Elden Henson, Jessica Alba, and Vivica A.

Idle was a member of the British surreal comedy group Monty Python, a member of the Rutles on Saturday Night Live, and the author of the Broadway musical Spamalot.

The band became a popular phenomenon, especially in the U. S. where Idle was appearing on Saturday Night Live – fans would send in Beatles LPs with their sleeves altered to show the Rutles.

In 1978, the Rutles ' mockumentary film All You Need Is Cash, a collaboration between Python members and Saturday Night Live, was aired on NBC television, as written by Idle, with music by Innes.

There has also been criticism of Idle from the other Rutles, who reunited for the Archaeology album in the mid-1990s without him.

When Idle and Innes created a parody of the Beatles, Idle suggested " Rutles ".

Two years later, on 2 October 1976, when Idle appeared on the American NBC show Saturday Night ( later Saturday Night Live ), he took videotape extracts from Rutland Weekend Television — including the Rutles clip.

Idle claims on the All You Need Is Cash DVD commentary track that Harrison and Starr at one point discussed starting a band with Innes and Idle, based on the Beatles ' and Rutles ' shared and imaginary histories.

Idle and Fataar issued one single as ' Dirk and Stig ' in 1979 ( Idle's only appearance on a Rutles-related disc ), but throughout the 1980s The Rutles did not exist.

In 2002, Idle made The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch, but it remained unreleased for a year.

The " Rutlemania " live show was conceived and written by Eric Idle which starred The Beatles tribute group " The Fab Four " as " The Pre-fab Four " Rutles.

* Track 16 is the only track with Rutles content, Idle sings " I Must Be In Love " ( First recording of Idle vocalising a Rutles song.

The Rutles were a creation of neil Innes and Eric Idle amongst others as a wildly successful group whose career was loosely based on The Beatles.

The Rutles were played by Eric Idle, John Halsey, Ricky Fataar, and Neil Innes.

Innes, Fataar and Halsey returned in 1996 to record The Rutles Archaeology, but without the involvement of Eric Idle.

In an extra on the Rutles DVD, Idle claims " Nudge Nudge " was Presley's favorite Python sketch.

John Halsey played Ringo Starr facsimile Barry Wom in Idle and Innes ' Beatles parody, The Rutles, which originated as a sketch on RWT.

In addition, Harrison appeared as a news reporter − interviewing Michael Palin − in Idle and Innes ' 1978 Beatles parody, The Rutles: All You Need is Cash.

On RWTV, " The Rutles " are portrayed by: Eric Idle as the Harrison character, Neil Innes as the Lennon character, David Battley as the McCartney character, and John Halsey as the Ringo character.

On 13 November 2008, Eric Idle sung as the finale of We Are Most Amused, a comedy show at the New Wimbledon Theatre to celebrate Prince Charles's 60th birthday.

In 1969, Chapman and Cleese joined the other Pythons including Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin for their sketch comedy show Flying Circus.

Shortly after the release of Monty Python and the Holy Grail ( 1975 ), Eric Idle flippantly suggested that the title of the Pythons ' forthcoming feature would be Jesus Christ – Lust for Glory ( a play on the UK title for the 1970 American film Patton ).

The scenes shown included the shepherds gathering for Jesus's birth, which would have been at the very start of the movie ; a segment showing the kidnap of Pilate's wife ( a large woman played by John Case ); a scene introducing hardline Zionist Otto, leader of the Judean People's Front ( played by Eric Idle ); and a scene in which Pilate's wife alerts Otto to Brian's capture.

Cousins Peter Oundjian ( Caramoor's Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor ) and Eric Idle joined forces once again for a double performance of the oratorio in July 2007.

They were also in the team of writers working for The Frost Report, whose other members included Frank Muir, Barry Cryer, Marty Feldman, Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, Dick Vosburgh and future Monty Python members Graham Chapman, John Cleese and Eric Idle.

Æthelfrith, who was for years a successful war-leader, especially against the native British, was eventually killed in battle around 616 by Raedwald of East Anglia at the River Idle.

Moving to England, he animated sequences for the children's series Do Not Adjust Your Set, which also featured Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin.

Up until the 1990s, each of Gilliam's non-Python films was to feature at least one of his fellow Monty Python alumni ( particularly Palin, Cleese, and Idle ), and for his finished projects Gilliam has worked with the following actors more than once ( in order of first film appearance ):

* And Now for Something Completely Different ( 1972 ) with Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, and Michael Palin

Idle is quoted as saying: " It was a physically abusive, bullying, harsh environment for a kid to grow up in.

Idle had already refused to be senior boy in the school cadet force, as he supported the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and had participated in the yearly Aldermaston March.

This ran for two seasons from 1973 to 1974 and involved Idle performing sketches and links to records, with himself playing nearly all the multi-tracked parts.

Idle is also writer and star of the 3-D film film Pirates – 4D for Busch Entertainment Corporation.

Idle won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics.

Idle is an accomplished songwriter, having composed and performed many of the Pythons ' most famous comic pieces, including " Eric the Half-a-Bee ", " The Philosophers ' Song ", " Galaxy Song ", " Penis Song ( Not the Noel Coward Song )" and, probably his most recognised hit, " Always Look on the Bright Side of Life ", which was written for the closing scene of the Monty Python film Life of Brian, and sung from the crosses during the mass crucifixion.

Idle presented Mayo with a model human foot, akin to the one used in the Monty Python title sequence, as a thank you gift for promoting the song.

In 2004, Idle recorded a protest song of sorts, the " FCC Song ", in which he lambastes the US Federal Communications Commission for fining him $ 5, 000 for saying the word " fuck " on national radio.

Idle contributed a cover of Buddy Holly's " Raining in My Heart " for the tribute album Listen to Me: Buddy Holly, released 6 September 2011.