Editing Graham Chapman (section)

=== Monty Python ===
{{Main|Monty Python}}
In 1969, Chapman and Cleese joined the other Pythons, [[Michael Palin]], [[Eric Idle]], [[Terry Jones]] and [[Terry Gilliam]], for their sketch comedy series ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]''.{{sfn|McCabe|2005|pp=92–94}}<ref name="tribute"/> The group's writing was split into well-defined teams, with Chapman collaborating almost exclusively with Cleese.{{sfn|McCabe|2005|p=98}} Chapman was particularly keen to remove stereotypical [[punch line|punchlines]] in sketches{{sfn|McCabe|2005|p=99}} and created [[The Colonel (Monty Python)|The Colonel]], who would stop them in mid-flow by saying they were "too silly".<ref name=telegraph>{{cite news |first=William |last=Langley|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10948113/Monty-Python-Will-the-wrinkly-revolutionaries-have-the-last-laugh.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Monty Python: Will the wrinkly revolutionaries have the last laugh? |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London |date=5 July 2014 |access-date=15 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[File:Graham Chapman Colonel.jpg|thumb|Chapman ended several ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'' sketches mid-flow dressed as [[The Colonel (Monty Python)|The Colonel]], complaining they were "too silly".<ref name=telegraph />]]

Although the pair were officially equal partners, Cleese later thought that Chapman contributed comparatively little in the way of direct writing, saying "he would come in, say something marvelous and then drift off in his own mind".{{sfn|McCabe|2005|p=103}} The other Pythons have said that Chapman's biggest contribution in the writing room was an intuition for what was funny.{{sfn|McCabe|2005|p=103}} Gilliam later recalled that "Graham would do the nudge that would push it into something extraordinary".{{sfn|McCabe|2005|pp=139–140}} The series was an immediate success, and Chapman was delighted to learn that medical students at St Bartholomew's crowded round the television in the bar to watch it.{{sfn|McCabe|2005|p=107}} Chapman was frequently late for rehearsing or recording,{{sfn|McCabe|2005|p=139}} leading to the other Pythons calling him "the late Graham Chapman".{{sfn|Chapman|Yoakum|2006|p=53}}

Chapman's main contribution to the "Dead Parrot sketch", derived from the piece within ''How to Irritate People'' and involving a customer returning a faulty toaster, was "How can we make this ''madder''?", turning the toaster into a dead Norwegian Blue parrot. Cleese later said he and Chapman believed that "there was something very funny there, if we could find the right context for it".{{sfn|McCabe|2005|pp=90–91}} Cleese was in particular concerned that the [[Cheese Shop sketch]] simply was not funny, in that it was just mainly a man listing different types of cheese. Chapman urged his partner to continue with it, telling him "Trust me, it's funny." When it was read out at the next script meeting, Cleese found that the others, particularly Palin, thought it was hilarious. The group felt that Chapman had the best acting skills among them. Cleese complimented Chapman by saying that he was "particularly a wonderful actor".{{sfn|McCabe|2005|p=154}}

Chapman played the lead role in two Python films, ''[[Monty Python and the Holy Grail|Holy Grail]]'' and ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian|Life of Brian]]''. He was chosen to play the lead in ''Holy Grail'' because of the group's respect for his straight acting skills, and because the other members wanted to play lesser, funnier characters.{{sfn|McCabe|2005|pp=185–186}} Chapman did not mind being filmed fully nude in front of a crowd in ''Life of Brian'', but the scene, filmed in Tunisia, caused problems with the female Muslim extras.{{sfn|Chapman|Yoakum|2006|p=17}}