Terry Jones

A founding member of England's legendary Monty Python, Terry Jones was a writer, director and performer whose avuncular demeanor belied a genuine talent for the absurd. He was a familiar figure in UK television prior to joining Python in 1969, thanks to such shows as "The Frost Report" (BBC, 1966) and the surreal children's series "Do Not Adjust Your Set" (ITV, 1967-69). On "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (BBC 1, 1969-1974), Jones was a flawless straight man for the manic exuberances of Graham Chapman and John Cleese, but frequently shone as either dense, self-impressed businessmen or screeching older women. He was also one of the chief architects of the show's visual style and stream of consciousness writing, which had a great influence on later sketch comedy series. He would later direct or co-direct nearly all of their theatrical features. After Python, Jones worked in a variety of media, from television comedies and documentaries on medieval life to children's books and features like "Personal Services" (1987). As a member of Python and a solo talent, Jones remained a quiet if vitally important component in the development of filmed comedy for over four decades. The announcement in September 2016 that Jones was suffering from dementia brought tributes and reminiscences from fans and fellow comedians around the world. Terry Jones died on January 21, 2020 at the age of 77.