Emmanuel College, Cambridge St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College
Occupations
Actor
comedian
writer
Years active
1960–1989
Known for
One of six members of Monty Python
Partner
David Sherlock (1966–1989)
Children
1 (adopted)
Graham Chapman (8 January 1941 – 4 October 1989) was a British actor, comedian and writer. He was one of the six members of the surrealist comedy group Monty Python. He portrayed authority figures such as The Colonel and the lead role in two Python films, Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) and Life of Brian (1979).
Chapman was born in Leicester and was raised in Melton Mowbray. He enjoyed science, acting, and comedy and after graduating from Emmanuel College, Cambridge and St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, he turned down a career as a doctor to be a comedian. Chapman eventually established a writing partnership with John Cleese, which reached its critical peak with Monty Python during the 1970s. He subsequently left Britain for Los Angeles, where he attempted to be a success on American television, speaking on the college circuit and producing the pirate film Yellowbeard (1983), before returning to Britain in the early 1980s.
Chapman was openly homosexual and a supporter of gay rights and was in a long-term partnership with David Sherlock.[1][2] He was an alcoholic from his time at Cambridge onwards. He quit drinking shortly before working on Life of Brian.[3] He became an enthusiast and patron of the Dangerous Sports Club in his later years. In 1989, Chapman died of tonsil cancer which had spread to his spine. His life and legacy were commemorated at a memorial service at St Bartholomew's with the other five Pythons two months after his death.
^Levy, Ken (July 2014). "Graham Chapman: an unlikely friendship with a Monty Python star". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
^"On This Gay Day: 'Monty Python' actor Graham Chapman was born". Out In Perth. 7 January 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
^Ess, Ramsey (20 September 2013). "Dick Cavett's Semi-Serious Talk with Graham Chapman". Vulture. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
GrahamChapman (8 January 1941 – 4 October 1989) was a British actor, comedian and writer. He was one of the six members of the surrealist comedy group...
Pythons) were a British comedy troupe formed in 1969 consisting of GrahamChapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin...
Python costars Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and GrahamChapman, Cleese starred in Monty Python films, which include Monty Python and...
before creating Monty Python's Flying Circus with Cambridge graduates GrahamChapman, John Cleese, and Eric Idle and American animator-filmmaker Terry Gilliam...
(1969–1974) alongside John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and GrahamChapman. He acted in some of the most famous Python sketches, including "Argument...
since Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983), and the first without GrahamChapman, who died in 1989. Principal photography and production began on 24...
in London's West End led to Adams being discovered by Monty Python's GrahamChapman. The two formed a brief writing partnership, earning Adams a writing...
satire on poor customer service, it was written by John Cleese and GrahamChapman and initially performed in the show's first series, in the eighth episode...
(1983) with John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and GrahamChapman. Known for his elaborate wordplay and musical numbers, Idle performed...
Damski and written by GrahamChapman, Peter Cook, Bernard McKenna, and David Sherlock, with an ensemble cast featuring Chapman, Cook, Peter Boyle, Cheech...
Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The scene in Holy Grail was written by GrahamChapman and John Cleese. The rabbit is the antagonist in a major set piece battle...
completely inaccurate portrayal of the life of Monty Python alumnus GrahamChapman. Diaz's only film project of 2013 was Ridley Scott's The Counselor,...
troupe alongside John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, and GrahamChapman. Together they collaborated on the sketch series Monty Python's Flying...
sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus, written by John Cleese and GrahamChapman. The sketch was originally broadcast as part of the television series...
Arthurian legend, written and performed by the Monty Python comedy group (GrahamChapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin)...
performer. The other three participants (future Monty Python members GrahamChapman and John Cleese; and future star of The Goodies Tim Brooke-Taylor) needed...
increasingly absurd. The sketch was written by Tim Brooke-Taylor, John Cleese, GrahamChapman and Marty Feldman, and originally performed in 1967 on their TV series...
November 1968 and written by John Cleese, GrahamChapman, Marty Feldman and Tim Brooke-Taylor. Cleese, Chapman, and Brooke-Taylor also feature in it, along...
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