The Dead Parrot Sketch
Mr Praline returns a dead Norwegian Blue.
The Dead Parrot sketch, first called the Pet Shop sketch, is a Monty Python's Flying Circus sketch written by John Cleese and Graham Chapman. A satire on bad customer service, it first aired in the first series' eighth episode, "Full Frontal Nudity", on 7 December 1969.
Quick Facts
- Writers
- John Cleese, Graham Chapman
- First aired
- 7 December 1969
- Cast
- John Cleese, Michael Palin
Facts from the source article.
Background
Mr Praline (Cleese) comes into a pet shop to complain about the Norwegian Blue parrot he has just bought, a species that does not exist, as the shopkeeper (Michael Palin) is about to shut for lunch. Though the bird is dead and was nailed to its perch, the shopkeeper claims it is only stunned or pining for the fjords. Cleese and Palin have since performed many versions on television, on record and live, and the sketch topped a Radio Times poll of alternative comedy sketches.
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