TV host David Frost almost scuppered the iconic and ground-breaking comedy Monty Python’s Flying Circus before it started by refusing to release John Cleese from his contract to take part.
A memo just released from the BBC archives reveals how the Fawlty Towers star was locked into working for the hugely influential Frost.
Cleese found fame in the 1960s on The Frost Report, alongside Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett.
He went on to make At Last The 1948 Show with for Frost’s production company, Paradine.
But when the Basil Fawlty actor joined forces with the other Pythons Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam to make Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Frost wanted in on it too.
A BBC memo by Barry Took, who was working for the BBC read: “John Cleese phoned me today (20.4.69) to say that he is still under contract to Paradine Productions who want to be involved in The Circus project in a co-production.
“Should the BBC be uninterested in the idea of co-production with Paradine, John Cleese must withdraw from the project as a performer.
“I suggest that we scrap the idea of The Circus and proceed with my original concept, a show starring Michael Palin, Terry Jones and Eric Idle, with cartoon inserts by Terry Gilliam.
“When John Cleese is freed from his Paradine commitment we can then re-examine.”
However, the BBC were successful in seeing off 30-year-old Frost and the first episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus premiered on October 5, 1969 on BBC1.
Took’s memo has just been released by the broadcaster as part of a cache of archive material.
Other documents show how viewers’ reactions were divided with one describing it as “a load of rubbish, meaningless and one long bore” while another noted “it is outrageous and I enjoy every minute of it”.
