Eric Idle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eric Idle
Idle in 2012
Born	(1943-03-29) 29 March 1943 (age 82) South Shields, England
Alma mater	Pembroke College, Cambridge
Occupation	Actor comedian songwriter musician screenwriter playwright
Years active	1967–present
Notable work	Monty Python The Rutles Spamalot
Spouse(s)	Lyn Ashley ​ ​ (m. 1969; div. 1975)​ Tania Kosevich ​ (m. 1981)​
Children	2
Relatives	Madge Ryan (former-mother-in-law)

Eric Idle (born March 29, 1943) is an English actor, comedian, and musician. He is famous for being a member of the comedy group Monty Python. He was also in a parody rock band called the Rutles. Idle is known for his clever wordplay and for writing and singing many of Monty Python's famous songs.

In the 1970s, Idle became a star with the TV show Flying Circus. He also acted in the Monty Python movies Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and The Meaning of Life. He worked with the other Python members: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. One of his most famous songs, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", comes from the movie Life of Brian.

After Monty Python, Idle hosted Saturday Night Live four times. He also acted in many movies, including The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), Casper (1995), and Shrek the Third (2007).

Idle turned Holy Grail into a hit Broadway musical called Spamalot in 2005. The show won a Tony Award for Best Musical and a Grammy Award. He also performed at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Early Life and School

Eric Idle was born on March 29, 1943, in South Shields, England. His father, Ernest Idle, was in the Royal Air Force during World War II. Sadly, his father died in a car accident in 1945. His mother, Norah, was a nurse and found it hard to raise a child alone.

When Idle was seven, his mother sent him to the Royal Wolverhampton School. It was a boarding school for children who had lost a parent. Idle said it was a very strict and difficult place to grow up. He learned to be smart and funny to get by. He said this was "perfect training for Python."

To make life at school more fun, Idle listened to the radio under his blankets. He also loved watching the local soccer team, Wolverhampton Wanderers. He would often sneak out of school to go to the movies. Because he was bored at school, he studied hard and earned a spot at the prestigious Cambridge University.

Career

Before Monty Python

At Pembroke College, Cambridge, Idle studied English. He was invited to join the famous Cambridge University Footlights Club, a student comedy group. Future Pythons Graham Chapman and John Cleese had been members just before him. In 1965, Idle became the president of the Footlights and was the first to allow women to join.

Before Python, Idle starred in a kids' TV comedy show called Do Not Adjust Your Set. His future Python castmates Terry Jones and Michael Palin were also on the show. Terry Gilliam created animations for it.

Monty Python (1969–1983)

Idle (right) and Terry Jones performing the "Nudge Nudge" sketch at the Python reunion in 2014

In Monty Python, Idle usually wrote his sketches by himself. The other members often worked in pairs. This meant Idle had to work extra hard to convince the others that his ideas were funny.

Idle's comedy often focused on language. He created characters who spoke in funny ways, like a man who only spoke in anagrams. He was also known for his cheeky humor, like in the famous "Nudge Nudge" sketch.

As a talented guitarist, Idle wrote many of the group's most famous songs. These include "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from Life of Brian, the "Galaxy Song" from The Meaning of Life, and the silly tune "Eric the Half-a-Bee".

After Monty Python

Eric Idle in 2003

After Monty Python became a huge success, Idle started his own projects. He created a TV sketch show called Rutland Weekend Television. This show led to the creation of The Rutles, a parody band that made fun of the Beatles. The Rutles became so popular that they starred in their own movie, All You Need Is Cash (1978).

Idle also became a popular voice actor. He was the voice of Wreck-Gar in The Transformers: The Movie (1986) and Merlin the magician in Shrek the Third (2007). He also appeared in movies like The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) and Casper (1995).

In 1994, Idle began starring in the 3-D film Honey, I Shrunk the Audience! at Disney theme parks. He played Dr. Nigel Channing, the head of the "Imagination Institute."

In 2022, Idle appeared on the American TV show The Masked Singer as the "Hedgehog." He sang "Love Me Do" by The Beatles after getting permission from Paul McCartney himself.

Spamalot and Stage Work

Idle (left) and Carol Cleveland performing the "Galaxy Song" at Monty Python Live (Mostly) in 2014

In 2004, Idle created the musical comedy Spamalot, based on the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. He wrote the story and lyrics. The show was a massive hit on Broadway. It won three Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Idle also wrote a comic oratorio (a large musical piece) called Not the Messiah. It was a funny take on the story from Life of Brian. He performed it with orchestras around the world.

In 2014, he reunited with the other living Pythons for a series of live shows in London called Monty Python Live (Mostly).

Personal Life

Idle has been married twice and has two children, a son and a daughter. He has lived in the United States for many years.

In 2019, Idle learned he had pancreatic cancer. Luckily, doctors found it very early. He had a successful surgery and has been healthy since.

An asteroid called 9620 Ericidle is named after him. Also, the programming language Python has a development tool named IDLE in his honor.

Filmography

Film

Television

Images for kids

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  Idle performing the "Bruces sketch" in 2014. The sketch featured stereotypical Australians, which Idle said he based on his Australian friends from the 1960s.

See also

In Spanish: Eric Idle para niños