Kim Howard Johnson

In 1978, Kim “Howard” Johnson ran away to join the circus---Monty Python’s Flying Circus, that is. The Pythons converged on Tunisia to film their timeless classic, Life of Brian, and Howard found himself in the thick of it, doubling for nearly all the Pythons, playing more roles in the film than John Cleese, and managing to ruin only one shot. He became the unit journalist, substitute still photographer, Roman soldier, peasant, Biggus Dickus’s double, near-stalker, and, ultimately, friend and confidant of the comedy legends. He also kept a detailed journal of what he saw and heard, on set and off, throughout those six weeks. The result is a unique eyewitness account that reveals the Pythons at work and at play in a way that nothing else written about them could do. Now, for the first time ever, the inside story of the making of the film is revealed through the fly-on-the-castle-wall perspective. Even the most diehard fans will get a fresh take on the comedy greats through some never-before-revealed nuggets of Python brilliance: what John Cleese offered to exchange for suntan lotion; Terry Jones directing in drag; Michael Palin’s secret to playing revolutionaries and peasants; Graham Chapman gets naked; Terry Gilliam gets filthy; Eric Idle haggles; the secret of the Thespo-Squat; Mrs. Pilate; talk of George Harrison; the cake-flinging that jeopardized the production; badminton, impromptu cricket, and erotic frescoes; and the first-ever presentation of “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.” Here, uncensored, are the legendary Pythons in their prime. It was a period of comedy history that will never be duplicated, and Monty Python’s Tunisian Holiday captures the wit, the genius, and the sheer silliness of the six men that comprised Python.

Offers a wide-ranging appreciation of the group's work, featuring exclusive interviews, rare photographs, an episode guide to the television shows, and discussions of the books, records and stage shows they have produced

In a new twist on the legend of Superman, the future superhero is raised in a small English town by adoptive parents who teach him to hide his powers, but his job as a tabloid reporter may be in jeopardy unless he chooses to go public.

Nichols and May. John Belushi. Bill Murray. Chris Farley. Tina Fey. Mike Myers. Stephen Colbert. For nearly a half century, Del Close—cocreator of the Harold, director for the Second City, San Francisco’s the Committee, and the ImprovOlympic, and “house metaphysician” for Saturday Night Live— influenced improvisational theater’s greatest comedic talents. His students went on to found the Groundlings in Los Angeles, the Upright Citizens Brigade in both New York and Los Angeles, and the Annoyance Theatre in Chicago. But this Pied Piper of improv has gone largely unrecognized outside the close-knit comedy community. Del was never one to let the truth of his life stand in the way of a good story—and yet the truth is even more fascinating than the fiction. In his early years, he traveled the country with Dr. Dracula’s Den of Living Nightmares, knew L. Ron Hubbard before Scientology, and appeared in The Blob . Del cavorted with the Merry Pranksters, used aversion therapy to recover from alcoholism, and kicked a cocaine habit with the help of a coven of witches. And when he was dying, Del bequeathed his postmortem skull to the Goodman Theatre for use in its productions of Hamlet— a final legend that lives on, long beyond the death of the father of long-form improvisation.

A look at the work of the members of the Flying Circus before and after their work together describes how they met, provides exclusive interviews, and discusses such films as A Fish Called Wanda, Brazil, Nuns on the Run, and The Fisher King. Original.

This fantastically underpriced and overpacked fountain of trivia offers a dizzying collection of mind-numbing quizzes on classic character, skits, and movies.

What’s the connection between Monty Python and Game of Thrones? Was Elvis Presley a Python fan? Who was the only Python to take acting lessons? If you think you know everything there is to know about Monty Python, then wait till you read Monty Python from the Inside Out. Python historian Kim “Howard” Johnson (author of five books on the group) delves deep into Python history, and emerges with a wide assortment of little-known facts about the legendary British comedy group that will amaze, astonish, and appall readers. Monty Python from the Inside Out answers such questions as: Which Python was a Broadway star decades before Monty Python’s Spamalot? Which one was a physics major in college? Whose comedy career was due to a Royal Command? Who was an international journalist? Which one served in the Army? And who wrote the worst Python sketches? And Monty Python from the Inside Out answers questions you didn’t even think to ask, such as: What was the most painful Python sketch to film? Which books inspired the most Python sketches? What sparked the biggest fight within the group? And learn the facts behind the Python films as well. Was Holy Grail cursed? Who bought the world’s most expensive movie ticket? And what was the real-life inspiration for Mr. Creosote? This undersized book at an undersized price is filled with stories about the time the Pythons and the Beatles nearly teamed up, who lobbied to be a member of Monty Python, and the connection between Monty Python and Charlie Chaplin. Kim “Howard” Johnson is acknowledged by the Pythons themselves as the authority on the history of the group, and as they celebrate their 45th anniversary with a farewell reunion show at London’s O2 Arena, there’s no better time to look back at lunacy, Python-style.

It’s "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy" meets "Time Bandits" in this action-packed science fiction adventure.Stan and Jack are the last remaining members of the Time Authority, a government unit formed to correct disruptions to the established Time Line. Although time travel has been officially outlawed, Stan and Jack must make a quick time hop to 16th Century France to clean up some of their careless littering.Unbeknownst to them, however, Leonardo DaVinci stows away and tumbles out (along with the operating manual for the time machine) in 18th Century England. This disruption is discovered by the Time Authority, as it creates a Chronological Anomaly that begins advancing toward the future and threatens to wipe out all reality. The military and civilian leaders clash before agreeing on a scheme to build one final time machine and send Corporal Spumoni back to correct the Time Line, even though it may ruin any chance of Stan and Jack returning home.Stan and Jack must crash-land their time machine in 1848, where they discover, due to DaVinci’s influence, a futuristic Victorian England. After nearly colliding with Maggie Wells on her flying machine, she helps them hide their broken Time Hopper. Stan and Jack realize their only hope to fix their machine is to recover the operating manual, if it still even exists. But Special Services agents, led by Maggie’s former boyfriend James Burton, are constantly searching for them. And Jack’s growing attraction for Maggie is tempered by the thought that she could be his great-great-great-great-grandmother.Meanwhile, in 1768, DaVinci has become a favorite of King George III of England. His only rival is Benjamin Franklin. Jealous, with the help of Lord Frederick North, DaVinci frames Franklin for the theft of his own notebooks. But when DaVinci learns Britain’s plans for his own war machines, he realizes he must work with Franklin to stop Britain’s domination of the globe.

In this action-packed sequel to "The Last of the Time Police," Stan and Jack must make a quick time hop to 16th Century France to clean up some of their careless littering.But stowaway Leonardo DaVinci tumbles out (along with the operating manual for the time machine) in 18th Century England, setting off a Chronological Anomaly that threatens to wipe out all reality.Stan and Jack crash-land their time machine in 1848, where they discover, due to DaVinci’s influence, a futuristic Victorian England. After nearly colliding with Maggie Wells on her flying machine, she helps them hide their broken Time Hopper.But Stan and Jack realize their only hope to fix their machine is to recover the operating manual, and Special Services agents, led by Maggie’s former boyfriend James Burton, are constantly searching for them. And Jack’s growing attraction for Maggie is tempered by the thought that she could be his great-great-great-great-grandmother.Meanwhile, inventor Sam Warner and his wife Sarah have discovered the operating manual for the time machine in a trunk of his grandfather’s things. When Sam coincidentally ends up with the power crystal from Stan and Jack’s machine, and sets about converting an old carriage into his own time machine, they agree to pool their resources.The unlikely partners must find a way to rescue DaVinci and Benjamin Franklin in the previous century, but when they are captured while trying to recover the Time Carriage, they face execution at the Tower of London. Can the group escape in time to find DaVinci, prevent the destruction of our Timeline, and help Franklin invent the game of golf?And if they succeed, will they be wiped out of existence?It’s "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy" meets "Time Bandits" in this action-packed science fiction adventure.