GRAHAM CHAPMAN'S MEMORIAL SPEECH
Delivered by John Cleese at his memorial service, Jan 1990
Graham Chapman, co-author of the 'Parrot Sketch,' is no more.
He has ceased to be, bereft of life, he rests in peace, he has kicked the bucket, hopped the twig, bit the dust, snuffed it, breathed his last, and gone to meet the Great Head of Light Entertainment in the sky, and I guess that we're all thinking how sad it is that a man of such talent, such capability and kindness, of such intelligence should now be so suddenly spirited away at the age of only forty-eight, before he'd achieved many of the things of which he was capable, and before he'd had enough fun.
Chapman died at the age of 48 on 4 October 1989. He died of pneumonia brought about by throat cancer. I didn't know this until today. Almost 17 years ago... And I profess myself to be a Python Fan. Feh!
Anyway, Graham is known for his role as Brian in The Life of Brian, and as King Arthur in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Go check out John Cleese's Eulogy. It's both funny (and I mean laugh out loud funny) as well as touching.
And here's the MLQ moment... The Google Video of The Dead Parrot Sketch. Enjoy!
