North Texas celebrated the day five decades ago that charted the course of British comedy in the U.S. for decades to come. Thanks to a ground-breakingly brilliant decision by then KERA President/CEO Bob Wilson and Program Director Ron Devillier, the legend of Monty Python’s Flying Circus had its American beginning on KERA/Dallas as part of one seemingly uneventful Sunday evening 50 years ago this past month.

Several hundred Monty Python P1s turned out to the Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff to celebrate and ‘sing-along’ with, perhaps, the funniest movie of all-time, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, on Wednesday night. While there were no moose present there was no shortage of killer Grail-related costumes in the audience. And definitely no shortage of coconuts to guide us through the evening!

With the Black Knight there to ‘protect’ us, the witches were saved as it was clear they were not made of wood and, as it turns out, the rabbits weren’t all that ‘killer’. Sorry, Tim….

A great time was definitely had by all celebrating this monumental 50-year-old decision by Bob Wilson and Ron Devillier as the moment that started it all when you happen to stumble across your favorite British comedy on your local public television station.

• Monty Python visits KERA TV in 1975 (Youtube)
• After four decades, the mystery of the ‘Monty Python’ armadillo is solved!
• More Monty Python blog posts on Tellyspotting

The celebration continues on KERA in North Texas over the next couple of months with broadcasts of your favorite episodes of Monty Python’s Flying Circus beginning this Saturday from 7:00p-12mid. I think after 50 years, it’s time to buy cheese at a Cheese Shop that has not cheese, try to return a dead parrot, get into an argument (or, is it a contradiction), be that lumberjack you always dreamed of being, try out that ‘silly walk’ you have been perfecting or eat a bit of spam! But, remember NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!

Thanks to the Texas Theatre being a great partner, as always! Thanks to Holly Gilliam with the Pythons, who guided us along the way, and, most of all, thanks to all of you for watching and supporting British comedy on KERA TV for the last 5 decades! Here’s to the next 5!

Now, go away or I will taunt you a second time!

Watch a clip of John Cleese explaining the risk KERA took in deciding to air Monty Python in Dallas in 1974! (Tap here to see the full Facebook post)