View source for Eric Idle

{{short description|English comedian, actor and writer (born 1943)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Eric Idle
| image         = Eric Idle 2012.jpg
| alt           = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption       = Idle in 2012
| birth_name    = <!-- only use if different from name -->
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1943|3|29}}
| birth_place   = [[South Shields]], England
| alma_mater    = [[Pembroke College, Cambridge]]
| occupation    = {{hlist|Actor|comedian|songwriter|musician|screenwriter|playwright}}
| years_active  = 1967–present
| notable_works = [[Monty Python]]<br/>[[The Rutles]]<br/>''[[Spamalot]]''
| spouse        = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|[[Lyn Ashley]]|1969|1975|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Tania Kosevich|1981}}
}}
| children      = 2
| relatives     = [[Madge Ryan]] (former-mother-in-law)
| website       = {{official URL}}
}}

'''Eric Idle''' (born 29 March 1943) is an English actor, comedian, songwriter, musician, screenwriter and playwright. He was a member of the British comedy group [[Monty Python]] and the parody rock band [[the Rutles]]. Idle studied English at [[Pembroke College, Cambridge]], and joined [[Footlights|Cambridge University Footlights]]. He has received a [[Grammy Award]] as well as nominations for two [[Tony Awards]].

Idle reached stardom in the 1970s when he co-created and acted in the Python sketch comedy series ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus|Flying Circus]]'' (1969–1974) and the films ''[[Monty Python and the Holy Grail|Holy Grail]]'' (1975), ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian|Life of Brian]]'', (1979) and ''[[Monty Python's The Meaning of Life|The Meaning of Life]]'' (1983) with [[Graham Chapman]], [[John Cleese]], [[Terry Gilliam]], [[Terry Jones]], and [[Michael Palin]]. Known for his elaborate [[wordplay]] and musical numbers, Idle composed and performed many of the songs featured in Python projects, including "[[Always Look on the Bright Side of Life]]". 

After ''Flying Circus'' ended, Idle created another [[sketch show]] ''[[Rutland Weekend Television]]'' (1975–1976), and hosted ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' four times (1976–1979). He also acted in films such as ''[[National Lampoon's European Vacation]]'' (1985), ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' (1986), ''[[The Adventures of Baron Munchausen]]'' (1988), ''[[Nuns on the Run]]'' (1990), ''[[Splitting Heirs]]'' (1993), ''[[Casper (film)|Casper]]'' (1995), ''[[The Wind in the Willows (1996 film)|The Wind in the Willows]]'' (1996), ''[[An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn]]'' (1997), ''[[Ella Enchanted (film)|Ella Enchanted]]'' (2004), and ''[[Shrek the Third]]'' (2007).

Idle made his [[Broadway (theatre)|Broadway]] debut with his adaptation of ''Holy Grail'' into the musical, ''[[Spamalot]]'' (2005), which was a critical and commercial success earning the [[Tony Award for Best Musical]], and [[Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album]]. He also wrote ''[[Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)|Not the Messiah]]'' (2009) and performed at the [[2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony|London 2012 Olympic Games closing ceremony]].

==Early life and education==
Eric Idle was born on 29 March 1943 in [[South Tyneside District Hospital|Harton Hospital]], in [[South Shields]].<ref name=mylife>{{cite web |title=My Life |website=Eric Idle  |url=https://ericidle.com/my-life/ |access-date=17 October 2024}}</ref>  His mother,  Norah Barron Sanderson,<ref name="Tel170207"/> was a nurse,<ref name=mylife/> and his father, Ernest Idle,<ref name="Tel170207">Barratt, Nick; [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3631569/Family-detective.html "Family detective"] ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', 17 February 2007 (Retrieved: 19 August 2009)</ref><ref>[http://www.filmreference.com/film/25/Eric-Idle.html Eric Idle Biography (1943–)], Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies</ref> served in the [[Royal Air Force]] during the Second World War, only to be killed in a road accident while hitchhiking home for Christmas in December 1945.<ref name="CWGC">{{CWGC|id=2414186|name=Idle, Ernest|access-date=27 November 2024}} Idle's father, who was 36 years old at the time of his death, was buried in the cemetery at [[Thornaby-on-Tees]] - the inscription chosen for his gravestone was: "SAY NOT GOODNIGHT, BUT IN SOME FAIRER CLIME GOOD MORNING".</ref><ref>see also p. 4 of Idle's autobiography.</ref> Idle said his mother "disappeared for a while into depression" and consequently he was brought up by his grandmother in [[Swinton, Lancashire]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Read an Excerpt from Eric Idle's Always Look on the Bright Side of Life |url=https://crownpublishing.com/archives/feature/read-excerpt-eric-idles-always-look-bright-side-life |website=The Crown Publishing Group |access-date=28 January 2024}}</ref> Idle spent part of his childhood in [[Wallasey]], [[Cheshire]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Eric Idle on Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/ericidle/status/650759410449518594 |publisher=Twitter |date=4 October 2015 |access-date=10 July 2018}}</ref> and attended St George's Primary School.<ref>{{cite news |title=65 famous people Wirral has given to the world |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/65-famous-people-wirral-given-14061848 |work=liverpoolecho |date=26 December 2017 |access-date=10 July 2018}}</ref> 

His mother had difficulty coping with a full-time job and bringing up a child, so when Idle was seven, she enrolled him in the [[Royal Wolverhampton School]] as a [[Boarding school|boarder]]. At that time the school was a charitable foundation dedicated to the education and maintenance of children who had lost one or both parents.<ref name="McCabe">{{cite book |last=McCabe |first=Bob |title=The Pythons' Autobiography by the Pythons |publisher=[[Orion Publishing Group]] |location=London |date=2005 |isbn=978-0-7528-6425-9}}</ref> Idle said: "It was a [[physically abusive]], [[bullying]], harsh environment for a kid to grow up in. I got used to dealing with groups of boys and getting on with life in unpleasant circumstances and being smart and funny and subversive at the expense of authority. Perfect training for Python."<ref name=McCabe/>

Idle has stated that the two things that made his life at school bearable were listening to [[Radio Luxembourg (English)|Radio Luxembourg]] under the bedclothes and watching the local football team, [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Holy grail of Eric Idle story |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/editors-picks/2014/10/01/holy-grail-of-eric-idle-story/ |website=Expressandstar.com |date=1 October 2014}}</ref> He disliked other sports, and would sneak out of school every Thursday afternoon to the local cinema. He was eventually caught watching the film ''[[BUtterfield 8]]''<!--capital 'U' not a mistake!--> (rated as suitable for audiences of age 16 and over under the [[History of British Film Certificates#1951–1970|contemporary film certificates]]) and stripped of his [[Prefect#Academic|prefecture]], though by that time he was [[head boy]]. Idle had already refused to be senior boy in the school cadet force, as he supported the [[Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament]] and had participated in the yearly [[Aldermaston March]].<ref name=McCabe/> He says there was little to do at the school, and boredom drove him to study hard and consequently win a place at [[Cambridge University]].<ref name=McCabe/>

==Career==
===Pre-Python career (1965–1969)===
Idle attended [[Pembroke College, Cambridge]], where he studied [[English studies|English]]. At Pembroke, he was invited to join the prestigious [[Footlights|Cambridge University Footlights Club]] by the president of the Footlights Club, [[Tim Brooke-Taylor]], and Footlights Club member [[Bill Oddie]].

{{cquote|I'd never heard of the Footlights when I got there, but we had a tradition of college smoking-concerts, and I sent in some sketches parodying a play that had just been done. Tim Brooke-Taylor and Bill Oddie auditioned me for the [[Footlights#Activities|Footlights smoker]], and that led to me discovering about and getting into the Footlights, which was great.<ref>{{cite book |last=Perry |first=George |title=The Life of Python |publisher=[[Pavilion Books]] |location=London |date=1994 |isbn=978-1909815452}}</ref>}}

Idle started at Cambridge only a year after future fellow-Pythons [[Graham Chapman]] and [[John Cleese]]. He became [[Footlights President]] in 1965 and was the first to allow women to join the club.<ref>{{cite web |author=Monty Python |title=Eric Idle |url=http://www.montypython.com/python_Eric_Idle/17 |access-date=27 December 2016}}</ref> He starred in the television comedy series ''[[Do Not Adjust Your Set]]'' co-starring his future Python castmates [[Terry Jones]] and [[Michael Palin]]. [[Terry Gilliam]] provided animations for the show. The show's cast included comic actors [[David Jason]] and [[Denise Coffey]]. Idle also appeared as guest in some episodes of the television series ''[[At Last the 1948 Show]]'', which featured Cleese and Chapman in its principal cast.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/sep/16/missing-episodes-of-monty-python-precursor-at-last-the-1948-show-found "Missing episodes of Monty Python precursor At Last the 1948 Show found"], ''The Guardian'', 16 September 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2015.</ref>

===Monty Python (1969–1983)===
{{further|Monty Python}}
Idle wrote for Python mostly by himself,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-tls.co.uk/culture/comedy/the-life-of-python-monty|title=The life of Python|website=The-tls.co.uk|access-date=21 May 2025}}</ref> at his own pace, although he sometimes found it difficult to present material to the others and make it seem funny without the back-up support of a partner. The other Pythons usually worked in teams and Cleese admitted that this was slightly unfair&nbsp;– when the Pythons voted on which sketches should appear in a show, "he (Idle) only got one vote". However, he also says that Idle was an independent person and worked best on his own. Idle himself admitted this was sometimes difficult: "You had to convince five others. And they were not the most un-egotistical of writers, either." He occasionally wrote with Cleese.<ref>{{cite web |title=For Eric Idle, life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/eric-idle-interview-monty-python-bbc-biography-always-look-on-the-bright-side-of-life-a8570116.html |website=[[The Independent]] |date=6 October 2018}}</ref>

Idle's work in Python is often characterised by an obsession with language and communication: many of his characters have verbal peculiarities, such as the man who speaks in [[anagram]]s, the man who says words in the wrong order, and the butcher who alternates between rudeness and politeness every time he speaks. A number of his sketches involve extended monologues (for example the customer in the "Travel Agency" sketch who won't stop talking about his unpleasant experiences with holidays), and he would frequently spoof the unnatural language and speech patterns of television presenters. Idle is said to be the master of insincere characters, from the [[David Frost]]-esque Timmy Williams, to small-time crook Stig O'Tracy, who tries to deny the fact that [[organised crime]] master Dinsdale Piranha nailed his head to the floor.

The second-youngest member of the Pythons, Idle was closest in spirit to the teenagers who made up much of Python's fanbase. Python sketches dealing most with contemporary obsessions like [[pop music]], sexual permissiveness and [[Recreational drug use|recreational drugs]] are usually Idle's work, often characterised by [[double entendre]], sexual references, and other "naughty" subject matter&nbsp;– most famously demonstrated in "[[Nudge Nudge]]". Idle originally wrote "Nudge, Nudge" for [[Ronnie Barker]], but it was rejected because there was 'no joke in the words'.<ref>Comment made by Eric Idle during an interview shown on the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC-TV]] program "7.30 Report" on 28 November 2007.</ref>

A talented guitarist, Idle composed many of the group's most famous musical numbers, most notably "[[Always Look on the Bright Side of Life]]", the closing number of ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian|Life of Brian]]'', which has grown to become a Python signature tune.<ref name="Eggers">{{cite news |title=And now for something completely difficult ... |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2006/sep/13/theatre |work=The Guardian |date=13 September 2006 |access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref> He was responsible for the "[[Galaxy Song]]" from ''[[Monty Python's The Meaning of Life|The Meaning of Life]]'' and "[[Eric the Half-a-Bee]]", a whimsical tune that first appeared on the ''[[Monty Python's Previous Record|Previous Record]]'' album.

===Post-Python career (since 1973)===
[[File:Eric Idle (2).jpg|thumb|Eric Idle in 2003]]
After the success of Python in the early 1970s, all six members pursued solo projects. Idle's first solo work was his own [[BBC Radio 1|BBC Radio One]] show, ''Radio Five'' (pre-dating the real [[BBC Radio 5 (former)|Radio Five]] station by 18 years). This ran for two seasons from 1973 to 1974 and involved Idle performing sketches and links to records, playing nearly all the multi-tracked parts himself.

On television, Idle created and wrote ''[[Rutland Weekend Television]]'' (RWT), a sketch show on [[BBC Two|BBC2]] with music by [[Neil Innes]]. RWT was 'Britain's smallest television network'. The name was a parody of [[London Weekend Television]], the independent television franchise contractor that provided Londoners with their [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] services at weekends; [[Rutland]] had been England's smallest county, but had recently been 'abolished' in an administrative shake-up. To make the joke complete, the programme went out on a weekday. Other regular performers were [[David Battley]], [[Henry Woolf]], [[Gwen Taylor]] and [[Terence Bayler]]. [[George Harrison]] made a guest appearance on one episode.

A legacy of RWT was the creation, with Innes, of [[the Rutles]], an affectionate parody of [[the Beatles]]. The band became a popular phenomenon, especially in the U.S. where Idle was appearing on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''&nbsp;– fans would send in Beatles LPs with their sleeves altered to show the Rutles. In 1978, the Rutles' [[mockumentary]] film ''[[All You Need Is Cash]]'', a collaboration between Python members and ''Saturday Night Live'', was aired on [[NBC]] television, written by Idle, with music by Innes. Idle appeared in the film as "Dirk McQuickly" (the [[Paul McCartney]]-styled character of the group), as well as the main commentator, while Innes appeared as "Ron Nasty" (the band's stand-in for [[John Lennon]]). Actors appearing in the film included ''Saturday Night Live''{{'s}} [[John Belushi]], [[Bill Murray]] and [[Gilda Radner]], as well as fellow Python [[Michael Palin]], and also real musicians of the 1960s such as former Beatle [[George Harrison]], as well as [[Mick Jagger]] and [[Paul Simon]]. Idle wrote and directed the Rutles comeback in 2008 for a live show ''Rutlemania!'' to celebrate the 30th anniversary.<ref>[http://www.rutles.org/rnews301.html Original Rutles reunite for 30th anniversary], Vol 3 Issue 1, 3 March 2008, Rutles News</ref> The performances took place in Los Angeles and New York City with a Beatles tribute band.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://flavorpill.com/newyork/events/2008/3/26/the-rutles|title=Rutlemania|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080401011616/http://flavorpill.com/newyork/events/2008/3/26/the-rutles|archive-date=1 April 2008|url-status=dead|access-date=4 November 2008}}</ref>

In 1986, Idle provided the voice of Wreck-Gar, the leader of the Junkions (a race of robots built out of junk that can only speak in film catchphrases and advertising slogans) in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''. In 1987, he took part in the [[English National Opera]] production of the [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] [[comic opera]] ''[[The Mikado]]'', in which he appeared in the role of the Lord High Executioner, Ko-Ko; a performance of it was taped by Thames Television for broadcast, directed by John Michael Phillips, and subsequently released on DVD by A&E. In 1989, he appeared in the U.S. comedy television series ''[[Nearly Departed]]'', about a ghost who haunts the family inhabiting his former home; the series lasted for six episodes as a summer replacement series.

{{Quote box|width=29%|align=left|quote="Idle has always, it seemed, been happy to have been a Python, happy to talk about Python, happy to revisit the group's glory days. Even though he has gone on to his own work – dozens of films, plays, TV shows, albums, books and screenplays – he is perhaps the most active standard-bearer for the group. It was Idle who toured extensively in 2000 and 2003, performing Python songs with a band and back-up singers. He went on the road with the ''Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python Tour'', then with the ''Greedy Bastard Tour'', which was documented extensively on the Python website he launched in 1996."|source=—Dave Eggers in ''[[The Guardian]]'', September 2006.<ref name="Eggers"/>}}

Idle received good critical notices appearing in projects written and directed by others&nbsp;– such as [[Terry Gilliam]]'s ''[[The Adventures of Baron Munchausen]]'' (1989), alongside [[Robbie Coltrane]] in ''[[Nuns on the Run]]'' (1990) and in ''[[Casper (film)|Casper]]'' (1995). He also played Ratty in Terry Jones' version of ''[[The Wind in the Willows (1996 film)|The Wind in the Willows]]'' (1996). However, his own creative projects&nbsp;– such as the film ''[[Splitting Heirs]]'' (1993), a comedy he wrote, starred in and executive-produced&nbsp;– were mostly unsuccessful with critics and audiences.

In 1994, Idle appeared as Dr. Nigel Channing, chairman of the Imagination Institute and host of an 'Inventor of the Year' awards show in the [[3-D film|three-dimensional film]] ''[[Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!]]'', which was an attraction at the [[Imagination! (Epcot)|Imagination Pavilion]] at [[Walt Disney World]]'s [[Epcot]] from 1994 until 2010 and at [[Disneyland Park (Anaheim)|Disneyland]] from 1998 until 2010. The film also stars [[Rick Moranis]] and other members of the cast of the 1989 feature film ''[[Honey, I Shrunk the Kids]]''. In 1999, he reprised the role in the short-lived second incarnation of the [[Journey into Imagination]] ride at Epcot, replacing [[Figment (Disney character)|Figment]] and Dreamfinder as the host. Due to an outcry from Disney fans, the attraction was reworked in 2001, reintroducing Figment into the ride while also retaining Idle's role as Nigel Channing. Idle is also writer and star of the 3-D film ''Pirates&nbsp;– 4D'' for Busch Entertainment Corporation.

In 1995, Idle appeared in ''[[Casper (film)|Casper]]'' opposite [[Cathy Moriarty]] and voiced [[Rincewind|Rincewind the "Wizzard"]] in [[Discworld (computer game)|a computer adventure game]] based on [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld]]'' novels. In 1996, he reprised his role as Rincewind for [[Discworld 2|the game's sequel]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/09/25/discworld-ii-mortality-bytes|title=Discworld II: Mortality Bytes!|author=<!--Not stated-->|date=24 September 1997}}</ref> and composed and sang its theme song, "That's Death". In 1998, Idle appeared in the lead role in the poorly received film ''[[Burn Hollywood Burn]]''. That same year, he also provided the voice of Devon, one of the heads of a two-headed dragon, with [[Don Rickles]] as the other head Cornwall, in the [[Warner Bros.]] [[animated film]] ''[[Quest for Camelot]]'', and as Slyly, the albino Arctic fox in ''[[Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie]]''.

In later years Idle provided voice work for animation, such as in ''[[South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut]]'', in which he voiced Dr. Vosknocker. He has made four appearances on ''[[The Simpsons]]'' as documentarian [[Declan Desmond]]. Idle provided the voice of [[Merlin (Shrek)|Merlin the magician]] in the [[DreamWorks Animation|DreamWorks]] animated film ''[[Shrek the Third]]'' (2007) with his former Python co-star John Cleese, who voiced [[King Harold (Shrek)|King Harold]]. He also narrated the audiobook version of ''[[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory]]'' by [[Roald Dahl]].<ref>{{cite book |last=McCall |first=Douglas |title=Monty Python: A Chronology, 1969–2012, 2d ed. |date=2013 |publisher=McFarland |page=166}}</ref>

In late 2003, Idle began a performing tour of several American and Canadian cities entitled ''The Greedy Bastard Tour''.<ref name="Eggers"/> The stage performances consisted largely of music from Monty Python episodes and films, along with some original post-Python material. In 2005, Idle released ''The Greedy Bastard Diary'', a book detailing the things the cast and crew encountered during the three-month tour.<ref name="Eggers"/>

[[File:Nudge, Nudge O2 Arena.jpg|thumb|Idle (right) and [[Terry Jones]] performing the "[[Nudge Nudge]]" sketch at the Python reunion in 2014]]

In 2004, Idle created ''[[Spamalot]]'', a [[Comedy music|musical comedy]] based on the 1975 film ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail''. The medieval production tells the story of [[King Arthur]] and his Knights of the Round Table as they journey on their quest for the [[Holy Grail]].<ref name="Eggers"/> ''Spamalot'' features a book and lyrics by Idle, music by Idle and [[John Du Prez]], direction by [[Mike Nichols]], and choreography by [[Casey Nicholaw]].<ref>[http://montypythonsspamalot.com/creators.php ERIC IDLE], Monty Python's ''Spamalot'' {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809122909/http://montypythonsspamalot.com/creators.php |date=9 August 2013}}</ref>

Idle's play ''[[What About Dick?]]'' was given a staged reading at two public performances at the [[Ricardo Montalbán Theatre]] in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] on 10–11 November 2007. The cast included Idle, [[Billy Connolly]], [[Tim Curry]], [[Eddie Izzard]], [[Jane Leeves]], [[Emily Mortimer]], [[Jim Piddock]] and [[Tracey Ullman]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Eric Idle asks 'What About Dick?' |url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117974601.html?categoryid=15&cs=1 |url-status=dead |work=Variety |date=23 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024204345/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117974601.html?categoryid=15&cs=1 |archive-date=24 October 2007}}</ref> The play returned on 26–29 April 2012 in the [[Orpheum Theatre (Los Angeles)|Orpheum Theatre]], most of the cast returning except Emily Mortimer, who was replaced by [[Sophie Winkleman]]. [[Russell Brand]] also joined the cast. The play was made available for digital download on 13 November 2012.

Idle performed at the [[2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony]] at the [[London Stadium|Olympic Stadium]] in London on 12 August, singing "[[Always Look on the Bright Side of Life]]".<ref name =olympics1/><ref name =olympics2/> He was the creator and director of the live show ''[[Monty Python Live (Mostly)|Monty Python Live (mostly)&nbsp;– One down, Five to go]]'', which was performed at [[the O2 Arena]], London, between 1 and 20 July 2014.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cavendish |first=Dominic |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10940401/The-almost-definitive-guide-to-Monty-Python-Live-Mostly.html |title=The almost-definitive guide to Monty Python Live (Mostly)|date=2 July 2014 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |access-date=21 July 2014}}</ref>

In December 2016, Idle was the writer and co-presenter of ''The Entire Universe'', a "comedy and musical extravaganza with the help of [[Warwick Davis]], [[Noel Fielding]], [[Hannah Waddingham]] and [[Robin Ince]], alongside a chorus of singers and dancers", broadcast by BBC Two.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Entire Universe |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b086kfbj |publisher=BBC |date=26 December 2017 |access-date=27 December 2016}}</ref>

In 2020, it was announced that Idle would adapt his script for ''Spamalot'' into a feature film for [[Paramount Pictures]], with Nicholaw directing and [[Dan Jinks]] producing.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fleming |first1=Mike Jr. |last2=Kroll |first2=Justin |title=Paramount Acquires Monty Python Musical 'Spamalot'; Casey Nicholaw Directing Eric Idle Script |url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/spamalot-paramount-pictures-movie-musical-eric-idle-casey-nicholaw-monty-python-and-the-holy-grail-1234665944/ |date=6 January 2021 |access-date=28 January 2024}}</ref>

In 2022, Idle competed in [[The Masked Singer (American TV series) season 8|season eight]] of ''[[The Masked Singer (American TV series)|The Masked Singer]]'' as "Hedgehog". He did a cover of [[the Beatles]]' "[[Love Me Do]]" with help from the [[USC Trojan Marching Band]]. When eliminated in the first episode alongside [[William Shatner]] as "Knight" and [[Chris Kirkpatrick]] as "Hummingbird", Idle mentioned to [[Nick Cannon]] that he had to get approval from [[Paul McCartney]] to do "Love Me Do" for a competition, in exchange for telling McCartney what the competition was so that he can avoid it. In addition, Idle did an unmasked performance of "[[Always Look on the Bright Side of Life]]" from ''[[Life of Brian]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/tv/hedgehog-the-masked-singer-revealed/|title=Eric Idle shares why he did The Masked Singer after secretly beating cancer|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|first=Lauren|last=Huff|date=September 22, 2022|access-date=September 5, 2024}}</ref>

In February 2024, Idle made headlines in the UK after revealing that he was still working at the age of 80 for financial reasons, saying "Python is a disaster. I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously", but also "I don't mind not being wealthy. I prefer being funny".<ref name=rufo>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68246210|title=Eric Idle: Monty Python star working at 80 for financial reasons|first=Yasmin|last=Rufo|website=BBC News |date=12 February 2024}}</ref> In July 2025, he told ''[[NME]]'' in an interview that his relationship with the other Pythons was "poor to terrible", adding that "they don't talk to me. I haven't seen them for 10 years so it doesn't really matter. Apparently they say rude and nasty things but I don't read them."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nme.com/features/film-interviews/eric-idle-bowie-beatles-monty-python-3879711 | title=Eric Idle talks Bowie, Beatles and the chances of a Monty Python reunion | work=NME | first=Gary | last=Ryan | date=23 July 2025 | access-date=22 August 2025}}</ref> His first solo UK tour since 1973 was organised for later that year.<ref>{{cite news|title=Eric Idle: I have to check that my jokes don't offend the younger generation|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2025/08/27/58945/eric_idle%3A_i_have_to_check_that_my_jokes_dont_offend_the_younger_generation|website=Chortle|date=27 August 2025}}</ref>

==Other credits==
===Writing===
Idle has written several books, both fiction and non-fiction. His novels are ''[[Hello Sailor (novel)|Hello Sailor]]'' and ''[[The Road to Mars]]''.{{cn|date=October 2024}} In 1976, he produced a spin-off book to ''[[Rutland Weekend Television]]'', titled ''The Rutland Dirty Weekend Book''.{{cn|date=October 2024}} In 1982, he wrote a West End farce ''Pass the Butler'', starring [[Willie Rushton]]. During his Greedy Bastard Tour of 2003, he wrote the diaries that would be made into ''The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour of America'', published in February 2005.{{cn|date=October 2024}} 

Idle also wrote the book and co-wrote the music and lyrics for the musical ''[[Spamalot|Monty Python's Spamalot]]'', based on the film ''[[Monty Python and the Holy Grail]]''. It premiered in Chicago before moving to Broadway, where it received the [[Tony Award for Best Musical]] of the 2004–05 season. Idle won the [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics]].{{cn|date=October 2024}} 

In a 2005 poll to find ''"The Comedians' Comedian"'' (UK), he was voted 21 in the top 50 greatest comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cook tops poll of comedy greats|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/jan/02/arts.artsnews|work=The Guardian|date=2 January 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4141019.stm|title=Cook voted 'comedians' comedian'|publisher=BBC News|date=2 January 2005|access-date=21 September 2008}}</ref>

===Songwriting===
Idle is a songwriter with about 150 songs to his credit.<ref name="Eggers"/> He composed and performed many of Pythons' most famous comic pieces, including "[[Eric the Half-a-Bee]]", "[[The Philosophers' Song]]", "[[Galaxy Song]]", "[[Penis Song (Not the Noel Coward Song)|Penis Song]]" and, probably his most recognised hit, "[[Always Look on the Bright Side of Life]]", which was written for the closing scene of the Monty Python film ''[[Life of Brian]]'', and sung from the crosses during the mass [[crucifixion]]. The song has since been covered by [[Harry Nilsson]], [[Bruce Cockburn]], [[Art Garfunkel]], and [[Green Day]]. Idle, his fellow Pythons and assorted family and friends performed the song at [[Graham Chapman]]'s memorial service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/bright-side-of-life-is-uks-funeral-favorite/
|title='Bright Side of Life' is UK's funeral favorite|website=The Times of Israel|date=21 November 2014|access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref> Idle performed the song at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on 12 August 2012 and as the farewell song of the last show of the [[Monty Python Live (Mostly)|Python's reunion at the O2 arena]], 20 July 2014.<ref name =olympics1>{{cite web |last=Goldsmith |first=Belinda |title=London says goodbye with musical extravaganza |url=https://www.reuters.com/london-olympics-2012/articles/2012/08/12/london-calling-games-end-music-extravaganza |url-status=dead |publisher=Reuters |date=13 August 2012 |access-date=13 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023175728/https://www.reuters.com/london-olympics-2012/articles/2012/08/12/london-calling-games-end-music-extravaganza |archive-date=23 October 2012}}</ref><ref name =olympics2>{{cite web |title=London ends Olympics on extravagant notes |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2012/08/201281305330562117.html |work=Al Jazeera English |date=12 August 2012 |access-date=20 August 2019}}</ref>
[[File:Eric Idle Carol Cleveland Galaxy Song.jpg|thumb|right|Idle (left) and [[Carol Cleveland]] performing the "[[Galaxy Song]]" (from ''Monty Python's The Meaning of Life'') at ''[[Monty Python Live (Mostly)]]'' in 2014]]

As Ko-Ko in the 1987 [[English National Opera]] production of ''[[The Mikado]]'', Idle wrote his own 'Little List' on "[[s:As some day it may happen|As some day it may happen]]". In 1989, Idle co-wrote and sang the theme tune to the popular British sitcom ''[[One Foot in the Grave]]'' and although the series became immensely popular, the song did poorly in the charts. 

When "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" was adopted as a [[Association football|football]] chant in the late 1980s, Idle's then neighbour [[Gary Lineker]] suggested Idle re-record and release the popular track. With help from [[BBC Radio 1]] breakfast show host [[Simon Mayo]], who gave the song regular airplay and also used the chorus within a jingle, it became a hit, some 12 years after the song's original appearance in ''Life of Brian'', reaching number 3 in the UK charts and landing Idle a set on ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' in October 1991.<ref>{{cite news |title=Official Singles Chart Top 75 (13 October 1991 – 19 October 1991) |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19911013/7501/ |access-date=22 August 2019 |work=Official Charts Company}}</ref> The following month Idle, accompanied by opera singer [[Ann Howard (mezzo-soprano)|Ann Howard]], sang the song at the [[Royal Variety Performance]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10739966/Ann-Howard-obituary.html|title=Ann Howard – obituary|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=2 April 2014|access-date=26 June 2020|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> He recorded a special version for Mayo's own use on air ("Come on Simon, get another song on now; why don't you put on a nice [[Cliff Richard]] record?") and changed the line "life's a piece of shit" to "life's a piece of spit" in order to get daytime airplay on radio.<ref>{{Cite web |last=SB |date=2023-08-12 |title=THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG: «Always Look On the Bright Side of Life» by Monty Python |url=https://norselandsrock.com/always-look-on-the-bright-side-of-life-monty-python/ |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=Rocking In the Norselands |language=en-GB}}</ref>

[[File:Monty_Python_Live_02-07-14_11_29_34_(14415367089).jpg|thumb|left|Idle performing "[[Bruces sketch]]" in 2014. Involving stereotypical "[[ocker]]" Australians, Idle said he based it on his Australian friends from the 1960s "who always seemed to be called Bruce".<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Kim "Howard" |title=The First 20 Years of Monty Python |url=https://archive.org/details/first200yearsofm00john |url-access=registration |publisher=St. Martin's Press |location=New York |date=1989 |page=[https://archive.org/details/first200yearsofm00john/page/107 107] |isbn=0-312-03309-5}}</ref>]]

In 2004, Idle recorded a [[protest song]] of sorts, the "[[FCC Song]]", in which he lambasts the U.S. [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]] for fining him $5,000 for saying "fuck" on national radio. The song contains 14 uses of the word.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.org/details/Eric_Idle_The_FCC_Song|title=The FCC Song|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>

In the same year, the musical comedy ''[[Spamalot]]'' debuted in Chicago; it opened in New York's [[Shubert Theatre (New York City)|Shubert Theatre]] on 14 February 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dziemianowicz |first=Joe |date=2023-12-07 |title=Everything you need to know about 'Spamalot' on Broadway |url=https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-spamalot-on-broadway |access-date=2025-06-05 |website=New York Theatre Guide |language=en}}</ref> Idle wrote the lyrics and book for ''Spamalot'', collaborating with [[John Du Prez]] on much of the music. The original 2005 Broadway theatre production was nominated for 14 [[Tony Awards]] and won three: [[Tony Award for Best Musical|Best Musical]], [[Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical|Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical]] ([[Sara Ramirez]]), and [[Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical|Best Direction of a Musical]] ([[Mike Nichols]]).{{cn|date=October 2024}} 

In 2006 he wrote, produced and performed the song "Really Nice Day" for the movie ''[[The Wild]]''.{{cn|date=October 2024}} 

In June 2007, ''[[Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)|Not the Messiah]],'' a comic [[oratorio]] by Idle and Du Prez.<ref>Eric Idle, [Email letter to] "The Pythons", 20 December 2006. Reprinted in Roy Thompson Hall Performance Program Insert, summer 2007. p. 6.</ref> premiered at the inaugural [[Luminato]] arts festival in [[Toronto]]. Idle performed live during this 50-minute oratorio, along with the [[Toronto Symphony Orchestra]] and members of the [[Toronto Mendelssohn Choir]]. Du Prez was also present. Shannon Mercer, Jean Stilwell, [[Christopher Sieber]], and Theodore Baerg sang the principal parts. The American premiere was at Caramoor ([[Westchester County, New York]]) on 1 July 2007. Soloists were the same as in the Toronto performance, but the accompanying chorus was made up of members of New York City's Collegiate Chorale. The show was revised and expanded for a tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2007, including two sell-out nights at the [[Sydney Opera House]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Something Completely Different |url=http://www.americanorchestras.org/symphony_magazine/something_completely_different.html |url-status=dead |access-date=4 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090506030717/http://www.americanorchestras.org/symphony_magazine/something_completely_different.html |archive-date=6 May 2009}}</ref> A tour during the summer of 2008 included performances with the [[National Symphony Orchestra (United States)|National Symphony Orchestra]] at [[Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts]], the [[Los Angeles Philharmonic]] at the [[Hollywood Bowl]] in Los Angeles, and the [[Delaware Symphony Orchestra]] at the [[Mann Center for the Performing Arts]] in Philadelphia.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/25/AR2008072502791.html|title='Not the Messiah': Eric Idle Revs Up|access-date=4 November 2008 | newspaper=The Washington Post |date=26 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Monty Python's Eric Idle Resurrects 'Life of Brian' |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92869664 |publisher=NPR |date=24 July 2008 |access-date=4 November 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2008/07/tonight_and_friday_eric_idle_w.php|title=Tonight and Friday: Eric Idle with the Houston Symphony|date=17 July 2008|access-date=4 November 2008|archive-date=24 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524010516/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2008/07/tonight_and_friday_eric_idle_w.php|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Amado returns to helm of Delaware Symphony Orchestra|url=https://www.therecordherald.com/article/20080528/NEWS/305289903|author=<!--Not stated-->|website=Waynesboro Record Herald – Waynesboro, PA |access-date=8 May 2020}}</ref>

Idle contributed a cover of [[Buddy Holly]]'s "[[Raining in My Heart]]" for the tribute album ''[[Listen to Me: Buddy Holly]]'', released 6 September 2011.{{cn|date=October 2024}} He also wrote and sang a variant of the "Galaxy Song" for Professor [[Brian Cox (physicist)|Brian Cox]]'s show ''[[Wonders of Life (TV series)|Wonders of Life]]'', as well as the new theme for Cox's radio show ''[[The Infinite Monkey Cage]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p021x88c|title=Eric Idle performs theme song for The Infinite Monkey Cage, The Infinite Monkey Cage&nbsp;– BBC Radio 4|date=30 June 2014 |access-date=27 December 2016}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Idle has been married twice. His first marriage was in 1969 to actress [[Lyn Ashley]], with whom he had one son before their divorce in 1975. He met Tania Kosevich, a former model, in 1977 and they married in 1981.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Eric's naughty bits |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/erics-naughty-bits/article1023519/|website=Theglobeandmail.com|access-date=26 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Idle, Eric   |url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-21409 |title =Who's Who 2024 and Who Was Who |date = 1 December 2019 |isbn=978-0-19-954088-4 |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U21409 |publisher =Oxford University Press |url-access=subscription}}</ref> They had a daughter.<ref name=paynter2023>{{cite web |last=Paynter |first=Sarah |title=Monty Python's Eric Idle Lists Los Angeles Home for $6.495 Million |website=Mansion Global |date=10 February 2023 |url=https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/monty-pythons-eric-idle-lists-los-angeles-home-for-6-495-million-12381093 |access-date=17 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.express.co.uk/expressyourself/98595/Marriage-is-no-laughing-matter-when-you-re-a-Python|title=Marriage is no laughing matter when you're a Python|date=3 May 2009|work=[[Daily Express]]|access-date=17 July 2018}}</ref> From 1995 they lived in a five-bedroom, {{convert |adj=on|7,000|ft2}} mansion in the [[Hollywood Hills]], which they sold in 2023 owing to financial difficulty.<ref name=paynter2023/><ref name=rufo/> Idle has held [[Green card|permanent residency in the United States]] since about 1997.<ref name=rufo/> During and because of [[Donald Trump]]'s second presidency, Idle was strongly critical of Trump in a question-and-answer session, saying, after permanent residents ([[Detention and deportation of American citizens in the second Trump administration|and citizens]]) were deported after criticising the [[Second presidency of Donald Trump|Trump presidency]], "I'd be proud to be thrown out because I'd be in very select company. The last English comedian to be thrown out of America for political reasons was [[Charlie Chaplin]]."<ref name=shoard>{{cite news| last=Shoard | first=Catherine | title='I'd be proud to be thrown out of America!' Eric Idle on Trump, life after Python and not talking before lunch (question-and-answer session)|newspaper=The Guardian | date=11 July 2025 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jul/11/id-be-proud-to-be-thrown-out-of-america-eric-idle-on-trump-life-after-python-and-not-talking-before-lunch }}</ref>

Idle is a first cousin of Canadian conductor [[Peter Oundjian]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Zekas |first=Rita |title=A symphony of comfort and cheer |url=https://www.thestar.com/life/homes/2013/12/05/a_symphony_of_comfort_and_cheer.html |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=5 December 2013 |access-date=27 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Peter Oundjian (b.1955) |url=https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/pictures/artist/scotlands-finest/peter-oundjian/ |website=Classic FM |access-date=26 May 2020 |archive-date=24 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924155456/https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/pictures/artist/scotlands-finest/peter-oundjian/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and Nigel Wray, former chairman of [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]] Rugby Club.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nigel Wray receives unlikely backing of comedy legend|url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/nigel-wray-receives-unlikely-backing-of-comedy-legend/|date=11 November 2019|website=Rugby Pass}}</ref> [[David Bowie]] made Idle godfather to his son, film director [[Duncan Jones]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Hoyle |first=Ben |title=Eric Idle interview: Monty Python, his new book Always Look on the Bright Side of Life and hanging out with George Harrison and Mick Jagger |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/eric-idle-interview-monty-python-his-new-book-always-look-on-the-bright-side-of-life-and-hanging-out-with-george-harrrison-and-mick-jagger-j83zf0v6z |work=[[The Times]] |date=6 October 2018}}</ref>

Idle is an [[atheist]], but does not like using the term and is quoted as saying "I don't like that word, it implies that there's a [[God]] not to believe in."<ref>{{cite web |title=Eric Idle on Terry Jones, Brian Cox, religion and The Entire Universe |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-12-26/eric-idle-on-terry-jones-brian-cox-religion-and-the-entire-universe/ |website=[[Radio Times]] |date=26 December 2016 |access-date=28 January 2024}}</ref>

In 2019, Idle was diagnosed with [[pancreatic cancer]]. He was diagnosed early and underwent successful surgery to remove the tumour, needing no further treatment after this procedure.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Eric Idle: I Survived Pancreatic Cancer. It's a Funny Story |url=https://time.com/6215318/eric-idle-pancreatic-cancer/ |magazine=Time |date=21 September 2022 |access-date=22 September 2022}}</ref>

As of 2024, Idle lived in [[Los Angeles]], US.<ref name=rufo/>

In 2025, he said that he did not watch comedy and watched very little, mainly Netflix thrillers. "I don't go to the movies because they're very boring and for 12-year-olds. I don't watch news and I don't read newspapers."<ref name=shoard/>

==Tributes==
*An [[asteroid]], [[9620 Ericidle]], is named in his honour.<ref>{{cite web |title=(9620) Ericidle = 1993 FU13 |url=http://www.astro.uu.se/planet/asteroid/astdiv/9620.html |url-status=dead |date=17 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813034146/http://www.astro.uu.se/planet/asteroid/astdiv/9620.html |archive-date=13 August 2012}}</ref>
* The default [[Integrated development environment|Integrated development environment (IDE)]] of the [[programming language]] [[Python (programming language)|Python]] is called [[IDLE (Python)|IDLE]]. Although officially IDLE stands for "Integrated DeveLopment Environment", the name has been chosen in allusion to Eric Idle, as the name of the programming language Python itself has been chosen in allusion to Monty Python.<ref>Lutz, Mark & Ascher, David (2004). ''Learning Python'', p. 40. O'Reilly Media, Inc. {{ISBN|0-596-00281-5}}.</ref><ref>Hammond, Mark & Robinson, Andy (2000). ''Python Programming On Win32: Help for Windows Programmers'', p. 59. O'Reilly Media, Inc. {{ISBN|978-1565926219}}.</ref>

==Filmography==

===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1971
| ''[[And Now for Something Completely Different]]''
| rowspan="5" | Various roles
| rowspan="3" | Also co-writer
|-
| 1975
| ''[[Monty Python and the Holy Grail]]''
|-
| 1979
| ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian]]''
|-
| 1982
| ''[[Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl]]''
| Concert film; also co-writer
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1983
| ''[[Monty Python's The Meaning of Life]]''
| Also co-writer
|-
| ''[[Yellowbeard]]''
| Commander Clement
|
|-
| 1985
| ''[[National Lampoon's European Vacation]]''
| The Bike Rider
|
|-
| 1986
| ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''
| Wreck-Gar
| Voice<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Eric Idle (visual voices guide) |url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Eric-Idle/ |access-date=October 19, 2023 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>
|-
| 1988
| ''[[The Adventures of Baron Munchausen]]''
| Berthold / Desmond
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1990
| ''[[Nuns on the Run]]''
| Brian Hope
|
|-
| ''[[Too Much Sun]]''
| Sonny
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1992
| ''[[Mom and Dad Save the World]]''
| King Raff
|
|-
| ''[[Missing Pieces (1992 film)|Missing Pieces]]''
| Wendel
|
|-
| 1993
| ''[[Splitting Heirs]]''
| Tommy Butterfly Rainbow Peace Patel
| Also writer and executive producer
|-
|1994
|''[[Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!]]''
| Dr. Nigel Channing
|Short film
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Casper (film)|Casper]]''
| Paul "Dibs" Plutzker
|
|-
| 1996
| ''[[The Wind in the Willows (1996 film)|The Wind in the Willows]]''
| Mr. Rat
|
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Pirates 4-D]]''
| Pierre
| Short film; also writer
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1998
| ''[[An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn]]''
| [[Alan Smithee]]
|
|-
| ''[[The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue]]''
| Evil Martin
| Voice, direct-to-video<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''[[Quest for Camelot]]''
| Devon
| rowspan="2" |Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''[[Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie]]''
| Slyly
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1999
| ''[[Dudley Do-Right (film)|Dudley Do-Right]]''
| Prospector Kim J. Darling
|
|-
| ''[[South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut]]''
| Dr. Vosnocker
| rowspan="2" | Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
| 2000
| ''[[102 Dalmatians]]''
| Waddlesworth
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Pinocchio (2002 film)|Pinocchio]]''
| Medoro
| English dub
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2003
| ''[[Concert for George (film)|Concert for George]]''
| Himself / Barber / Mountie
| Documentary
|-
| ''[[Hollywood Homicide]]''
| The Celebrity
| Cameo
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2004
| ''[[Ella Enchanted (film)|Ella Enchanted]]''
| Narrator
|Voice
|-
| ''[[The Nutcracker and the Mouse King]]''
| Drosselmeyer
| Voice, direct-to-video; English dub<ref name="btva" />
|-
| 2005
| ''[[The Aristocrats (film)|The Aristocrats]]''
| Himself
| Documentary
|-
| 2006
| ''[[The Wild]]''
| Wildebeest
| Composer/performer: "Really Nice Day"
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Shrek the Third]]''
| [[Merlin]]
| rowspan="2" |Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Delgo]]''
| Spig
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2014
| ''[[Monty Python Live (Mostly)]]''
| Various roles
| Concert film; also writer and director
|-
| ''[[The Boxtrolls]]''
|
| Composer: "The Boxtrolls Song"
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Absolutely Anything]]''
| Salubrious Gat
|Voice<ref name="btva" />
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1967–1969
| ''[[Do Not Adjust Your Set]]''
| rowspan="5" | Various roles
| 27 episodes; also writer
|-
| 1967–1970
| ''[[No&nbsp;– That's Me Over Here!]]''
| Co-creator and writer
|-
| 1968
| ''[[We Have Ways of Making You Laugh]]''
| 12 episodes
|-
| 1969–1974
| ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]''
| 45 episodes; also co-creator and writer
|-
| 1972
| ''[[Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus]]''
| 2 episodes; also co-creator and writer
|-
| 1975–1976
| ''[[Rutland Weekend Television]]''
| Dirk McQuickly / Various roles
| 14 episodes; also creator and writer
|-
| 1976–1979
| ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
| Himself
| 6 Episodes
|-
| 1978
| ''[[All You Need Is Cash]]''
| Dirk McQuickly / The Narrator <br/> Stanley J. Krammerhead III, Jr
| Television film; also writer and director
|-
| 1981
| ''[[Laverne & Shirley]]''
| Derek DeWoods
| Episode: "I Do, I Do"
|-
| 1982
| ''[[Faerie Tale Theatre]]''
| Narrator
| Episode: "The Tale of the Frog Prince" <br/>also director and writer
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Faerie Tale Theatre]]''
| [[The Pied Piper]]
| Episode: "The Pied Piper of Hamelin"
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1989
| ''[[Around the World in 80 Days (TV miniseries)|Around the World in 80 Days]]''
| [[Jean Passepartout]]
| 3 episodes
|-
| ''[[Nearly Departed]]''
| Grant Pritchard
| 6 episodes
|-
| 1991
| ''[[One Foot in the Grave]]''
| Mervyn Whale
| Episode: "The Man in the Long Black Coat"
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Frasier]]''
| Chuck
| Voice, episode: "High Crane Drifter"<ref name="btva" />
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1998
| ''[[Monty Python Live at Aspen]]''
| Himself
| Television special
|-
| ''[[Pinky and the Brain]]''
| Pinky's Mom and Dad
| Voice, episode: "The Family That Poits Together, <br/> Narfs Together"<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''[[The Angry Beavers]]''
| Spanque
| Voice, episode: "Dumbwaiters"<ref name="btva" />
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1998–1999
| ''[[Hercules (1998 TV series)|Hercules]]''
| Mr. Parentheses
| Voice, 11 episodes
|-
| ''[[Recess (TV series)|Recess]]''
| Galileo
| Voice, 2 episodes
|-
| 1999–2000
| ''[[Suddenly Susan]]''
| Ian Maxtone-Graham
| 22 episodes
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Buzz Lightyear of Star Command]]''
| Guzelian
| Voice, episode: "War and Peace and War"<ref name="btva" />
|-
| 2001–2002
| ''[[House of Mouse]]''
| Pluto Angel
| Voice, 2 episodes
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2002
| ''[[MADtv]]''
| Zookeeper
| Episode: "#8.18"
|-
| ''[[The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch]]''
| Narrator / Various
| Television film; also writer, director and producer
|-
| ''[[The Scream Team]]''
| Coffin Ed
| rowspan="2" | Television film
|-
| 2003
| ''[[National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2]]''
| Plane passenger
|-
| 2003–2012
| ''[[The Simpsons]]''
| Declan Desmond
| Voice, 4 episodes
|-
| 2004–2005
| ''[[Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!]]''
| Scrapperton
| Voice, 3 episodes<ref name="btva" />
|-
| 2016
| ''The Entire Universe''
| Himself (host)
| Television special; also writer
|-
| 2022
| ''[[The Masked Singer (American TV series)|The Masked Singer]]''
| Himself/Hedgehog
| Eliminated in first episode
|- 
| 2025
| ''[[This Morning (TV programme)|This Morning]]''
| Guest presenter 
| 
|}

=== Theatre ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Seussical]]''
|
| Co-conceiver
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Spamalot]]''
|
| Writer and co-lyricist
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)|Not the Messiah]]''
| Various roles
| Also writer
|-
| 2009
| ''[[An Evening Without Monty Python]]''
|
| Director
|-
| 2012
| ''[[What About Dick?]]''
| Piano
| Also writer and co-director
|-
| 2013
| ''[[The Pirates of Penzance]]''
| Sergeant of Police
| [[Delacorte Theatre]] Concert
|-
| 2014
| ''[[Monty Python Live (Mostly)]]''
| Various roles
| Also co-writer and director
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Spamalot]]''
| Historian
| [[Hollywood Bowl]]
|}

=== Video games ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Discworld (video game)|Discworld]]''
| rowspan="2" | [[Rincewind]]
| rowspan="2" | Voice
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1996
| ''[[Discworld II: Missing Presumed...!?]]''
|-
| ''[[Monty Python & the Quest for the Holy Grail]]''
| rowspan="2" | Various roles
| Voice<br/>Also producer and writer
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (video game)|Monty Python's The Meaning of Life]]''
| Voice
|}

=== Theme park attractions ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1994
| ''[[Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!]]''
| rowspan="2"| Dr. Nigel Channing
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Journey into Imagination with Figment]]''
| Also hosted 1999 version
|}

== Awards and nominations ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#b0c4de; 
! Association 
! Year
! Category
! Project
! Result
! class=unsortable| Ref.
|-
| rowspan=6| [[Grammy Awards]]
| [[18th Annual Grammy Awards|1976]] 
| rowspan=3| [[Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album|Best Comedy Album]] 
| ''[[The Monty Python Matching Tie and Handkerchief]]'' 
| {{nom}} 
| <ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.grammy.com/awards/18th-annual-grammy-awards|title= 18th Annual Grammy Awards|website= [[Grammy Awards|Recording Academy]]|access-date= April 29, 2025}}</ref>
|-
| [[23rd Annual Grammy Awards|1981]]
| ''[[Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album]]''
| {{nom}} 
| <ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.grammy.com/awards/23th-annual-grammy-awards|title= 23rd Annual Grammy Awards|website= [[Grammy Awards|Recording Academy]]|access-date= April 29, 2025}}</ref>
|-
| [[26th Annual Grammy Awards|1984]] 
| ''[[Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (album)|Monty Python's The Meaning of Life]]'' 
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.grammy.com/awards/26th-annual-grammy-awards|title= 26th Annual Grammy Awards|website= [[Grammy Awards|Recording Academy]]|access-date= April 29, 2025}}</ref>
|-
| [[40th Annual Grammy Awards|1998]]
| rowspan=2| [[Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children|Best Spoken Word Album for Children]]
| ''[[The Owl and the Pussy-Cat]]''
| {{nom}} 
| <ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.grammy.com/awards/40th-annual-grammy-awards|title= 40th Annual Grammy Awards|website= [[Grammy Awards|Recording Academy]]|access-date= April 29, 2025}}</ref>
|-
| [[46th Annual Grammy Awards|2004]]
| ''[[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory]]'' 
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.grammy.com/awards/46th-annual-grammy-awards|title= 46th Annual Grammy Awards|website= [[Grammy Awards|Recording Academy]]|access-date= April 29, 2025}}</ref>
|-
| [[48th Annual Grammy Awards|2006]]
| [[Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album|Best Musical Theater Album]]
| ''[[Spamalot|Monty Python's Spamalot]]''
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.grammy.com/awards/48th-annual-grammy-awards|title= 48th Annual Grammy Awards|website= [[Grammy Awards|Recording Academy]]|access-date= April 29, 2025}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=3|[[Tony Awards]]
| rowspan=3|[[59th Tony Awards|2005]]
|  [[Tony Award for Best Musical|Best Musical]]
| rowspan=5|''[[Spamalot]]'' 
| {{won}}
| rowspan=3|
|-
| [[Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical|Best Book of a Musical]]
| {{nom}}
|- 
| [[Tony Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]]
| {{nom}}
|- 
| rowspan=2|[[Drama Desk Award]]
| rowspan=2|2005
| [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics|Outstanding Lyrics]]
| {{won}}
| rowspan=2|
|-
| [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical|Outstanding Book of a Musical]]
| {{nom}}
|-
|}

==Bibliography==
*''[[Hello Sailor (novel)|Hello Sailor]]'', novel, 1975, [[Weidenfeld & Nicolson]], {{ISBN|0-297-76929-4}}
*''The Rutland Dirty Weekend Book'', 1976, [[Random House|Mandarin]] {{ISBN|0-413-36570-0}}
*''Pass the Butler'', play script, 1982, {{ISBN|0-413-49990-1}}
*''The Quite Remarkable Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat'', children's book, 1996, Dove Books, {{ISBN|0-7871-1042-6}}
*''[[The Road to Mars]]'', novel, 1998, {{ISBN|0-7522-2414-X}}, [[Macmillan Publishers|Boxtree]] (hardcover), {{ISBN|0-375-70312-8}} (paperback)
*''Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python Souvenir Program'', Green Street Press (U.S.), 2000
*''The Greedy Bastard Tour Souvenir Program'', Green Street Press (U.S.), 2003
*''The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour of America'', journal, 2005, {{ISBN|0-06-075864-3}}
*''The Writer's Cut'', e-Book, 2015, {{ISBN|9781910859247}}
*''Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography'', memoir, 2018, {{ISBN|9781984822581}}
*''The Spamalot Diaries'', Diary, 2024

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons}}
*[http://www.montypython.com/python_Eric_Idle/17 Eric Idle's profile on Monty Python's official website]
*{{IMDb name}}
*{{IBDB name}}
*{{IOBDB name}}
*{{Playbill person}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170617161054/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f296461 Eric Idle] at the [[British Film Institute]]{{better source needed|reason=Help request: a live link can be searched for at https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/expert - if available, replace the archive URL with the live link. Or if none found, remove this 'better source needed' template. | date=October 2023}}
*{{Screenonline name|499808}}
*{{British Comedy Guide|people|eric_idle}}
*[https://archive.org/details/Eric_Idle_The_FCC_Song Eric Idle singing his "FCC Song" in MP3 format from Archive.org]
*{{cite web |url=http://www.footlights.org/past/1965 |title=''My Girl Herbert'' |access-date=16 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060104112941/http://www.footlights.org/past/1965 |archive-date=4 January 2006 |url-status=dead}}&nbsp;– the 1965 Cambridge Footlights Club revue during the time when Eric Idle was President of the Footlights, as well as being a member of the revue cast

{{Monty Python}}
{{The Rutles}}
{{DramaDesk Lyrics 2001–2025}}

{{Authority control}}

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