[[File:Monty Python Live 02-07-14 12 51 26 (14578960366).jpg|thumb|[[Eric Idle]] singing the "[[Galaxy Song]]" (from ''The Meaning of Life'') at the 2014 Monty Python reunion. Known for his [[wordplay]] and musical numbers, he also performed "[[Always Look on the Bright Side of Life]]" (from ''Life of Brian'')]]
When Monty Python was first formed, two writing partnerships were already in place:existed, Cleese and Chapman, as well as Jones and Palin. That left two in their own corners: Gilliam, operating solo due to the nature of his work, and [[Eric Idle]]. Regular themes in Idle's contributions were elaborate [[wordplay]] and musical numbers. After ''Flying Circus'', he hosted ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' four times in the first five seasons. Idle's initially successful solo career faltered in the 1990s with the failures of his 1993 film ''[[Splitting Heirs]]'' (written, produced by, and starring him) and 1998's ''[[An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn]]'' (in which he starred). He revived his career by returning to the source of his worldwide fame, adapting Monty Python material for other media. Idle wrote the [[Tony Award]]-winning musical ''[[Spamalot]]'', based on ''Holy Grail''. Following the success of the musical he wrote ''[[Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)|Not the Messiah]]'', an [[oratorio]] derived from the ''Life of Brian''.<ref>Eric Idle, [Email letter to] "The Pythons," 20 December 2006. Reprinted in Roy Thompson Hall Performance Program Insert, Summer 2007. p. 6.</ref> Representing Monty Python, Idle featured in a one-hour symphony of British Music when he performed at the [[2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony|London 2012 Olympic Games closing ceremony]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2012/08/201281305330562117.html |title=London ends Olympics on extravagant notes – Europe |work=Al Jazeera English |date=12 August 2012 |access-date=20 August 2019}}</ref>
