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Monty Python legal battle left me living in a bedsit, says 'seventh Python' Monty Python legal battle left me living in a bedsit, says 'seventh Python'
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The “seventh Python” who won a seven-year battle for full royalties after the success of Monty Python’s Spamalot, has revealed the battle left him out of pocket and terrified about bringing “disaster on myself and my family”. The “seventh Python”, who won a seven-year battle for full royalties after the success of Monty Python’s Spamalot, has revealed that the battle left him out of pocket and terrified about bringing “disaster on myself and my family”.
In his new book, The 7th Python: A Twat’s Tale, film producer Mark Forstater, who helped produce Monty Python and the Holy Grail in 1973, wrote that his fight for royalties from the musical spawned by the film, was “a sad story, one of friendships ending and of goodwill eroded. A tale of greed and hope and of desperation and negligence.” In his new book, The 7th Python: A Twat’s Tale, film producer Mark Forstater, who helped produce Monty Python and the Holy Grail in 1973, writes that his fight for royalties from the musical spawned by the film was “a sad story, one of friendships ending and of goodwill eroded. A tale of greed and hope and of desperation and negligence.”
Despite his legal victory in 2013, having to pay costs meant he was out of pocket, living in a bedsit and was terrified about bringing “disaster on myself and my family”, Forstater wrote. Despite his legal victory in 2013, having to pay costs meant he was out of pocket, living in a bedsit and was terrified about bringing “disaster on myself and my family”, Forstater writes.
In the book, he reveals how he became involved in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the hit 1975 comedy loosely based on the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the round table that made an estimated £30m. He reveals how he became involved in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the hit 1975 comedy loosely based on the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the round table, which made an estimated £30m.
Forstater, who had shared at flat with Gilliam in New York in the 1960s, said he helped secure funding after coming on board as a producer. He then signed a contract giving him and each of the six Pythons – Gilliam, Idle, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin and Graham Chapman — an equal share of any profits after costs. Forstater, who had shared at flat with Terry Gilliam in New York in the 1960s, said he helped secure funding after coming on board as a producer. He then signed a contract giving him and each of the six Pythons – Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin and Graham Chapman — an equal share of any profits after costs.
When Spamalot, developed by Idle using the plot and songs from the Holy Grail, opened on Broadway, Forstater – who stopped working with the Pythons in 1975 – said he expected a seventh of the profits but the Pythons claimed the 1974 contract entitled him to only a one-fourteenth share.When Spamalot, developed by Idle using the plot and songs from the Holy Grail, opened on Broadway, Forstater – who stopped working with the Pythons in 1975 – said he expected a seventh of the profits but the Pythons claimed the 1974 contract entitled him to only a one-fourteenth share.
The high court ruled in 2013 that Forstater was entitled to a one-seventh share, forcing the Pythons to pay £800,000 in legal fees and royalties. He also won costs on two further claims. “I lost money ... But I was pleased I at least won the main battle,” he said. The high court ruled in 2013 that Forstater was entitled to a one-seventh share, forcing the Pythons to pay £800,000 in legal fees and royalties. He also won costs on two further claims. “I lost money ... But I was pleased I at least won the main battle,” he writes.
The decision left bad blood between the former colleagues, referenced in the book’s title, which nods to a comment made by Eric Idle during Monty Python’s reunion for a series of shows in London last July. Idle, who mocked a reference to Forstater as “the seventh Python”, said in an interview with Time Out magazine: “We were meeting ... in gloomy circumstances because we had just been sued by this twat.” The decision left bad blood between the former colleagues, referenced in the book’s title, which nods to a comment made by Idle during Monty Python’s reunion for a series of shows in London last July. Idle, who mocked a reference to Forstater as “the seventh Python”, said in an interview with Time Out magazine: “We were meeting … in gloomy circumstances because we had just been sued by this twat.”
Writing about the production of the original film, Forstater described “a fractious atmosphere” between co-directors Gilliam and Jones when filming began in Scotland in April 1974. Nonetheless, when the cast came together to watch early rushes in a hotel where “local drinkers ... wandered over to have a look” , there was “a definite buzz”. Writing about the production of the original film, Forstater describes “a fractious atmosphere” between co-directors Gilliam and Jones when filming began in Scotland in April 1974. Nonetheless, when the cast came together to watch early rushes in a hotel where “local drinkers … wandered over to have a look” , there was “a definite buzz”.
He also described Don Rugoff, a US distributor, falling asleep and snoring loudly during a screening of the film: “But at the end Rugoff came to life, stood up, turned to everybody and said, ‘What do you think? What do you think?’ They all loved it. He said, ‘OK, I’ll buy it.’” He also describes Don Rugoff, a US distributor, falling asleep and snoring loudly during a screening of the film. “But at the end Rugoff came to life, stood up, turned to everybody and said: ‘What do you think? What do you think?’ They all loved it. He said: ‘OK, I’ll buy it.’”
The other members of Monty Python did not respond to a request for comment.The other members of Monty Python did not respond to a request for comment.