Born on January 8, 1941, Graham Chapman is an English comedian, actor, writer and physician. He is also one of the six members of the Monty Python comedy troupe. He attended the Melton Mowbray Grammar School, and studied medicine at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. There, he began writing comedy sketches with fellow writer/actor John Cleese. Chapman never practiced medicine professionally, although he qualified as a medical doctor at the Barts Hospital Medical College. He is also a member of Footlights, and has performed for West End and Broadway with his fellow members.
During the 1960s, Graham Chapman began writing professionally for the BBC, together with Cleese. He contributed comedy sketches to radio series like I’m Sorry, I’ll Read That Again. He also worked on television programs like The Illustrated Weekly Hudd in 1965, Cilla Black and This is Petula Clark. He next joined the comedy series At Last the 1948 Show with Cleese, Tim-Brooke Taylor and Marty Feldman. He also wrote for the long-running television comedy Doctor in the House. In 1969, he and Cleese became part of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, together with Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam.
After his work in Monty Python, Chapman moved to Los Angeles in the 1970s. He became a guest star on several television shows like the game show The Hollywood Squares and Still Crazy Like a Fox. He was also on the NBC sketch series The Big Show. In 1980, he published an autobiography. His memoir was titled A Liar’s Autobiography, which was written by five authors. He has also appeared on an episode of Red Dwarf and Jake’s Journey, his last project. Chapman can also be seen on an Iron Maiden video called “Can I Play with Madness.”
In 1988, he was diagnosed with a rare case of spinal cancer. He was taken ill in 1989, and died in a Maidstone Hospice on October 4 of that year.
-We don't deliberately set out to offend. Unless we feel it's justified.
-It's nice to see that look of alarm on the faces of the others.
-There is no cannibalism in the British navy, absolutely none, and when I say none, I mean there is a certain amount.
-Dressing up as decrepit old ladies, and even decrepit young ladies, was one of our staples.
-I can't talk to a man who bears an undeserved animosity towards ferrets.
-I hope I will have achieved something lasting.