Sir Not Appearing in This Film

I watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail again this weekend with my son and nephew, who at 11 and 14 are the perfect age to appreciate the Knights Who Say Nee and a rabbit who brings "death with nasty, big, pointy teeth" but not quite old enough for the rescue of Sir Galahad the Chaste from the peril he faced in Castle Anthrax.

Sir Lancelot: We were in the nick of time. You were in great peril.

Sir Galahad: I don't think I was.

Sir Lancelot: Yes, you were. You were in terrible peril.

Sir Galahad: Look, let me go back in there and face the peril.

Sir Lancelot: No, it's too perilous.

Sir Galahad: Look, it's my duty as a knight to sample as much peril as I can.

Seeing the film again made me wonder whatever became of Sir Not Appearing in This Film, the infant clad in plate mail who does not, true to his name, appear in the film. He's portrayed by William Palin, the son of Python legend Michael Palin, and IMDB reveals that he went on to not appear in any other film of the next 45 years (and counting).

Palin grew up to become a museum curator of Sir John Soane's Museum, a museum of architecture and sculpture in London where he turned up in a 2005 newspaper article. In 2020 he wrote about being CEO of Barts Heritage Trust, a historic renovation effort of the 900-year-old St. Bartholemew's Hospital in London. His father Michael had heart-valve replacement surgery there earlier in the year.

Movies · 2007/07/09 · 8 COMMENTS · Link

Comments

Yeah, just watched it with my kids this weekend also (12 + 14). Agree about the "chaste" part, though I could live without the "oral sex" reference near the end. The spanking ... fine. Oh well.

One of my fond remembrances of watching Monty Python with my dad and brothers way back when (late 70's?), was that mom never thought it was funny.

#1 · Patrick Mueller · 2007/07/09

Ahhhhh... Castle Anthrax!

Naughty, naughty Zoot!

...or was that Dingo?

Spud particularily likes the funny noise they used to simulate the sound of popping wood whilst wearing armor.

Spud also wondered wotever happened to Sir Not Apppearing In This Film. Spud always imagined the worst and didn't really want to ask.
Nice to see it all came out okay in the end.
Palin the Younger seems a decent bloke.

Now tell me again how we know the universe to be shaped like a banana

Be Well.

#2 · dethspud · 2007/07/10

Minstrel: [singing] Brave Sir Robin ran away...
Sir Robin: *No!*
Minstrel: [singing] bravely ran away away...
Sir Robin: *I didn't!*
Minstrel: [singing] When danger reared its ugly head, he bravely turned his tail and fled.
Sir Robin: *I never did!*
Minstrel: [singing] Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about, and valiantly, he chickened out.
Sir Robin: *Oh, you liars!*
Minstrel: [singing] Bravely taking to his feet, he beat a very brave retreat. A brave retreat by brave Sir Robin.

hahaha. very funny...

#3 · anarsist · 2007/07/15

Wait...

isn't it the Knights Who Say "Ni"?

Knight 1: We are now no longer the Knights who say Ni.

Knight 2: NI.

Other Knights: Shh...

Knight 1: We are now the Knights who say..."Ekki-Ekki-Ekki-Ekki-PTANG. Zoom-Boing. Z'nourrwringmm.

...and I still can't find the Book of Armaments...

#4 · Joe Dougherty · 2007/07/20

As a former textbook copy editor whose Chicago Manual of Style editing moves are unstoppable, I'm unilaterally making the change in spelling from "Knights of Ni" to "Knights of Nee." It's Nee as in need, not Ni as in Nixon.

#5 · Rogers Cadenhead · 2007/07/20

It's Nee as in need, not Ni as in Nixon

Agreed.

That always bugged Spud, in fact.

Spud bought the script to MPATHG many moons ago and was seriously irked by the fact that the script read "Ni" rather than "Nee" which had been the approximated spelling in Spud's wee head since first seeing the flick.

Reality is a consensual event on many given levels.

Nee!

So let it be written so let it be done.

Be Well.

PS: In the script Spud learned that Spud's favorite line in the piece was an ad-lib made up on set.

The King and his coconut clacking entourage are making their way past a couple of peasant types who notice them by remarking...

P#1: "Look there goes the King"

P#2: "How do you know he's the king then?"

P#1: "He must be, he doesn't have shit all over himself"

Spud is wander off now in search of a haddock.

#6 · dethspud · 2007/10/15

Since you've mention I'm thinking of watching it as well.. Seems interesting.

#7 · Paul · 2008/04/23

I added a link about William Palin's current position at Barts Heritage Trust and updated the screen grab.

#8 · Rogers Cadenhead · 2020/06/01