Monty Python's Flying Circus (TV Series)

E. Henry Thripshaw's Disease (1972)

John Cleese: Announcer, Roger Last, Dr. E. Henry Thripshaw, Various Roles

Photos 

Quotes 

• Roger Last : [chat show set with three guests slumped in their seats]  Good evening. Tonight on "Is There?" we examine the question of life after death. And here to discuss it are three dead people. The late Sir Brian Hardacre, former curator of the Imperial War Museum; the late Professor Thynne, until recently an academic, critic, and broadcaster; and putting the view of the Church of England, the very late Prebendary Reverend Ross. Gentlemen, is there a life after death or not? Sir Brian?

  [silence] 

  Roger Last : Professor?

  [no response] 

  Roger Last : Prebendary?

  [no response] 

  Roger Last : Well there we have it, three say no. On "Is There?" next week, we'll be discussing the question "Is there enough of it about?" Until then, goodnight.

• Voice Over : [and caption]  The Free Repetition of Doubtful Words Skit, Spoof, Jape or Vignette, By a Very Underrated Writer.

  [a Post Office counter window with "Telegram Enquiries" over the top, seen through an ornate vignette. The clerk is behind the counter and Mr. Peepee enters. They speak very stiltedly] 

  Mr. Peepee : I've come for some free repetition of doubtful words on an inland telegram.

  Clerk : Have you got the telegram in question?

  Mr. Peepee : I have the very thing here.

  Clerk : Well, slip it to me my good chap and let me eye the contents.

  Mr. Peepee : At once, Mr Telegram Enquiry Man.

  Clerk : [taking the telegram and opening it]  Thank you Mr Customer Man. Aha! "Parling I glove you. Clease clome at bronce, your troving swife, Pat." Which was the word you wanted checking?

  Mr. Peepee : Pat.

  Clerk : Pat?

  Mr. Peepee : My wife's name is not Pat at all.

  Clerk : No?

  Mr. Peepee : It's Bat. With a B.

  Clerk : And therefore I will take a quick look in the book.

  [Caption: One Quick Look in the Book Later] 

  Clerk : You're quite right, old cock. There *has* been a mistake.

  Mr. Peepee : I thought as much. What really does it say?

  Clerk : It say "Go away you silly little bleeder. I am having another man. Love, Bat". Quite some error.

  Mr. Peepee : Yes. She wouldn't call herself Pat, it's silly.

  Clerk : Daft, I call it.

  Mr. Peepee : Well it has been a pleasure working with you.

  Clerk : For me also it has been a pleasure.

  [to camera] 

  Clerk : And that concludes our little skit.

  [the two men slightly hold a final pose, with string quartet music playing. Camera pulls back to reveal a string quartet playing the music] 

  Voice Over : [and caption]  The Free Repetition of Doubtful Words Thing, by a Justly Underrated Writer. The End.

• Dr. E. Henry Thripshaw : I see, but recently you have been having this problem with your word order?

  Mr. Burrows : Absolutely. What makes it worse is that sometimes at the end of a sentence, I'll come out with the wrong fuse box.

  Dr. E. Henry Thripshaw : Fuse box?

  Mr. Burrows : And the thing about saying the wrong word is that, 'A' I don't notice it, and 'B' sometimes orange water given a bucket of plaster.

  Dr. E. Henry Thripshaw : Yes, tell me more about your problem.

  Mr. Burrows : Well as I say well just be talking and out with the wrong word, and ash tray's your uncle. I won't be strawberry about it.

  Dr. E. Henry Thripshaw : Enough said.

  Mr. Burrows : It's so embarrassing when my wife and I go to an orgy.

  Dr. E. Henry Thripshaw : A party?

  Mr. Burrows : No, an orgy. We live in East Shire.

  Dr. E. Henry Thripshaw : Of course.

• Dr. E. Henry Thripshaw : At present I'm working on a new disease, which I am hoping to make into a musical.

• Second Assistant : There's a 'Bridget - Queen of the Whip'.

  Porn Shop Customer : Yes...

  Second Assistant : Or 'Naughty Nora'... or there's this one: 'Doug, Bob and Gordon Visit the Ark Royal'. Or there's 'Sister Teresa: The Spanking Nun'.

  Porn Shop Customer : Mmmm, I see. You don't have anything specially about Devon and Cornwall?

  Second Assistant : No, I'm afraid not, sir.

  Porn Shop Customer : The one I was really after was Arthur Hotchkiss's 'Devonshire Country Churches'.

  Second Assistant : Well how about this, sir: 'Bum Biters'?

  Porn Shop Customer : No, not really. I don't suppose you have any general surveys of English church architecture?

  Second Assistant : No, it's not really our line, sir.

  Porn Shop Customer : No, I see. Well, never mind I'll just take the 'Lord Lieutenant in Nylons' then, and trade in these two copies of 'Piggie Parade'. Thank you.