It is one of the best loved films in British history, despite the efforts of some to get it banned on the grounds of blasphemy.
Monty Python’s Life of Brian and its Always Look on the Bright Side of Life song proved a mega hit and continues to resonate.
But a new exhibition of late Python star Terry Jones’s memorabilia shows how the iconic tune from the 1979 film could have been very different.
Among the objects on display at the Oriel Colwyn gallery in North Wales is an original handwritten version of the song with alternative lyrics.
Also revealed are unseen images of Jones and fellow Pythons John Cleese, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam relaxing while making their films.
Other images show stills of Jones in costume as ‘Mr Creosote’ for 1983 film The Meaning of Life.
The comically obese diner ends up exploding after eating everything on the menu.
Jones’s daughter Sally, 50, told MailOnline that her father’s trove of objects was kept for years in around 40 boxes in her mother’s loft.
Monty Python’s Life of Brian and its Always Look on the Bright Side of Life song proved a mega hit and continues to resonate. Above: The crucifixion scene in the film, showing Eric Idle and Graham Chapman singing the song
A new exhibition of late Monty Python star Terry Jones’ archive includes an early draft of the iconic song Always Look on the Bright Side of Life from 1979 film Life of Brian
‘I love all the photographs. Lots of them are from before my time. They are so evocative, showing them sitting down in a silly costume reading a book,’ she said.
‘To see people standing around having a cigarette behind the camera, those are the ones I really like.’
The boxes remarkably survived a flood several years ago and are now being displayed to fund the creation of a statue of Jones that will stand on the promenade at Colwyn Bay, where the star spent his early life.
Jones, who died aged 77 in 2020 after suffering from dementia, formed Monty Python with his fellow stars in 1969 after meeting Palin at Oxford University.
The group initially discussed working together at a tandoori restaurant in north London in 1969.
Their first on screen production was TV show Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The 45 episodes began broadcasting on the BBC in 1969 and ended in 1974.
The show proved hugely popular and led to the series of films, which began with Monty Python and the Holy Grail in 1975. The film was directed by Jones and Gilliam.
The Life of Brian, which was released in 1979, was written and directed by Jones.
Terry Jones in costume as ‘Mr Creosote’ in 1983 Monty Python film The Meaning of Life
Terry Jones in his enormous Mr Creosote costume, surrounded by production crew during filming of The Meaning of Life
Terry Jones as the comically obese Mr Creosote during filming of Monty Python film The Meaning of Life, which was released in 1983
Terry Jones in costume as Mr Creosote. The outfit included wheels so the star could move around
A contact sheet showing Terry Jones in costume as Mr Creosote in The Meaning of Life
Graham Chapman and Michael Palin during filming of Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life
The ‘Mr Creosote’ restaurant scene in 1983 film The Meaning of Life
A section of an early draft of the script for 1979 Monty Python film The Life of Brian
The film was made in Tunisia using sets produced for Franco Zeffirelli’s epic Life Of Jesus.
Despite being lapped up by viewers, religious spokesmen were furious and accused Jones of blasphemy.
Chapman portrays lead character Brian Cohen, who lives next door to Jesus and gets mistaken for the Messiah.
Morality campaigner Mary Whitehouse failed in a bid to refuse the film a certificate and the Church of England encouraged members to pray for its downfall.
Original posters and other memorabilia collected by Jones during his long career also feature in the new exhibition.
Ms Jones, who works as a furniture maker, added: ‘Dad was born in Colwyn Bay but then was taken away aged four and lived in Surrey.
‘He felt like a Welshman but didn’t sound like one. It was an endless frustration for him.
‘We spent many cold, wet Christmases, in unheated farmhouses in the middle of nowhere.’
Graham Chapman and Michael Palin during filming of Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life
Contact sheets from 1983 Monty Python film The Meaning of Life. They were kept by Terry Jones and have not been seen in public before
Terry Jones during filming for Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, which was released in 1983
Eric Idle (centre) seen during filming for Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, 1983
The contact sheet for scenes from 1983 Monty Python film The Meaning of Life
Michael Palin (left) and Terry Jones (centre) in the studio. The pair met at Oxford University
Behind the scenes of the filming of Terry Jones’ and Michael Palin’s 1969 TV series ‘The Complete and Utter History of Britain’
When she was a child, Ms Jones featured as an uncredited extra in Jones’s 1989 film Erik the Viking.
She said the ‘whole point’ of the exhibition is to raise money for the statue of her father. So far, an online campaign has raised £108,000 of a £120,000 target.
Paul Sampson, the curator at the Oriel Colwyn Photography Gallery, said: ‘It’s so exciting.
‘I popped down to Sally’s home and went through some of the archives with her, we decided what to show.’
He added: ‘What really stands out for me are the contact sheets from the Meaning of Life.
‘There are folders of contact sheets and stills from the filming. There’s not really any finished, finalised photography, it’s just the contact sheets.’
The Life of Brian was followed by The Meaning of Life in 1983.
After the Pythons went their separate ways, Jones directed 1987 film Personal Services, a biopic starring Julie Walters and inspired by real-life madam Cynthia Payne.
Monty Python’s stars after they had found global fame with their comedy sketches
Monty Python star Terry Jones. The image features in the late star’s archive
Behind the scene image of a Monty Python sketch showing the stars together. Terry Jones is centre
Terry Jones as one of his Python characters. The star passed away in 2020, leaving a trove of memorabilia
The start of a handwritten storyboard for 1983 Monty Python film The Meaning of Life
A page from Terry Jones’ sketched storyboard for The Meaning of Life ‘Mr Creosote’ scenes
A Spam menu that was given to the Pythons by a restaurateur as they dined in Glen Coe
Eric Idle, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Terry Jones from Monty Python at a photocall before a series of live performances at the O2 Arena, 2014
Terry Jones’s archive is now on display at the Oriel Colwyn Gallery in North Wales
He also went behind the camera for 1989 production Erik The Viking, which was based on his own children’s book.
His other credits include The Wind In The Willows (1996), with performances from Idle, Palin, and Cleese, and 2015 comedy Absolutely Anything, as well as presenting documentaries.
He had his daughter Sally and son Bill in 1976 with first wife Alison. The couple split in 2009 and Jones subsequently married Anna Söderström.
The couple had a daughter together.
Chapman was the first of the Pythons to die. He passed away aged just 48 in 1989 after a cancer battle.
The exhibition runs from December 10 to February 1, 2025. Exhibition tickets are priced at £5. They can be purchased at orielcolwyn.org.
