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Terry Jones

Terry Jones' Biography

by John Cleese

The creative energy behind 'Life of Brian' belongs to vital, teeming, Welsh expatriate TERRY JONES III. Jones, a rookie brewery owner, has risen quickly to the top of the motion picture directing tree.

Brilliantly gifted at school, he was a child by the time he was five, and won a place at Britain's Oxford University while still in his late teens, where he holds a Master's in Applied Paranoia. Volatile, dominant, highly energized, svelte, acerbic and coruscating are all words that he uses with uncertainty. Nevertheless, his dedication, boundless energy and passionate commitment make it a waste of time to try and change his mind on anything. Terry Jones III is the kind of man who knows what he wants and woe betide the man who tries to understand what he's talking about. Invited to direct 'Life of Brian' Jones III was forcibly attracted by the script. 'Wow" he says, 'It was just so neatly typed out in great big pretty orange covers with punctuation and the pages numbered in the right order and everything. I just flipped'. Jones, who threw up a promising academic career only on the advice of his teachers, now devotes his life to motion pictures. He eats, sleeps and talks film. 'I prefer it to life,' he confides, his anthracite�coloured eyes flashing, 'the editing facilities are better'. So much so that he has been shooting a film of his own life for the last seven years. 'When I have time to edit it,' he claims, 'it should make an interesting cigarette commercial'. Jones III is married and has two children that he knows about.

Taken from PythOnline.

Mini biography

Terry Jones was born on 1.02.1942 in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, UK. His father was a bank clerk, mother - mistress of the house. He has an older brother Nigel Jones (1940-). He studied at St. Edmund Hall College, Oxford University. In 1965, with his friend Michael Palin, he made THE LOVE SHOW for television, which was his first success. Also, he wrote for TV many shows, such as: THE KATHY KIRBY SHOW, LATE NIGHT LINE-UP (with Palin), THE COMPLETE AND UTTER HISTORY OF BRITAIN (with Palin). But Jones' greatest success was zany "MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS" (1969-74) (with Palin, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Giliiam and Eric Idle).

Spouse
'Alison Telfer' (1970 - present); 2 children

Trivia

Member of the comedy group "Monty Python"

Children, with Telfer, Sally (b. 1974) and Bill (b. 1976)

Interview

"Empire" (UK), 1996, Iss. 89, pg. 111-112, by: Simon Braund

1. Starship Titanic (1998) (VG) (voice) .... Parrot
2. Wind in the Willows, The (1996) .... Toad ... aka Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (1997) (USA)
3. Monty Python & the Quest for the Holy Grail (1996) (VG)
4. "Crusades" (1995) TV Series
5. L.A. Story (1991) (voice) (uncredited) .... Sara's Mother
6. "So This is Progress" (1991) TV Series .... Himself
7. Erik the Viking (1989) .... King Arnulf
8. Secret Policeman's Private Parts, The (1984) .... Himself
9. Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) .... Various
10. Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982) .... Various roles
11. Secret Policeman's Other Ball, The (1982) .... Himself/Various Roles
12. Secret Policeman's Ball, The (1981) (uncredited) .... Himself/Various Roles
13. Life of Brian (1979) .... Mandy, Simon, Bob Hoskins ... aka Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
14. Jabberwocky (1977) .... Poacher
15. Monty Python Meets Beyond the Fringe (1977) ... aka Pleasure at Her Majesty's (1977)
16. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974) .... Sir Bedevere, + minor roles
17. And Now for Something Completely Different (1971) .... Various roles
18. "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (1969) TV Series .... Various roles ... aka "Monty Python" (1969)
19. "Complete and Utter History of Britain" (1969) TV Series .... Various
20. "Do Not Adjust Your Set" (1967) TV Series .... Various
21. "Twice a Fortnight" (1967) TV Series .... Writer/Performer

1. Wind in the Willows, The (1996) ... aka Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (1997) (USA)
2. Monty Python & the Quest for the Holy Grail (1996) (VG) (screenplay Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
3. Erik the Viking (1989)
4. Consuming Passions (1988) (play Secrets)
5. Labyrinth (1986)
6. Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983)
7. Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982)
8. Life of Brian (1979) ... aka Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
9. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974)
10. And Now for Something Completely Different (1971)
11. It's Marty (1969) (TV)

1. Wind in the Willows, The (1996) ... aka Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (1997) (USA)
2. Monty Python & the Quest for the Holy Grail (1996) (VG)
3. Erik the Viking (1989)
4. Personal Services (1987)
5. Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983)
6. Life of Brian (1979) ... aka Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
7. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974)