The best Python sketch I reckon, 'They were born, on probation'

OMG I forgot how funny this stuff was. Jones interviewing Chapman and pointing the mic away from him. It's just gags layered on absurdities on top of an insane premise. God love them.

‘He was a cruel man, but fair.’ A great line.

"Ethel the Frog" is such a nice title for a TV show, even if the contents of the show are completely unrelated. More TV shows should be called "Ethel the Frog"

This is the sketch that hooked me. I knew nothing about the Kray twins, but I knew that this was the funniest bit that I had ever seen. Long live Spiney Norman.

I totally forgot they were "Born, on probation..." 😂

When I was in high school, Python played on WTTW in Chicago 11:30 on Sunday night. I spent about a month prowling the halls between classes, poking around corners and saying "Dinsdale... Dinnnssssdal?!?" in a pretty good imitation. The vast herds around us thought we were crazy.

Such a great piss take of the Kray twins.

This is comic gold, the height of nonsense/hilarity blended together with such style as only the British could do. There are wonderful examples of human comedy across the world--it's part of the nature of the all humans to have a sense of humor. The hominids who wandered into Britain and settled just happened to come up with a uniquely wacky way of expressing humor.

I remember watching Monty Python with my sister after we had worked late in a restaurant and laughing our asses off and our dad would come downstairs in his underwear and watch for a few minutes before stating “I don’t get it” which made it even funnier.

pisstake on how people always romance the krays

Brilliant skit on The Krays!!!!!

After seeing the Movie "Legend" this sketch is funnier than ever.

"Well one day I was at home threatening the kids"

An interesting expose of the London underground in the 1970s. Very historically valuable.

Graham was fantastic in this sketch.

My family lived in England for four years when I was a child. I recognize the name Billy Bremner as a football player on Leeds United.

My father was from E. London and I heard stories about the "wide boys" and out and gangsters he knew of and this skit certainly resonates with me in the most hilarious way. I had relatives and met people when I was there who had accents like that. Funniest people I have ever met.

'he was a cruel man but fair " ah my hero

R.I.P Graham Chapman..A Legend!!!!!!

Mi sketch favorito de todos los tiempos...Lo mejor que hay,me crie mirando a estos grandes...Monty Phyton para siempre

Love holding the mic to the one not talking!

We called a little kid who lived across the street Dinsdale for years. Not our fault his name was Doug.

Watched these from 1969 as a 20 year old in England. Reminded me after reading this anecdote from Bob Hope, years later. Bob Hope reminisced that he was playing a theatre in Chicago in the 30s when Capone ruled the city. Hope was already quite famous by then. During the show his straight man said, 'My brother slapped Al Capone's face last week'. Hope said, 'He's a brave man, where is he? I'd like to shake his hand'.The straight man replied, 'I'm not gonna have him dug up just for that!' It got a big laugh in the theatre.. Later, Hope said he was relaxing in his hotel room with a drink before bed, and the phone rang. A classic gangster voice on the line (not Capone, obviously one of his lieutenants) said, 'Are youse Bob Hope de comedian?' Hope cautiously said, 'Yes'. 'I believe youse told a joke about Mr Capone last night, and Mr Capone would prefer you didn't tell dat joke again'. Hope said, 'Yes sir, no problem, sorry sir, never, again'. And he never did, of course. I wonder if a Kray brother rang Python from prison? 😂 Only joking. They were doing 30 years then and died in prison. Superb sketch as 99% of Python sketches are. 'He was a cruel man, but fair'. Always remember that line as other people have commented that it was their favourite.

Comedic genius . The twists and turns. Wonderful

Ethel the frog. Just the title makes me laugh. One of the best scenes they done. Together with Wrong way Norris and Dennis Moore.

One of my favorite Python sketches.

Alas, Graham Chapman and Terry Jones have both joined the choir invisibule.

I love this episode! The whole concept on nailing someone's head to the floor is crazy lol!

The Piranha brothers ran the "other, other operation" protection racket w/"Dean-O" and Luigi Fercotti on British Army bases in the Seventies.

I hear you've been a naughty boy, Clement

Brilliant spot on take on the Krays 😭😂😂🤣

This was my all-time favorite skit from the Flying Circus

The Krays, brutal poofs. Just love this episode.

when terry jones and graham chapman do the interview where he messes up the timing of the microphone is great

'The Golden Age of Ballooning' and 'Mr Neutron' episodes were also single uninterrupted sketches.

This is one of the funniest things I've ever seen in my life.

Yup def Graham Chapman, my favourite part of any Monty sketch! ...and then he nailed my head to the floor! ha! Amazing

I always subscribe to those who upload monty's silly sketches!

Eric's and, especially, Roger's acting are hilariously good in this one

Classic line amongst classic lines. Classicest I'd say.

Ooh, never noticed that the Pythons used a clip from Jean Sibelius' work (however short!), at 0:17 here. It's Intermezzo from _Karelia Suite_ (composed in 1893.) It's one of my favorites too!

"Screwed my pelvis to a cake stand" 😂

oh god "They split me nostrils open!" cant stop laughing

TV quizmaster...lol this one is timeless

this is one of the best sketches ever! *lol* i completely forgot this one! "starring...billy bremner"

Their father, Arthur Piranha, a scrap metal dealer and TV Quiz Master...........

The Piranha Brothers are being incorporated into the new League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

"I've been told Dinsdale Piranha nailed your head to the floor" "No, never! He was a smashing bloke, used to buy his mother flowers and that. He was like a brother to me." "But police actually have film of Dinsdale nailing your head to the floor." "Well, yeah, he did that." "Why?" " Well, I 'ad transgressed the unwritten law" " What had you done?" "Er, he didn't tell me that, but he said their was a case and that's good enough for me with old Dinsie. I 'ad to insist! He wanted to let me off!"

Y'know, my parents know a builder who sounds almost exactly like that! (minus the kid-threatening part; he's actually a nice guy.)

The real ones had just been sent down by then, but their influence still carried on................Funny sketch, and quite brave considering !

Cleese you brilliant genius.

Ethel the Frog. Love it!

“And a devout Catholic…” 😂

-Best Part- Reporter: He nailed your head to the floor? Vince: At first, yeah. Perfect!.

"...chains me to the back of the tank, and take me for a scrape around the Dinsdale's place"

The Krays. I remember this from 1973 on PBS.

IIRC the MCC still controlled/had the biggest voice in the game worldwide at the time this episode was filmed.

The true Beatles of comedy!

ICYDK "Ethel The Frog" is actually a parody of a real British public affairs show called This Week that aired on the Pythons previous employer Associated Rediffusion.

The whole thing is quite funy..

You, uh... got a nice army base here, Colonel...

I love Ethel The Frog

I like Eric Idle's voice.

Vinc Snetterton Lewis, my role model.

@flautobasso THANK YOU :D

Arm, totally correct about the loony Krays

Nailed your head to the floor. Preferential treatment.

Does anyone have any idea what that intro music is at the very beginning?

Any relation to the Krays is purely deliberate....

Oof Da, "Slit up a treat"?? 😮😦😯😮😮!

Sibelius - Karelia Suite, 1st movement: Intermezzo

The interview looks like something Steve Farrell would steal.

wasn't a cake stand?

The best parts are the school interview at 2:14 and the line "and tv quiz master". i lmfao at those. i have this on a dvd called "Micheal Palin's Personal Best", i also own "Eric Idle's Personal Best", "Life of Brian", "Holy Grail", "And now for something completly different", "Almost the truth", "At last the 1948 show". and this christmas, i hope to find the flying circus box set.

@kenfig I must agree with you. I find this and Full Frontal Nudity two of my favourites.

3:46 - Best. Name. Ever.

First they began to operate what they called The Operation. In it, they would select a victim and then threaten to beat him up if he paid them the so-called protection money. Four months later, they started another operation which they called The Other Operation. In this racket they selected another victim and threatened not to beat him up if he didn't pay them. One month later, they hit upon The Other Other Operation. In this, the victim was threatened that if he didn't pay them they would beat him up.

It was a huge joke that the Piranha Brothers were 'sentenced to 400 years'. In the USA that happens routinely. I always wonder how long they really keep the corpse in the cell.

So funny. 😂😂😂

love it at 5:09

I'm not British, so I have to ask; what is the MCC?

Spinny norman 😂😂

Doug and Dinsdale were born, on probation... XD

It's a fair cop, but society is to blame.

I want a conversation pit.

He just nailed my pelvis to a coffee table...

A Kray bros reference?

Spiny Norman

Why the caned laughter

0:16 on Jean Sibeliuksen säveltämästä Karjala-sarjasta. Torilla tavataan!

I just saw the trailer for the new Tom Hardy movie, Legend, and realized that the Piranha brothers were based on real people. Funny shit.

What did Clement do I wonder 😆🤔

Stig?! Wasn't he a Rutle? Lol.

Coach Red Ruffinsore use to date that'n yah? 🎉

He sawed my head off... kind enough chap though...

Where's Spiny Norman?

He was a cruel man, but fair!!

Born on probation. 😂

First second of really loud noise deafens with headphones on :(