BBC News Published image copyrightGetty Images image captionMonty Python, left to right: Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin The dead parrot went live 50 years ago on Sunday when Monty Python made the leap from TV to public performance. Until 31 January 1971, when the comedy troupe appeared in Coventry, people had only been able to watch on screen. But the stage show meant that for the first time, silly walks, nudge-nudges and wink-winks could be enjoyed in the flesh - or in the case of a Norwegian blue, the feathers. And that's not to mention John Cleese selling ice cream in the interval.