ACTOR · BORN 1943
Eric Idle
- Born
- 29 March 1943, South Shields, County Durham, England, UK
- Known for
- The Simpsons (1989), Shrek the Third (2007), Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), Life of Brian (1979)
49 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Sep 2026
9 Facts About Eric Idle's Life and Family
- #009
Eric Idle's father, who served in the Royal Air Force, died in a car accident on Christmas Eve. Eric was two years old.
- #011
Eric Idle was once tasked by his fellow Pythons with answering an angry fan letter. Monty Python member Graham Chapman was openly gay, and the letter quoted Bible verses stating that homosexuals should be stoned to death. Jokingly, Idle said they had killed Chapman by stoning him.
- #015
In 1963, as a university student, Eric Idle was accepted into the Cambridge Footlights comedy club. The following year he became the club's president, and one of his first acts was to open membership to women. Feminist and writer Germaine Greer was one of the first to join.
- #025
He knew Michael Palin and Terry Jones from university.
- #026
He is the godfather of Duncan Jones.
- #041
Eric Idle holds 10 O-levels, 3 A-levels, 1 S-level and an honours degree in English Literature from Cambridge University.
- #044
Eric Idle has a young daughter and an older son.
- #046
Eric Idle has a son and a daughter.
- #048
Eric Idle's father died in a hitchhiking accident on Christmas Eve 1945.
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