Terry Jones (1942-2020) was a British actor, screenwriter, and director, a celebrated member of the Monty Python comedy group. His film career is inextricably linked to the group's films. He co-directed *Monty Python and the Holy Grail* (1975) with Terry Gilliam, but was the sole director of *Life of Brian* (1979) and *Monty Python's The Meaning of Life* (1983).

On screen, Jones portrayed a myriad of eccentric and memorable characters, often female roles or hysterical and authoritarian figures, such as Brian's mother or Mr. Creosote. His directorial style helped define the Pythons' absurd and surreal humor, balancing satire with narrative. He also directed and acted in *Erik the Viking* (1989).