John Philip Sousa for Monty Python's Flying Circus), "The Thunderer" and "The Washington Post". Sousa began his career playing violin and studying music theory and composition under John Esputa and George Felix Benkert. His father enlisted him in the United States Marine Band as an apprentice in 1868. After departing the band in 1875, Sousa learned to conduct. From 1880 until his death, he focused exclusively on conducting and the writing of music. He eventually rejoined the Marine Band and served there for 12 years as director. On leaving the Marine Band, Sousa organized his own band. Sousa aided in the development of
John Cleese film, though he did work with Peter Cook in his one-off TV special "Peter Cook and Co." in 1980. In the same year, Cleese played Petruchio, in Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" in the BBC Television Shakespeare series. In 1981 he starred with Sean Connery and Michael Palin in the Terry Gilliam-directed "Time Bandits" as Robin Hood. He also participated in "Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl" (1982) and starred in "The Secret Policeman's Ball" for Amnesty International. In 1985, Cleese had a small dramatic role as a sheriff in "Silverado", which had an all-star cast that included