Dead Parrot sketch very funny there, if we could find the right context for it". In early drafts of what would become the Dead Parrot Sketch, the frustrated customer was trying to return a faulty toaster to a shop. Chapman realised that it needed to be "madder", and came up with the parrot idea. Over the years, Cleese and Palin have done many versions of the "Dead Parrot" sketch for various television shows, record albums, and live performances. "Dead Parrot" was voted the top alternative comedy sketch in a Radio Times poll. Mr. Praline (Cleese) enters the pet shop to register a complaint
Dead Parrot sketch bourne no traveller returns'. In 1959, Tony Hancock and Sid James performed a similar sketch involving a dead tortoise. In 1963, Benny Hill performed a sketch entitled "The Taxidermist" (written by Dave Freeman) on "The Benny Hill Show" in which he attempted to pass off a stuffed duck as a parrot (blaming its different appearance on "the steaming" and "the shrinkage"). John Cleese later admitted that he watched Hill's show during this period, but didn't recall this particular piece. In the 1960s Freddie "Parrot Face" Davies included an obviously stuffed caged parrot as part of his stage routine, occasionally complaining