Dead Parrot sketch the slug lines, followed by: On the Rhino Records' compilation "Dead Parrot Society", a live performance from "The Secret Policeman's Ball" in 1976 has Palin cracking up while Cleese declares "Pining for the fjords? What kind of talk is that?" The audience cheers this bit of breaking character, but Palin quickly composes himself and Cleese declares "Now, look! This is nothing to laugh at!" before proceeding with the sketch. This version is included in the book and CD set "The Best British Stand-Up and Comedy Routines", along with a transcript of the sketch and the Four Yorkshiremen sketch. In his
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