Monty Python legend Eric Idle posts heartfelt tribute to his ‘beloved’ Husky Jack after he passed away

Monty Python legend Eric Idle has posted a heartfelt tribute to his family dog ​​Jack after he passed away.

Marking a temporary truce in the war of words with his former Python colleague Terry Gilliam, Idle, 80, posted on X/Twitter: “Taking time to mourn the passing of our beloved dog Jack.”

Along with a photo of the dog with blue and brown eyes, he lovingly continued, “Phi Beta Capa, a graduate of Whitman College, lived first in LA with the Zappa’s and then with us for the past ten years.

‘A true friend, Husky mix with Bowie eyes, he was loved by all and is greatly missed. Thanks Jack.”

Eric’s showbiz friends expressed their condolences after he announced the news. Irish actor and comedian Chris O’Dowd tweeted: ‘Ah s*****, I’m sorry Eric. What a good boy.’

Gilliam posted on X/ Twitter: ‘Taking time to mourn the passing of our beloved dog Jack’

Star Wars actor Mark Hamill sent a broken heart emoji. Eric’s wife Tania Idle simply posted: “Heartbroken.”

It is thought that Eric was referring to Gail Zappa, the widow of eccentric rock star Frank Zappa. The musician died of prostate cancer in 1993 at the age of 52.

Gail died in 2015, but was survived by the couple’s clearly named children, daughters Moon Unit and Diva, and sons Dweezil and Ahmet.

News of Jack’s death came at the end of a turbulent week for the surviving members of the iconic comedy troupe Monty Python.

The row started last weekend when Idle told To live.

He took potshots at Terry Gilliam and his daughter Holly, a TV lawyer who runs HDG Projects, a management firm that says it is “responsible for managing the four remaining Pythons” – namely Cleese, Gilliam, Michael Palin and Idle.

“We own everything we’ve ever created in Python and I never dreamed that revenue streams would decline so disastrously at this age,” Idle wrote. ‘But I think if you appoint a Gilliam kid as manager you shouldn’t be so surprised. One Gilliam is bad enough. Two can take out any company.”

John Cleese, 84, weighed in at the time, writing: ‘I have worked with Holly for the past ten years and I find her to be very efficient, clear-minded, hardworking and a pleasure to be around.’

He continued: “Michael Palin has asked me to make it clear that he shares this view. Terry Gilliam also agrees.”

Ms Gilliam, 43, has managed the Pythons for the past decade and co-produced reunion shows Monty Python Live.

It comes at the end of a turbulent week for the surviving members of iconic comedy group Monty Python

The legendary comedian told X that he still has to work at his age, despite the success of Monty Python

Cleese later retweeted a message from Chris Lander, the head of comedy and entertainment podcasts at commercial radio company Global, who said he had previously shared an office with Ms Gilliam.

He said: “I had the pleasure of sharing an office with Holly during the pre-production period of the O2 reunion shows.

“I have never worked with someone so hard, diligent and passionate in my career (the list goes on!) She was an inspiration to work with.”

Idle had revealed that he was still working at the age of 80, having received just £2,000 per series from the BBC.

Eric Idle’s own daughter Lily, a writer and photographer living in Los Angeles, praised her father for finally sharing “the truth.”

She wrote, “I’m so proud of my dad for finally starting to share the truth.

‘He has always stood up to bullies and narcissists and absolutely deserves reassurance and validation for that.’

The feud is just the latest in a series of financial problems facing the cast, and Idle isn’t the only one struggling to keep his Hollywood lifestyle afloat.

After Gail Zappa’s death, the Laurel Canyon mansion where her rock legend husband recorded most of his music was bought by Lady Gaga for $5 million, but she sold it in 2021.

Zappa lived on the property with his family from the mid-1970s until his death in 1993, and the interior features “unique decorations” that reflected his taste. A detailed dragon mural found in the dining room and “portholes and doors salvaged from vintage submarines” were among some of these unique features.