Ian MacNaughton on AllMovie

The man who bravely took the helm for the groundbreaking comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus, director Ian MacNaughton proved an invaluable asset to the series in his tireless efforts to keep the show afloat despite the skepticism of BBC executives. A native of Glasgow who initially pursued a career in medicine, it wasn't until serving in the Royal Marines during World War II that MacNaughton began to harbor a love for show business. His association with the Globe Players (a Royal Marine amateur theater group) prompted the soldier to consider a career as an actor, and roles in such films as X the Unknown(1956) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962) found his career in front of the camera flourishing. Teaming with British comedy legend Spike Milligan in the early '60s, MacNaughton stepped behind the camera for Q5 (as well as subsequent installments Q6 through Q9). With the success of Monty Python's Flying Circus propelling him, MacNaughton also assumed directorial duties for the German version of the series, as well as the filmed sequences of Monty Python: Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982). In addition to his work with the Pythons, MacNaughton would take the helm for the feature Le Petomane (1979). The director resided in Germany with wife Ike Ott in his later years, where he would find frequent work in television and theater. After suffering massive injuries in a 2001 car accident, Ian MacNaughton died in Munich on December 10, 2002. He was 76.