Which Python played the recurring Colonel character?

The recurring Colonel character was played by Graham Chapman. He portrayed the character as a rigid British Army officer who repeatedly interrupts sketches he considers too silly or offensive.

The Colonel is a classic example of Flying Circus breaking the fourth wall. Rather than allowing a sketch to reach its planned conclusion, he steps into the action and orders that something else be shown, turning television censorship and production conventions into part of the joke.

Chapman frequently played authority figures, including soldiers, doctors and policemen, so the Colonel suited his stern, straight-faced comic style. The character first appeared in the series pilot and became one of the show's recognizable recurring figures.

A common mix-up is confusing the Colonel with other recurring Python characters played by Chapman, such as Biggles or Raymond Luxury-Yacht. John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin also played many memorable recurring roles, but not this one.