Terry Jones, a founding member of the anarchic Monty Python troupe who was hailed by colleagues as B次元官网网址渢he complete Renaissance comedianB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渁 man of endless enthusiasms,B次元官网网址� has died at age 77 after suffering from dementia.

JonesB次元官网网址檚 family said he died Tuesday evening at his home in London B次元官网网址渁fter a long, extremely brave but always good humoured battle with a rare form of dementia.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e have all lost a kind, funny, warm, creative and truly loving man whose uncompromising individuality, relentless intellect and extraordinary humour has given pleasure to countless millions across six decades,B次元官网网址� JonesB次元官网网址檚 wife, Anna Soderstrom, and children Bill, Sally and Siri, said in a statement.

Born in Wales in 1942, Jones attended Oxford University, where he began writing and performing with fellow student Michael Palin.

After leaving university, he wrote for seminal 1960s comedy series, including B次元官网网址淭he Frost ReportB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淒o Not Adjust Your Set.B次元官网网址� At the end of the decade he and Palin, along with Eric Idle, John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Terry Gilliam, formed Monty PythonB次元官网网址檚 Flying Circus. The troupeB次元官网网址檚 irreverent humour B次元官网网址� a blend of satire, surrealism and silliness B次元官网网址� helped revolutionize British comedy.

B次元官网网址淭erry was one of my closest, most valued friends. He was kind, generous, supportive and passionate about living life to the full,B次元官网网址� Palin said in a statement.

B次元官网网址淗e was far more than one of the funniest writer-performers of his generation. He was the complete Renaissance comedian B次元官网网址� writer, director, presenter, historian, brilliant childrenB次元官网网址檚 author, and the warmest, most wonderful company you could wish to have,B次元官网网址� Palin said.

Jones wrote and performed for the troupeB次元官网网址檚 TV series, which aired for five years on the BBC, and films including B次元官网网址淢onty Python and the Holy GrailB次元官网网址� in 1975 and B次元官网网址淢onty PythonB次元官网网址檚 Life of BrianB次元官网网址� in 1979.

Playing the mother of Brian, a hapless young man who is mistaken for Jesus, he delivered one of the PythonsB次元官网网址� most famous lines: B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 not the Messiah. HeB次元官网网址檚 a very naughty boy!B次元官网网址�

A more understated presence than the 6-foot-five-inch (1.95 metres) Cleese or the energetic Idle, Jones was a deft comic performer, who played many of the PythonsB次元官网网址� female characters. He was also, among many other incarnations, a grinning nude organist, Spanish Inquisitor Cardinal Biggles and the explosively gluttonous restaurant patron Mr. Creosote.

Cleese tweeted: B次元官网网址淚t feels strange that a man of so many talents and such endless enthusiasm, should have faded so gently awayB次元官网网址�B次元官网网址�

He added: B次元官网网址淭wo down, four to go,B次元官网网址� a reference to the six members of the troupe. Chapman died of cancer in 1989.

As well as performing, Jones co-directed B次元官网网址淗oly GrailB次元官网网址� with Gilliam, and directed B次元官网网址淟ife of BrianB次元官网网址� and the 1983 Python film B次元官网网址淭he Meaning of Life.B次元官网网址�

You will be very missed old friend. I feel very fortunate to have shared so much of my life with Terry.

B次元官网网址� Michael Palin (@NotMichaelPalin)

B次元官网网址淟ife of BrianB次元官网网址� was considered daring B次元官网网址� and was even banned in some areas B次元官网网址� for its biblical satire. The filmB次元官网网址檚 crucifixion scene, which featured Idle performing the cheeky song B次元官网网址淎lways Look on the Bright Side of Life,B次元官网网址� cemented JonesB次元官网网址� reputation as a daring director with an absurdist sense of humour.

Jones is survived by his wife, his ex-wife Alison Telfer, and three children.

READ MORE:

The Associated Press