LONDON - Terry Jones, a founding member of the anarchic Monty Python troupe who was hailed by colleagues as "the complete Renaissance comedian" an d "a man of endless enthusiasms," has died after a battle with dementia.
Jones' family said the 77-year-old died Tuesday evening at his home in London. In a statement, his family said he died "after a long, extremely brave but always good humored battle with a rare form of dementia, FTD."
Jones' wife, Anna Soderstrom, and children Bill, Sally and Siri, said "we have all lost a kind, funny, warm, creative and truly loving man whose uncompromising individuality, relentless intellect and extraordinary humor has given pleasure to countless millions across six decades."
"His work with Monty Python, his books, films, television programs, poems and other work will live on forever, a fitting legacy to a true polymath," they said.
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 "The Frost Report" and "Do Not Adjust Your Set." At the end of the decade he, along with Palin, Eric Idle, John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Terry Gilliam, formed Monty Python's Flying Circus, whose irreverent humor — a blend of satire, surrealism and silliness — helped revolutionize British comedy.
FILE - From left, Eric Idle, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Terry Jones of the comedy group Monty Python pose for photographers during a photo call in London, June 30, 2014.
Jones wrote and performed for the troupe's early-70s TV series and films including "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" in 1975 and "Monty Python's Life of Brian" in 1979.
Playing the mother of Brian, a hapless young man who is mistaken for Jesus, he delivered one of the Pythons' most famous lines: "He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy!"
Jones played many of the Pythons' female characters, as well as a grinning nude organist, Spanish Inquisitor Cardinal Biggles and the explosively gluttonous restaurant patron Mr. Creosote.
Cleese tweeted: "It feels strange that a man of so many talents and such endless enthusiasm, should have faded so gently away."
He added: "Two down, four to go," a reference to the six members of the troupe. Chapman died of cancer in 1989.
As well as performing, Jones co-directed "Holy Grail" with Gilliam, and directed "Life of Brian" and the 1983 Python film "The Meaning of Life."
FILE - From left to right, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin and Terry Jones, three of the six creators of the hit British TV comedy series "Monty Python's Flying Circus," are shown in New York, March 12, 1975.
During the 1970s, Jones also created the show "Ripping Yarns" with Palin and wrote sketches for comedy duo The Two Ronnies.
After the Pythons largely disbanded in the 1980s, Jones wrote books on medieval and ancient history, presented documentaries, wrote poetry and directed films, including "Personal Services," about a suburban brothel madam, and the comedy adventure "Erik the Viking." He also scripted the Jim Henson-directed fantasy film "Labyrinth," which starred David Bowie.
In 2014, more than three decades after their last live performance, the five surviving Pythons reunited for a string of stage shows that revived their old skits for adoring audiences.
Two years later, Jones was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, which gradually robbed him of the ability to write and speak.
"Terry was one of my closest, most valued friends. He was kind, generous, supportive and passionate about living life to the full," Palin said in a statement.
"He was far more than one of the funniest writer-performers of his generation. He was the complete Renaissance comedian — writer, director, presenter, historian, brilliant children's author, and the warmest, most wonderful company you could wish to have," Palin said.
Jones is survived by his wife, his ex-wife Alison Telfer, and three children.