See Monty Python's last stand live

In honor of the announcement that fans in the U.S. will be able to enjoy the historic reunion in July 2014 of the surviving members of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" troupe via a select group of stateside movie theaters, we take a look at what the members achieved outside of their Python careers:

John Cleese, now 74, created and starred in the immortal TV show "Fawlty Towers" in the 1970s and co-founded Video Arts, a company that makes training films. Younger viewers may know him best for his roles in the "Shrek" films (as King Harold), a pair of James Bond films (as Q) and the Harry Potter series (as Nearly Headless Nick). His most recent film role was in "Planes."

Terry Gilliam, 73, became a noted film director, best known for "Brazil" (1985), "The Fisher King" (1991) and "Twelve Monkeys" (1995). J.K. Rowling wanted him to direct the first Harry Potter film, but the studio didn't want the famously independent Gilliam. His latest film, "The Zero Theorem," is due for U.S. release this summer.

Terry Jones, 72, has created TV shows about the Middle Ages, an era on which he's an expert. (He's written two books about Geoffrey Chaucer.) He's also written several children's books and was a regular contributor to UK newspapers during the Iraq war, which he opposed. With songwriter Jim Steinman, he's been working on a rock version of "The Nutcracker."

Michael Palin, 71, has probably spent as much time traveling in the past 25 years as he has acting. Among his projects: "Pole to Pole," "Full Circle" and "Michael Palin's New Europe." His most recent venture was "Brazil with Michael Palin," which came out in 2012.

Eric Idle, 71, has probably done the most to maintain the Python tradition. He engaged in "The Greedy Bastard Tour" in 2003, which included performances of Python material, and turned "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" into "Spamalot," which won the Tony for best musical in 2005. He also helped create the Rutles, perhaps the sharpest Beatles parody. And he sang his song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" at the 2012 Olympics closing ceremony.

Graham Chapman died in 1989. Before then, he performed material at several colleges and appeared in an Iron Maiden video. Since his death, at least one of his plays, "O Happy Day," has been performed. The Pythons haven't forgotten their colleague: They did a wonderfully uncomfortable routine with Chapman's "ashes" at the Aspen Comedy Festival in 1998, and in 2012, all the Pythons except Idle lent their voices to a film based on Chapman's memoirs.

• Monty Python's final London concert airing in theaters, on TV


• Python concluding run set for Sunday at London's O2 Arena


• Show isn't something completely different but a greatest hits for comedy troupe

(CNN) -- Time to pull up the comfy chair.

Monty Python's three-week London engagement ends Sunday, and for the final show the world will be allowed to watch. The last performance from the O2 Arena will be screened in more than 2,000 movie theaters and on TV screens around the world.

Well, about 100 countries' worth of the world, anyway. (No word on whether the program will be aired on both peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro.) In the United States, the show can be viewed at selected movie theaters.

Reviews for the show, called "Monty Python Live (Mostly)," have generally been respectful, if not ecstatic.

It's "a nostalgic celebration of the extraordinary contribution these men have made to modern comedy," wrote the Observer's Stephanie Merritt, noting that though the show's greatest-hits pattern isn't thrilling, the rapport between the Pythons -- Eric Idle, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones -- is a joy to watch.

'Monty Python' reunite for London show

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"The chemistry between them still fizzes," she wrote.

The Telegraph was slightly more upbeat. "The Pythons came, they doddered, but they conquered," wrote Dominic Cavendish.

The shows haven't been without their flaws. On opening night, Cleese forgot a line during the famous Dead Parrot sketch.

But the group -- all of whom are in their 70s -- knew criticism was coming. They made jokes themselves, letting an equally aged Mick Jagger complain about "wrinkly old men trying to relive their youth" in a promotional video shown at a Python press conference.

"The best one died years ago," Jagger added, referring to Graham Chapman, who died in 1989.

Mick Jagger: Python are 'wrinkly old men trying to relive their youth'

At the press conference, Palin said that the shows were Python's way of "saying goodbye publicly" to fans.

Idle added, "Our motto has been 'leave them wanting less.' "

The performances have done well though. The first show sold out in 43 seconds.

One must always look on the bright side of life.

If you miss the live Sunday performance, don't worry: The show will air again later in the week.

CNN's Pete Wilkinson contributed to this report.