Las Vegas Weekly

July 16, 2008 · 1:53 PM

Upon closing, Spamalot looks on the bright side

By Robin Leach

John O'Hurley and his son, William, take in the final moments of Monty Python's Spamalot.

Photo: Casey Ball

After 18 months of double- and triple-curtain calls and standing ovations from enthusiastic fans, the wacky Spamalot musical ended its run at the Wynn Las Vegas. Its star, John O’Hurley, led the cast in a sing-along of its hit song “Always Look on the Bright Side” of Life” as the curtain came down for the final time.

The award-winning show had opened in March 2007 and a sold-out audience was on hand for the finale as John, in the role of King Arthur, held his 19-month-old son William, who was also dressed in costume as a baby King Arthur! “I hope my son will recall years from now that he was here with me at my happiest,” John told the crowd of well-wishers. “ I have the photos now to show him.”

He told me: “This has been an incredible and wonderful experience. Honestly, the happiest months of my entire show-business life. And although it’s the end here in Vegas, which I now call my second home, we’re continuing on with Spamalot. I’ve agreed to go on tour with it on the West Coast. We’ll have runs in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego and Phoenix -- so that means I don’t have to be separated from my family -- all are hop back and forth from our Hollywood home.”

Hotel tycoon Steve Wynn was in the audience for the last show and was presented with a specially made Steuben glass Excalibur sword. It was engraved, “To the most wonderful partners,” from the cast and theatrical company. Members of the crew and cast partied afterwards at the Lucky Strike at the Rio and at Victor Drai's After Hours club center-Strip at Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall.

“I will always have wonderful memories from this glorious experience. Every night coming to work has simply been fun. Who could ever have asked for a better job?” John summed up.

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