Professor R.J. Canning (played by Graham Chapman) is a historian who makes an appearance in The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Goes to the Bathroom, the eleventh episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus.
He presents the show "The World of History" and tries to talk about 1348, the year of the Black Death. But he keeps being interrupted by sketches with undertakers to the point that he's fed up with the entire situation and leaves.
He later appears near the end and presents the 'Batley Townswomen's Guild' reenactment of the Battle of Pearl Harbour. He later apologises about earlier, only to be interrupted again.