diff --git a/examples/animation/dynamic_image.py b/examples/animation/dynamic_image.py
index fd07c36e7bb4..3dc220254600 100644
--- a/examples/animation/dynamic_image.py
+++ b/examples/animation/dynamic_image.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 An animated image
 """
diff --git a/examples/animation/dynamic_image2.py b/examples/animation/dynamic_image2.py
index b15723081020..ca6a48af7588 100644
--- a/examples/animation/dynamic_image2.py
+++ b/examples/animation/dynamic_image2.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 An animated image
 """
diff --git a/examples/api/agg_oo.py b/examples/api/agg_oo.py
index 76fb7665fa54..cf42a2a0a82c 100644
--- a/examples/api/agg_oo.py
+++ b/examples/api/agg_oo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # -*- noplot -*-
 """
 A pure OO (look Ma, no pylab!) example using the agg backend
diff --git a/examples/api/barchart_demo.py b/examples/api/barchart_demo.py
index eceb5dc3aa09..be6b6e24fbb4 100644
--- a/examples/api/barchart_demo.py
+++ b/examples/api/barchart_demo.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # a bar plot with errorbars
 import numpy as np
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
diff --git a/examples/api/collections_demo.py b/examples/api/collections_demo.py
index beab1edb2981..6d58b180855a 100644
--- a/examples/api/collections_demo.py
+++ b/examples/api/collections_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 '''Demonstration of LineCollection, PolyCollection, and
 RegularPolyCollection with autoscaling.
 
diff --git a/examples/api/date_demo.py b/examples/api/date_demo.py
index 7e419bb9ee44..96202c465c5f 100644
--- a/examples/api/date_demo.py
+++ b/examples/api/date_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Show how to make date plots in matplotlib using date tick locators and
 formatters.  See major_minor_demo1.py for more information on
diff --git a/examples/api/joinstyle.py b/examples/api/joinstyle.py
index f0a8a252ff22..24544e19cff2 100644
--- a/examples/api/joinstyle.py
+++ b/examples/api/joinstyle.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Illustrate the three different join styles
 """
diff --git a/examples/api/power_norm_demo.py b/examples/api/power_norm_demo.py
index 76ada2370df3..a26431f27f22 100755
--- a/examples/api/power_norm_demo.py
+++ b/examples/api/power_norm_demo.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-
 from matplotlib import pyplot as plt
 import matplotlib.colors as mcolors
 import numpy as np
diff --git a/examples/api/sankey_demo_old.py b/examples/api/sankey_demo_old.py
index fe4d924f774b..7bf01b690a3a 100755
--- a/examples/api/sankey_demo_old.py
+++ b/examples/api/sankey_demo_old.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 __author__ = "Yannick Copin <ycopin@ipnl.in2p3.fr>"
diff --git a/examples/api/two_scales.py b/examples/api/two_scales.py
index 5ff253d44954..8f960b3e95c8 100644
--- a/examples/api/two_scales.py
+++ b/examples/api/two_scales.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 
 Demonstrate how to do two plots on the same axes with different left
diff --git a/examples/event_handling/keypress_demo.py b/examples/event_handling/keypress_demo.py
index 0cf66313fb16..30ac00e4efbe 100755
--- a/examples/event_handling/keypress_demo.py
+++ b/examples/event_handling/keypress_demo.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 """
 Show how to connect to keypress events
 """
diff --git a/examples/event_handling/pick_event_demo.py b/examples/event_handling/pick_event_demo.py
index bb3f7751901f..e6282da88afb 100755
--- a/examples/event_handling/pick_event_demo.py
+++ b/examples/event_handling/pick_event_demo.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 """
 
 You can enable picking by setting the "picker" property of an artist
diff --git a/examples/event_handling/pipong.py b/examples/event_handling/pipong.py
index 770db720ff61..89ab36ef9b36 100755
--- a/examples/event_handling/pipong.py
+++ b/examples/event_handling/pipong.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # A matplotlib based game of Pong illustrating one way to write interactive
 # animation which are easily ported to multiple backends
 # pipong.py was written by Paul Ivanov <http://pirsquared.org>
diff --git a/examples/event_handling/pong_gtk.py b/examples/event_handling/pong_gtk.py
index f522f28b7fd2..48290a1b9046 100755
--- a/examples/event_handling/pong_gtk.py
+++ b/examples/event_handling/pong_gtk.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 # For detailed comments on animation and the techniques used here, see
diff --git a/examples/event_handling/test_mouseclicks.py b/examples/event_handling/test_mouseclicks.py
index 506ee5b1cd7b..3415f412633b 100755
--- a/examples/event_handling/test_mouseclicks.py
+++ b/examples/event_handling/test_mouseclicks.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 import matplotlib
diff --git a/examples/misc/ftface_props.py b/examples/misc/ftface_props.py
index 417ee8192f56..c39ca5d69814 100755
--- a/examples/misc/ftface_props.py
+++ b/examples/misc/ftface_props.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 from __future__ import print_function
 """
 This is a demo script to show you how to use all the properties of an
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/accented_text.py b/examples/pylab_examples/accented_text.py
index 2107ea8ff52e..1902ad71b480 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/accented_text.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/accented_text.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 matplotlib supports accented characters via TeX mathtext
 
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/agg_buffer.py b/examples/pylab_examples/agg_buffer.py
index 1293c723cb8c..cf7042793ba0 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/agg_buffer.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/agg_buffer.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Use backend agg to access the figure canvas as an RGB string and then
 convert it to an array and pass it to Pillow for rendering.
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/alignment_test.py b/examples/pylab_examples/alignment_test.py
index 3173a9c97a71..5de0d6a33a48 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/alignment_test.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/alignment_test.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 You can precisely layout text in data or axes (0,1) coordinates.  This
 example shows you some of the alignment and rotation specifications to
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/anscombe.py b/examples/pylab_examples/anscombe.py
index 3392bc55fd5e..0c043af34ce4 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/anscombe.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/anscombe.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 from __future__ import print_function
 """
 Edward Tufte uses this example from Anscombe to show 4 datasets of x
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/arrow_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/arrow_demo.py
index 312447e05fe8..73781f5f1e65 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/arrow_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/arrow_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """Arrow drawing example for the new fancy_arrow facilities.
 
 Code contributed by: Rob Knight <rob@spot.colorado.edu>
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/bar_stacked.py b/examples/pylab_examples/bar_stacked.py
index daa84345fea4..d2fb3b94841b 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/bar_stacked.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/bar_stacked.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # a stacked bar plot with errorbars
 import numpy as np
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/cohere_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/cohere_demo.py
index b7a39a18ceba..854aeb46877b 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/cohere_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/cohere_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Compute the coherence of two signals
 """
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/color_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/color_demo.py
index 1d471b0086a9..8dacb6653b8c 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/color_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/color_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 matplotlib gives you 4 ways to specify colors,
 
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/colours.py b/examples/pylab_examples/colours.py
index 4694fa4f09d9..b34d6a6d97e6 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/colours.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/colours.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # -*- noplot -*-
 """
 Some simple functions to generate colours.
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/contour_corner_mask.py b/examples/pylab_examples/contour_corner_mask.py
index f7211beca926..7be99f7182ee 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/contour_corner_mask.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/contour_corner_mask.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Illustrate the difference between corner_mask=False and corner_mask=True
 for masked contour plots.
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/contour_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/contour_demo.py
index 5e313bfa24be..b3555b1de1eb 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/contour_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/contour_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Illustrate simple contour plotting, contours on an image with
 a colorbar for the contours, and labelled contours.
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/contour_image.py b/examples/pylab_examples/contour_image.py
index a972db65940e..71b853c154cd 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/contour_image.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/contour_image.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 '''
 Test combinations of contouring, filled contouring, and image plotting.
 For contour labelling, see contour_demo.py.
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/contour_label_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/contour_label_demo.py
index 42eb8f579406..fe0cf87cb563 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/contour_label_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/contour_label_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Illustrate some of the more advanced things that one can do with
 contour labels.
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/contourf_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/contourf_demo.py
index 5b9a5b41e071..21448f99d7d6 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/contourf_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/contourf_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 import numpy as np
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/coords_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/coords_demo.py
index 71f863ac034f..7945e87b21cd 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/coords_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/coords_demo.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 """
 An example of how to interact with the plotting canvas by connecting
 to move and click events
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/coords_report.py b/examples/pylab_examples/coords_report.py
index 4d47774e0e22..cdc0d445a43e 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/coords_report.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/coords_report.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 # override the default reporting of coords
 
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/csd_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/csd_demo.py
index c988e2c1aa69..fc925a67028e 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/csd_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/csd_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Compute the cross spectral density of two signals
 """
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/custom_cmap.py b/examples/pylab_examples/custom_cmap.py
index 180996cd1c56..24550a18d724 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/custom_cmap.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/custom_cmap.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 import numpy as np
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 from matplotlib.colors import LinearSegmentedColormap
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/custom_ticker1.py b/examples/pylab_examples/custom_ticker1.py
index c4aa02bc5496..dfd0fc847ff7 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/custom_ticker1.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/custom_ticker1.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 """
 The new ticker code was designed to explicitly support user customized
 ticking.  The documentation
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/data_helper.py b/examples/pylab_examples/data_helper.py
index 27a9cef06dda..f10b804b9745 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/data_helper.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/data_helper.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # Some functions to load a return data for the plot demos
 
 from numpy import fromstring, argsort, take, array, resize
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo1.py b/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo1.py
index 45fbf128840e..87b1d658981a 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo1.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo1.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Show how to make date plots in matplotlib using date tick locators and
 formatters.  See major_minor_demo1.py for more information on
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo2.py b/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo2.py
index 2457c9f824cc..e7a5c270399e 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo2.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo2.py
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 """
 Show how to make date plots in matplotlib using date tick locators and
 formatters.  See major_minor_demo1.py for more information on
 controlling major and minor ticks
 """
+
 from __future__ import print_function
 import datetime
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo_convert.py b/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo_convert.py
index 693a6752a3ca..2bf07a631ae4 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo_convert.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo_convert.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 import datetime
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 from matplotlib.dates import DayLocator, HourLocator, DateFormatter, drange
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo_rrule.py b/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo_rrule.py
index e48db31f2d7b..77cb4e9e9949 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo_rrule.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/date_demo_rrule.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Show how to use an rrule instance to make a custom date ticker - here
 we put a tick mark on every 5th easter
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/equal_aspect_ratio.py b/examples/pylab_examples/equal_aspect_ratio.py
index b40aebe2f126..9ed478095e6d 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/equal_aspect_ratio.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/equal_aspect_ratio.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Example: simple line plot.
 Show how to make a plot that has equal aspect ratio
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/eventcollection_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/eventcollection_demo.py
index 3510a70479ae..96d389baff05 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/eventcollection_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/eventcollection_demo.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-# -*- Coding:utf-8 -*-
-'''Plot two curves, then use EventCollections to mark the locations of the x
-and y data points on the respective axes for each curve'''
+'''
+Plot two curves, then use EventCollections to mark the locations of the x
+and y data points on the respective axes for each curve
+'''
 
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 from matplotlib.collections import EventCollection
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/eventplot_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/eventplot_demo.py
index 8f58d24ec66d..dd6d8fa1c48f 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/eventplot_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/eventplot_demo.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-# -*- Coding:utf-8 -*-
-'''an eventplot showing sequences of events with various line properties
-the plot is shown in both horizontal and vertical orientations'''
+'''
+An eventplot showing sequences of events with various line properties.
+The plot is shown in both horizontal and vertical orientations.
+'''
 
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import numpy as np
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/fill_between_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/fill_between_demo.py
index df0f0c2894ad..b3653e456ce5 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/fill_between_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/fill_between_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import numpy as np
 
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/finance_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/finance_demo.py
index c1cc76870fb9..94f1a3c1b467 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/finance_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/finance_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 from matplotlib.dates import DateFormatter, WeekdayLocator,\
     DayLocator, MONDAY
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/ginput_manual_clabel.py b/examples/pylab_examples/ginput_manual_clabel.py
index ff7d2b2b0e89..9cbf85cbde9b 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/ginput_manual_clabel.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/ginput_manual_clabel.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # -*- noplot -*-
 
 from __future__ import print_function
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/hyperlinks.py b/examples/pylab_examples/hyperlinks.py
index e8f0b674052b..599f637b88f7 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/hyperlinks.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/hyperlinks.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # -*- noplot -*-
 
 """
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/image_clip_path.py b/examples/pylab_examples/image_clip_path.py
index db1478af968d..fbcb0870d75c 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/image_clip_path.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/image_clip_path.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 import numpy as np
 import matplotlib.cm as cm
 import matplotlib.mlab as mlab
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/image_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/image_demo.py
index 792a9a8f8373..a189ef2ce3eb 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/image_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/image_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 import numpy as np
 import matplotlib.cm as cm
 import matplotlib.mlab as mlab
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/leftventricle_bulleye.py b/examples/pylab_examples/leftventricle_bulleye.py
index 35a1f88ee15d..e96a4cc8e7f8 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/leftventricle_bulleye.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/leftventricle_bulleye.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 This example demonstrates how to create the 17 segment model for the left
 ventricle recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA).
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/major_minor_demo2.py b/examples/pylab_examples/major_minor_demo2.py
index 0189ae46270f..1bdfefabdb94 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/major_minor_demo2.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/major_minor_demo2.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Automatic tick selection for major and minor ticks.
 
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/mathtext_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/mathtext_demo.py
index 9de179b765c3..085d557cddd4 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/mathtext_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/mathtext_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Use matplotlib's internal LaTeX parser and layout engine.  For true
 latex rendering, see the text.usetex option
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/movie_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/movie_demo.py
index 0d1f7d78666f..69d90646f6e0 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/movie_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/movie_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # -*- noplot -*-
 
 from __future__ import print_function
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/mri_with_eeg.py b/examples/pylab_examples/mri_with_eeg.py
index 3a3760853aa0..e7f8c7f16937 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/mri_with_eeg.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/mri_with_eeg.py
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 """
 This now uses the imshow command instead of pcolor which *is much
 faster*
 """
+
 from __future__ import division, print_function
 
 import numpy as np
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/multi_image.py b/examples/pylab_examples/multi_image.py
index dad829afec93..ebcfc8168448 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/multi_image.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/multi_image.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 '''
 Make a set of images with a single colormap, norm, and colorbar.
 
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/multicolored_line.py b/examples/pylab_examples/multicolored_line.py
index 78a8ef42f737..386cea0a438b 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/multicolored_line.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/multicolored_line.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 '''
 Color parts of a line based on its properties, e.g., slope.
 '''
+
 import numpy as np
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 from matplotlib.collections import LineCollection
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/polar_legend.py b/examples/pylab_examples/polar_legend.py
index 632f2e8bde0f..a249755c32b4 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/polar_legend.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/polar_legend.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 import numpy as np
 from matplotlib.pyplot import figure, show, rc
 
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/quadmesh_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/quadmesh_demo.py
index c7e1baa68862..8f6ab8ae189a 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/quadmesh_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/quadmesh_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 pcolormesh uses a QuadMesh, a faster generalization of pcolor, but
 with some restrictions.
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/symlog_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/symlog_demo.py
index 4c4a793abeb8..5cd196a47a2b 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/symlog_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/symlog_demo.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import numpy as np
 
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/tex_unicode_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/tex_unicode_demo.py
index fa9ad8da1203..4f5ed8da144c 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/tex_unicode_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/tex_unicode_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 """
 This demo is tex_demo.py modified to have unicode. See that file for
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/text_handles.py b/examples/pylab_examples/text_handles.py
index e37a82849aa9..ffaa782df8eb 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/text_handles.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/text_handles.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-# Controlling the properties of axis text using handles
+"""
+Controlling the properties of axis text using handles
 
-# See examples/text_themes.py for a more elegant, pythonic way to control
-# fonts.  After all, if we were slaves to MATLAB , we wouldn't be
-# using python!
+See examples/text_themes.py for a more elegant, pythonic way to control
+fonts.  After all, if we were slaves to MATLAB , we wouldn't be
+using python!
+"""
 
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import numpy as np
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/text_rotation_relative_to_line.py b/examples/pylab_examples/text_rotation_relative_to_line.py
index a34dbb9be366..d27897c6d4cc 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/text_rotation_relative_to_line.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/text_rotation_relative_to_line.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Text objects in matplotlib are normally rotated with respect to the
 screen coordinate system (i.e., 45 degrees rotation plots text along a
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/titles_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/titles_demo.py
index ae132be59f9d..8d13811cd7e6 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/titles_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/titles_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 matplotlib can display plot titles centered, flush with the left side of
 a set of axes, and flush with the right side of a set of axes.
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/toggle_images.py b/examples/pylab_examples/toggle_images.py
index 3480b7474f11..3e7f7e6127e7 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/toggle_images.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/toggle_images.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """ toggle between two images by pressing "t"
 
 The basic idea is to load two images (they can be different shapes) and plot
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/webapp_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/webapp_demo.py
index e12f882ba854..654e1e8ebfa7 100644
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/webapp_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/webapp_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # -*- noplot -*-
 """
 This example shows how to use the agg backend directly to create
diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/zorder_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/zorder_demo.py
index 400cc060c784..f9c0ff4710c4 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/zorder_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/zorder_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 The default drawing order for axes is patches, lines, text.  This
 order is determined by the zorder attribute.  The following defaults
diff --git a/examples/tests/backend_driver.py b/examples/tests/backend_driver.py
index 8f2eddad61a9..5e462ff0df63 100755
--- a/examples/tests/backend_driver.py
+++ b/examples/tests/backend_driver.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 from __future__ import print_function, division
 """
 This is used to drive many of the examples across the backends, for
diff --git a/examples/units/bar_unit_demo.py b/examples/units/bar_unit_demo.py
index 76b639e1939a..86b2add9e28a 100644
--- a/examples/units/bar_unit_demo.py
+++ b/examples/units/bar_unit_demo.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 import numpy as np
 from basic_units import cm, inch
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk.py
index 00afdcd4f35d..7cb9467f5543 100644
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 show how to add a matplotlib FigureCanvasGTK or FigureCanvasGTKAgg widget to a
 gtk.Window
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk2.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk2.py
index 898f5ea88633..2665e3123b26 100644
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk2.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk2.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 show how to add a matplotlib FigureCanvasGTK or FigureCanvasGTKAgg widget and
 a toolbar to a gtk.Window
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk3.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk3.py
index c852318c40a8..a8d2f59822a2 100755
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk3.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk3.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 demonstrate adding a FigureCanvasGTK3Agg widget to a Gtk.ScrolledWindow
 using GTK3 accessed via pygobject
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk3_panzoom.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk3_panzoom.py
index c895561d7f42..34331a3e2e2c 100644
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk3_panzoom.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_gtk3_panzoom.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 demonstrate NavigationToolbar with GTK3 accessed via pygobject
 """
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_qt4.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_qt4.py
index 0714b5c4dce3..31108c9bd300 100755
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_qt4.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_qt4.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 
 # embedding_in_qt4.py --- Simple Qt4 application embedding matplotlib canvases
 #
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_qt5.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_qt5.py
index 2b987c18b48b..95059c62b378 100755
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_qt5.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_qt5.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 
 # embedding_in_qt5.py --- Simple Qt5 application embedding matplotlib canvases
 #
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_tk.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_tk.py
index 4c93d25a9c84..b4aacd416b7d 100755
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_tk.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_tk.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 import matplotlib
 matplotlib.use('TkAgg')
 
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_tk2.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_tk2.py
index c762873e5972..ab6c98b66dee 100644
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_tk2.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_tk2.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 import matplotlib
 matplotlib.use('TkAgg')
 
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_tk_canvas.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_tk_canvas.py
index 6088042d4b9e..8e069bc6d930 100755
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_tk_canvas.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_tk_canvas.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # -*- noplot -*-
 
 import matplotlib as mpl
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx2.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx2.py
index 072e46e96186..55c1580babbd 100644
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx2.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx2.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 An example of how to use wx or wxagg in an application with the new
 toolbar - comment out the setA_toolbar line for no toolbar
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx3.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx3.py
index a1fd7b65152c..76cd4196c513 100755
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx3.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx3.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 """
 Copyright (C) 2003-2004 Andrew Straw, Jeremy O'Donoghue and others
 
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx4.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx4.py
index 7f65f3bb0b7a..5270fc0c1d25 100644
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx4.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx4.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 An example of how to use wx or wxagg in an application with a custom
 toolbar
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx5.py b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx5.py
index 65811d580893..83db43c545d2 100644
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx5.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/embedding_in_wx5.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 # matplotlib requires wxPython 2.8+
 # set the wxPython version in lib\site-packages\wx.pth file
 # or if you have wxversion installed un-comment the lines below
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/fourier_demo_wx.py b/examples/user_interfaces/fourier_demo_wx.py
index b68c300ed8d0..d07b07bb3882 100644
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/fourier_demo_wx.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/fourier_demo_wx.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 import numpy as np
 
 # matplotlib requires wxPython 2.8+
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/gtk_spreadsheet.py b/examples/user_interfaces/gtk_spreadsheet.py
index efe2e43cf701..85798b0ca691 100644
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/gtk_spreadsheet.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/gtk_spreadsheet.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 Example of embedding matplotlib in an application and interacting with
 a treeview to store data.  Double click on an entry to update plot
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/histogram_demo_canvasagg.py b/examples/user_interfaces/histogram_demo_canvasagg.py
index 3d48c455043e..11a13ba12185 100644
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/histogram_demo_canvasagg.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/histogram_demo_canvasagg.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 This is an example that shows you how to work directly with the agg
 figure canvas to create a figure using the pythonic API.
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/interactive.py b/examples/user_interfaces/interactive.py
index ec3ab637b97a..adc54264d76c 100755
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/interactive.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/interactive.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 """Multithreaded interactive interpreter with GTK and Matplotlib support.
 
 WARNING:
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/interactive2.py b/examples/user_interfaces/interactive2.py
index 6e174b0b7170..a6e7b700a113 100755
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/interactive2.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/interactive2.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 #  GTK Interactive Console
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/mpl_with_glade.py b/examples/user_interfaces/mpl_with_glade.py
index a2209a8310ba..340092ebeba3 100755
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/mpl_with_glade.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/mpl_with_glade.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 from __future__ import print_function
 import matplotlib
 matplotlib.use('GTK')
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/mpl_with_glade_316.py b/examples/user_interfaces/mpl_with_glade_316.py
index 4c2318efd8a7..ca537b508de5 100644
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/mpl_with_glade_316.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/mpl_with_glade_316.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python3
-
 from gi.repository import Gtk
 
 from matplotlib.figure import Figure
diff --git a/examples/user_interfaces/svg_histogram.py b/examples/user_interfaces/svg_histogram.py
index dd0279674bf4..fea08b8cd688 100755
--- a/examples/user_interfaces/svg_histogram.py
+++ b/examples/user_interfaces/svg_histogram.py
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-#-*- encoding:utf-8 -*-
-
 """
 Demonstrate how to create an interactive histogram, in which bars
 are hidden or shown by cliking on legend markers.
@@ -27,7 +24,7 @@
 CSS could also be used more extensively to replace repetitive markup
 troughout the generated SVG.
 
-__author__="david.huard@gmail.com"
+Author: david.huard@gmail.com
 
 """
 
diff --git a/examples/widgets/cursor.py b/examples/widgets/cursor.py
index 9a5d6350a560..209223b72a12 100755
--- a/examples/widgets/cursor.py
+++ b/examples/widgets/cursor.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 from matplotlib.widgets import Cursor
 import numpy as np
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
diff --git a/examples/widgets/span_selector.py b/examples/widgets/span_selector.py
index 13eef05e035e..d7bd5a1e426a 100755
--- a/examples/widgets/span_selector.py
+++ b/examples/widgets/span_selector.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 """
 The SpanSelector is a mouse widget to select a xmin/xmax range and plot the
 detail view of the selected region in the lower axes