An /etc/init.d skeleton in Python from http://lionfacelemonface.wordpress.com/2009/12/29/python-init-scripts/ .

init_skeleton.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
#
# Init script skeleton for Python-based service control scripts
#
# chkconfig: 123456 1 99
# description: My service
#
# Author: Josh Johnson <lionface dot lemonface at gmail dot com>
#
#
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides: my-service
# Required-Start: 
# Required-Stop: 
# Default-Start:  123456
# Default-Stop:  123456
# Short-Description: My service
# Description: My service
### END INIT INFO

import sys, os, subprocess, re, time

##### Globals #######################
# service name, necessary paths
SERVICE = 'my-service'
LOCK_FILE = '/var/lock/subsys/' + SERVICE


# ANSI codes
MOVE_CURSOR = '\033[60G'
FAILURE_COLOR = '\033[1;31m'
SUCCESS_COLOR = '\033[1;32m'
NO_COLOR = '\033[0m'

def echo_success():
    """
    Port of standard RHEL function, echos pretty colorized "[  OK  ]" after 
    output
    """
    print "%s[  %sOK%s  ]" % (MOVE_CURSOR, SUCCESS_COLOR, NO_COLOR)

def echo_failure():
    """
    Port of standard RHEL function, echos pretty colorized "[FAILED]" after 
    output
    """
    print "%s[%sFAILED%s]" % (MOVE_CURSOR, FAILURE_COLOR, NO_COLOR)

def lock():
    """
    Create the /var/lock/subsys file
    """
    open(LOCK_FILE, 'w').close()
    
def locked():
    """
    Return True if the lock file exists
    """
    return os.path.exists(LOCK_FILE)
    
def unlock():
    """
    Remove the /var/lock/subsys file
    """
    os.remove(LOCK_FILE)

def start():
    """
    Do whatever needs to be done.. this is where you start any applications,
    mount filesystems, etc.
    """
    print "Starting...",
    lock()
    # do stuff
    
    echo_success()

def stop():
    """
    Shut everything down, clean up.
    """
    print "Stopping...",
    # do stuff
    unlock()
    echo_success()
    
def restart():
    """
    Stop and then start
    """
    stop()
    start()
    
def status():
    """
    Print any relevant status info, and return a status code, an integer:
    
    0        program is running or service is OK
    1	      program is dead and /var/run pid file exists
    2	      program is dead and /var/lock lock file exists
    3	      program is not running
    4	      program or service status is unknown
    5-99	  reserved for future LSB use
    100-149	  reserved for distribution use
    150-199	  reserved for application use
    200-254	  reserved
    
    @see: http://dev.linux-foundation.org/betaspecs/booksets/LSB-Core-generic/LSB-Core-generic/iniscrptact.html
    """
    if not locked():
        # this is dubious! if you're controlling another process, you should check its
        # PID file or use some other means.. consider this an example
        print "Program isn't running"
        return 3
    else:
        print "Everything is A-OK"
        return 0

def test():
    """
    This is my way of "unit testing" the script. This function
    calls each of actions, mimicking the switchboard below. 
    
    It then verifies that the functions did what they were supposed to, 
    and reports any problems to stderr.
    
    @TODO: this could be used to inspect the system (e.g. open a web page if this is
    a web server control script) instead of the script.
    
    @TODO: you'll need to also check for PID files and running processes!
    """
    # Since this will turn off the system when its complete, 
    # I want to warn the user and give them the chance to opt out if they 
    # chose this option by accident.
    
    ok = raw_input("""
******************
TESTING MY SERVICE
******************

This will TURN OFF my-service after all the tests.

This should only be done for testing and debugging purposes.

Are you sure you want to do this? [Y/N]: """
    ).lower()
    
    if ok != 'y':
        print >> sys.stderr, "Aborting..."
        return

    start()
    # Do stuff to check the start() function     
    #
    # 
    
    print "Verifying Lock File...",
    if os.path.exists(LOCK_FILE):
        echo_success()
    else:
        echo_failure()
        print >> sys.stderr, "ERROR: Lock file was NOT written"
    
    
    
    # we call status a couple of times so we can test if it's returning the right
    # output under different circumstances
    status()
        
    stop()
    # Do stuff to check the stop() function     
    #
    # 
        
    print "Checking lock file after stop...",
    
    if os.path.exists(LOCK_FILE):
        echo_failure()
        print >> sys.stderr, "ERROR: Could not remove lock file"
    else:
        echo_success()
    
    # one more time to see what it looks like when the service off
    status()


# Main program switchboard - wrap everything in a try block to
# ensure the right return code is sent to the shell, and keep things tidy.
# 
# @TODO: need to raise custom exception instead of ValueError, and 
#        handle other exceptions better. 
#
# @TODO: put lock/unlock calls inside of start/stop?
if __name__ == '__main__':
    try:
        # if theres fewer than 2 options on the command line 
        # (sys.argv[0] is the program name)
        if len(sys.argv) == 1:
            raise ValueError;  
            
        action = str(sys.argv[1]).strip().lower()
        
        if action == 'start':
            lock()
            start()
            sys.exit(0)
        elif action == 'stop':
            stop()
            unlock()
            echo_success()
            sys.exit(0)
        elif action == 'restart' or action == 'force-reload':
            restart()
            sys.exit(0)
        elif action == 'status':
            OK = status()
            sys.exit(OK)
        elif action == 'test':
            test()
            sys.exit(0)
        else:
            raise ValueError
    
    except (SystemExit):
        # calls to sys.exit() raise this error :(
        pass
    except (ValueError):
        echo_failure()
        print >> sys.stderr, "Usage: %s [start|stop|restart|force-reload|status|test]" % (SERVICE_NAME)
        # return 2 for "bad command line option"
        sys.exit(2)
    except:
        # all other exceptions get caught here
        extype, value = sys.exc_info()[:2]
        echo_failure()
        print >> sys.stderr, "ERROR: %s (%s)" % (extype, value)
        # return 1 for "general error"
        sys.exit(1)