Michael Palin
Michael Edward Palin, CBE FRGS (born 5 May 1943) is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries. Palin wrote most of his comedic material with Terry Jones. Before Monty Python, they had worked on other shows such as The Ken Dodd Show, The Frost Report and Do Not Adjust Your Set. Palin appeared in some of the most famous Python sketches, including "Argument Clinic", "Dead Parrot", "The Lumberjack Song", and "The Spanish Inquisition". Palin continued to work with Jones after Python, co-writing Ripping Yarns. He has also appeared in several films directed by fellow Python Terry Gilliam and made notable appearances in other films such as A Fish Called Wanda, for which he won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. In a 2005 poll to find The Comedian's Comedian, he was voted the 30th favourite by fellow comedians and comedy insiders. After Python, he began a new career as a travel writer and travel documentarian. His journeys have taken him across the world, including the North and South Poles, the Sahara desert, the Himalayas and, most recently, Eastern Europe. In 2000 Palin was honoured as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to television.
Born: 05 May 1943
Played In
David Attenborough's 100 Years on Planet Earth
Self
The Magic Faraway Tree
Know All
Small Prophets
Brian Sleep
Joke
Michael Palin in Venezuela
Self - Host
The Secret Life of Trees
Self - Narrator
When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain
Self
Innes Lloyd: The Producer
Self
The Academy of Armando
Self
David Frost Vs
self
Dame Maggie Smith - A Celebration
Self
Michael Palin in Nigeria
Self
How To Make It In Comedy
Fawlty Towers: 50 Years of Laughs
Self
Michael Palin: Into Iraq
The Fringe, Fame and Me
Self
Remembers…
Monty Python's Best Bits Celebrated
Self (archive footage)(uncredited)
Jeepers Creepers
Newscaster (voice)
Michael Palin: Travels of a Lifetime
Self - Host
Sir David Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin in Conversation
Self
Staged
Michael
Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy
Self
Worzel Gummidge
The Green Man
Python at 50: Silly Talks and Holy Grails
Self (archive footage)
An Accidental Studio
Self
Final Ascent: The Legend of Hamish MacInnes
Self
Michael Palin in North Korea
Self - Host
Vanity Fair
William Makepeace Thackeray
Michael Palin: A Life on Screen
The Death of Stalin
Vyacheslav Molotov
Generation '66
Attenborough at 90
Self
Michael Palin's Quest for Artemisia
Self
Clangers
Narrator (voice)
Artsnight
Self
Absolutely Anything
Kindly Alien (voice)
A Life on Screen
Self
Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule
Self
Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace
Self
Remember Me
Tom Parfitt
Monty Python: The Meaning of Live
Self
Monty Python's Best Bits (Mostly)
Self (archive footage)
Monty Python Live (Mostly)
Self, others
Monty Python: And Now for Something Rather Similar
Self
50 Years of BBC Two Comedy
Self
The New Incomplete And Utter History Of Everything
Alexander Armstrong's Real Ripping Yarns
Self
New Tales from Around the World in 80 Days
Self
Michael Palin In Wyeth's World
Self
The Meaning of Monty Python
Self
The Wipers Times
General Mitford
Frost on Sketch Shows
Self
A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman
Various (voice)
Anatomy of a Liar
Self
Brazil with Michael Palin
Self (Presenter)
Produced by George Martin
Self
The Secret Policeman's Ball
Self
Arthur Christmas
Ernie Clicker (voice)
Making Qi
Self
The Jonathan Ross Show
Self
Perspectives
Self
The Phoenix: A Century of Cinema
Self
ZULU Comedy Galla
Michael Palin
Not The Messiah: The Road To Albert Hall
Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)
Mrs. Betty Palin / Julius Caesar / Bevis
Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) - Theatrical Release
Self
Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut)
Self
Monty Python in Aberystwyth
Self
Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened
Self
Around the World in 20 Years
Self
Inside Shabby Road: The Music of 'The Rutles'
Self
Get Up and Go: The Making of 'The Rutles'
Self
Timewatch: The Last Day of World War One
Presenter
Monty Python: Before the Flying Circus
Self
The Seventh Python
Self
What Is Brazil?
Self
Marty Feldman: Six Degrees of Separation
Self
Life Of Brian Screenplay
Wise Man #3, Mr. Big Nose, Francis, Mrs. A, Ex-Leper
Monty Python Conquers America
Self
Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind
Gariiiiiii (voice)
Michael Palin's New Europe
Self
Movie Connections
Self
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
Self
Hitler: The Comedy Years
Heinrich Himmler (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Graham Norton Show
Self
What the Pythons Did Next...
Self (archive footage)
The Secret Life of Brian
Self
Legends
Self
The One Show
Self - Guest
50 Films to See Before You Die
Self
Monty Python's Flying Circus—John Cleese's Personal Best
Various Characters
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Michael Palin's Personal Best
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Terry Gilliam's Personal Best
Various Characters
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Terry Jones' Personal Best
Various Characters
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Graham Chapman's Personal Best
Various Characters
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Eric Idle's Personal Best
Various Characters
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Graham Chapman's Personal Best
Various Characters
Monty Python's Personal Best
Self / Various Characters
The Roots of Monty Python
Self (archive footage)
John Peel's Record Box
Self
Michael Palin & the Mystery of Hammershøi
Host
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
Self
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
Self
Himalaya with Michael Palin
Self - Presenter
The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 2
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 3
Self (archive footage)
Concert for George
Self
The Meaning of Making 'The Meaning of Life'
Self
Michael Palin and the Ladies Who Loved Matisse
Narrator
Life on Air: David Attenborough's 50 Years in Television
Self - Presenter
Sahara with Michael Palin
Self - Presenter
Spike Milligan I told you I was ill... A live tribute
Self
The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations
Self
The Unknown Peter Sellers
Self
Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure
Monty Python: From Spam to Sperm
Self
The Monty Python Story
Self
Monty Python: 30th Anniversary Sketches
Self
Monty Python: Pythonland
Fantasy World Cup
Self
Monty Python: Live at Aspen
Self
Parkinson
Self
Palin on Redpath
Self - Presenter
Full Circle with Michael Palin
Self
Fierce Creatures
Adrian "Bugsy" Malone
The Willows in Winter
Rat
The Wind in the Willows
The Sun
Clive Anderson All Talk
Self
The Wind in the Willows
Rat
The Frank Skinner Show
Self
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
Tracey Ullman: A Class Act
Various
Meridian: The First Ten Minutes
Self
The First Night of Meridian
Self - Host
Pole to Pole
Self
Rabbit Ears - Jack and the Beanstalk
Narrator (voice)
G.B.H.
Jim Nelson
American Friends
Rev. Francis Ashby
The Witches
Witch at Meeting (uncredited)
Viz: The Documentary
Self
Life of Python
Self / Various Roles
The Simpsons
Springfield History Museum curator (voice)
Parrot Sketch Not Included: Twenty Years of Monty Python
Self / Various Characters
The Art Of Travel With Michael Palin
Self
Michael Palin: The Art of Travel
Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days
Self
The Movie Life of George
Self
The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball
Self
A Fish Called Wanda
Ken Pile
John Cleese's First Farewell Performance
Self
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
Self
Daytime Live
Going Live!
Self
The Grand Knockout Tournament
Self
Omnibus Presents Comic Relief
Comedians Do It On Stage
Self
Brazil
Jack Lint
Friday People
A Private Function
Gilbert Chilvers
The Dress
Howard
Comic Roots: Michael Palin
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
Various Roles
The Crimson Permanent Assurance
Workman
The Missionary
The Reverend Charles Fortescue
Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl
Various Roles
Wogan
Self
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball
Self - Various Roles
Time Bandits
Vincent
The Box
(voice)
Travels with Palin
Self
Great Railway Journeys
Self - Presenter
The Secret Policeman's Ball
Various Roles
Roger of the Raj
Roger
Golden Gordon
Gordon Ottershaw
Whinfrey's Last Case
Gerald Whinfrey
Friday Night, Saturday Morning
Life of Brian
Wise Man #3 / Mr. Big Nose / Francis / Mrs. A / Ex-Leper / Announcer / Ben / Pontius Pilate / Boring Prophet / Eddie / Shoe Follower / Nisus Wettus
The Pythons: Somewhere in Tunisia, Circa A.D. 1979
Self
The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash
Eric Manchester
The Curse of the Claw
Kevin Orr / Uncle Jack
Across the Andes by Frog
Captain Walter Snetterton
Murder at Moorstones Manor
Charles Chiddingford
Escape from Stalag Luft 112B
Major Errol Phipps
The Testing of Eric Olthwaite
Eric Olthwaite / Bank Manager
The Broken Bottle
Jabberwocky
Dennis Cooper
Pleasure at Her Majesty's
Self
The Secret Policeman's Ball
Self
Tomkinson's Schooldays
Tomkinson / Headmaster / TV Introducer / Mr Craffitt
Ripping Yarns
Ripping Yarns
Gerald Whinfrey
Ripping Yarns
Kevin Orr / Uncle Jack
Ripping Yarns
Roger
Three Men in a Boat
Harris
Saturday Night Live
Self - Co-Host
Saturday Night Live
Self - Special Guest
Saturday Night Live
Dick Savage (uncredited)
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host
Saturday Night Live
Self / Various (uncredited)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
First Swallow-Savvy Guard / Dennis / Peasant 2 / Right Head / Sir Galahad the Pure / Narrator / King of Swamp Castle / Brother Maynard's Brother / Leader of The Knights Who Say NI!
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Self
Monty Python & the Holy Grail Location Report
Self
Henry Cleans Up
Henry
Is This a Record?
Various
Monty Python In The Netherlands
Full House
Various
Pebble Mill at One
Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus
Various Characters
The Great Birds Eye Peas Relaunch 1971
Film '72
Self
And Now for Something Completely Different
Gumby / Man with tape recorder / Phrasebook Author / Arthur Pewtey / Second self - defence student / Second Tenant / Lost His Wallet / Shrill Petrol Announcer / Milkman / Ernest Scribbler / Pet shop employee / Lumberjack / Headwaiter Gilberto / Herbert Anchovy / Blackmail Presenter / Gervais Brookhamster / Town Guild Lady
Euroshow '71: May Day Special
Various (as Montypython Flyingcircus)
Monty Python: Who's There?
Ken
Ending It All
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Various / "It's" man
How to Irritate People
Various
The Complete and Utter History of Britain
Frost on Sunday
Self / Various Characters
Do Not Adjust Your Set
Various Characters
Twice a Fortnight
A Series of Bird's
Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World
Jazz Band Undertaker (uncredited)
Close-Up Toothpaste Relaunch
salesman
The Philosophers' Football Match
Nietzsche