Michael Palin
Biography
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.
Known For
Jack Lint
Brazil
Wise Man #3 / Mr. Big Nose / Francis / Mrs. A / Ex-Leper / Announcer / Ben / Pontius Pilate / Boring Prophet / Eddie / Shoe Follower / Nisus Wettus
Life of Brian
Ken Pile
A Fish Called Wanda
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!
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Various Roles
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
Self
Monty Python & the Holy Grail Location Report
Dennis Cooper
Jabberwocky
Various Roles
Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl
Adrian 'Bugsy' Malone
Fierce Creatures
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
And Now for Something Completely Different
Wise Man #3, Mr. Big Nose, Francis, Mrs. A, Ex-Leper
Life Of Brian Screenplay
Various Characters
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Graham Chapman's Personal Best
Self
Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule
Vincent
Time Bandits
Self
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
Self
50 Films to See Before You Die
Eric Manchester
The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash
Mrs. Betty Palin / Julius Caesar / Bevis
Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)
The Sun
The Wind in the Willows
Self
Inside Shabby Road: The Music of 'The Rutles'
Heinrich Himmler (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hitler: The Comedy Years
Self
Get Up and Go: The Making of 'The Rutles'
Various
How to Irritate People
Ernie Clicker (voice)
Arthur Christmas
Self
Around the World in 20 Years
Various
Is This a Record?
The Reverend Charles Fortescue
The Missionary
Rev. Francis Ashby
American Friends
Gilbert Chilvers
A Private Function
Self
Pleasure at Her Majesty's
Various Roles
The Secret Policeman's Ball
Self - Various Roles
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball
Self
The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball
Harris
Three Men in a Boat
Kindly Alien (voice)
Absolutely Anything
Self
The Pythons: Somewhere in Tunisia, Circa A.D. 1979
Rat
The Wind in the Willows
Rat
The Willows in Winter
salesman
Close-Up Toothpaste Relaunch
Ending It All
Various (voice)
A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman
Self - Presenter
Palin on Redpath
Self
Frost on Sketch Shows
Self
Anatomy of a Liar
General Mitford
The Wipers Times
Self
The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations
Self
The Seventh Python
Self / Various Roles
Life of Python
(voice)
The Box
Self
The Secret Policeman's Ball
Self / Various Characters
Parrot Sketch Not Included: Twenty Years of Monty Python
Self
The Movie Life of George
Self, others
Monty Python Live (Mostly)
Workman
The Crimson Permanent Assurance
Self
The Fringe, Fame and Me
Self
50 Years of BBC Two Comedy
Various (as Montypython Flyingcircus)
Euroshow '71: May Day Special
Self
Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened
Self
Monty Python: The Meaning of Live
Self
Fawlty Towers: 50 Years of Laughs
Self
Attenborough at 90
Self
The Meaning of Making 'The Meaning of Life'
Self
Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace
Self
Marty Feldman: Six Degrees of Separation
Generation '66
Self
Spike Milligan I told you I was ill... A live tribute
Various
Tracey Ullman: A Class Act
Host
Michael Palin & the Mystery of Hammershøi
Self
The Grand Knockout Tournament
The Magic Faraway Tree
Narrator
Michael Palin and the Ladies Who Loved Matisse
Vyacheslav Molotov
The Death of Stalin
Presenter
Timewatch: The Last Day of World War One
Self
Monty Python in Aberystwyth
Not The Messiah: The Road To Albert Hall
The New Incomplete And Utter History Of Everything
Tomkinson / Headmaster / TV Introducer / Mr Craffitt
Tomkinson's Schooldays
Eric Olthwaite / Bank Manager
The Testing of Eric Olthwaite
Comic Roots: Michael Palin
Self
Making Qi
Major Errol Phipps
Escape from Stalag Luft 112B
Charles Chiddingford
Murder at Moorstones Manor
Captain Walter Snetterton
Across the Andes by Frog
Kevin Orr / Uncle Jack
The Curse of the Claw
Gerald Whinfrey
Whinfrey's Last Case
Gordon Ottershaw
Golden Gordon
Roger
Roger of the Raj
Jazz Band Undertaker (uncredited)
Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World
Self
Alexander Armstrong's Real Ripping Yarns
Self
The Art Of Travel With Michael Palin
The Broken Bottle
Self
Comedians Do It On Stage
Self (archive footage)
The Roots of Monty Python
Gariiiiiii (voice)
Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind
Monty Python In The Netherlands
Self
Michael Palin's Quest for Artemisia
Self (archive footage)
What the Pythons Did Next...
Henry
Henry Cleans Up
Self
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
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 2
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 3
Self
The Meaning of Monty Python
Self
The Monty Python Story
Self
Monty Python: From Spam to Sperm
Self
Monty Python: 30th Anniversary Sketches
Monty Python: Pythonland
Michael Palin: A Life on Screen
Self
Monty Python: Before the Flying Circus
Self
What Is Brazil?
Self
Monty Python Conquers America
Self
Michael Palin In Wyeth's World
Self - Presenter
Life on Air: David Attenborough's 50 Years in Television
Self
Monty Python: And Now for Something Rather Similar
Self
The Unknown Peter Sellers
Self
Viz: The Documentary
Self
An Accidental Studio
Self
Final Ascent: The Legend of Hamish MacInnes
Self
John Cleese's First Farewell Performance
Self (archive footage)
Python at 50: Silly Talks and Holy Grails
Howard
The Dress
Self
The Secret Life of Brian
Self
Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Michael Palin's Personal Best
Ken
Monty Python: Who's There?
Self
Produced By George Martin
The Great Birds Eye Peas Relaunch 1971
Self
Sir David Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin in Conversation
Self
John Peel's Record Box
Self
Monty Python: Live at Aspen
Newscaster (voice)
Jeepers Creepers
Self (archive footage)(uncredited)
Monty Python's Best Bits Celebrated
Self
Concert for George
How To Make It In Comedy
Narrator (voice)
Rabbit Ears - Jack and the Beanstalk
Self
Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) - Theatrical Release
Self
The Phoenix: A Century of Cinema
Self
The Academy of Armando
Witch at Meeting (uncredited)
The Witches
Self
When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain
Self
Dame Maggie Smith - A Celebration
Various Characters
Monty Python's Flying Circus—John Cleese's Personal Best
Various Characters
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Eric Idle's Personal Best
Various Characters
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
Self
New Tales from Around the World in 80 Days
Self
Meridian: The First Ten Minutes
Self - Host
The First Night of Meridian
Nietzsche
The Philosophers' Football Match
Self
Innes Lloyd: The Producer
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
151
Gender
Male
Birthday
1943-05-05
Place of Birth
Broomhill, Sheffield, England, UK
Also Known As
مایکل پیلین