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Michael Palin

Michael Palin

Acting · Writing · Creator

Born May 5, 1943, Broomhill, Sheffield, England, UK

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.

Filmography

Appearances as themselves (108)
  • 2026David Attenborough's 100 Years on Planet Earth — Self
  • Michael Palin in the Philippines — Self - Presenter
  • David Frost Vs — self
  • 2025Innes Lloyd: The Producer — Self
  • Michael Palin in Venezuela — Self - Presenter
  • 2025The Academy of Armando — Self
  • The Secret Life of Trees — Self - Narrator
  • 2025When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain — Self
  • 2024Dame Maggie Smith - A Celebration — Self
  • Michael Palin in Nigeria — Self - Presenter
  • 2024My National Gallery, London — Self
  • 2023Fawlty Towers: 50 Years of Laughs — Self
  • Michael Palin: Into Iraq — Self - Presenter
  • 2022The Fringe, Fame and Me — Self
  • 2021Monty Python's Best Bits Celebrated — Self (archive footage)(uncredited)
  • Michael Palin: Travels of a Lifetime — Self - Host
  • 2020Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy — Self
  • 2019An Accidental Studio — Self
  • 2019Final Ascent: The Legend of Hamish MacInnes — Self
  • 2019Python at 50: Silly Talks and Holy Grails — Self (archive footage)
  • Michael Palin in North Korea — Self - Presenter
  • 2016Attenborough at 90 — Self
  • Artsnight — Self
  • 2015Michael Palin's Quest for Artemisia — Self
  • 201450 Years of BBC Two Comedy — Self
  • A Life on Screen — Self
  • 2014Alexander Armstrong's Real Ripping Yarns — Self
  • Monty Python's Best Bits (Mostly) — Self (archive footage)
  • 2014Monty Python: And Now for Something Rather Similar — Self
  • 2014Monty Python: The Meaning of Live — Self
  • 2014New Tales from Around the World in 80 Days — Self
  • 2014Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule — Self
  • 2014Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace — Self
  • 2013Frost on Sketch Shows — Self
  • 2013The Meaning of Monty Python — Self
  • 2012Anatomy of a Liar — Self
  • 2012Produced by George Martin — Self
  • 2012The Secret Policeman's Ball — Self
  • 2011Making Qi — Self
  • Perspectives — Self
  • The Jonathan Ross Show — Self
  • 2011The Phoenix: A Century of Cinema — Self
  • 2010Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) - Theatrical Release — Self
  • 2009Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened — Self
  • 2009Monty Python in Aberystwyth — Self
  • Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) — Self
  • 2008Get Up and Go: The Making of 'The Rutles' — Self
  • 2008Inside Shabby Road: The Music of 'The Rutles' — Self
  • 2008Marty Feldman: Six Degrees of Separation — Self
  • 2008Monty Python Conquers America — Self
  • 2008Monty Python: Before the Flying Circus — Self
  • 2008The Seventh Python — Self
  • 2008What Is Brazil? — Self
  • Movie Connections — Self
  • The Alan Titchmarsh Show — Self
  • The Graham Norton Show — Self
  • 2007The Secret Life of Brian — Self
  • 2007What the Pythons Did Next... — Self (archive footage)
  • 200650 Films to See Before You Die — Self
  • Legends — Self
  • The One Show — Self - Guest
  • 2005John Peel's Record Box — Self
  • 2005The Roots of Monty Python — Self (archive footage)
  • 2004Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove' — Self
  • Parkinson — Self - Guest
  • 2004Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball? — Self
  • 2004The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 1 — Self (archive footage)
  • 2004The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 2 — Self (archive footage)
  • 2004The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 3 — Self (archive footage)
  • 2003Concert for George — Self
  • 2003Michael Palin and the Ladies Who Loved Matisse — Self - Presenter
  • 2003The Meaning of Making 'The Meaning of Life' — Self
  • 2002Life on Air: David Attenborough's 50 Years in Television — Self - Presenter
  • 2002Spike Milligan I told you I was ill... A live tribute — Self
  • 2001The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations — Self
  • 2000The Unknown Peter Sellers — Self
  • 199930 Years of Monty Python, a Revelation — Self
  • 1999Monty Python: 30th Anniversary Sketches — Self
  • 1999Monty Python: From Spam to Sperm — Self
  • 1999The Monty Python Story — Self
  • Fantasy World Cup — Self
  • 1998Monty Python: Live at Aspen — Self
  • Parkinson — Self - Guest
  • Clive Anderson All Talk — Self
  • The Frank Skinner Show — Self
  • Late Night with Conan O'Brien — Self - Guest
  • 1993Meridian: The First Ten Minutes — Self
  • 1993The First Night of Meridian — Self - Host
  • 1990Life of Python — Self / Various Roles
  • 1990Viz: The Documentary — Self
  • 1989The Art Of Travel With Michael Palin — Self
  • 1989The Movie Life of George — Self
  • 1989The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball — Self
  • 1988Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute — Self
  • Going Live! — Self
  • 1987The Grand Knockout Tournament — Self
  • 1986Comedians Do It On Stage — Self
  • 1982The Secret Policeman's Other Ball — Self - Various Roles
  • Wogan — Self
  • Travels with Palin — Self
  • 1979The Pythons: Somewhere in Tunisia, Circa A.D. 1979 — Self
  • 1976Pleasure at Her Majesty's — Self
  • The Secret Policeman's Ball — Self
  • Les Rendez-vous du dimanche — Self
  • 1974Monty Python & the Holy Grail Location Report — Self
  • Film '72 — Self
  • Frost on Sunday — Self / Various Characters
  • Just Dandy — Self
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