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.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Michael Palin, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

The Graham Norton Show

Self

The Simpsons

Springfield History Museum curator (voice)

Saturday Night Live

Self - Host

Saturday Night Live

Self - Cameo (uncredited)

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Self - Guest

The Jonathan Ross Show

Self

Wogan

Self

The One Show

Self - Guest

Filmography

Year	Movie	Role
2025	The Magic Faraway Tree
2025	The Academy of Armando	Self
2025	When Bruce Springsteen Came To Britain
2024	How To Make It In Comedy
2023	Fawlty Towers: 50 Years of Laughs	Self
2022	The Fringe, Fame and Me	Self
2021	Monty Python's Best Bits Celebrated	Self (archive footage)(uncredited)
2020	Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy	Self
2020	Sir David Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin in Conversation	Self
2020	Jeepers Creepers	Newscaster (voice)
2019	An Accidental Studio	Self
2019	Final Ascent: The Legend of Hamish MacInnes	Himself
2019	Python at 50: Silly Talks and Holy Grails	Self (archive footage)
2018	Michael Palin: A Life on Screen
2017	The Death of Stalin	Vyacheslav Molotov
2016	Attenborough at 90	Self
2016	Generation '66
2015	Absolutely Anything	Kindly Alien (voice)
2015	Michael Palin's Quest for Artemisia	Self
2014	Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule	Self
2014	Monty Python Live (Mostly)	Self, others
2014	50 Years of BBC Two Comedy	Self
2014	Monty Python: The Meaning of Live	Self
2014	Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace	Himself
2014	The New Incomplete And Utter History Of Everything
2014	Alexander Armstrong's Real Ripping Yarns	Self
2014	Monty Python: And Now for Something Rather Similar	Self
2013	Frost on Sketch Shows	Self
2013	The Wipers Times	General Mitford
2013	The Meaning of Monty Python	Self
2013	Michael Palin In Wyeth's World	Himself
2012	A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman	Various (voice)
2012	Anatomy of a Liar	Self
2012	The Secret Policeman's Ball	Self
2012	Produced By George Martin	Self
2011	Arthur Christmas	Ernie Clicker (voice)
2011	Making Qi	Self
2011	The Phoenix: A Century of Cinema	Self
2010	Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)	Mrs. Betty Palin / Julius Caesar / Bevis
2010	Not The Messiah: The Road To Albert Hall
2010	Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) - Theatrical Release	Self
2009	Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened	Self
2009	Monty Python in Aberystwyth	Self
2008	Life Of Brian Screenplay	Wise Man #3, Mr. Big Nose, Francis, Mrs. A, Ex-Leper
2008	Inside Shabby Road: The Music of 'The Rutles'	Self
2008	Get Up and Go: The Making of 'The Rutles'	Self
2008	Around the World in 20 Years	Himself
2008	The Seventh Python	Self
2008	Marty Feldman: Six Degrees of Separation	Self
2008	The Last Day of World War One	Presenter
2008	Monty Python: Before the Flying Circus	Self
2008	What Is Brazil?	Self
2008	Monty Python Conquers America	Self
2007	Hitler: The Comedy Years	Heinrich Himmler (archive footage) (uncredited)
2007	Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind	Gariiiiiii (voice)
2007	What the Pythons Did Next...	Self (archive footage)
2007	The Secret Life of Brian	Self
2006	Monty Python's Flying Circus - Graham Chapman's Personal Best	Various Characters
2006	50 Films to See Before You Die	Self
2006	The South Bank Show: Spamalot
2006	Monty Python's Flying Circus - Michael Palin's Personal Best
2005	Michael Palin & the Mystery of Hammershøi	Host
2005	The Roots of Monty Python	Self (archive footage)
2005	John Peel's Record Box	Self
2004	Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?	Self
2004	Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'	Self
2004	The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 1	Self (archive footage)
2004	The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 2	Self (archive footage)
2004	The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 3	Self (archive footage)
2003	The Meaning of Making 'The Meaning of Life'	Self
2003	Michael Palin and the Ladies Who Loved Matisse	Narrator
2003	Concert for George	Self
2002	Spike Milligan I told you I was ill... A live tribute	Self
2002	Life on Air: David Attenborough's 50 Years in Television	Himself - Presenter
2001	The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations	Self
2000	The Unknown Peter Sellers	Himself
1999	The Monty Python Story	Self
1999	Monty Python: From Spam to Sperm	Self
1999	Monty Python: 30th Anniversary Sketches	Self
1999	Monty Python: Pythonland
1998	Monty Python: Live at Aspen	Self
1997	Fierce Creatures	Adrian 'Bugsy' Malone
1997	Palin on Redpath	Himself / Presenter
1996	The Wind in the Willows	The Sun
1996	The Willows in Winter	Rat
1995	The Wind in the Willows	Rat
1993	Tracey Ullman: A Class Act	Various
1991	American Friends	Rev. Francis Ashby
1991	The South Bank Show: Terry Gilliam
1991	Rabbit Ears - Jack and the Beanstalk	Narrator (voice)
1990	Life of Python	Self / Various Roles
1990	Viz: The Documentary	Self
1990	The Witches	Witch at Meeting (uncredited)
1989	The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball	Self
1989	Parrot Sketch Not Included: Twenty Years of Monty Python	Self / Various Characters
1989	The Movie Life of George	Self
1989	The Art Of Travel With Michael Palin	Self
1988	A Fish Called Wanda	Ken Pile
1988	John Cleese's First Farewell Performance	Self
1987	The Grand Knockout Tournament	Self
1986	Comedians Do It On Stage	Self
1985	Brazil	Jack Lint
1984	A Private Function	Gilbert Chilvers
1984	The Dress	Howard
1983	Monty Python's The Meaning of Life	Various Roles
1983	The Crimson Permanent Assurance	Workman
1983	Comic Roots: Michael Palin
1982	Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl	Various Roles
1982	The Missionary	The Reverend Charles Fortescue
1982	The Secret Policeman's Other Ball	Self - Various Roles
1981	Time Bandits	Vincent
1981	The Box	(voice)
1979	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
1979	The Secret Policeman's Ball	Various Roles
1979	The Pythons: Somewhere in Tunisia, Circa A.D. 1979	Self
1979	Whinfrey's Last Case	Gerald Whinfrey
1979	Golden Gordon	Gordon Ottershaw
1979	Roger of the Raj	Roger
1978	The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash	Eric Manchester
1977	Jabberwocky	Dennis Cooper
1977	The Testing of Eric Olthwaite	Eric Olthwaite / Bank Manager
1977	Escape from Stalag Luft 112B	Major Errol Phipps
1977	Murder at Moorstones Manor	Charles Chiddingford
1977	Across the Andes by Frog	Captain Walter Snetterton
1977	The Curse of the Claw	Kevin Orr / Uncle Jack
1977	The Broken Bottle
1976	Pleasure at Her Majesty's	Self
1976	Tomkinson's Schooldays	Tomkinson / Headmaster / TV Introducer / Mr Craffitt
1975	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!
1975	Three Men in a Boat	Harris
1974	Monty Python & the Holy Grail Location Report	Self
1974	Henry Cleans Up	Henry
1973	Is This a Record?	Various
1973	Monty Python In The Netherlands
1971	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
1971	Euroshow '71: May Day Special	Various (as Montypython Flyingcircus)
1971	The Great Birds Eye Peas Relaunch 1971
1970	Ending It All
1970	Monty Python: Who's There?	Ken
1969	How to Irritate People	Various
1966	Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World	Jazz Band Undertaker (uncredited)
	Close-Up Toothpaste Relaunch	salesman

Year	TV Show	Role
2024	Michael Palin in Nigeria	Self
2022	Michael Palin: Into Iraq
2020	Staged	Michael
2020	Michael Palin: Travels of a Lifetime	Self - Host
2019	Worzel Gummidge	The Green Man
2018	Vanity Fair	William Makepeace Thackeray
2018	Michael Palin in North Korea	Himself - Host
2015	Artsnight	Self
2014	Remember Me	Tom Parfitt
2014	A Life on Screen	Himself
2014	Monty Python's Best Bits (Mostly)	Self (archive footage)
2012	Brazil with Michael Palin	Self (Presenter)
2011	The Jonathan Ross Show	Self
2010	ZULU Comedy Galla	Michael Palin
2009	Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut)	Self
2007	Michael Palin's New Europe	Himself
2007	Movie Connections	Self
2007	The Alan Titchmarsh Show	Self
2007	The Graham Norton Show	Self
2006	The One Show	Self - Guest
2006	Monty Python's Personal Best	Self / Various Characters
2006	Legends	Self
2004	Himalaya with Michael Palin	Self - Presenter
2002	Sahara with Michael Palin	Self - Presenter
1999	Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure
1998	Fantasy World Cup	Self
1998	Parkinson	Self
1997	Full Circle with Michael Palin	Himself
1996	Clive Anderson All Talk	Self
1995	The Frank Skinner Show	Self
1993	Late Night with Conan O'Brien	Self - Guest
1992	Pole to Pole	Himself
1991	G.B.H.	Jim Nelson
1989	Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days	Himself
1989	Michael Palin: The Art of Travel
1989	The Simpsons	Springfield History Museum curator (voice)
1987	Going Live!	Self
1987	Daytime Live
1986	Omnibus Presents Comic Relief
1982	Wogan	Self
1980	Travels with Palin	Himself
1980	Great Railway Journeys	Self - Presenter
1976	Ripping Yarns
1976	The Secret Policeman's Ball	Self
1976	Ripping Yarns	Gerald Whinfrey
1976	Ripping Yarns	Roger
1976	Ripping Yarns	Kevin Orr / Uncle Jack
1975	Saturday Night Live	Self - Host
1975	Saturday Night Live	Self - Cameo (uncredited)
1975	Les Rendez-vous du dimanche	Self
1972	Pebble Mill at One
1972	Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus	Various Characters
1969	Monty Python's Flying Circus	Various / "It's" man
1969	The Complete and Utter History of Britain
1969	Clangers	Narrator (voice)
1968	Frost on Sunday
1967	Do Not Adjust Your Set	Various Characters
1967	Twice a Fortnight
1967	A Series Of Bird's