Acting
Michael Palin
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.
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Acting
Close-Up Toothpaste Relaunch
Just Dandy
The Mystery of the Missing Morsel of Murder at Moorstones Manor
Secrets of the Bayeux Tapestry: Inside the Museum
2026
Documentary · History · TV Movie
David Attenborough's 100 Years on Planet Earth
2026
Documentary
The Magic Faraway Tree
2026
Adventure · Family · Fantasy
Small Prophets
2026
Comedy · Drama · Mystery
Joke
2026
Comedy
When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain
2025
Documentary · Music
Innes Lloyd: The Producer
2025
Documentary
The Academy of Armando
2025
Documentary
Dame Maggie Smith - A Celebration
2024
Documentary
My National Gallery, London
2024
Documentary
Fawlty Towers: 50 Years of Laughs
2023
Documentary
The Fringe, Fame and Me
2022
Documentary
Remembers…
2022
Documentary · Talk
Monty Python's Best Bits Celebrated
2021
Documentary · Comedy
Jeepers Creepers
2020
Fantasy
Staged
2020
Comedy
Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy
2020
Documentary
Worzel Gummidge
2019
Kids
Python at 50: Silly Talks and Holy Grails
2019
Documentary · Comedy
An Accidental Studio
2019
Documentary
Final Ascent: The Legend of Hamish MacInnes
2019
Documentary
Vanity Fair
2018
Comedy · Drama
Michael Palin: A Life on Screen
2018
Documentary · Comedy
The Death of Stalin
2017
Comedy · Drama · History
Generation '66
2016
Documentary
Attenborough at 90
2016
Documentary
Michael Palin's Quest for Artemisia
2015
Documentary
Clangers
2015
Kids · Animation · Family
Absolutely Anything
2015
Comedy · Science Fiction
Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule
2014
Documentary
Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace
2014
Music · TV Movie · Documentary
Remember Me
2014
Drama · Mystery · Crime
Monty Python: The Meaning of Live
2014
Comedy · Documentary
Monty Python Live (Mostly)
2014
Comedy · Music · Documentary
Monty Python: And Now for Something Rather Similar
2014
Documentary · Comedy
50 Years of BBC Two Comedy
2014
Documentary · TV Movie
The New Incomplete And Utter History Of Everything
2014
Alexander Armstrong's Real Ripping Yarns
2014
Documentary
New Tales from Around the World in 80 Days
2014
Documentary
Michael Palin In Wyeth's World
2013
Documentary
The Meaning of Monty Python
2013
Documentary · Comedy
The Wipers Times
2013
Comedy · War · Drama
Frost on Sketch Shows
2013
Documentary · Comedy
A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman
2012
Animation · Comedy
Anatomy of a Liar
2012
Documentary
Produced by George Martin
2012
Documentary · Music
The Secret Policeman's Ball
2012
Comedy
Arthur Christmas
2011
Drama · Animation · Family
Making Qi
2011
Documentary
ZULU Comedy Galla
2010
Comedy · Family
Not The Messiah: The Road To Albert Hall
2010
Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)
2010
Comedy · Music · History
Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) - Theatrical Release
2010
Documentary · Comedy
Monty Python in Aberystwyth
2009
Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened
2009
Documentary · Comedy
Around the World in 20 Years
2008
Documentary
Inside Shabby Road: The Music of 'The Rutles'
2008
Get Up and Go: The Making of 'The Rutles'
2008
Timewatch: The Last Day of World War One
2008
War · Documentary
Monty Python: Before the Flying Circus
2008
Documentary · Comedy
The Seventh Python
2008
Documentary
What Is Brazil?
2008
Documentary
Marty Feldman: Six Degrees of Separation
2008
Documentary · TV Movie
Monty Python Conquers America
2008
Documentary
Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind
2007
Family · Animation · TV Movie
Hitler: The Comedy Years
2007
Documentary
What the Pythons Did Next...
2007
The Secret Life of Brian
2007
Documentary
50 Films to See Before You Die
2006
Documentary
Monty Python's Flying Circus—John Cleese's Personal Best
2006
Comedy · Animation
Monty Python's Flying Circus — Michael Palin's Personal Best
2006
Comedy
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Terry Gilliam's Personal Best
2006
Comedy · Animation
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Graham Chapman's Personal Best
2006
Comedy
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Eric Idle's Personal Best
2006
Comedy
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Graham Chapman's Personal Best
2006
Comedy
The Roots of Monty Python
2005
Documentary
John Peel's Record Box
2005
Documentary
Michael Palin & the Mystery of Hammershøi
2005
Documentary
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
2004
Comedy · Documentary
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
2004
Documentary
The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 2
2004
Comedy
The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 1
2004
Comedy
The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 3
2004
Comedy
Concert for George
2003
Music · Documentary
The Meaning of Making 'The Meaning of Life'
2003
Documentary
Michael Palin and the Ladies Who Loved Matisse
2003
Documentary
Life on Air: David Attenborough's 50 Years in Television
2002
Documentary · TV Movie
Spike Milligan I told you I was ill... A live tribute
2002
Comedy
The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations
2001
Documentary
The Unknown Peter Sellers
2000
Documentary
Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure
1999
Documentary
Monty Python: From Spam to Sperm
1999
Documentary · Comedy · Music
The Monty Python Story
1999
Documentary · Comedy
Monty Python: 30th Anniversary Sketches
1999
Comedy
Monty Python: Pythonland
1999
Documentary · Comedy
30 Years of Monty Python, a Revelation
1999
Monty Python: Live at Aspen
1998
Comedy · Documentary
Palin on Redpath
1997
Documentary · History
Fierce Creatures
1997
Comedy · Romance
The Willows in Winter
1996
Animation · Family · TV Movie
The Wind in the Willows
1996
Fantasy · Comedy · Family
TFI Friday
1996
Comedy
The Wind in the Willows
1995
Family · Animation · Adventure
Tracey Ullman: A Class Act
1993
Comedy
Rabbit Ears - Jack and the Beanstalk
1991
G.B.H.
1991
Drama
American Friends
1991
Comedy · Romance
The Witches
1990
Fantasy · Family · Horror
Viz: The Documentary
1990
Documentary
Life of Python
1990
Documentary · Comedy
The Simpsons
1989
Animation · Comedy
Parrot Sketch Not Included: Twenty Years of Monty Python
1989
Comedy · TV Movie
The Art Of Travel With Michael Palin
1989
Michael Palin: The Art of Travel
1989
Documentary
The Movie Life of George
1989
Documentary
The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball
1989
Comedy · Music
A Fish Called Wanda
1988
Comedy · Crime
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
1988
Music
The Grand Knockout Tournament
1987
Comedy · Family
Omnibus Presents Comic Relief
1986
Comedy
Comedians Do It On Stage
1986
Comedy
Brazil
1985
Comedy · Science Fiction
A Private Function
1984
Comedy
The Dress
1984
Drama
Comic Roots: Michael Palin
1983
Documentary · Comedy
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
1983
Comedy
The Crimson Permanent Assurance
1983
Comedy · Fantasy · Adventure
The Missionary
1982
Comedy
Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl
1982
Comedy
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball
1982
Comedy · Music · TV Movie
Time Bandits
1981
Family · Fantasy · Science Fiction
The Box
1981
Comedy
The Secret Policeman's Ball
1979
Comedy · Music
Roger of the Raj
1979
Comedy
Golden Gordon
1979
Comedy
Whinfrey's Last Case
1979
Comedy
Friday Night, Saturday Morning
1979
Talk
Life of Brian
1979
Comedy
The Pythons: Somewhere in Tunisia, Circa A.D. 1979
1979
Documentary · Comedy · TV Movie
The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash
1978
Comedy · Music · TV Movie
Michael Palin’s Super 8mm - “Life of Brian”
1978
Documentary
The Curse of the Claw
1977
Comedy
Across the Andes by Frog
1977
Comedy
Murder at Moorstones Manor
1977
Comedy
Escape from Stalag Luft 112B
1977
Comedy
The Testing of Eric Olthwaite
1977
Comedy
The Broken Bottle
1977
Jabberwocky
1977
Fantasy · Comedy
Pleasure at Her Majesty's
1976
Comedy · Documentary
Tomkinson's Schooldays
1976
Comedy
Ripping Yarns
1976
Comedy
Three Men in a Boat
1975
Drama · Comedy · TV Movie
Saturday Night Live
1975
Comedy · News
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
1975
Adventure · Comedy · Fantasy
Monty Python & the Holy Grail Location Report
1974
Documentary
Henry Cleans Up
1974
Is This a Record?
1973
Comedy · Documentary
Monty Python In The Netherlands
1973
Comedy
Pebble Mill at One
1972
The Philosophers' Football Match
1972
Comedy
Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus
1972
Comedy
The Great Birds Eye Peas Relaunch 1971
1971
Comedy
And Now for Something Completely Different
1971
Comedy
Euroshow '71: May Day Special
1971
Comedy
Monty Python: Who's There?
1970
Ending It All
1970
Comedy · Documentary
Monty Python's Flying Circus
1969
Comedy
How to Irritate People
1969
Comedy · TV Movie
The Complete and Utter History of Britain
1969
Comedy
Do Not Adjust Your Set
1967
Comedy
Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World
1966
Documentary
Directed
Michael Palin’s Super 8mm - “Life of Brian”
1978
Documentary
Written
Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python
Comedy
Time Bandits
2024
Sci-Fi & Fantasy · Action & Adventure · Comedy
Monty Python Live (Mostly)
2014
Comedy · Music · Documentary
Michael Palin In Wyeth's World
2013
Documentary
Brazil with Michael Palin
2012
Documentary
