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.
154 movies · 66 shows
David Attenborough's 100 Years on Planet Earth
2026·7.0
The Magic Faraway Tree
2026·6.2
Joke
2026·6.0
When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain
2025·8.7
Innes Lloyd: The Producer
2025·7.0
The Academy of Armando
2025·1.0
Dame Maggie Smith - A Celebration
2024·4.5
My National Gallery, London
2024·8.0
How To Make It In Comedy
2024·0.0
Fawlty Towers: 50 Years of Laughs
2023·9.0
The Fringe, Fame and Me
2022·0.0
Monty Python's Best Bits Celebrated
2021·0.0
Jeepers Creepers
2020·4.0
Sir David Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin in Conversation
2020·5.7
Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy
2020·8.0
Python at 50: Silly Talks and Holy Grails
2019·9.0
An Accidental Studio
2019·6.4
Final Ascent: The Legend of Hamish MacInnes
2019·0.0
Michael Palin: A Life on Screen
2018·7.0
The Death of Stalin
2017·7.0
Generation '66
2016·7.0
Attenborough at 90
2016·8.0
Michael Palin's Quest for Artemisia
2015·7.0
Absolutely Anything
2015·5.9
Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule
2014·7.5
Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace
2014·0.0
Monty Python: The Meaning of Live
2014·7.4
Monty Python Live (Mostly)
2014·7.1
Monty Python: And Now for Something Rather Similar
2014·6.0
50 Years of BBC Two Comedy
2014·8.0
The New Incomplete And Utter History Of Everything
2014·0.0
Alexander Armstrong's Real Ripping Yarns
2014·0.0
New Tales from Around the World in 80 Days
2014·0.0
Michael Palin In Wyeth's World
2013·7.8
The Meaning of Monty Python
2013·7.4
The Wipers Times
2013·6.3
Frost on Sketch Shows
2013·8.5
A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman
2012·6.0
Anatomy of a Liar
2012·6.0
Produced by George Martin
2012·7.4
The Secret Policeman's Ball
2012·7.6
Arthur Christmas
2011·6.8
Making Qi
2011·0.0
The Phoenix: A Century of Cinema
2011·0.0
Not The Messiah: The Road To Albert Hall
2010·0.0
Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)
2010·7.0
Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) - Theatrical Release
2010·0.0
Monty Python in Aberystwyth
2009·0.0
Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened
2009·8.4
Around the World in 20 Years
2008·8.7
Inside Shabby Road: The Music of 'The Rutles'
2008·0.0
Get Up and Go: The Making of 'The Rutles'
2008·0.0
Timewatch: The Last Day of World War One
2008·0.0
Monty Python: Before the Flying Circus
2008·7.7
The Seventh Python
2008·0.0
What Is Brazil?
2008·6.6
Marty Feldman: Six Degrees of Separation
2008·7.8
Life Of Brian Screenplay
2008·0.0
Monty Python Conquers America
2008·6.3
Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind
2007·5.1
Hitler: The Comedy Years
2007·5.0
What the Pythons Did Next...
2007·0.0
The Secret Life of Brian
2007·7.6
50 Films to See Before You Die
2006·8.5
Monty Python's Flying Circus—John Cleese's Personal Best
2006·0.0
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Michael Palin's Personal Best
2006·0.0
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Terry Gilliam's Personal Best
2006·7.0
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Terry Jones' Personal Best
2006·8.3
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Graham Chapman's Personal Best
2006·10.0
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Eric Idle's Personal Best
2006·8.0
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Graham Chapman's Personal Best
2006·0.0
The Roots of Monty Python
2005·0.0
John Peel's Record Box
2005·8.0
Michael Palin & the Mystery of Hammershøi
2005·7.0
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
2004·4.8
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
2004·5.8
The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 1
2004·9.0
The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 2
2004·9.0
The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus Volume 3
2004·0.0
Concert for George
2003·8.1
The Meaning of Making 'The Meaning of Life'
2003·8.0
Michael Palin and the Ladies Who Loved Matisse
2003·0.0
Life on Air: David Attenborough's 50 Years in Television
2002·8.4
Spike Milligan I told you I was ill... A live tribute
2002·9.0
The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations
2001·8.0
The Unknown Peter Sellers
2000·8.2
The Monty Python Story
1999·0.0
Monty Python: From Spam to Sperm
1999·0.0
Monty Python: 30th Anniversary Sketches
1999·0.0
Monty Python: Pythonland
1999·0.0
Monty Python: Live at Aspen
1998·7.1
Palin on Redpath
1997·0.0
Fierce Creatures
1997·6.2
The Willows in Winter
1996·6.7
The Wind in the Willows
1996·5.8
The Wind in the Willows
1995·7.1
Tracey Ullman: A Class Act
1993·10.0
Meridian: The First Ten Minutes
1993·0.0
The First Night of Meridian
1993·0.0
Rabbit Ears - Jack and the Beanstalk
1991·0.0
American Friends
1991·6.4
The Witches
1990·6.9
Viz: The Documentary
1990·0.0
Life of Python
1990·6.3
Parrot Sketch Not Included: Twenty Years of Monty Python
1989·7.0
The Art Of Travel With Michael Palin
1989·0.0
The Movie Life of George
1989·0.0
The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball
1989·7.7
A Fish Called Wanda
1988·7.2
John Cleese's First Farewell Performance
1988·7.0
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
1988·6.5
The Grand Knockout Tournament
1987·6.8
Comedians Do It On Stage
1986·0.0
Brazil
1985·7.7
A Private Function
1984·6.4
The Dress
1984·7.0
Comic Roots: Michael Palin
1983·8.0
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
1983·7.3
The Crimson Permanent Assurance
1983·7.2
The Missionary
1982·5.6
Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl
1982·7.4
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball
1982·6.3
Time Bandits
1981·6.6
The Box
1981·5.0
The Secret Policeman's Ball
1979·6.4
Roger of the Raj
1979·8.0
Golden Gordon
1979·8.0
Whinfrey's Last Case
1979·9.5
Life of Brian
1979·7.8
The Pythons: Somewhere in Tunisia, Circa A.D. 1979
1979·7.3
The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash
1978·6.8
The Curse of the Claw
1977·0.0
Across the Andes by Frog
1977·0.0
Murder at Moorstones Manor
1977·8.5
Escape from Stalag Luft 112B
1977·9.5
The Testing of Eric Olthwaite
1977·8.5
The Broken Bottle
1977·0.0
Jabberwocky
1977·6.0
Pleasure at Her Majesty's
1976·7.0
Tomkinson's Schooldays
1976·9.0
Three Men in a Boat
1975·6.1
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
1975·7.8
Monty Python & the Holy Grail Location Report
1974·8.0
Henry Cleans Up
1974·0.0
Is This a Record?
1973·6.0
Monty Python In The Netherlands
1973·6.0
The Philosophers' Football Match
1972·10.0
The Great Birds Eye Peas Relaunch 1971
1971·0.0
And Now for Something Completely Different
1971·7.2
Euroshow '71: May Day Special
1971·10.0
Monty Python: Who's There?
1970·6.0
Ending It All
1970·0.0
How to Irritate People
1969·6.6
Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World
1966·5.4