Editing Michael Palin (section)

== Career ==
=== Early career ===
After finishing university in 1965, Palin became a presenter on a comedy pop show called ''Now!'' for the television contractor [[Television Wales and the West]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/510300/index.html |title=Michael Palin |first=John |last=Oliver |work=BFI Screen Online |access-date=13 December 2006 |archive-date=15 December 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061215163009/http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/510300/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> At the same time, Palin was contacted by Jones, who had left university a year earlier, to help with writing a theatrical documentary about sex through the ages.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://idler.co.uk/conversations/in-conversation-with-michael-palin/ |first=Tom |last=Hodgkinson |work=The Idler |title=In Conversation with Michael Palin |year=2006 |access-date=20 December 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080103064336/http://idler.co.uk/conversations/in-conversation-with-michael-palin/ |archive-date=3 January 2008 }}</ref> Although this project was eventually abandoned, it brought Palin and Jones together as a writing duo and led them to write comedy for various [[BBC]] programmes, such as ''The Ken Dodd Show'', ''The Billy Cotton Bandshow'', and ''The Illustrated Weekly Hudd''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://orangecow.org/pythonet/michael-palin.html |title=Biography |website=Pythonet.org |access-date=17 December 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061115215629/http://orangecow.org/pythonet/michael-palin.html |archive-date=15 November 2006 }}</ref> They collaborated in writing lyrics for an album by Barry Booth called ''Diversions''. They were also in the team of writers working for ''[[The Frost Report]]'', whose other members included [[Frank Muir]], [[Barry Cryer]], [[Marty Feldman]], [[Ronnie Barker]], [[Ronnie Corbett]], [[Dick Vosburgh]] and future Monty Python members [[Graham Chapman]], [[John Cleese]] and [[Eric Idle]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/thefrostreport/|title=The Frost Report|publisher=BBC Comedy|access-date=9 July 2016|archive-date=15 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415033653/https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/thefrostreport/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/07/08/jimmy-gilbert-bbc-producer-who-presided-over-a-golden-age-of-lig/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/07/08/jimmy-gilbert-bbc-producer-who-presided-over-a-golden-age-of-lig/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Jimmy Gilbert, BBC producer who presided over a golden age of light entertainment – obituary|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=8 June 2016|access-date=9 July 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Marty Feldman: Six Degrees of Separation |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009pgsc |work=[[BBC Two]] |date=13 August 2011 |access-date=18 November 2015 |archive-date=25 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425145626/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009pgsc |url-status=live }}</ref>

Although the members of Monty Python had already encountered each other over the years, ''The Frost Report'' was the first time all the British members of Monty Python (its sixth member, [[Terry Gilliam]], was at that time an American citizen) worked together.<ref name="ind120729"/> During the run of ''The Frost Report'' the Palin/Jones team contributed material to two shows starring [[John Bird (actor)|John Bird]]: ''The Late Show'' and ''A Series of Birds''. For ''A Series of Birds'' the Palin/Jones team had their first experience of writing narrative instead of the short sketches they were accustomed to conceiving.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/s/seriesofbirdsa_1299002783.shtml | title = A Series of Bird's | publisher = BBC Guide to Comedy | access-date = 16 September 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070203114420/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/s/seriesofbirdsa_1299002783.shtml | archive-date = 3 February 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

Following ''The Frost Report'' the Palin/Jones team worked both as actors and writers on the show ''[[Twice a Fortnight]]'' with [[Graeme Garden]], [[Bill Oddie]] and [[Jonathan Lynn]], and the successful children's comedy show ''[[Do Not Adjust Your Set]]'' with Idle and [[David Jason]]. The show also featured musical numbers by the [[Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band]], including future Monty Python musical collaborator [[Neil Innes]]. The animations for ''Do Not Adjust Your Set'' were made by Terry Gilliam. Eager to work with Palin{{sfn|Ross|1997|p=91}} sans Jones, Cleese later asked him to perform in ''[[How to Irritate People]]'' together with Chapman and [[Tim Brooke-Taylor]]. The Palin/Jones team were reunited for ''[[The Complete and Utter History of Britain]]''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Dave |last=Eggers |url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,1871170,00.html |title=Interview with Eric Idle in The Guardian, with quotes from Terry Jones and Michael Palin |publisher=Film.guardian.co.uk |date=13 September 2006 |access-date=23 August 2019}}</ref>

===''Monty Python''===
{{Main|Monty Python}}
[[File:Monty Python Live 02-07-14 12 47 33 (14598699991).jpg|thumb|220px|Palin in "[[The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)|The Spanish Inquisition]]" sketch at the 2014 reunion, ''[[Monty Python Live (Mostly)]]'']]

On the strength of their work on ''The Frost Report'' and other programmes, Cleese and Chapman had been offered a show by the BBC, but Cleese was reluctant to do a [[Double act|two-man show]] for various reasons, among them Chapman's reputedly difficult personality. During this period Cleese contacted Palin about doing the show that ultimately became ''Monty Python's Flying Circus''.<ref name="ind120729"/> At the same time the success of ''Do Not Adjust Your Set'' had led Palin, Jones, Idle and Gilliam to be offered their own series and, while it was still in production, Palin agreed to Cleese's proposal and brought along Idle, Jones and Gilliam. Thus the formation of the Monty Python troupe has been referred to as a result of Cleese's desire to work with Palin and the chance circumstances that brought the other four members into the fold.<ref name="Python Autobiography"/>

Palin played various roles in ''Monty Python'', which ranged from manic enthusiasm (such as the [[lumberjack]] of "[[The Lumberjack Song]]", or Herbert Anchovy, host of the game show "Blackmail") to unflappable calmness (such as the [[Dead Parrot sketch|dead parrot]] seller or [[Cheese Shop sketch|cheese shop]] proprietor).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Marshall |first1=Michelle |title=Michael Palin: 'He can't communicate' Monty Python star in emotional Terry Jones admission |url=https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1172986/michael-palin-monty-python-terry-jones-dementia-health-update-latest-news |agency=Express UK |date=3 September 2019 |access-date=8 September 2019 |archive-date=3 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903222635/https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1172986/michael-palin-monty-python-terry-jones-dementia-health-update-latest-news |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Heritage |first1=Stuart |title=John Cleese wants us to revere Monty Python – but he is ruining its legacy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/shortcuts/2019/sep/03/john-cleese-monty-python-ruining-legacy |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=3 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Terry Gilliam says he disagrees with John Cleese's worldview |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/03/terry-gilliam-disagrees-john-cleese-worldview-monty-python-brexit |agency=[[The Guardian]] |date=2 September 2019}}</ref> As a [[Double act|straight man]] he was often a foil to the rising ire of characters portrayed by Cleese. He also played timid, socially inept characters such as Arthur Putey, the man who sits quietly as a marriage counsellor ([[Eric Idle]]) makes love to his wife ([[Carol Cleveland]]), and Mr Anchovy, a chartered accountant who wants to become a lion tamer. He appeared as the [["It's" man]] (a [[Robinson Crusoe]]-type castaway with torn clothes and a long, unkempt beard) at the beginning of most episodes. He also frequently played a [[List of recurring Monty Python's Flying Circus characters#Gumbys|Gumby]], a character Palin said "had these moronic views that were expressed with extraordinary force".<ref>{{cite news |title=Michael Palin interview |url=https://thechap.co.uk/2018/09/19/michael-palin/ |access-date=28 August 2019 |work=Chap.co.uk |archive-date=3 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503133907/https://thechap.co.uk/2018/09/19/michael-palin/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Palin frequently co-wrote sketches with [[Terry Jones]], including the "[[The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)|Spanish Inquisition sketch]]", which featured the [[catchphrase]] "Nobody expects the [[Spanish Inquisition]]!". He also composed songs with Jones including "The Lumberjack Song", "[[Every Sperm Is Sacred]]" and "[[Spam (Monty Python)|Spam]]". His solo musical compositions included "[[Decomposing Composers]]" and "[[Finland (comedy song)|Finland]]".<ref>{{cite web|first=Kathleen&nbsp;C.|last=Fennessy|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/r82483|title=Monty Python Sings – Monty Python: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards|work=[[AllMusic]]|publisher=[[All Media Network]]|location=San Francisco, California|access-date=16 July 2013|archive-date=31 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101031034034/http://www.allmusic.com/album/r82483|url-status=live}}</ref>

===1974–1996: ''Ripping Yarns'' and film roles ===

In 1971, he co-wrote, with [[Hugh Leonard]] and [[Terence Feely]], the film ''[[Percy (1971 film)|Percy]]'', which depicts a [[penis transplant]].

After the ''Monty Python'' television series ended in 1974, the Palin/Jones team worked on ''[[Ripping Yarns]]'', an intermittent television comedy series broadcast over three years from 1976. They had earlier collaborated on the play ''[[Secrets (Black and Blue)|Secrets]]'' from the BBC series ''[[Black and Blue (TV series)|Black and Blue]]'' in 1973. He played the lead role of the peasant Dennis in Terry Gilliam's 1977 film ''[[Jabberwocky (film)|Jabberwocky]]''. (He had earlier played the cameo role of "Dennis the Peasant" in ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail'', also directed by Gilliam.) Palin also appeared in ''[[All You Need Is Cash]]'' (1978) as Eric Manchester (based on [[Derek Taylor]]), the press agent for [[the Rutles]]. In 1980, Palin co-wrote ''[[Time Bandits]]'' with Terry Gilliam. He also acted in the film.

In 1982, Palin wrote and starred in ''[[The Missionary]]'', co-starring [[Maggie Smith]]. In it, he plays the Reverend Charles Fortescue, who is recalled from Africa to aid prostitutes. He co-starred with Maggie Smith again in the 1984 comedy film ''[[A Private Function]]''. In 1984, he reunited with Terry Gilliam to appear in ''[[Brazil (1985 film)|Brazil]]''. He appeared in the comedy film ''[[A Fish Called Wanda]]'', which co-starred and was co-written by John Cleese, for which he won the [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role]].<ref name="BAFTA" /> Cleese reunited the main cast almost a decade later to make ''[[Fierce Creatures]]''. After filming for ''Fierce Creatures'' finished, Palin went on a travel journey for a BBC documentary and, returning a year later, found that the end of ''Fierce Creatures'' had failed at test screenings and had to be reshot.

=== 1996–present ===
After ''Fierce Creatures'' and a small part in ''[[The Wind in the Willows (1996 film)|The Wind in the Willows]]'', a film directed by and starring Terry Jones, it was twenty years until Palin's next film role, as Soviet politician [[Vyacheslav Molotov]] in the 2017 satirical black comedy ''[[The Death of Stalin]]''. Palin also appeared with John Cleese in his documentary ''[[The Human Face]]''. Palin was cast in a supporting role in the [[Tom Hanks]] and [[Meg Ryan]] romantic comedy ''[[You've Got Mail]]'', but his role was eventually cut entirely.<ref>{{cite web |first=Hans |last=ten Cate |url=http://www.dailyllama.com/news/1999/llama088.html |title=Michael Palin Dropped From Final Print of Hanks/Ryan Romantic Comedy |work=Daily Llama |date=17 January 1999 |access-date=1 June 2011 |archive-date=10 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610222630/http://www.dailyllama.com/news/1999/llama088.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Palin has also appeared in serious drama. In 1991 he appeared in the film ''[[American Friends]]'', which he wrote based upon a real event in the life of his great-grandfather, a fellow at [[St John's College, Oxford]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_friends/ |title=American Friends |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]].com |date=22 March 1991 |access-date=13 December 2006 |archive-date=16 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080116095008/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_friends/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2015/22-may/features/features/michael-palin-my-seven-of-the-best|title=Michael Palin: my seven of the best|website=www.churchtimes.co.uk|access-date=17 January 2017|archive-date=18 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118053916/https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2015/22-may/features/features/michael-palin-my-seven-of-the-best|url-status=live}}</ref> In that same year he also played the part of a headmaster in [[Alan Bleasdale]]'s [[Channel 4]] drama series ''[[G.B.H. (TV drama)|GBH]]''. In 1994, Palin narrated the English language [[audiobook]] version of ''[[Esio Trot]]'' by children's author [[Roald Dahl]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=McCall |first1=Douglas |title=Monty Python: A Chronology, 1969–2012, 2d ed. |date=2013 |publisher=McFarland |page=166}}</ref>

In 1997, Palin had a small cameo role in the Australian soap opera ''[[Home and Away]]''. He played an English [[surfer]] with a fear of [[shark]]s, who interrupts a conversation between two main characters to ask whether there were any sharks in the sea. This was filmed while he was in Australia for the ''Full Circle'' series, with a segment about the filming of the role featuring in the series. In November 2005, he appeared in the ''[[John Peel's Record Box]]'' documentary.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0814163/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 "John Peel's Record Box"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003083632/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0814163/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 |date=3 October 2018 }}, 2005.</ref>
[[File:Michaelpalinnightingale.jpg|thumb|upright|Michael Palin, Nightingale House, in [[Clapham]], November 2010]]

In 2013, Palin appeared in a [[First World War]] drama titled ''[[The Wipers Times]]'' written by [[Ian Hislop]] and [[Nick Newman]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23128507|access-date=2 July 2013|title=Python Palin stars in BBC WWI drama|work=BBC News|archive-date=2 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130702014323/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23128507|url-status=live}}</ref> At the Cannes Film Festival in 2016, it was announced that Palin was set to star alongside [[Adam Driver]] in [[Terry Gilliam]]'s ''[[The Man Who Killed Don Quixote]]''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Craig|last=Skinner|url=http://www.flickreel.com/terry-gilliams-the-man-who-killed-don-quixote-to-star-adam-driver-and-michael-palin-new-concept-art-uncovered/|title=EXCLUSIVE: Terry Gilliam's The Man Who Killed Don Quixote to star Adam Driver and Michael Palin; new concept art uncovered|work=Flickreel.com|date=11 May 2016|access-date=17 May 2016|archive-date=18 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518230424/http://www.flickreel.com/terry-gilliams-the-man-who-killed-don-quixote-to-star-adam-driver-and-michael-palin-new-concept-art-uncovered/|url-status=live}}</ref> Palin, however, dropped out of the film after it ran into a financial problem.<ref>{{cite news|first=Dave|last=Itzkoff|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/28/arts/television/michael-palin-monty-python-remember-me-pbs.html|title=Nobody Expects Michael Palin: A Comic Actor in a Dramatic Role |work=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York City|date=28 June 2017|access-date=5 July 2017}}</ref>

While speaking at the [[Edinburgh International Film Festival]], Palin announced that he was presenting the two-part documentary ''Michael Palin in North Korea'' to be broadcast on the British television network [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/michael-palin-north-korea/|title=Michael Palin has travelled to North Korea for new Channel 5 series|date=22 May 2018|work=i|access-date=5 September 2018|archive-date=5 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905175719/https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/michael-palin-north-korea/|url-status=live}}</ref> The documentary was broadcast in September 2018, in two one-hour segments on Channel 5 in the UK and in a single two-hour programme on [[National Geographic (U.S. TV channel)|National Geographic]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2018-09-03/michael-palin-in-north-korean-channel-5-air-date-time-how-filmed/|title=When is Michael Palin's North Korea travel programme on TV?|work=Radio Times|access-date=4 September 2018|archive-date=4 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904235524/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2018-09-03/michael-palin-in-north-korean-channel-5-air-date-time-how-filmed/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-michael-palin-introduced-north-korea-monty-python-1136942|title=How Michael Palin Introduced North Korea to Monty Python|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=4 September 2018|archive-date=23 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823235425/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-michael-palin-introduced-north-korea-monty-python-1136942|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/nat-geo-michael-palin-north-korea-special-u-s-1202958145/|title=National Geographic Lands Michael Palin's North Korea TV Special|work=Variety|date=26 September 2018|access-date=22 November 2018|archive-date=18 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418015930/https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/nat-geo-michael-palin-north-korea-special-u-s-1202958145/|url-status=live}}</ref> It was broadcast again by Channel 5, in a single two-hour programme in December 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2018-12-27/michael-palin-in-north-korea-special-christmas-2018-channel-5-time-date-channel/|title=What time is the Michael Palin: North Korea special edition on TV?|website=Radio Times|access-date=30 December 2018|archive-date=30 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230181144/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2018-12-27/michael-palin-in-north-korea-special-christmas-2018-channel-5-time-date-channel/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 2019, Palin performed a one-man stage show at the [[Torch Theatre, Milford Haven]], Wales, about the loss of HMS [[HMS Erebus (1826)|''Erebus'']] during the [[Franklin's lost expedition|third Franklin expedition]], which is recounted in his book ''Erebus: The Story of a Ship''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Adams |first1=Steve |title=Michael Palin brings Erebus: The Story of a Ship to the Torch Theatre |url=https://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/17679370.michael-palin-brings-erebus-the-story-of-a-ship-to-the-torch-theatre/ |access-date=8 September 2019 |publisher=[[Western Telegraph]] |archive-date=8 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608021759/https://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/17679370.michael-palin-brings-erebus-the-story-of-a-ship-to-the-torch-theatre/ |url-status=live }}</ref>