Michael Palin
Known for
An English comedian, actor, writer and celebrated travel presenter, and a founding member of Monty Python. He performed across the troupe's classics, including 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' (1975) and 'Life of Brian' (1979), and gave an acclaimed dramatic turn in 'A Fish Called Wanda' (1988). Later he became Britain's best-loved travel documentarian and a knighted national treasure. Gentle, curious and quick-witted, he is one of the most enduringly popular figures British comedy has produced.
Michael Palin
47 Movies
17 Series
An English comedian, actor, writer and celebrated travel presenter, and a founding member of Monty Python. He performed across the troupe's classics, including 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' (1975) and 'Life of Brian' (1979), and gave an acclaimed dramatic turn in 'A Fish Called Wanda' (1988). Later he became Britain's best-loved travel documentarian and a knighted national treasure. Gentle, curious and quick-witted, he is one of the most enduringly popular figures British comedy has produced.
Movies
Plays Jack Lint
Brazil
1985
Writer
Plays Wise Man #3 / Mr. Big Nose / Francis / Mrs. A / Ex-Leper / Announcer / Ben / Pontius Pilate / Boring Prophet / Eddie / Shoe Follower / Nisus Wettus
Life of Brian
1979
Plays Ernie Clicker (voice)
Arthur Christmas
2011
Plays Vyacheslav Molotov
The Death of Stalin
2017
Plays Ken Pile
A Fish Called Wanda
1988
Writer
Plays Various Roles
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
1983
Writer
Plays Vincent
Time Bandits
1981
Plays Kindly Alien (voice)
Absolutely Anything
2015
Plays Dennis Cooper
Jabberwocky
1977
Plays The Sun
The Wind in the Willows
1996
Plays Adrian "Bugsy" Malone
Fierce Creatures
1997
Writer
Plays The Reverend Charles Fortescue
The Missionary
1982
Writer
Plays Various Roles
Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl
1982
Plays Gilbert Chilvers
A Private Function
1984
Plays Workman
The Crimson Permanent Assurance
1983
Plays Mrs. Betty Palin / Julius Caesar / Bevis
Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)
2010
Plays Various Characters
Monty Python's Flying Circus—Terry Jones' Personal Best
2006
Plays Various Roles
The Secret Policeman's Ball
1979
Plays Various (voice)
A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman
2012
Writer
Plays Rev. Francis Ashby
American Friends
1991
TV Shows
Plays Narrator (voice)
Clangers
2015
Plays Self
Travels with Palin
1980
Writer
Plays Various / "It's" man
Monty Python's Flying Circus
1969
Writer
Plays Various Characters
Do Not Adjust Your Set
1967
Plays Self
The Secret Policeman's Ball
1976
Plays Jim Nelson
G.B.H.
1991
Plays William Makepeace Thackeray
Vanity Fair
2018
Creator
Plays Self / Various Characters
Monty Python's Personal Best
2006
Plays Self
Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut)
2009
Plays Brian Sleep
Small Prophets
2026
Plays The Green Man
Worzel Gummidge
2019
Plays Tom Parfitt
Remember Me
2014
Plays Various Characters
Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus
1972
Plays Michael
Staged
2020
Creator
Plays Gerald Whinfrey
Ripping Yarns
1976
Plays Michael Palin
ZULU Comedy Galla
2010
Plays Springfield History Museum curator (voice)
The Simpsons
1989
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
The Magic Faraway Tree
Full Filmography
Small Prophets
Brian Sleep · 6 episodes
2026
TV
Staged
Michael · 1 episode
2021
TV
Worzel Gummidge
The Green Man · 5 episodes
2019–2021
TV
The Simpsons
Springfield History Museum curator (voice) · 1 episode
2020
TV
Jeepers Creepers
Newscaster (voice)
2020
Film
Vanity Fair
William Makepeace Thackeray · 7 episodes
2018
TV
The Death of Stalin
Vyacheslav Molotov
2017
Film
Clangers
Narrator (voice) · 104 episodes
2015–
TV
Absolutely Anything
Kindly Alien (voice)
2015
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Michael Palin and where are they from?
Michael Palin is 83 years old, born on May 5, 1943 in Broomhill, Sheffield, England, UK.
What are the most famous roles of Michael Palin?
Michael Palin is best known for roles in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, Brazil.
How many movies has Michael Palin been in?
Over a 60-year career (since 1966), Michael Palin has appeared in 42 movies and 12 TV shows.
What was Michael Palin's first movie?
The career of Michael Palin began with Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World (1966).
What is Michael Palin's most recent movie or series?
Michael Palin's most recent release is David Attenborough's 100 Years on Planet Earth, which premiered on May 8, 2026.
What TV shows has Michael Palin appeared in?
On television, Michael Palin has appeared in The Simpsons, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Saturday Night Live, The Graham Norton Show.
Michael Palin
1943-05-05 · 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.