I love Michael Palin! Like many GenX nerds, Monty Python is deeply embedded in my brain, so each member of the troop is dear to me, and I don’t know that I could pick an absolute favorite. But Palin’s post-Python career endears him to me even more for his travel TV shows and books. Starting with his take on “Around the World in 80 Days” in 1980, he’s continued to present shows where he travels to unique places providing his view on various cultures and vistas. Palin studied history at Oxford and dabbled in comedy there, which is how he met Terry Jones, a fellow Oxford history and English student. The two became a writing team in Monty Python, and I feel like their early studies informed and guided their later work, Jones with his medieval documentaries and Palin with travel. In and around Monty Python and travel docs, Michael Palin has managed to make more than a few historical costume movie and TV appearances, so that means I get to feature him on the blog.
Various roles in The Complete and Utter History of Britain (1969)
Various roles in Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969-74)
Friedrich Nietzsche in Monty Python’s Fliegender Zirkus (1972)
Sir Galahad the Pure in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Harris in Three Men in a Boat (1975)
Various roles in Ripping Yarns (1976-79)
Dennis Cooper in Jabberwocky (1977)
Pontius Pilate in Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
Vincent in Time Bandits (1981)
Reverend Charles Fortescue in The Missionary (1982)
Various roles in Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983)
Gilbert Chilvers in A Private Function (1984)
Reverend Francis Ashby in American Friends (1991)
General Mitford in The Wipers Times (2013)
Vyacheslav Molotov in The Death of Stalin (2017)
William Makepeace Thackeray in Vanity Fair (2018)
What’s your favorite historical (or hysterical!) role of Michael Palin’s?
Has anyone mentioned that Louis XIVth’s scar was call the the Glasgow smile or Chelsea grin, and was associated with gang violence? I haven’t seen Peaky Blinders but I would be surprised if some charater or another didn’t sport one.
The Oscar Wilde sketch is one of my favorites! “You Majesty is like a dose of clap.” :)
I have loved Monty Python ever since high school (late 70’s). I do have to say Michael Palin is my favorite of them, hands down! Although I do love all of them. How wonderful to see you give him his own blog.
I love Palin’s work! (And if you haven’t read Three Men in a Boat, give it a shot. The canned pineapple scene alone is worth the price of admission!) Also — perhaps the several TV roles made me think of this — if you’ve never seen The Carol Burnett Show, you should take a look at it (episodes are available on YouTube). Many of the sketches are set in historical times, and while adjusted for comedy, the costumes are surprisingly accurate. If only the Pythons had been on it!
I love that George Harrison was a fan of this group of actors and put money into Life of Brian and even has a tiny cameo
He also produced Time Bandits and wrote and performed a brand new song for the closing credits. :)
I really liked “American Friends” when I saw it, but I think I’ll have to watch it again to refresh my memory. I do remember that Mr. Palin appears completely un-frocked at one point though.
I love him in everything though, he and Terry Jones were always my favorite Pythons.
It’s hard to choose, so I’ll just go with all of Monty Python.
‘His priest character returns from an African mission in the 1900s & ministers to English prostitutes.’
Is that what they’re calling it now? Sounds like Sir Galahad finally managed to get a bit of peril…
I thought that too.
From reading a plot summary of the film, sounds like he does indeed get plenty of “peril” with the ladies!
Amusingly, his role in JABBERWOCKY is something of a precursor to A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS – peasant turns chevalier – but only if we allow Sir Upward Mobility to be entirely reluctant about the process.
I am also a little saddened that he never got a (or took) a chance to play Phileas Fogg in an adaptation of AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS – since the role would played to his screen persona whilst also stretching it a bit (It would also have been fun to see people react to Mr Fogg being played as an Everyman, for once).
I love The Death of Stalin. “I mean I am smiling… but I’m very fookin’ furious.”
“That nice Michael Palin!” Especially as Cardinal Richelieu. And the lumber jack. And Pontius Pilate, pwaising his good fwiend, Biggus Dickus.
I very much am going to have to watch Three Men In A Boat.
How cute was he!