Michael Palin is my favorite Python…

Michael Palin is my favorite Python. He began writing sketch material with Terry Jones (whom he had befriended at university) for various television shows, in addition to working in cabaret with him as a double-act. When they were recruited to the writing team of The Frost Report (BBC, 1966-67) they were brought into contact with fellow writers John Cleese (who was also a performer on the show), Graham Chapman and Eric Idle. Monty Python’s Flying Circus (BBC, 1969-74) finally saw Palin and Jones united with Cleese, Chapman, Idle and Gilliam to create what was to become one of British television’s most influential series, and comedy team. The perfomance and comedic genius of Michael Palin can be seen in almost all sketches, my favorite is The Fish Slapping Dance. Close your eyes, try to imagine your favorite Monty Python sketches… Is Michael Palin in all of them? The Parrot Sketch, The Spanish Inquisition, The Cheese Shop, The Lumberjack Song, The Argument Clinic, Ministry of Silly Walks… Its interesting to notice that in whatever interview that John Cleese gave, he always praised Michael Palin, that he was the only who could make him laugh, and that they were friends. Which is sweet. Michael was friend to all of them, the “most normal person in the world” as described by Graham Chapman on the set of “The Life Of Brian”. Palin followed Monty Python’s Flying Circus with his own superbly realised series, Ripping Yarns (BBC, 1976-79). He starred in each episode of this anthology series and co-wrote all of it with Terry Jones. You must REALLY CHECK OUT Ripping Yarns, it’s great. His movies A Fish Called Wanda, Jabberwocky, Brazil and of course his unique entertaining and educative travel documentaries.

Check him out! (Search, find, watch, buy)
Brazil (1985)
A Fish Called Wanda (198
Life of Brian (1979)
Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969 - 1974)
Ripping Yarns (1976 - 1979)
Around the World in 80 Days (1989)
Pole to Pole (1992)
Full Circle (1997)
Sahara (2002)
New Europe (2007)

Find out stuff about Michael Palin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Palin
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001589/
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/510300/
http://pythonline.com/meet/palin

Links on youtube ( a taster )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xToPCaNxaow Monty Python - Lumberjack Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FawTzTY5RAU Ripping Yarns Tomkinson’s Schooldays p1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TQ8aFDSdms Ripping Yarns Tomkinson’s Schooldays p2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0FmVy-oS1w Ripping Yarns Tomkinson’s Schooldays p3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRMsvfrg2UE Ripping Yarns The Testing of Eric Olthwaite p1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrLkfJDJekk Ripping Yarns The Testing of Eric Olthwaite p2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cMzDocTzjQ Ripping Yarns The Testing of Eric Olthwaite p3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzn_xuedTjg Comic Roots: Michael Palin (1/3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sETtfbTaqwo Comic Roots: Michael Palin (2/3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8_NpXxkkMs Comic Roots: Michael Palin (3/3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g49WRnRXqNg Discusses Ripping Yarns on Parkinson 1982
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O0BA6mkk7k The Parrot Sketch Live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMttFzbpypY Cleese and Palin on Film82
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92K4K_TS2Vw Kenneth Williams Interviews Michael Palin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84dvMM-hafo Palin on Parkinson 2002 p1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEV4NOzfoQc Palin on Parkinson 2002 p2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hphpZA2oiEg Palin on Parkinson 1998 p1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAtkXhNl9Ek Palin on Parkinson 1998 p2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYVnTpYHi7U Frank Skinner Interview p1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sICbk484TQ8 Frank Skinner Interview p2