Michael Palin: A Life in Pictures

23 September 09

BAFTA webcasts are supported by The Farm Group.

Watch Michael Palin discuss his award-winning career in a special BAFTA A Life in Pictures event at the Cambridge Film Festival in association with Screen East.

In the stunning setting of Ely Cathedral, Palin talks to film critic Mark Kermode about working as a performer, writer and broadcaster for over 30 years. With selected film clips, this exclusive BAFTA webcast brings you personal insight into his remarkable body of work.

Highlights include Palin recalling the challenges of turning the Python sketches into a big screen venture for The Holy Grail and his shock at beating Robert De Niro to the part of Jack Lint in Terry Gilliam’s dystopian fantasy Brazil.

He goes on to discuss the darkness, introversion and anxiety that lies at the source of many of his characters before exploring the secret to making good comedy.

Good comedians look beyond the surface; they don’t take things at face value... They see what an absurd place we’re in.

Our partners at FILMCLUB took some young people to see the Michael Palin event.

• Read their online reviews

About Michael Palin

BAFTA / Johnny BirchMichael Palin CBE is an award-winning performer, writer and broadcaster with over 30 years experience on screen. He first rose to popularity as part of the Monty Python comedy troupe in the early 70s, bringing many memorable characters to our screens, including The Lumberjack, The Dead Parrot Vendor and Sir Galahad.

Following this success, Palin went on to perform in and co-write a number of films throughout the 1970s and ‘80s. He co-wrote and acted in fellow Python Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits in the early ‘80s, and featured in his subsequent film Brazil. He co-produced, wrote and played the lead in The Missionary opposite Maggie Smith, who also appeared with him in A Private Function, written by Alan Bennett. He was awarded a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor in 1989 for his memorable portrayal of stuttering Ken in A Fish Called Wanda. Palin went on to write and star in American Friends, a film based on the life of his great-grandfather.

BAFTA / Johnny BirchOver recent years, Palin has presented seven successful travel series for television: Around the World in 80 Days, Pole to Pole, Full Circle, Hemingway Adventure, Sahara, Himalaya and New Europe, and has written bestselling books to accompany them. He is also the author of a number of children’s stories, the play The Weekend and the novel Hemingway’s Chair. In 2005, BAFTA honoured him with the award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Television’ and in October this year, he and the other Pythons will be awarded a BAFTA Special Award to honour their outstanding contribution to film and television.

Selected Filmography

1997 Fierce Creatures - as “Bugsy”
1991 American Friends - Writer & as “Reverend Francis Ashby”
1988 A Fish Called Wanda* - as “Ken Pile”
1985 Brazil* - as “Jack Lint”
1984 A Private Function* - as “Gilbert Chilvers”
1984 The Dress – as “Howard”
1983 The Meaning of Life - Co-writer & Performer
1982 The Missionary* - Writer & as “Reverend Charles Fortescue”
1981 Time Bandits* - Co-writer & Performer
1979 Life of Brian - Co-writer & Performer
1977 Jaberwocky – as “Dennis Cooper”
1975 Monty Python and the Holy Grail* - Co-writer & Performer
1971 And Now For Something Completely Different - Co-writer & Performer

• *Extracts from these films were played during this event

Download the event programme (176 KB)

Related Features

• Watch more Life in Pictures events
• Full list of Academy webcasts
• PRESS RELEASE: Pythons to receive Special Award

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