Michael Palin was born on May 5th 1943. Already in his early years he played in a school production of Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL, where he fell off the stage. He appeared in several theatres, mainly playing in comedies. He studied at the Oxford University and received a 2nd Class Degree in Modern History. In April 1966 he got married to Helen Gibbins. In the same year he wrote with Terry Jones (a future Monty Python member) for various BBC comedy shows. In 1967 in the age of 24, he won the Prix Jeunesse at the Munich TV Festival. May 1969 he joined up with Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Graham Chapman, John Cleese and Terry Jones for the first series of MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS. Already 1970 the first MP movie was screened (AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT). During 1970 and today he has written for and performed in numerous successful films and television series, including MP's MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL,LIFE OF BRIAN and THE MEANING OF LIFE, TIME BANDITS and an award-wining performance as the hapless Ken in A FISH CALLED WANDA and the sequel FIERCE CREATURES. He also wrote several children books and travel reports. Michael's first stage play, THE WEEKEND, opened on March 15th 1994. HEMINGWAY’S CHAIR was his first novel, published in April 1995.
