• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Michael Palin

  • Home
  • Palin’s Posts
  • News
  • Photos
  • The Works
    • Into Iraq
    • North Korea Journal
    • The Erebus Log
    • My Diaries
    • Dr. Fegg’s Page
    • Watch
    • Listen
  • Shop
  • (0)
    • Empty
Hide Search

My Diaries

Select a diary
The Python Years Halfway To Hollywood Travelling To Work

My Diaries - Homepage

My Diaries - Extras

Back to: My Diaries

Halfway To Hollywood

A decade of new directions, away from television and into films. The Python collaboration comes to an end with The Meaning Of Life, but I continue to work with Terry Gilliam on Time Bandits and Brazil. I write and star in my own film, The Missionary, with Maggie Smith, and am re-united with Maggie in Alan Bennett’s A Private Function, before taking on Ken in John Cleese’s A Fish Called Wanda.

Then, out of the blue, television calls me back with an offer to front a new BBC series called “Around The World In Eighty Days” At the ripe old age of 46, I morph into a travel presenter.

Read extracts from the second volume of Michael’s Diaries, 1980 to 1988 below. (New entries added regularly.)

Halfway To Hollywood – available now in the Shop

Thursday, March 27th, 1980, Paris

Interviews – for Le Figaro, La Revue de Cin ́ema and finally a cartoonist called Gottlib, who has a Gumby fascination and gets me to enunciate clearly and slowly the exact words for ‘Gumby Flower Arranging’ into a small tape recorder. The more seriously I try to oblige, the more ridiculous the situation becomes. Eric doesn’t help by constantly cracking up and when I finally make it through to the moment of flower arranging the doors of the room open to reveal an enormous bunch of flowers being carried through. The interviews draw to a close by seven.

Terry J and I go off to eat at La Coupole. I have ears and tail – and TJ is most impressed. We talk, for the first time, about the Time Bandits script, which TJ has half-read. He wasn’t impressed with it until the Greek scene!

Tuesday, June 23rd, 1987

I have had the bright idea of having my character’s hair curly, and Barry the hairdresser goes over my scalp with the curling tongs. Much too hot to start with, and a puff of smoke and violent smell of burning hair don’t exactly bode well. But Barry has ‘done’ Ann-Margret and others, so not to worry. The result is quite effective. It certainly changes my usual ‘boyish’ look and the usual line of my haircut too. Show it to John, Charlie and others and, apart from Kevin, who reacts against instant decisions anyway, it finds general approval.

« 1 2

Footer

About

  • About Michael Palin
  • Biography
  • Watch
  • Listen
  • Contact
  • Friends

Shop

  • Shop
  • Delivery
  • International Delivery
  • Returns
  • Payment

Important

  • Privacy Notice
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Cookie Policy
  • Credits

Other

  • Palin’s Travels
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Copyright © 2023 Prominent Palin Productions Ltd · A Strand Design Website

This site uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience. By clicking 'Allow all', you consent to the use of all the cookies.
Cookie policy Manage cookiesAllow all
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT