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Ticker Tapes 3

Wednesday, December 11th, 2019

From the heart.

Recovery going well. All good inside my chest. The hard thing now is trying to stick with the surgeon’s advice to take three months off, whilst fighting an unexpected and irresistible urge to get back to work. I limbered up with a breakfast with Zoe Ball, Mel C and the amazing Jack Savoretti band, followed by a quiet rest on Mr. Norton’s sofa with The Rock and Dr Who and Kevin Hart and Harry Styles. And now I see that BBC One has scheduled Worzel Gummidge, in which I play the Green Man, just after Christmas.

So, amazingly, I’m suddenly quite busy. Just don’t tell my surgeon. Happy Christmas y’all!

Worzel Gummidge, BBC One, 26th & 27th December 2019

The Graham Norton Show — Left to right: Michael Palin, Dwayne Johnson, Graham Norton, Kevin Hart, Jodie Whittaker and Harry Styles

Fifty Years On

Friday, November 15th 2019

This 2014 snap of dialogue recording for Terry Jones’ movie Absolutely Everything, offers a rare sighting of one of the most important members of the Monty Python team, our sound genius Andre Jacquemin (arranging the mikes) I first worked with Andre on commercials back in the late 1960’s. I’m still working with him today – recording commentary for the Clangers. He’s been the man behind the desk for so long, and produced such fantastic work, that it’s time for Andre to be unmasked!

Andre Jaquemin’s website and Instagram.

Terry Jones, Andre Jacquemin & Michael Palin

Ticker Tapes 2

Wednesday, October 2nd 2019

Approaching the fourth week since my surgery. Terrific team at Bart’s Hospital opened me up, had a look around, found a second valve that needed attention, and now instead of feeling like an old Ford Anglia I’m well on my way to feeling like a one previous owner Golf GTI.

The operation took over four hours but I felt very little pain afterwards. Main problem now is trying hard not to do too much. My chest won’t really be ready for any gold medallions for at least six weeks, and I’m told the ticker, which enlarges to deal with the extra work-load from dysfunctional valves, may take a year to return to normal size. The upside is I have to take three months off work – doctor’s orders. Longest period without major work since I started in the biz in 1965. A chance to look around and see what others are doing. Which at the moment seems largely shouting at each other.

Thanks so much to all those who sent cards and left e-mail messages of encouragement. I’m sure you speeded up the recovery. Now, excuse me while I get back to doing nothing.

The Ticker Tapes

Monday, August 12th 2019

As you can see, I’m still very well, although my foot’s a bit swollen. It’s an odd feeling to be facing the most invasive operation of my life when the sun’s out and I’m looking forward to a glass of chilled white, but that’s the way it is at the moment. Having said that, I’m reminded that I’ve been for my last run for a while and climbing Everest is probably not a good idea until after they’ve done a puncture repair job on my mitral valve.

The North Korea Journal, my daily record of last year’s extraordinary trip to North Korea is being printed as I write and is set for publication on September 19th. That’s only a couple of weeks after I’ve been under the knife, which is why I had, very reluctantly, to cancel the North Korea Journal book tour in October. Many apologies to all who’d booked tickets. You’ll just have to go and see Mick Jagger instead.

1969 was quite a year. Not only did man walk on the Moon for the first time, but both the Clangers and Monty Python were born within a month of each other. And both are still employing me. I record the next batch of Clanger narrations later in the autumn, and, in the meantime, I’ve helped assemble some weird, wacky archive material for Python’s 50th birthday on Radio Four. Python as you’ve never heard it before.

I must obey doctor’s orders and give my repaired heart a month or two’s rest from work, but it won’t be easy for someone who gets twitchy taking a week off ! Watch out for Around The Sitting Room in Eighty Days or Boiled Eggs, an Illustrated History.

Enjoy what’s left of the summer once BA and Ryanair have been at it.

Bournemouth and Beyond

Tuesday, June 25th 2019

Things are supposed to quieten down as you get older, but from celebrations of 30 years of one of my oldest and most valued charities – the Association For Research into Stammering Children – to a visit to Oslo for gin and tonics in the wardroom of Gjoa, the first ship to navigate the North-West Passage by sea, to a last-minute stand-in appearance with Michael Caine on the One Show, to a less last-minute appearance before a sword-wielding Prince William at Buckingham Palace, my 77th year could not have begun more noisily.

Sir Michael Palin — The knight after…Making my way home from the Palace.

And it looks to be set at full volume, at least for the next few weeks, as I have another seven dates left on my Erebus /Python stage tour, and a few days of acting in July. As yet, I’m not allowed to say exactly what part, but I am growing a beard, so it’s not Joan of Arc.

I must give very big thanks to all the audiences on the tour so far. The response has been so warm and generous that it’s like spending an evening with old friends. Opening night of the 2019 tour was at the Pavilion in Bournemouth. Which was, by coincidence, highly appropriate for Python’s anniversary year. My first memories of Python filming were all around Bournemouth. The It’s’ man made his debut crawling out of the sea at Poole Harbour.

There’s a flavour of those heady days in the Python Years volume of my diaries.

Friday July 11th 1969, Bournemouth.

“Drive over to Shell Bay, beyond Poole, along a flag-lined route – the Queen is visiting Poole today. In the afternoon filmed some very bizarre pieces, including the death of Genghis Khan, and two men carrying a donkey past a Butlins redcoat, who later gets hit on the head with a raw chicken by a man from the previous sketch, who borrowed the chicken from a man in a suit of armour. All this we filmed in the 80° sunshine, with a small crowd of holiday- makers watching.”

It seems like only 50 years ago.

Getting On A Bit

Thursday, May 9th 2019

76 last Sunday. 76 sounds an awful lot, but the best way to deal with the march of time is to fall in step with it and stop trying to pretend you’re 18 again.

Ahh! 18! 1961. Roy Orbison ‘Crying’, ‘Green Onions’, Booker T and the MG’s, and Elvis, my hero, driven to record mediocre stuff like ‘Return To Sender’.

Actually, come to think of it, I’m happier in 2019. And busier.

Instead of cramming for exams I’m turning out to promote films like An Accidental Studio, the story of George Harrison’s Handmade Films (Life of Brian, Time Bandits, The Missionary, Mona Lisa, Withnail and I, A Private Function), Final Ascent, a stunning documentary about the charismatic climber Hamish MacInnes, whose life-story makes James Bond sound really dull, and the we-welease of Life Of Brian, which still looks and sounds fresh.

Nate Merritt, my official portraitist, has maybe exaggerated my free soloing skills, but sadly, he has got the age right!

My own most recent project, Erebus, The Story Of A Ship, comes out in paperback at the end of May, and I’m doing a stage tour round the UK in June.

Next week to Norway to give an Erebus talk at the Fram Museum in Oslo. It’s one of those places I’ve always wanted to see as it’s built around the great Norwegian polar explorers Nansen and Amundsen. And I’ll get to step on board Amundsen’s Gjoa, the little ship that finally cracked The North West Passage, fifty years after Sir John Franklin and 129 men died trying to find it.

A potentially very nice acting role in July, followed by a busy autumn – travel filming and the publication in September of North Korea Journal, my diaries of the recent visit to that enigmatic country. Then a nice lie-down and some sweeties. 18? Been there. Done that.

End Of Term Surprise

Monday, January 7th 2019

Just as I thought that, after a very busy year, 2018 was going quietly, I hear I am to be elevated from a Knight who says ‘Ni!’ to a knight of the realm. I’m still adjusting to this, but first of all I want to send huge thanks to all those of you who have sent messages of support and congratulation. Too many to reply to every single one personally, but I’m reading and appreciating them all.

End of Term Surprise — Michael’s last knight.

2019 starts quietly. I shall be finishing off the chocolates from Christmas, preparing my North Korea journal for publication – and enjoying being a grandpa.

Wherever you are – let’s have a collective act of faith and wish each other a very Happy New Year.

Down Under and Underground

Thursday, December 20th 2018

H.M.S. Erebus has been on the last stages of her latest voyage – 179 years after her first one. In a whirlwind tour of Australia at the beginning of December, we went to Hobart, Tasmania, where a fantastic crowd turned out on a wet Monday morning at the State Bookstore, and from there to stage shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Thank you all for being fantastic audiences. It was the first time I’d done Erebus and Python in the same show.

Painting by Roland Wakelin — I’m a bit obsessed by the Sydney Harbour Bridge. On my latest visit I found this great painting of it half-built. It’s by Roland Wakelin.

On the road with Erebus. Day of the Enmore show in Sydney.

Back home to a big talk and signing in Bath, and my last Erebus evening of the year, at my brilliant local bookshop, the Owl in Kentish Town, which is one of the most memorable, with a small but perfectly-formed crowd and an introduction from ace TV Director and local Owl fan, James Strong, who directed me in Vanity Fair.

But perhaps the greatest excitement of the whole campaign has been Erebus on the Underground, reaching a whole new audience of tired commuters and after dark, really big rats. See photograph.

Thanks to all of you who have shown an interest in the book. It has been a great pleasure to write, but an even greater pleasure to connect with such a wide audience.

Happy Christmas one and all!

Archives and Anniversaries

Thursday, November 22nd 2018

Slipped into the British Library this morning to have one last look at the excellent mini-exhibition of bits and pieces from my archive, which closes on November 25th. As you can see, I couldn’t get near the display!

Last minute punters at the British Library.

Much of the material is in Terry Jones’s hand which made me aware of how much we’d written together, and how our collaboration lives on in our different and distinct handwriting, in a way which would never be the same in these digital days.

Saw Terry on Monday. Looking well, greets me with a smile. He’s less mobile now, but when we parted I said “See you soon” and he nodded and agreed. “See you soon”, he said softly.

Next year is Python’s 50th anniversary. Judging by what’s been dug up in my archive, there’s a lot of stuff that’s never seen the light of day. Some of it quite justifiably, but some quite funny and interesting to Python aficionados. Big Nose at the sermon on the mount went on for about four more pages!

Left: US and Canadian version of my Erebus book in gutsy company at an American book fair. Right: The Firean, Antwerp. Great little hotel in one of my favourite European cities. Family run and super-friendly.

2019 is also the 30th anniversary of Around The World In Eighty Days. Must find somewhere I haven’t been to celebrate. Do they do birthday cakes in the Gobi Desert? Off to Australia next week to do three Erebus and Python stage shows and hopefully catch a bit of sun by sticking my head out of the dressing room window.

Took a lovely walk along an old canal on my latest UK book tour. Can anyone identify the canal?

Erebus Sails On

Tuesday, October 23rd 2018

A happy surprise sandwiched between a signing in Belfast and an appearance at the Dublin History Festival was a detour to the town of Banbridge, County Down. This was the birthplace of one of my favourite characters in the story, Francis Crozier, captain of Erebus’s travelling companion, HMS Terror. Believed to be one of the last to perish in the Arctic, Crozier’s sacrifice on the fatal expedition to the North-West Passage is commemorated with a massive monument, featuring carvings of the ships and concrete polar bears, which looms over the town square, next door to the Crozier’s elegant Georgian family home, which is being restored.

Erebus Sails On — On the way from Belfast to Dublin took a detour to the home of Francis Crozier in Banbridge. He captained HMS Terror when she disappeared into the Arctic. His house is very fine, and the memorial outside is flanked by concrete polar bears.

Less than a week later I was in Providence, Rhode Island for the start of a week-long US and Canadian tour. Beautiful buildings on the hill but I gave my first transatlantic Erebus talk in an old snuff movie house, now reborn and called the Columbus – which seemed a good name for a talk on exploration. The Americans and Canadians don’t do understatement, so instead of the book being called Erebus The Story Of A Ship, over this side of the Atlantic it’s called Erebus, One Ship, Two Epic Voyages, and The Greatest Naval Mystery of All Time, and the cover is black.

More black halfway through my talk in Brooklyn. At one point all the lights went out and the screen went dark as the power cut off. Playing for time, I said that this was a recreation of the Polar winters, when, for five months of winter the sun never rose above the horizon.

Flew from Providence to Newark. A little touch of nostalgia as we skimmed low over the cranes of Newark Docks, where, thirty years ago, and by the skin of my teeth, I’d boarded the container ship that would carry me on the last leg of Around The World In Eighty Days. At the Explorers Club in New York I met a number of grizzled Arctic veterans. One of them winked and said “I can get you down to the wreck, Mike”. It’s been my dream to actually scuba down to Erebus and touch her sides, but Parks Canada seem to have put comedians low down the list of applicants! I learned that the ice was so bad up there this year that they could only manage a day and half’s diving onto the wrecks.

Great audiences at the Opera House in Toronto. An old vaudeville theatre, which had only recently hosted Tom Jones. My last speaking event of the tour was at the very smart new HQ of the Canadian Royal Geographical Society, looking out over the Ottawa River just beside the Rideau waterfall. The highlight of the evening, and probably of the whole tour, came as a complete surprise to me, when John Geiger, on behalf of the RCGS, presented me with the first ever Louie Kamookak medal. This was named after the great Inuit historian and explorer, who died, far too young, earlier this year. He made it his life’s work to find out valuable Inuit evidence of what happened to the Franklin expedition. In a small way, I feel we were fellow-travellers.