Attended Brasenose College, Oxford University.
Children: Thomas (b. 1969), William (b. 1971) and Rachel (b. 1975)
He is a graduate of Oxford with a degree in History.
He is an old boy of the ultra-exclusive and expensive English public school, Shrewsbury School. The section of Monty Python's Meaning of Life (1983) set in the school of "Sudbury" is a reference to his time there.
He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2000 Queen's Millennium Honors List for his services to television drama and travel documentaries.
His father had a rather serious stutter. This came in handy when he played Ken (the stuttering thief) in A Fish Called Wanda (1988).
His wide travels are so well known that he now has his own travel website called "Palin's Travels.".
In a quest for a "Peter Jonesy sort of voice", the casting crew for the original radio series, "The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy" approached Palin to play the part of The Book (he turned the part down). The part was eventually given to the very "Peter Jonesy" Peter Jones.
In addition to attending the exclusive Shrewsbury School, and later, the University of Oxford; as a lad, he also attended Birkdale School in Sheffield.
Left the Reform Club in London on September 25 1988 for a journey "Around the World in 80 Days" (1989/II), accompanied by a BBC TV team.
Member of Monty Python's Flying Circus along with John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam.
The public voted him the best-looking member of the Python troupe.
The Pythons had little idea how fanatical their American audience had become until they performed the live Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982) live shows that were soon immortalized. According to Carol Cleveland, as the group were exiting backstage one night, a 20-something girl ran up to Palin, screamed "Oh, Michael!", and promptly fainted in his arms. Palin had to pass the girl to others to help, as he was literally shocked into speechlessness.
The Virgin Super Voyager train number 221 130 named after him.
Was born the son of an engineer in the industrial city of Sheffield, and remains a supporter of Sheffield United Football Club.
Whilst filming "Full Circle with Michael Palin" (1997), Palin helped to hatch a baby crocodile and asked the crew to get a shot of himself with a crocodile in his hand.