Michael Palin Python", Palin played various roles, which ranged from manic enthusiasm (such as the lumberjack of the Lumberjack Song, or Herbert Anchovy, host of the game show "Blackmail") to unflappable calmness (such as the Dead parrot vendor or Cheese Shop proprietor). As a straight man he was often a foil to the rising ire of characters portrayed by John Cleese. He also played timid, socially inept characters such as Arthur Putey, the man who sits quietly as a marriage counsellor (Eric Idle) makes love to his wife (Carol Cleveland), and Mr. Anchovy, a chartered accountant who wants to become a lion
Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days Palin's personal views are also more clearly evident. The book contains many pictures from the trip. "Around the World in 80 Days" was the first of a trilogy of globe-crossing series featuring Michael Palin as he visited many countries. The second series was "Pole to Pole" (travelling from the North Pole to the South Pole), an 8-part series first broadcast on BBC One in 1992, and the third was "Full Circle with Michael Palin" (the circumnavigation of the Pacific Rim), a 10-part series first broadcast on BBC One in 1997. The series were followed by several similar conceptual travel series