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  • Halfway to Hollywood

  • Diaries 1980-1988, Volume Two
  • By: Michael Palin
  • Narrated by: Michael Palin
  • Length: 28 hrs and 52 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (69 ratings)
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Halfway to Hollywood cover art

Halfway to Hollywood

By: Michael Palin
Narrated by: Michael Palin
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Summary

Michael Palin's best-selling diaries of the 1980s.

After a live performance at the Hollywood Bowl, The Pythons made their last performance together in 1983 in the hugely successful Monty Python's Meaning of Life. Writing and acting in films and television then took over much of Michael's life, culminating in the smash hit A Fish Called Wanda (for which he won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor) and the first of his seven celebrated television journeys for the BBC. He co-produced, wrote and played the lead in The Missionary opposite Maggie Smith, who also appeared with him in A Private Function, written by Alan Bennett.

Such was his fame in the US, he was enticed into once again hosting the enormously popular show Saturday Night Live, in one edition of which his mother makes a highly successful surprise guest appearance. He filmed several journeys for television and became chairman of the pressure group Transport 2000. His family remains a constant as his and Helen's children enter their teens.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2009 Michael Palin (P)2020 Orion Publishing Group Limited

What listeners say about Halfway to Hollywood

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Like a Palin journey - you want it to keep going

I wasn't expecting this... well, actually I was. I started off the wrong way round with the 1988-1998 diaries, but this is just as absorbing. You have to like someone to spend 28 hours with them - and then sign up for 28 more (and 28 to come 69-79). It's a fascinating insight into how much peripheral 'stuff' you have to do when you write/star in a film - you're committed to endless rounds of promotion/talks/interviews/photo calls. Michael doesn't linger too long on any subject and sometimes you wished he'd go into slightly more detail, but the pace of it means there's never any period when you want to press the FF button. The big take-aways from it are: how much he likes champagne (not very Sheffield), how enduring the Python team are as a friendship group, how much b*******s you have to put up with to get a film made.
His impersonations are really good too. If he mentions Allan Bennet and doesn't do the voice you feel hard done by, And Allan Bleasdale
What I'd really like to see are the diaries going forward, but just as the BBC films have shown, he's an amiable companion to have a long with you, whenever - and I will enjoy these 72 hours

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Great background listening

I’m really enjoying the Palin diaries as background listening whilst working in the garden or generally doing other stuff. It’s a diary so there’s no plot arc to miss if you aren’t 100% focused, but Michael’s soothing and calm voice, with his wonderfully normal/healthy attitude to a life that’s anything but normal makes it very easy listening.

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As ever a great listen

When Michael tells us Angela has “done it” I was in tears, respect to you Michael.

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  • 12-12-22

So enjoyable

I’m an inveterate Palin fan and look forward to hearing the next chapters especially round the world

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halfway to hollywood

excellent diaries read by Michael Palin. go through all the great films he made during these years. also a tragic event in his life. a must listen. Great time listening.

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michael palin diaries 80-88

wonderfully diary showing how much effort went into Michael's day. Full of real events which I had forgotten.

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