Biggles Media Archives: Michael Palin Reads “Biggles Goes to See Bruce Springsteen”

*Warning: the above clip contains some strong language and adult humor. Also, it is quite long, almost ten minutes.

Michael Palin (yes, from Monty Python, that Michael Palin) shares a “new Biggles story” at the Secret Policeman’s Ball, 1979. Includes a cameo appearance by John Cleese (yes, that John Cleese).

I can’t say I like the way Algy (weirdly spelled “Algie” in the subtitles) is portrayed in this. Like Holmes’ Watson, Algy is often made into a bumbling slapstick character outside of the canon works to offset Biggles’ “brilliance”.

However, it must be said that I am quite fond of Michael Palin (who isn’t!), who is himself quite an avid Biggles fan and was even the narrator on the audiobook of Biggles Flies North.

Oddly enough, even though Bertie is not present in this “fanfic”, there seem to be a lot of “bally”s slipping into the conversation. I don’t think any of the other three ever said the word “bally” in the entire series!