"Pole to Pole" (1992) TV mini-series

Writer:

Michael Palin

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

10 January 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Documentary

Plot:

Michael Palin undertakes a journey by the most direct route possible with the most land to cross from the North Pole to the South Pole.

Plot Keywords:

Journey | North Pole | Africa | TV Mini-Series | Arctic

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Michael Palin

...

Himself (6 episodes, 1992)

Series Directed by
Roger Mills		(5 episodes, 1992)

Series Writing credits
Michael Palin		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Anne James	....	executive producer: Prominent TV (unknown episodes)
Clem Vallance	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Paddy Kingsland		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Alex Richardson		(unknown episodes)
David Thomas		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Mirabel Brook	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Fraser Barber	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Anne Dummett	....	dubbing editor (unknown episodes)
Jonathan Rowdon	....	dubbing editor (unknown episodes)
Aad Wirtz	....	dubbing mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Basil Pao	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Sevim Berker	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)
Jake Da Motta	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)
Angela Elbourne	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Santha Faiia	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)
Martin Hardy	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)
Romany Helmy	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)
Una Hoban	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
Anne Kershaw	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)
Patricio Lanfranco Leverton	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)
Troels Møller	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)
Mimi O'Grady	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Geir Paulsen	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)
Susie Pugh-Tasios	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)
David Rootes	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)
Monty Ruben	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)
Kari Vaattovaara	....	location coordinator (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Passepartout Productions
• Prominent Television

Distributors

• A&E Television Networks
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (1992) (UK) (TV)

Other Companies

• 4:2:2 Videographics  graphics
• East-West Creative Association  location coordinators
• Film Africa  location coordinators

Also Known As:

Runtime:

50 min (8 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:G

Filming Locations:

South Pole, Antarctica

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Only a few days after Palin and crew left the Soviet Union, the "Generals' Coup" that arrested Gorbachev and led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the rise of Boris Yeltsin took place, while Palin was still on a Soviet-registered passenger ship crossing the Black Sea.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Full Circle with Michael Palin: Chile/Bolivia (#1.7)" (1997)

Splendid fun

This is one of those multi-part shows that I wish A&E would rerun every month; it's a delight from start to finish.

Michael Palin travels from the North Pole to the South Pole by the most direct routes, runs into the most interesting people, places and situations, and lets nothing get in his way. The best thing about the series is Palin, who seems to always be on the brink of some hilarity. He never really goes over the edge, but he always seems to be about to. He interviews a Turkish masseur, who seems to have learnt his trade by watching World Wrestling Federation videos, and gets a massage that looks like it breaks a few bones; he rides a rattletrap train in Africa, where the less-than-appetizing entree is a spiny fish that looks to be more bone than fish; he travels across the Black Sea on a Russian steamer, hobnobbing with just plain Russian folk who are very, very friendly; he takes part in the evening's festivities aboard a luxury liner going up the Nile, dressed as a Roman centurion. Through it all he smiles and has a visibly great time, and so does the viewer. This is an 8 part series, I believe, and seems to be over far too soon.