Palen was associated with several movies, most notably in 1983, when he worked as a stunt double for Woody Allen in the film Zelig.
Erik Eger, Magnus Oliv and Joacim Starander were inspired by films including Zelig by director Woody Allen and F for Fake by filmmaker Orson Welles.
Since 1988 he has also taught at the Documentary School “Zelig” in Bolzano.
Intending to pursue a career as stand-up comedian, he appeared at the Derby Club and the Zelig, important historical Milan cabarets, reaching fame in 1988 in the TV variety show Cocco by RAI2 with the character of a permanently enraged car driver ("fucking raving mad!").
In December 2010, Rabbi Shlomo Zelig Avrasin was sent to work with the Subbotnik Jewish communities in Russia, particularly Vysoky.
The founder of the Żychlin Hasidic dynasty Rabbi Shmuel Abba was born to Reb Zelig on the 19th of Kislev in the city of Luvitch.