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Photo of Philip Pope

Philip Pope

Actor, Composer, Writer, Additional Credits
Philip R. J. Pope is a British composer and actor. He was educated at Downside School and New College, Oxford. Pope appeared in the Oxford Revue in Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1978 and 1979, both with Angus Deayton. He performed in the BBC radio comedy series Radio Active (1980–87) and has also starred in a number of television comedy series, including Who Dares Wins (1983–88), Chelmsford 123 (1988–90), Round the Bend (1989–91) and KYTV (1989–93). He made guest appearances in Blackadder as the painter Leonardo Acropolis and Horatio Nelson, and in Shelley as pop star Hobo. Pope also appeared as Tony Angelino, the singing dustman, in the Only Fools and Horses episode "Stage Fright", in 1991.

Pope toured the UK as a member of the cast of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Radio Series Live, for which he was also musical director.[3] Pope portrayed several minor parts in the original radio series, as well as the subsequent adaptations of the later novels.

Pope appeared in the radio series Old Harry's Game (1995–2009), and he has performed as a singer with the Thame Chamber Choir.

With Richard Curtis, Pope co-wrote the Hee Bee Gee Bees' single "Meaningless Songs" (the B-side of which was "Posing in the Moonlight"), released in 1980 to parody the style of a series of disco hits by The Bee Gees. The Hee Bee Gee Bees went on to record two albums spoofing numerous acts including Eagles, Michael Jackson, The Police, Status Quo and Supertramp. Pope also wrote or co-wrote many comic songs for Not the Nine O'Clock News and Spitting Image, the latter of which included the British Number 1 hit single "The Chicken Song", for which Rob Grant and Doug Naylor wrote the lyrics. Along with Simon Franglen, Pope wrote the main theme for Round the Bend, a three-series children's comedy produced by Yorkshire Television for CITV, and later shown on Channel 4 and Nickelodeon.

Pope has also composed a large amount of music for radio and television, including the theme tunes for Through the Keyhole, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, KYTV, My Hero and Ruddy Hell! It's Harry and Paul. He was the musical director and composer for The Fast Show, as well as the popular BBC children's programmes Words and Pictures, Fimbles and The Roly Mo Show. Pope also provided the voice for the characters of Yugo and Migo from The Roly Mo Show.

Pope has scored numerous dramas and comedy-dramas for television, including Ted & Ralph, Midnight Flight, Crazy for A Kiss, Hospital! and Margery & Gladys as well as the film Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000).

He was invited to arrange Snow Patrol's "Run 12" remixed by Jacknife Lee, to which he contributed additional guitar.

On 5 October 2004, Pope featured in an episode of the radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, entitled "Fit the Fifteenth", as one of three aliens from the planet of Krikkit. They sang a song called "Under the Ink Black Sky", which Pope wrote and performed.

On 13 February 2013, Pope and his wife Rosie appeared on ITV's From The Heart, a programme about organ donation and which featured their 20-year-old son Will, who was seriously unwell with a failing heart, had only months to live, and was in desperate need of heart transplantation. He finally obtained a new heart in a successful operation, and was slowly nursed back to health by his family.

Known For

  • Chelmsford 123
  • Round the Bend
  • Not the Nine O'Clock News
  • Who Dares Wins ...
  • KYTV
  • The Roly Mo Show
  • Spot's Magical Christmas
  • Never Mind the Horrocks

Philip Pope Filmography

2020
Kate & Koji (TV Series) · as Postman
2019
Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes (TV Series) · as Sigmund Murphy
2017
Brian Pern: A Tribute · as Michael Banks
2015
Ballot Monkeys (TV Series) · as Activist
2014
Brian Pern (TV Series) · as Michael Banks
2012
A Touch of Cloth (TV Series) · as Professor
2012
The Cricklewood Greats · as Policeman
2011
Horrid Henry: The Movie · as Moody Margaret's Dad
2008
2007
Outnumbered (TV Series) · as Frankie
2007
Ruddy Hell! It's Harry & Paul (TV Series) · as Bono
2007
Benidorm (2007) (TV Series) · as Winter Smallcock
2007
After You've Gone (TV Series) · as Jack Nicholson
2005
Vagabond Shoes · as 1st Homeless Man Sitting
2004
The Roly Mo Show (TV Series) · as Yugo
2003
More Great Comedy Moments · as Continuity Announcer
2003
Swiss Toni (TV Series) · as Customer
1999
1997
Underworld (TV Series) · as Hotel Manager
1997
Hospital! · as Pianist
1996
1995
Spot's Magical Christmas · as Tom(voice: Uk Version)
1995
1994
The Fast Show (TV Series) · as Pianist
1990
Drop The Dead Donkey (TV Series) · as Minister
1989
Close to Home (TV Series) · as Mr Nesbitt
1989
KYTV (TV Series) · as Continuity Announcer
1989
Mike and Angelo (TV Series) · as Graham Grimsdale
1989
Hysteria 2! · as Who Dares Wins
1988
1988
This is David Lander (TV Series) · as Richard Rackham
1988
Round the Bend (TV Series)
1988
Chelmsford 123 (TV Series) · as Grasientus
1987
A Bit of Fry & Laurie (TV Series) · as Michael Jackson
1984
Spitting Image (TV Series) · as Bob Dylan
1983
Who Dares Wins ... (TV Series) · as Various Roles
1982
Blackadder (TV Series) · as Leonardo Acropolis
1981
Only Fools and Horses (TV Series) · as Tony Angelino
1979
Not the Nine O'Clock News (TV Series) · as Frank Sinatra
1974
Tiswas (TV Series) · as Dobbin Cribb

2020
Kate & Koji (TV Series) · as Composer
2016
Power Monkeys (TV Series)
2015
Ballot Monkeys (TV Series) · as Composer
2014
2014
2013
Yonderland (TV Series) · as Composer
2013
Badults (TV Series) · as Composer
2012
Hacks · as Composer
2010
Little Crackers (TV Series) · as Composer
2007
Outnumbered (TV Series) · as Composer
2007
Ruddy Hell! It's Harry & Paul (TV Series) · as Composer
2007
Benidorm (2007) (TV Series) · as Composer
2005
Broken News (TV Series) · as Composer
2004
The Roly Mo Show (TV Series) · as Composer
2003
Margery and Gladys · as Composer
2003
2003
Swiss Toni (TV Series) · as Composer
2002
Fimbles (TV Series) · as Composer
2002
Dick Whittington · as Composer
2001
Happiness (TV Series) · as Composer
2000
Aladdin · as Composer
2000
Harry Enfield's Brand Spanking New Show (TV Series) · as Composer
2000
The Fitz (TV Series) · as Composer
2000
Kevin & Perry Go Large · as Composer
2000
My Hero (TV Series) · as Composer
2000
Cinderella · as Composer
1999
1999
When Dinosaurs Ruled (TV Series) · as Composer
1999
Gimme Gimme Gimme (TV Series) · as Composer
1998
The Fast Show Live · as Composer
1998
1998
Jack and the Beanstalk · as Composer
1998
Alptraum im Airport · as Composer
1998
Kiss Me Kate (TV Series) · as Composer
1996
1994
The Fast Show (TV Series) · as Composer
1994
1994
1990
Drop The Dead Donkey (TV Series) · as Composer
1990
Ben Elton, the Man from Auntie (TV Series) · as Composer
1989
KYTV (TV Series) · as Composer
1988
This is David Lander (TV Series) · as Composer
1988
Round the Bend (TV Series) · as Composer
1988
Whose Line is it Anyway? (TV Series) · as Composer
1988
Chelmsford 123 (TV Series) · as Composer
1987
Through the Keyhole (TV Series) · as Composer
1987
1984
Screen Two (TV Series) · as Composer
1984
The Lenny Henry Show (TV Series) · as Composer
1984
Spitting Image (TV Series) · as Composer
1983
Who Dares Wins ... (TV Series) · as Composer
1979
Not the Nine O'Clock News (TV Series) · as Composer
1961
Comedy Playhouse (TV Series) · as Composer

2017
The Story of Only Fools and Horses (TV Series) · as Self
2001
Harry Hill's TV Burp (TV Series) · as Self

1997
Hospital! · as Sound
1989
KYTV (TV Series) · as Additional Material
1983
Who Dares Wins ... (TV Series) · as Additional Material

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