Philip R. J. Pope is a British composer and actor. He was educated at Downside School and New College, Oxford.[1]
Contents |
He appeared in the Oxford Revue in Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1978 and 1979, both with Angus Deayton.[2] He performed in the BBC radio comedy series Radio Active (1980–87) and has also starred in a number of TV comedy shows, including Who Dares Wins (1983–88), Chelmsford 123 (1988–90) and KYTV (1989–93) Round the Bend (1989-1991). He made guest appearances on Blackadder as the painter Leonardo Acropolis and Shelley as pop star Hobo with Hywel Bennett as James Shelley. Pope also appeared as Tony Angelino in the Only Fools and Horses episode Stage Fright with David Jason & Nicholas Lyndhurst — written by John Sullivan. Pope has regularly featured in the radio series Old Harry's Game (1995–2009). Pope performs regularly as a singer with the Thame Chamber Choir.[3]
Philip Pope co-wrote with Richard Curtis the Hee Bee Gee Bees' single "Meaningless Songs" (B-side "Posing in the Moonlight") released in 1980 to parody the style of a series of Bee Gees disco hits. 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 including British Number 1 hit single "The Chicken Song" with Rob Grant & Doug Naylor and along with Simon Franglen, he did the main theme for Round the Bend for Yorkshire Tv, a three series comedy shown on CITV, later shown on Channel 4 and Nickelodeon.
Pope has also composed a large amount of music other radio and television including the theme tunes for Through the Keyhole, Whose Line Is It Anyway?(UK), KYTV, My Hero, The Bill 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 Fimbles and The Roly Mo Show. Pope also provides the voice for the character Yugo, of Yugo and Migo from The Roly Mo Show.
He has scored numerous dramas and comedy-dramas for TV 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 Garrett Lee
On October 5th, 2004, Pope featured in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy episode "Fit the Fifteenth" as one of three aliens from the planet of Krikkit. The three aliens sang a song called "Under the Ink Black Sky", which Pope wrote and performed.