Philip Pope

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.