Phil Cool
Encyclopedia
Phil Cool is an English
comedian
, impressionist
and musician
.
before turning professional as a comedian and impressionist.
Cool's debut television appearance was in the short lived comedy show Rock With Laughter, it was round about this time that he made a career-defining performance at Jasper Carrott
's Folk Club "The Boggery". Carrott was impressed with Cool's act and decided to take an active hand in furthering his career. In 1983 he appeared as a regular on the O.T.T.
spin-off Saturday Stayback
and, in 1984, he became the warm-up man for the satirical show, Spitting Image
. He was also one of the voice artists on the show, providing the voices for Boy George
, Holly Johnson
and Mick Jagger
for the first two series. It was during his time on Spitting Image that a producer for the BBC spotted him, and got him work on Pebble Mill at One
.
After the success of these appearances, he was given his own series called Cool It (BBC
). The first series of Cool It was a hit and was repeated within a matter of months (at the time that was unheard of for a new television artist). The tie-in video release of the best moments of Cool It became a best-seller. The second series in 1986 (which was also produced by Jasper Carrott) proved to be a bigger success. The BBC released another video Cool It Too. Cool recorded an album
on Virgin Records
called Not Just a Pretty Face, and a book titled Cool's Out. His popularity was underlined in 1987 when he was asked to perform at The Secret Policeman's Third Ball. The third and final series was broadcast in 1988.
In 1989 he appeared in the mini-film
, Night of the Comic Dead, alongside Frank Carson
, Karl Howman
and Howard Lew Lewis
as part of A Night of Comic Relief 2. His third video Cool 'N' Hot, filmed live at the Royal Leamington Spa Centre in 1989 also sold well.
In 1991 he moved to ITV
and made a series called Cool Head (Central Television). In the same year Central released a video showcasing some of the best moments of Cool Head. A year later he made another series for Central that was entitled Phil Cool, recorded at the Belgrade Theatre
in Coventry
. This turned out to be Cool's last series for television to date.
In 1992 Cool teamed up with Jasper Carrott and toured the country with their "Carrott & Cool" show, playing to sold out houses. The "Carrott & Cool" tour was the subject for one episode of A Day in the Life for Channel 4
in 1993. The episode took a behind the scenes look at the show and tour.
He had a brief comeback in 1997 when he released his fifth official video, Classic Cool (this has been reissued on DVD), but in August 2000 his career had to be put on hold when he suffered a heart attack
, which left him in hospital for eight months. After making a full recovery he returned to the stage with a brand new show in 2002, and in 2003 he revived his touring partnership with Carrott. He is now a resident in Chipping, Lancashire
, and he is still performing regularly for UK audiences up and down the country each year.
In addition to his solo gigs, Cool toued in 2008 with Ken Nicol, performing as Nicol and Cool, providing a blend of music and comedy impressions. Nicol and Cool toured with folk rock group Fairport Convention
as a support act for Fairport's winter tour 2009. They released an album, also called Nicol & Cool.
Cool's most recent television and film work has been an appearance on Today with Des and Mel
in 2006, being interviewed as part of the BBC's The Story of Light Entertainment and appearing in the movies Upstaged
(2005) and The School That Roared (2009).
Cool's autobiography
, Phil Cool Died Here (And Lived To Tell The Tale), was followed by a book of 'Art Brut'-inspired sketches of children.
In a 2002 production on BBC comedy performers, Karl Howman recalled how he and Cool obtained tickets and backstage passes for a World Championship Wrestling
(WCW) event while both were in the United States
during the early 1990s. Cool's humour and impressions of wrestling stars such as Hulk Hogan
and Ric Flair
were well received by the wrestlers backstage who were told of his BBC
work and keen to have Cool involved in the product in some way. Cool's schedule would not allow a long term commitment, but he did appear at one live show, portraying masked wrestler Kendo Nagasaki
(also known as The Dragonmaster). Cool was unmasked and revealed as an imposter sent by Nagasaki to throw off his opponent. The real Nagasaki, played by Kazuo Sakurada
(who is also well-known as the trainer of World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE) and WCW superstar Bret "The Hitman" Hart
), appeared on the rampway as Cool delivered some amusing facial expressions and a brief monologue in the ring.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, impressionist
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
Early life
Cool discovered that he had the ability to pull faces when he was at school. Once he left school he worked briefly as an electricianElectrician
An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...
before turning professional as a comedian and impressionist.
Career
Whereas many of his impressionist peers concentrated on mimicking the voice of the target and changing in and out of a succession of hats, beards, spectacles and coats, Cool placed an emphasis on thrusting his eyebrows, lips and even, seemingly, his ears into the positions required of the part, rather than on costumes.Cool's debut television appearance was in the short lived comedy show Rock With Laughter, it was round about this time that he made a career-defining performance at Jasper Carrott
Jasper Carrott
Jasper Carrott OBE is a British comedian, actor, television presenter and personality.-Early life:...
's Folk Club "The Boggery". Carrott was impressed with Cool's act and decided to take an active hand in furthering his career. In 1983 he appeared as a regular on the O.T.T.
O.T.T.
O.T.T. was a late-night adult version of the anarchic ATV children's show Tiswas, but made by its ITV franchise successor Central Television. It was broadcast at 11.00pm on Saturday nights for one series in 1982. O.T.T. was created and presented by Chris Tarrant, and also starred ex-Tiswasians John...
spin-off Saturday Stayback
Saturday Stayback
Saturday Stayback was a late night comedy show made in 1983 by Central Television, starring Chris Tarrant. It was performed entirely in a public house....
and, in 1984, he became the warm-up man for the satirical show, Spitting Image
Spitting Image
Spitting Image is a British satirical puppet show that aired on the ITV network from 1984 to 1996. It was produced by Spitting Image Productions for Central Television. The series was nominated for 10 BAFTA Awards, winning one for editing in 1989....
. He was also one of the voice artists on the show, providing the voices for Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
, Holly Johnson
Holly Johnson
Holly Johnson is an English artist, writer and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and former bassist for Big in Japan.- Big in Japan :...
and Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
for the first two series. It was during his time on Spitting Image that a producer for the BBC spotted him, and got him work on Pebble Mill at One
Pebble Mill at One
Pebble Mill at One was a popular British lunchtime chat show broadcast live originally on BBC2 before transferring to BBC1. It was produced from the Pebble Mill facilities of BBC Birmingham, and uniquely was hosted from the centre's main reception area rather than a traditional studio...
.
After the success of these appearances, he was given his own series called Cool It (BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
). The first series of Cool It was a hit and was repeated within a matter of months (at the time that was unheard of for a new television artist). The tie-in video release of the best moments of Cool It became a best-seller. The second series in 1986 (which was also produced by Jasper Carrott) proved to be a bigger success. The BBC released another video Cool It Too. Cool recorded an album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
on Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
called Not Just a Pretty Face, and a book titled Cool's Out. His popularity was underlined in 1987 when he was asked to perform at The Secret Policeman's Third Ball. The third and final series was broadcast in 1988.
In 1989 he appeared in the mini-film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Night of the Comic Dead, alongside Frank Carson
Frank Carson
Frank Carson is a Northern Irish comedian and actor, best known on television in series such as The Comedians and Tiswas.-Early life:...
, Karl Howman
Karl Howman
Karl Howman is an English actor and also a British voice-over artist.He is well known but notable to many television viewers for his work as Jacko in the mid-1980's and early-90's BBC TV sitcom Esmonde and Larbey's Brush Strokes and as the title character in the series Mulberry .However Howman first...
and Howard Lew Lewis
Howard Lew Lewis
Howard Lew Lewis is an English comedian and actor, best known for his roles in comedy series including Maid Marian and her Merry Men and Brush Strokes.-Biography:Lewis' grandmother Dame Ethel Gomer-Lewis was an opera singer...
as part of A Night of Comic Relief 2. His third video Cool 'N' Hot, filmed live at the Royal Leamington Spa Centre in 1989 also sold well.
In 1991 he moved to ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
and made a series called Cool Head (Central Television). In the same year Central released a video showcasing some of the best moments of Cool Head. A year later he made another series for Central that was entitled Phil Cool, recorded at the Belgrade Theatre
Belgrade Theatre
The Belgrade Theatre is a live performance venue seating 858 and situated in Coventry, England. It was the first civic theatre to be built after the Second World War in Britain and as such was more than a place of entertainment...
in Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
. This turned out to be Cool's last series for television to date.
In 1992 Cool teamed up with Jasper Carrott and toured the country with their "Carrott & Cool" show, playing to sold out houses. The "Carrott & Cool" tour was the subject for one episode of A Day in the Life for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in 1993. The episode took a behind the scenes look at the show and tour.
He had a brief comeback in 1997 when he released his fifth official video, Classic Cool (this has been reissued on DVD), but in August 2000 his career had to be put on hold when he suffered a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, which left him in hospital for eight months. After making a full recovery he returned to the stage with a brand new show in 2002, and in 2003 he revived his touring partnership with Carrott. He is now a resident in Chipping, Lancashire
Chipping, Lancashire
Chipping is a village and civil parish of the borough of Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England, within the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 1,046....
, and he is still performing regularly for UK audiences up and down the country each year.
In addition to his solo gigs, Cool toued in 2008 with Ken Nicol, performing as Nicol and Cool, providing a blend of music and comedy impressions. Nicol and Cool toured with folk rock group Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
as a support act for Fairport's winter tour 2009. They released an album, also called Nicol & Cool.
Cool's most recent television and film work has been an appearance on Today with Des and Mel
Today with Des and Mel
Today with Des and Mel was a British television series hosted by Des O'Connor and Melanie Sykes. The show featured celebrity guests, phone-in competitions and chat between the hosts. It was produced by Carlton Television, at The London Studios...
in 2006, being interviewed as part of the BBC's The Story of Light Entertainment and appearing in the movies Upstaged
Upstaged
Upstaged was a 2008 multi-platform talent show aired on the Internet, BBC Red Button and BBC Three.Upstaged contenders were voted into two glass-fronted studios in Millennium Square, Bristol, where they had to entertain for six hours at a time, with only a few breaks allowed.During the heats, acts...
(2005) and The School That Roared (2009).
Cool's autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Phil Cool Died Here (And Lived To Tell The Tale), was followed by a book of 'Art Brut'-inspired sketches of children.
In a 2002 production on BBC comedy performers, Karl Howman recalled how he and Cool obtained tickets and backstage passes for a World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW) event while both were in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the early 1990s. Cool's humour and impressions of wrestling stars such as Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
were well received by the wrestlers backstage who were told of his BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
work and keen to have Cool involved in the product in some way. Cool's schedule would not allow a long term commitment, but he did appear at one live show, portraying masked wrestler Kendo Nagasaki
Kendo Nagasaki
Kendo Nagasaki is a professional wrestling stage name, used as a gimmick of that of a Japanese Samurai warrior with a mysterious past and even supernatural powers of hypnosis...
(also known as The Dragonmaster). Cool was unmasked and revealed as an imposter sent by Nagasaki to throw off his opponent. The real Nagasaki, played by Kazuo Sakurada
Kazuo Sakurada
, better known as Mr. Sakurada and as the Japanese version of , is a retired Japanese professional wrestler. He is best known, under various monikers, for his work in Stampede Wrestling, National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling. Sakurada is also highly regarded by Bret Hart as...
(who is also well-known as the trainer of World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) and WCW superstar Bret "The Hitman" Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
), appeared on the rampway as Cool delivered some amusing facial expressions and a brief monologue in the ring.
Videography
- Cool It (1985)
- Cool It Too (1986)
- Cool 'n' Hot (1989)
- Cool Head (1991)
- How To Cheat At Fishing (1995)
- Classic Cool (1997)
- The Last Mimzy (2007)