Phil Cornwell
Philip Cornwell (born 5 October 1957) is an English actor, comedian, impressionist and writer. He is well known in the UK as being part of the Dead Ringers television and radio series, and achieved international recognition as the voice of Murdoc Niccals in the virtual band Gorillaz. Cornwell has co-written and performed principal roles in The Glam Metal Detectives and Stella Street. He is also well known as DJ Dave Clifton from I'm Alan Partridge and Alpha Papa.
Phil Cornwell | |
---|---|
Born | Philip Cornwell 5 October 1957 |
Occupation | Actor, comedian, impressionist, writer |
Years active | 1986–present |
Spouse(s) | Amy Cornwell |
Children | 6 |
Early life and career
Cornwell was born in Leigh-on-Sea, in the County of Essex.
He is popularly known for voicing Murdoc Niccals in the virtual band, Gorillaz. He provided the voices of Mick Jagger and David Bowie for the Steve Wright in the Afternoon show on BBC Radio 1 in the late-1980s and early-1990s. These impersonations - augmented by many others, including the series narrator, Michael Caine - formed the backbone of the BBC TV series Stella Street, written and performed with John Sessions.
In 1996 he performed in a comedy spoof sketch TV advert to The Professionals imitating Martin Shaw's character of Doyle (with the actor Ray Trickett playing Lewis Collins' Bodie) for the release of the Nissan Almera.[1] In 1997 as part of the same advertising campaign he performed another spoof sketch of the 1970s television series The Sweeney.[2][3]
He played the part of Harry Noakes, Captain of the cockleboat Renown in the TV mini-series Dunkirk.
He has appeared in several films made by the Comic Strip, including the role as Dave Spanker in Detectives on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown. He also played Dave Clifton, a local radio DJ on Radio Norwich - a fictional radio station in both series of I'm Alan Partridge.
He also voiced Sir Lancelot in the animated children's television series King Arthur's Disasters. He was the voice of Gilbert the Alien in the 1980s TV series Get Fresh, which later span off into Gilbert's Fridge, a series starring the character.[4]
He played King Stupid in the CBBC series Stupid!, having replaced Marcus Brigstocke, because the latter was involved in Excuse My French on BBC2. Cornwell also appeared in the Doctor Who episode, "The Fires of Pompeii". In 2010 he presented/hosted the Friday night Euro Lottery draw show on BBC1. In 2011 he did several stand up comedy gigs as character Switzerland McNaughtiehorse. Cornwell is a supporter of Tottenham Hotspur F.C.[5] and presents the weekly podcast The Spurs Show[6] with Mike Leigh.
In January 2013 he appeared in the ITV comedy drama series Great Night Out as Tonky.
Personal life
Cornwell is married to Amy Cornwell, together they have six children.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Character | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Blood | ||
2001 | Large | Barry Blaze Mouseley | |
2004 | Churchill: The Hollywood Years | Martin Bormann | |
2004 | Stella Street: The Movie | Mick Jagger | |
2007 | I Could Never Be Your Woman | ||
2007 | Lady Godiva: Back in the Saddle | Mayor Osborne | |
2010 | Made in Dagenham | Dave | |
2013 | Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa | Dave Clifton |
Television
Year | Title | Character | Production | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1986–1996 | Spitting Image | Jamie Spencer-Churchill (voice) | Central Independent Television | 19 episodes |
1987 | The Corner House | Harry | 2 episodes | |
1987–1988 | Get Fresh | Gilbert the Alien (voice) | ITV | 80 episodes |
1988 | On the Waterfront | Gilbert the Alien (voice) | BBC | 1 episode |
1991 | Remote Control | Various | Channel 4 | UK version |
1992 | Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show | PC Cornwell | 1 episode | |
1994 | The Bill | Jeff Price | ITV | Episode: "Settling The Score" |
1994 | Lovejoy | Syd Bishop | BBC1 | 1 episode |
1996 | Only Fools And Horses | Drunken man in Hospital | BBC | Episode: "Modern Men" |
1997–2002 | I'm Alan Partridge | Dave Clifton | BBC | Series 1 and 2 |
2002 | The Bill | Shane Pellow | ITV | In 8 episodes from Episode 023 to Episode 071 |
2002–2006 | Dead Ringers | Various Characters | BBC | |
2004 | Stella Street | Various | ||
2005 | Stupid! | King Stupid | CBBC | Season 2 (replaced Marcus Brigstocke) |
2005–2006 | King Arthur's Disasters | Sir Luncelot, Robin Hood (voices) | CITV | |
2008 | Harry and Paul | Various Characters | BBC | Series 2 |
2008 | Headcases | Robert Mugabe, Morgan Freeman, Steven Spielberg (voices) | ITV, STV, UTV | |
2011 | Skins | Diesel | E4 | Series 5 |
2012 | Mrs Biggs | DS Jack Slipper | ITV | Series 1 |
2013 | Great Night Out | Tonky | ITV | Series 1 |
2013 | Misfits | Geoff | ||
2014 | Not Going Out | Police Officer | BBC One | Series 7 Episode 10 'Wedding |
2014 | Midsomer Murders | Eddie Rayner | ITV | Episode: "The Flying Club" |
2015 | Holby City | Sean Cronin | BBC One | Series 17 Episode 14 'Wages of Sin' |
2016 | Jericho | Joe Capstick | ITV | |
2018 | Damned | 'Animal' Hames | Channel 4 | 1 Episode |
Direct-to-video
Year | Title | Character | Production | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | Phase One: Celebrity Take Down | Murdoc Niccals (voice) | Direct-to-video movie | |
2006 | Phase Two: Slowboat to Hades | Murdoc Niccals (voice) | Direct-to-video movie |
Video games
Year | Title | Character | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2001 | The Italian Job | Charlie Croker | Michael Caine impersonation[7] |
References
- 'Professionals' advert on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwcb_D2Xm-w
- 'Sweeney' advert on Youtube https://www.youtube.com//watch?v=Z9K_EkU9KZE
- 'Cries & whispers' article on the advert's filming, 'The Independent' 16 March 1997. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/cries-whispers-5387506.html
- "Gilbert's Fridge". Film & TV Database. BFI. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
- web of pub | Phil Cornwell: Not just a Tottenham fan… Archived 18 April 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- Download Phil Cornwell Mp3 and Phil Cornwell Music at Playbackmedia
- Li, David (14 August 2002). "Postmortem: Pixelogic's The Italian Job". Gamasutra. UBM. Retrieved 26 September 2018.