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

(1957-10-05) 5 October 1957
Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England
OccupationActor, comedian, impressionist, writer
Years active1986–present
Spouse(s)Amy Cornwell
Children6

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
2000Blood
2001LargeBarry Blaze Mouseley
2004Churchill: The Hollywood YearsMartin Bormann
2004Stella Street: The MovieMick Jagger
2007I Could Never Be Your Woman
2007Lady Godiva: Back in the SaddleMayor Osborne
2010Made in DagenhamDave
2013Alan Partridge: Alpha PapaDave Clifton

Television
Year Title Character Production Notes
1986–1996Spitting ImageJamie Spencer-Churchill (voice)Central Independent Television19 episodes
1987The Corner HouseHarry2 episodes
1987–1988Get FreshGilbert the Alien (voice)ITV80 episodes
1988On the WaterfrontGilbert the Alien (voice)BBC1 episode
1991Remote ControlVariousChannel 4UK version
1992Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed ShowPC Cornwell1 episode
1994The BillJeff PriceITVEpisode: "Settling The Score"
1994LovejoySyd BishopBBC11 episode
1996Only Fools And HorsesDrunken man in HospitalBBCEpisode: "Modern Men"
1997–2002I'm Alan PartridgeDave CliftonBBCSeries 1 and 2
2002The BillShane PellowITVIn 8 episodes from Episode 023 to Episode 071
2002–2006Dead RingersVarious CharactersBBC
2003-2010Meg and MogMogCITV and Tiny Pop
2004Stella StreetVarious
2005 Stupid! King Stupid CBBC Season 2 (replaced Marcus Brigstocke)
2005–2006King Arthur's DisastersSir Luncelot, Robin Hood (voices)CITV
2008Harry and PaulVarious CharactersBBCSeries 2
2008HeadcasesRobert Mugabe, Morgan Freeman, Steven Spielberg (voices)ITV, STV, UTV
2011SkinsDieselE4Series 5
2012Mrs BiggsDS Jack SlipperITVSeries 1
2013Great Night OutTonkyITVSeries 1
2013MisfitsGeoff
2014Not Going OutPolice OfficerBBC OneSeries 7 Episode 10 'Wedding
2014Midsomer MurdersEddie RaynerITVEpisode: "The Flying Club"
2015Holby CitySean CroninBBC OneSeries 17 Episode 14 'Wages of Sin'
2016JerichoJoe CapstickITV
2018Damned'Animal' HamesChannel 41 Episode

Direct-to-video
Year Title Character Production Notes
2002Phase One: Celebrity Take DownMurdoc Niccals (voice)Direct-to-video movie
2006Phase Two: Slowboat to HadesMurdoc Niccals (voice)Direct-to-video movie

Web series
Year Title Role Notes
2020 Song Machine Murdoc Niccals Web series by Gorillaz

Video games
Year Title Character Notes
2001The Italian JobCharlie CrokerMichael Caine impersonation[7]

References
  1. 'Professionals' advert on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwcb_D2Xm-w
  2. 'Sweeney' advert on Youtube https://www.youtube.com//watch?v=Z9K_EkU9KZE
  3. 'Cries & whispers' article on the advert's filming, 'The Independent' 16 March 1997. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/cries-whispers-5387506.html
  4. "Gilbert's Fridge". Film & TV Database. BFI. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  5. web of pub | Phil Cornwell: Not just a Tottenham fan… Archived 18 April 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Download Phil Cornwell Mp3 and Phil Cornwell Music at Playbackmedia
  7. Li, David (14 August 2002). "Postmortem: Pixelogic's The Italian Job". Gamasutra. UBM. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
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