More forgotten comics

In January I posted a list of comedians who have been forgotten since their death. This new list is of those still alive but for a variety of reasons do not enjoy the fame they once had.


Phil Cool

Unlike many other impressionists who would be content to use their voice and on occasion make-up to change themselves into other people, Cool would controt his face into the likes of Prince Charles, Patrick Moore and William Shantner to name just 3. The height of his fame came with BBC TV show Cool It though a disastrous move to ITV saw him move away from TV. Cool would concentrate on touring which he would continue to do even after suffering a heart attack in 2000.  Phil Cool announced his retirement in 2013 saying that he had enough of all the travelling.


Rob Newman

Newman with David Baddiel, Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis formed The Mary Whitehouse Experience a comedy that first went out on BBC Radio 1 before moving to TV on BBC2. The show was a hit with it's mix of characters and catchphrase. When the show ended in 1992 the foursome split into 2 pairs with Newman teaming up with Baddiel. The pair enjoyed such popularity they were able to play a show at Wembly Arena something unheard of for a comedy act however the pair would soon split up. Baddiel would then enjoy more mainstream success paired with Frank Skinner. Newman most recent work has been attacking the likes of Richard Dawkins for using Darwin's theory of evolution for they own ends.


Gareth Hale and Norman Pace

With their ITV show Hale & Pace the pair had a very high profile from the 1980's to 1990's. Outside of their sketch show they appeared the last classic Doctor  (1963-1989) Who serial , had a No 1 single for Comic Relief with The Stonk and even tried to show their dramatic side playing Reginald Hill's Yorkshire Police Detectives Dalziel and Pascoe before the much more popular BBC version with Warren Clarke and Colin Buchanan. Things went wrong for the pair with a disastrous move to the BBC in which the show H&P@BBC was such a flop it was dropped from the schedules. Since the pair have done work separate from each other, Gareth Hale had a regular role on Channel 5 soap opera Family Affairs while Norman Pace has concentrated on theatre work. The pair made a tongue in cheek appearance on Ricky Gervis's Extras where they seem to have acknowledged their fate