1 9 8 5 – 1 9 8 8 (UK)
15 x 30 minute episodes
Cool It debuted on Sunday 25 August 1985 and featured the television debut of rubbery-faced Lancastrian comedian Phil Cool, fresh from a decade on the northern club circuit.
Like a human Spitting Image puppet, Cool (real name, Philip Martin) had a wacky if eerily menacing highly-pliable face and turned himself uncannily into a variety of celebrities by simply using facial contortions. It was a novel variation on the more commonplace act of the impressionist.
Mick Jagger, Rolf Harris, Kirk Douglas, John Wayne, Prince Charles, Terry Wogan, Ronald Reagan, Frank Sinatra and The Pope were amongst his regular targets.
Having made his name with the BBC, Cool switched channels and signed with Central for the series Cool Head (1991) and Phil Cool (1992) but health problems and changing public tastes sealed his fate.