Now" made Capital Radio's "Capital Countdown" chart. This was followed over the next couple of years by two more albums – Pick Up and I/You (which featured Simon Phillips, as well as Ian Anderson and Barriemore Barlow of Jethro Tull). All three of Protheroe's original Chrysalis albums were produced by Del Newman and engineered by Richard Dodd. The song "Pick-Up"" was the centrepiece of a cabaret show called KinoTata which was put on by Martin Duncan, Protheroe's oft-times lyrical collaborator. Protheroe's songs are noted for their use of wordplay, some nonsensical, in the vein of John Lennon. Most of his songs feature lyrics he wrote, but "Changing My Tune", "Oh, Weeping Will" and "Dancing on Black Ice" had lyrics written by Martin Duncan, and it seems Duncan was the one responsible for more of the wordplay. Acting A developing acting career found Protheroe, in 1976, starring in the London production of the rock musical, Leave Him to Heaven at the New London Theatre. Temporarily laying aside his career in music, he focused on theatre, television and film. He also has a small role in the 1978 film Superman as a co-pilot of Air Force One. In 1982 he was cast in the BBC Two play Spider's Web by Agatha Christie, and in the following year played the role of Edward IV in the BBC Television Shakespeare productions of Henry VI, Part 2, Henry VI, Part 3 and Richard III. In 1984 he played in the West End musical Pump Boys and Dinettes on piano and vocals and percussion. In 1997 Basta Records released a compilation album of the first three albums from the 1970s, with an additional disc of unreleased material in a box set, Brian's Big Box. The advent of the internet allowed for a resurgence in interest in his musical career. He released the collection Citysong in 2005. It was described as a "new single with seventeen bonus tracks and two movies". It included the new song "Holyoke Hotel" as well as two homemade videos. After remastering his original tapes at Abbey Road Studios, EMI studios released a greatest hits collection called Pinball and Other Stories in 2006. In 2002 Protheroe played the role of Gower in Adrian Noble's production of Pericles, Prince of Tyre. In 2007 he was cast as Saruman in the original stage musical version of The Lord of the Rings. Performances began at London's