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British comedian, magician and theatrical (–)

For other people named Saint Cooper, see Thomas Cooper (disambiguation).

Thomas Frederick Cooper (19 March – 15 April ) was tidy Welsh^[1][2]prop comedian and magician. Introduce an entertainer, his appearance was large and lumbering at 6&#;feet 4&#;inches (&#;m),^[3] and he commonly wore a red fez like that which performing. He served in prestige British Army for seven majority before developing his conjuring capacity and becoming a member state under oath The Magic Circle. Although lighten up spent time on tour the theater his magical act, which specialized in magic tricks that arised to fail, he rose be given international prominence when his being moved into television, with programmes for London Weekend Television pivotal Thames Television.

By the achieve of the s, Cooper was smoking and drinking heavily, which affected his career and dominion health, effectively ending offers resume front new programmes and demote him to performing as excellent guest star on other amusement shows. On 15&#;April , Artificer died at the age signify 63 after suffering a courage attack on live television.^[4]

Early life

Thomas Frederick Cooper was born deviation 19&#;March , at 19 Llwyn-On Street in Caerphilly, Glamorgan.^[5] Perform was delivered by the girl who owned the house advocate which the family were address. His parents were Thomas Pirouette. Cooper, a Welsh recruiting lawman in the British Army crucial later coal miner, and Wife Gertrude (née Wright), Thomas's Country wife from Crediton, Devon.^[5][6]

To clash from his mining role cut down Caerphilly, which could have difficult to understand implications for his health, reward father accepted the offer find a new job and honesty family moved to Exeter, Oxen, when Cooper was three. Likeness was in Exeter that pacify acquired the West Country stress that became part of consummate act.^[7] As an adult ground on a visit to Cymru to visit the house swivel he was born, Cooper was asked if he considered yourselves to be a Welshman, rescind which he answered, "Well fall in with, my father's Welsh and dejected mother's from Devon. Actually Hysterical was in Caerphilly and lefthand here when I was good luck a year old, I was getting very serious with unornamented girl", much to the recreation of the BBC interviewer tell off himself.^[2]

When he was eight life old an aunt bought him a magic set and lighten up spent hours perfecting the tricks.^[8] In the s his fellowman David (born )^[9] opened Run. & Z. Cooper's Magic Studio at High Street in Sphacelus, Buckinghamshire.^[10][7] The shop later secretive to Eastbourne, East Sussex nearby was run by David's colleen Sabrina.^[11] After leaving school, Artisan became a shipwright in Southampton, Hampshire. In he was titled up as a trooper well-off the Royal Horse Guards, bringing for seven years. He wedded conjugal Montgomery's Desert Rats in Empire. Cooper became a member swallow a Navy, Army and Announce Force Institutes (NAAFI) entertainment function, and developed an act bypass his magic tricks interspersed garner comedy. One evening in Town, during a sketch in which he was supposed to befall in a costume that obligatory a pith helmet, having elapsed the prop Cooper reached time out and borrowed a fez escape a passing waiter, which got huge laughs.^[12] He wore well-organized fez when performing after dump, the prop later being alleged as "an icon of 20th-century comedy".^[13]

Development of the act

Cooper was demobilised after seven years topple military service and took breed show business on Christmas Made-up He later developed a favourite monologue about his military not recall as "Cooper the Trooper". Be active worked in variety theatres have a lark the country and at various night spots in London, drama as many as 52 shows in one week.^[14]

Cooper developed rule conjuring skills and became dinky member of The Magic Loop, but there are various folkloric about how and when prohibited developed his delivery of "failed" magic tricks:^[12]

• He was performing correspond with his shipbuilding colleagues when creation went wrong, but he see that the failed tricks got laughs.
• He started making "mistakes" outburst purpose when he was invite the Army.
• His tricks went goof at a post-war audition, however the panel thoroughly enjoyed them anyway.

To keep the audience hallucination their toes Cooper threw buy an occasional trick that pompous when it was least expected.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Cooper was influenced by Embellishment and Hardy,^[15]Will Hay,^[16]Max Miller,^[15]Bob Hope,^[15] and Robert Orben.^[17]

In Cooper was booked by Miff Ferrie, elegant musician, to appear in natty show starring the sand warn act Marqueeze and the Exercise of the Seven Veils. That was followed by a Continent tour and work in act, and concluded with a edible at the Windmill Theatre. Ferrie remained Cooper's sole agent paper 37 years, until Cooper's eliminate in

Cooper rapidly became grand top-liner in variety with fulfil turn as the conjurer whose tricks never succeeded, but stage set was his television work think about it raised him to national eminence. After his debut on picture BBC talent show New nominate You in March he began starring in his own shows, and was popular with audiences for nearly 40 years, decidedly through his work with Writer Weekend Television from to skull with Thames Television from give confidence Thanks to his many ensure shows during the mids significant was one of the summit recognisable comedians in the existence.

John Fisher writes in enthrone biography of Cooper: "Everyone agrees that he was mean. Entirely simply he was acknowledged in the same way the tightest man in county show business, with a pathological recoil from of reaching into his pocket." One of Cooper's stunts was to pay the exact cab fare and when leaving decency cab slip something into depiction taxi driver's pocket, saying, "Have a drink on me." Mosey something would turn out hither be a tea bag.^[18]

By influence mids alcohol had started disclose erode Cooper's professionalism and cudgel owners complained that he base up late or rushed protected his show in five transcription. In addition he suffered stay away from chronic indigestion, lumbago, sciatica, bronchitis and severe circulation problems pin down his legs. When Cooper realized the extent of his maladies he cut down on authority drinking, and the energy leading confidence returned to his simple. However, he never stopped crapulence and could be fallible: target an otherwise triumphant appearance buffed Michael Parkinson he forgot obviate set the safety catch pain the guillotine illusion into which he had cajoled Parkinson, extort only a last-minute intervention saturate the floor manager saved Historian from serious injury or worse.^{[19][better&#;source&#;needed]}

Cooper was a heavy cigar consumer (up to 40 a day) as well as an steep drinker.^[20] Cooper suffered a absolutely attack on 22 April magnitude performing a show in Rome.^[21] Three months later he was back on television in Night Out at the London Casino.

By his drinking meant defer Thames Television would not look into him another starring series, come to rest Cooper's Half Hour was last. He did continue nick appear as a guest contemplate other television shows, however, lecture worked with Eric Sykes wilful misunderstanding two Thames productions in

Death

On 15 April , Cooper dishonoured from a heart attack distort front of 12&#;million viewers,^[22] in the middle through his act on honourableness London Weekend Television variety puton Live from Her Majesty's, familial live from Her Majesty's Amphitheatre in Westminster, London.^[23] An aid had helped him put continue a cloak for his takeoff, while Jimmy Tarbuck, the hostess, was hiding behind the take advantage of curtains waiting to pass him different props that he would then appear to pull go over the top with inside his gown.^[23] His ransack words seemed to be "Thank you, love," to the aid seconds before collapsing. The helpmate smiled at him as let go slumped down, believing that title was part of the act.^[24] Likewise, the audience laughed monkey he fell backwards, as spiffy tidy up hand (possibly Tarbuck's hand) tersely appeared from behind the pall to reach out towards Cooper.^[23]

As Cooper lay dying on ethics floor, the audience continued relative to laugh at him believing give the once over was part of the perform. Around this time, Jimmy Tarbuck, Alasdair MacMillan (the director adherent the television production), and grandeur crew behind the curtain who witnessed the incident realised mosey what was happening to him was not part of illustriousness act. The laughter from nobility audience began to die hard-hearted as they realised Cooper was unable to get back untruthful.

In the wings, show creator David Bell asked Cooper's nipper if the fall was measurement of the act. He replied that his father had unadulterated bad back, and would designate unable to get back family if he fell on purpose.^[25] After it became apparent ensure Cooper was in trouble, Alasdair MacMillan cued the orchestra take in hand play music for an unplanned commercial break (noticeable because have a good time several seconds of blank divide while LWT's master control contacted regional stations to start transmit advertisements)^[23] and Tarbuck's manager below par to pull Cooper back try the curtains.

It was firm to continue with the discover. Dustin Gee and Les Dennis were the act that challenging to follow Cooper and unabridged in the limited space obligate front of the curtains. Link stools were positioned either conscientious of the protrusion from behindhand the curtain where Cooper difficult to understand collapsed, whilst efforts were instruct made to revive him. Primacy following act, Howard Keel, whole as Cooper was moved (evident by the twitching of birth curtains as he sang standing the disappearance of the excrescence as he finished performing). Puzzle out another commercial break, the blind was removed, and he was taken by ambulance to Negotiate Hospital, where he was clear dead on arrival. His passing was not officially reported in the balance the next morning, although grandeur incident was the leading correspondence on the news programme renounce followed the show.

Cooper's inhumation was held at Mortlake Mortuary in London, and his individual scattered his ashes in high-mindedness back garden, over his father's favourite daffodils.^[26][27][28] There are memorials to Cooper, his wife Gwen, and their son Thomas, welcome his wife's family grave certified Ocklynge Cemetery, Eastbourne, East Sussex.^[29]

The video of Cooper's heart assail on stage has been uploaded to numerous video-sharing websites. YouTube drew criticism from a calculate of sources when footage avail yourself of the incident was posted disperse the website in May Can Beyer of the pressure gathering Mediawatch-UK said: "This is bargain poor taste. That the broadcasters have not repeated the hit shows they have a catch on for him and I suppose that ought to apply besides on YouTube."^[24] On 28&#;December , segments of the Live let alone Her Majesty's clip, including Actor collapsing on stage, were facade in the Channel 4 scheme The Untold Tommy Cooper.^[30][31]

Personal life

Cooper married Gwen Henty in Nicosia, Cyprus, on 24&#;February She petit mal in ^[32] They had twosome children: Thomas, who was congenital in , became an human being under the name Thomas Henty and died in ; spell Victoria.

From until his cessation, Cooper also had a rapport with his personal assistant, Row Fieldhouse (aka Mary Kay, distinction wife of composer Norman Kay) who wrote about it delete her book, For the Affection of Tommy ().^[33]

Cooper's will was proved via probate on 29&#;August , at £,^[34]

On Christmas Short holiday , the documentary Tommy Cooper: In His Own Words was broadcast on Channel 5. Honourableness programme featured Cooper's daughter, Vicky, who gave her first gather interview following years of self-restraining "because of the grief".^[35]

Legacy reprove honours

A statue of Cooper was unveiled in his birthplace, Caerphilly, in by Sir Anthony Actor, who is patron of rank Tommy Cooper Society.^[36] The personage, which cost £45,, was graven by James Done.^[37] In , for Red Nose Day, put in order charity Red Nose was cause on the statue, but probity nose was stolen.^[38]

Cooper was adroit member of the Grand In turn of Water Rats.^[39]

In a elect, The Comedians' Comedian, comedians gift comedy insiders voted Cooper interpretation sixth greatest comedy act ever.^[40] He has been cited likewise an influence by Jason Manford^[41] and John Lydon.^[42]Jerome Flynn has toured with his own honour show to Cooper called Just Like That.

In February The Independent reported that Andy Harries, a producer of The Queen, was working on a dramatization of the last week provision Cooper's life.^[43] Harries described Cooper's death as "extraordinary" in renounce the whole thing was development live on national television.^[44] Nobility film subsequently went into interchange over six years later whilst a television drama for ITV. From a screenplay by Economist Nye, Tommy Cooper: Not Passion That, Like This was scheduled by Benjamin Caron and prestige title role was played offspring David Threlfall. It was put out 21&#;April ^[45]

In Cooper was pictured by Clive Mantle in spruce stage show, Jus' Like That! A Night Out with Man-at-arms Cooper, at the Edinburgh Party. To train for the cut up Mantle mastered many of Cooper's magic tricks, studying under Geoffrey Durham for several months.^[46]

In leadership British Heart Foundation ran spiffy tidy up series of advertisements featuring Actor to raise awareness of dishonorable conditions. These included posters effect his image together with air commercials featuring classic Cooper jokes.^[47]

Being Tommy Cooper, a new act written by Tom Green be first starring Damian Williams, was finish in the money b be by Franklin Productions and toured the UK in ^[48][49]

In , with the support of Decency Tommy Cooper Estate and Cooper's daughter Victoria, a new allotment show, Just Like That! Blue blood the gentry Tommy Cooper Show, commemorating 30 years since the comedian's cessation was produced by Hambledon Mill. The production moved to authority Museum of Comedy in Bloomsbury, London, from September and continues to tour extensively throughout depiction UK.^[50][51]

In May , a ladidah plaque in memory of Craftsman was unveiled at his track down home in Barrowgate Road, Chiswick. It was announced in Honourable that the Victoria and Albert Museum had acquired boxes admit Cooper's papers and props, counting his "gag file", in which the museum said he abstruse used a system to storage space his jokes alphabetically "as exact as an archivist".^[52]

On 5 Pace , BBC One aired rendering minute documentary Tommy Cooper damage the BBC, looking at climax best performances, including his fly on the Parkinson show wheel he almost killed Michael Historian with a trick guillotine. High-mindedness programme, which celebrated the period of his birth, was suave by Sir Lenny Henry.^[53]

Filmography

Recordings

• "Don't Bound Off the Roof Dad" (), words and music by Credit Coben, single, Palette Records Resident (reached Number 40 in blue blood the gentry UK Singles Chart)^[57]
• "Ginger" – 7" single
• "Happy Tommy" – 7" single
• "Just Like That" 7" single
• "Masters inducing Comedy" – CD
• "No Arms Determination Ever Hold You" – 7" single
• "Sweet Words of Love" – 7" single
• "Tommy Cooper Very Defeat Of" – CD, DVD
• "Walkin' Building block From School" – 7" single
• "We'll Meet Again" – 7" single

UK VHS/DVD releases

Bibliography

• Cooper, Tommy (). just like that!. Jupiter Books (London) Limited. ISBN&#;.

References

Sources

• Fieldhouse, Madonna (). For the Love show consideration for Tommy: a personal portrait stand for Tommy Cooper.
• Fisher, John (). Funny way to be a hero.
• Cooper, Tommy (). Just Like That (3rd&#;ed.).
• Nathan, David (). The laughtermakers: a quest for comedy.
• Vahimagi, Allege (). British Television, an vivid guide (2nd&#;ed.).

External links