Edition
The fez-wearing magician whose tricks were meant to fail. Tommy Cooper turned incompetence into an art form and became one of Britain's most beloved comic entertainers of the 20th century.
VIDEO INTRODUCTION
Biography
Thomas Frederick Cooper was born on 19 March 1921 in Caerphilly, Wales, and moved with his family to Exeter as a small child. He received his first magic set at the age of eight, a gift that would define the rest of his life. What began as a party trick for family and friends slowly evolved, through years of practice and countless mishaps, into one of the most distinctive comedy acts Britain has ever produced.
After serving with the Horse Guards during the Second World War, Cooper began performing in NAAFI concerts across the Middle East. It was there, according to legend, that he first wore a fez, borrowed from a passing waiter after his pith helmet had been misplaced. The audience roared. The fez stayed. It became as much a part of his identity as his enormous frame, his gravelly laugh, and his trademark refrain: 'Just like that.'
Throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s, Cooper was a fixture of British variety television, appearing on Sunday Night at the London Palladium, hosting his own series such as Cooper — Just Like That! and The Tommy Cooper Hour, and appearing in Royal Variety and other major variety performances. His genius lay in the double-bluff: audiences knew the tricks were going to go wrong, and the joy came from the delighted, bewildered way Cooper reacted when they inevitably did.
On 15 April 1984, during a live broadcast of Live from Her Majesty's, Cooper collapsed on stage from a heart attack in front of millions of viewers. Many in the audience, and at home, initially thought it was part of the act. He died shortly afterwards, aged 63. Four decades on, his influence remains everywhere in British comedy: in the deadpan delivery of Jimmy Carr, the surreal props of Harry Hill, and any comic who has ever milked a moment of magnificent failure.
Comedy Style
Style
Magic that goes wrong on purpose. But so precisely, and with such joy, that the failure itself becomes the trick. Cooper built an entire persona out of appearing to be a hapless amateur magician who had somehow blundered onto a professional stage.
Delivery
Booming voice, sudden intakes of breath, a laugh that seemed to catch him off guard, and a stage presence that filled every room. Physical, warm, and completely unpredictable, even when the routine was word-perfect underneath.
Influences
Music hall traditions, American magicians like Cardini, and the great British variety acts of the 1930s and 40s. Cooper studied close-up magic seriously and was a respected member of The Magic Circle.
Legacy
A direct line runs from Cooper through later British comics such as Harry Hill, Vic Reeves and Lee Mack. His statue stands in Caerphilly, unveiled by Sir Anthony Hopkins in 2008, a permanent memorial to the man who taught Britain that a properly bungled trick is funnier than a perfect one.
Greatest Moments
Cooper's most famous set piece, a whirlwind of quick-change hats and one-liners.
The magic trick that never quite works, a masterclass in comic timing.
Tommy showcases his genuine magic trick abilities on famous Parkinson appearance.
Although towards the later part of his career, his comedic timing is still brilliant.
Television & Film Credits
Start with the landmark works, then explore the wider archive.
Major Awards
Fun Facts
01
The exaggerated impressionists' version of 'Just like that' became almost as famous as Cooper himself.
02
Cooper was 6 ft 4 in tall, and his physical presence was a huge part of the comedy.
03
He was a serious student of magic and owned one of the largest private collections of magic memorabilia in the UK.
04
His fez became so iconic it was placed on his coffin at his funeral.
05
A bronze statue of Cooper stands in his hometown of Caerphilly, unveiled by Sir Anthony Hopkins.
06
He was famously frugal. Anecdotes about him tipping cab drivers with tea bags are still traded in comedy circles.
07
Michael Grade, then Controller of BBC1, called him 'the most naturally funny man I have ever seen'.
08
Cooper was cremated at Mortlake Crematorium in south-west London.
09
In 2005, The Comedians' Comedian poll ranked him in the top ten greatest comedy acts ever, as voted by fellow comedians.
10
He appeared at multiple Royal Variety Performances and other royal events.
Merchandise
John Fisher's definitive, authorised biography of the man behind the fez.
A collector's edition of Cooper's greatest television moments.
A pocket collection of Cooper's most treasured one-liners.
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