Tommy Cooper Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Tommy Cooper (19 March 1922 - 15 April 1984) was a British comedian and magician. He was born in Caerphilly, Wales.One of Britain's finest ever comedians, Cooper made an art form of failing at performing magical tricks. It should be noted that despite his purported inability to perform conjuring tricks, he was infact an accomplished magician and member of the exclusive Magic Circle. He was famous for wearing a red fez and his catchphrases, "Just like that! Not that -- that!", "Whisky, sample, sample, whisky, sample...".
In 1984, he collapsed and died in front of millions of television viewers, part way through his act, on the popular ITV variety show, Live from Her Majesty's. Many viewers initially (unwittingly) thought his "collapse" was part of his act. He was rushed to nearby Charing Cross hospital, but was dead on arrival. 20 years after his death he is still fondly remembered by the British public, coming top in a 2004 poll run by Reader's Digest magazine to find the 'Funniest Briton'.
Like comic legends Eric Morecambe, Peter Cook and Les Dawson, Cooper appeared on a set of UK stamps in 1998.
Jerome Flynn has recently portrayed Cooper in a stage show as a special one-man tribute to the comic genius.