In keeping with this reputation, nothing surprised them, not least the sight of Tommy falling back gracefully into the curtain and disappearing from view. He died 10 minutes later on the way to hospital.

Almost poetic in its finality - what a way to end the distinguished life of one of Britain's best loved comic's.

Tommy Cooper was in fact a fully paid up member of the Magic Circle despite this apparent ineptitude and worked long hours to perfect the tricks and gags that were a feature of his shows. His entertaining mixed magic skills helped him to migrate to television. You could always rely on Tommy to get it wrong which was of course half the fun and the thing that endeared him to so many.

Biography

Tommy Cooper was born on 9 March 1922 in Caerphilly, South Wales. Though technically Welsh, it was Devon that gave him his identity and his faint West Country burr - his parents had moved there shortly after his birth.

Tommy Cooper's trade-mark was instituted whilst entertaining the troops in the NAFFI in Egypt during the second world war. Short of a pith helmet prop for his act, he whipped off a nearby waiters Fez and used that instead. The laugh he got for putting on a Fez was noted and the Fez became a permanent trade mark of Tommy Cooper's act. After leaving the Army in 1947, Tommy went on to a full time profession as a Music Hall stand-up comic. His television debut was on 24 December 1947 in the Leslie Henson Christmas Show. Despite a promising start, his career dried up and Tommy returned to live Variety Theatre to eek out a living.

By the mid-50's he was doing one off television specials such as Saturday Showtime and Sunday Night at the London Palladium. These appearances were followed in 1957 by his first Television series for Associated-Rediffussion called Life with Cooper. It went out live on Monday night for 12 weeks and was such a success that even before the run was finished the studio had offered him another series. In 1958 the series was called Coopers Capers, again for ATV. A variety of TV shows and appearances followed (e.g. The Billy Cotton Band Show) and Tommy's career went from strength to strength.

By the mid 60's he had firmly established himself as one of Britain's best loved comedians and was distinctive in his bright red Fez. Other TV shows followed (Life with Cooper, Cooper's Half Hour etc.,) but he will be remembered for his stage presence and Music Hall style act which he spent a lifetime perfecting - the comedians comedian - Tommy Cooper lives on in our hearts and his one liners are immortal - not like that, like that!

A few of Tommy's favourite one liners

I'm on a whiskey diet. I've lost three days already!

I was cleaning out the attic the other day with the wife. Filthy, dirty and covered with cobwebs... but she's good with the kids!

I slept like a log last night. I woke up in a fireplace!

I was in Margate last year for the summer season. A friend of mine said, "You want to go to Margate, it's good for rheumatism." So I did, and I got it!

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