Tommy Cooper was a Welsh-born, British prop comedian and magician, famous for the red fez he always wore, and the persona he crafted of a magician whose tricks always go wrong. Cooper died on April 15, 1984, as he performed live on television for a variety show entitled “Live from her Majesty’s”. During a sketch in which he was to pull numerous objects from a gown, just after his assistant helped him put the gown on, Cooper collapsed and sat against the curtain while the audience and his assistant laughed, thinking it was an impromptu part of his act. He then fell backwards onto his back, creating more laughs. However, as the minutes passed, it was apparent that something had actually gone wrong, and it wasn’t part of his act. Another curtain was closed to hide where he had fallen, and other acts carried on on the front of the stage. People backstage tried to resuscitate him but couldn’t. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Westminster hospital, from a heart attack. He was 63 years old.
I remember watching this at my Nan's house in Liverpool and we were pissing ourselves sure, like everyone else that it was part of the act...
(Thanx Sander!)
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