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Tommy Cooper

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Comedian

The Resume

    (March 19, 1921-April 15, 1984)
    Born in Caerphilly, Wales, United Kingdom
    Magician/comedian
    Act featured magic tricks gone wrong
    Starred in various TV series including 'Cooper' (1957), 'Cooper's Capers' (1958), 'Cooperama' (1966), 'The Tommy Cooper Hour' (1973-78) and 'Tommy Cooper, Just Like That' (1978)
    Recorded the song 'Don't Jump Off The Roof, Dad' (1961)
    Suffered a fatal heart attack during the broadcast of 'Live from Her Majesty's'

Why he might be annoying:

    His wife threatened to leave him after he hit her in front of their children.
    He had an affair with his stage manager.
    He smoked 30 cigars a day.
    His biographer noted, 'Quite simply he was acknowledged as the tightest man in show business, with a pathological dread of reaching into his pocket.'
    His heavy drinking nearly destroyed his career.
    He almost killed talk show host Michael Parkinson when he forgot to set the safety on a guillotine used for a trick (1979).

Why he might not be annoying:

    During World War II, he served with the Desert Rats in Egypt before transferring to a military entertainment unit.
    Despite being known for failed tricks, he was actually a skilled magician and joined the Magic Circle.
    When his son was caught shoplifting, he sternly told him, 'If you ever, ever steal again... get me a packet of my favorite cigars.' (The son never did steal again.)
    In a British poll of fellow comics, he was named 6th best comedian of all time, while he topped a separate fans' poll (2005).
    His biographer wrote, 'For all the drinking and tantrums and meanness, he was and is a national treasure. You only had to look at him and you felt happier.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 16.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 32 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 88 Votes: 61.36% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 16 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 23 Votes: 65.22% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 17 Votes: 58.82% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 22 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 48 Votes: 62.50% Annoying