Tommy Cooper Biography

One of the best loved British comedians of all time, Tommy Cooper was a legend in himself. Born as Thomas Frederick Cooper, the lanky lad always had an affinity for magic. At the time of his birth his parents were told that he might not survive infancy; not only did he survive, but he also grew up to be a giant of a young man, towering at 6” 4 inches. A magic set gifted by his aunt when he was a kid laid the foundation for his future career. He was employed as a magician on a boat when he was just 16. However his first performance was a failure and people started to laugh. Though hurt at that time, he realized that he could develop a unique style of entertainment if he could combine magic with comedy, and that is what he did. He had to serve in the army during the World War II and during a performance at Cairo he could not find his regular hat and in an impromptu move grabbed a red fez—a traditional hat—and placed it on his head. The audience started laughing so hard at this gesture that the fez became a trademark of the comedian.