Book Read Free

Tommy Cooper: Always Leave Them Laughing

Page 47

by John Fisher

Cavendish Club 378

  Chaplin, Charlie 2, 14, 53, 132, 136, 196

  Cimkentli, Levent 180–1

  Cinderella 89

  Circus Tavern, Purfleet 380, 385, 387, 405

  Clark, Petula 206, 241, 255

  Classic Cooper 419

  Coconut Grove, The 84

  Collyer, Derek 265, 267

  Combined Services Entertainment Unit 52 see also CSE

  Comedy and Emcees Lecture Book 159

  Comedy Playhouse 254

  Commedia dell’ Arte 137–9, 290

  Comrie House Prep School 23

  Conway, Russ 212, 251

  Conway, Steve 85

  Cook, Peter 123, 356

  Cooke, Brian 262, 283–4, 290, 291, 292

  Cool Mikado, The 329–30

  Cooper 295

  Cooper at Large 271–2

  Cooper, David (brother) 24, 26, 43, 46, 71

  Cooper, Gertrude (mother) 17, 19, 21, 22, 23–4, 25, 29, 41, 42, 43, 44, 361, 437

  Cooper, Gwen (wife) xvii, xviii–xix, xxii, 100, 115, 148, 190, 353, 415, 418, 430, 431–2

  alcohol use 356;

  career as a performer 58–61, 65;

  character 347–8;

  children see Cooper, Thomas and Cooper, Vicky;

  death 347, 418, 422, 423;

  finances 348, 422, 450;

  magic shop, runs 113;

  Miff Ferrie, relationship with 78–9, 82, 83, 227, 398, 399;

  nickname 57–8, 68, 355, 409;

  TC, arguments with 364–8;

  TC, holidays with 6–7, 98;

  TC, involvement in career of 67–9, 73, 74, 150–1, 228, 233, 349;

  TC, marries 57, 59, 64;

  TC, meets 56–8;

  TC, on life with 350, 351–2;

  TC’s affair, reaction to 370, 371–2, 375;

  TC’s blue material, attitude towards 175;

  TC’s death, life after 420, 421;

  TC’s death, reaction to 415, 416;

  TC’s health, on 360, 361, 363;

  TC’s jokes, butt of 146–7, 354, 374–5;

  TC’s love of music, remembers 106;

  TC’s practical jokes, remembers 350

  Cooper, Jimmy (uncle) 20, 50

  Cooper – Just Like That 296–7, 391

  Cooper King-Size! 270–1, 273, 275

  Cooper, Lizzie (aunt) 20

  Cooper, or Life with Tommy 244–5

  Cooper Talks 253–4

  Cooper, Thomas (son) 201, 222, 300, 309, 349, 352, 353, 364, 371, 412, 413–14, 415, 418–19

  Cooper, Thomas Samuel (father) 18–19, 23–4, 25, 26, 29, 34, 42, 43

  Cooper, Tommy

  acting ability and opportunities 318–46;

  adverts xiii, 392–3, 394–5, 417;

  agent/manage

  Cooper, Tommy – cont. see Ferrie, Miff;

  alcohol abuse 64, 123, 226, 356–60, 362–70, 377–88, 389, 390, 392, 396, 398, 400, 402, 406;

  America, popularity and work in 189–91, 196, 228, 272–4, 278, 285–8, 429;

  appearance/ physicality xiii–xiv, xix, 1–5, 19, 23, 32, 33, 45–6, 53, 308, 312–13, 316, 317–18, 324 see also fez;

  apprenticeship 34–5;

  army, life in 40, 45–7;

  boxing 45–6;

  character 1–2, 3, 5–6, 28–31, 44, 46, 52, 67, 100–4, 121, 299, 303–5, 310–12, 349–50, 352, 364–5, 366, 370, 379, 381, 384, 428, 429–57;

  comedic methods 308–46;

  comedy heroes and influences xxii, 136–86 see also under individual name;

  death xvi–xvii, 218, 407–15;

  early auditions 66–7, 75–7;

  early gigs 84–91;

  early life 17–23;

  fame, extent of 10–12, 201, 269, 284, 294, 376, 419–27;

  fez 6–7, 53–6, 63, 87, 131, 137, 149, 164, 184, 202, 227, 232, 322, 327, 363, 367, 396, 409, 441;

  finances 35, 23–4, 34–6, 68, 73, 77, 79–84, 89, 91, 92, 97, 98, 100–1, 111, 113, 168, 169, 188, 202, 204, 206, 207, 209–11, 216, 217, 219, 221, 244, 247–8, 250, 254, 258–9, 274, 288, 294, 297, 339–40, 348, 377, 385, 387, 393–5, 403, 415–17;

  first stage jobs 73–8;

  funeral 415;

  health xvi–xvii, 17, 33–4, 46, 49, 50, 218, 234, 282–3, 292, 296, 299, 300, 302, 360–1, 366, 376–406, 407–15;

  home life 347–75;

  horse riding 45–7;

  ‘just like that’ catchphrase 7, 11–12, 346, 368, 398;

  live performance see under individual venue or event title;

  love life see Cooper, Gwen and Kay, Mary;

  magic, love of 14, 26–9, 36–40, 69–72, 99–100, 101, 103–35, 164, 257, 306–7, 405;

  movies 327–44;

  pantomime see under individual title;

  post-death fame 10–12, 201, 419–27;

  radio 228–32;

  routines, comedy xvii, xxi, 78, 88, 94–6, 112, 118, 126–7, 148, 160–1, 163, 168, 176–7, 197, 202–4, 221, 248, 270, 290–1, 298, 300, 319–20, 323–5, 362, 390;

  royals, favourite of 232–3, 234–5;

  schooldays 23–34;

  stage persona xvii, 5, 97–8, 141, 428 see also comedic methods;

  television appearances 92, 236–307 see also under individual programme title;

  Welsh heritage 20–1

  Cooper, Vicky (daughter) 24, 29, 34, 116, 161, 208, 227, 228, 241, 302, 349, 351, 352, 353, 358, 361, 369, 371, 373, 374, 399, 423, 424, 425, 436

  Cooper, Zena (sister-in-law) 19, 25–6, 29, 41, 43, 46

  Cooper’s Capers 205, 245–6

  Cooper’s Half Hour 392

  Cooperama 256–9, 342

  Cotton, Bill 246–7.250, 252, 253, 254, 275, 276, 382

  Coventry Theatre 244

  Crazy Gang, The 120

  Croft, David 242–3, 244

  Cruikshank, Stewart 206, 216

  Cryer, Barry 2, 13, 29, 48, 171–2, 182, 185, 209, 266, 277, 278, 307, 309, 311, 322, 358, 424–5, 432, 441–3, 446–7

  CSE 63, 65, 68, 84, 156, 211 see also Combined Services Entertainment Unit

  Cuthbertson, Allan 292–3

  Daniels, Paul 114–15, 117, 438

  Dante 134–5, 187, 314

  Davenport & Company, L. 99, 103, 109, 171–2, 201

  David Frost Presents 273

  David Paradine Productions Ltd 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 285, 286–8, 289, 359, 368, 379

  Davidson, Jim 440

  Dawson, Les 38, 126

  Delfont, Bernard 187, 188, 190, 191, 194, 202, 204, 205–6, 207, 211, 212, 228, 235, 240, 245, 261, 362, 451

  Dennis, Les 410, 411

  Diggins, Bernard (cousin) 20, 24, 42

  Doctor Dolittle 342–3

  Dodd, John 164, 324

  Dodd, Ken 14, 15, 31, 207, 208, 212, 213, 309, 344

  Dors, Diana 282

  Double Diamond Club, Caerphilly 217

  Dowler, Arthur 126, 197

  Drake, Charlie 208, 213, 328

  Ed Sullivan Show, The 148, 151, 196

  Edinburgh, Duke of 232, 233, 235

  Educating Archie 228–9, 231, 332, 342

  Edwards, Charlie 69

  Edwards, Jimmy 88, 137, 188, 230, 243, 302, 338

  Edwards, Percy 169

  Egypt 6–7, 38, 51, 54–8, 60, 63

  Elizabeth II, Queen 235

  Ellisdons 28, 30, 109

  Emery, Dick 137, 307

  Encore des Folies 93, 97, 98, 187

  Encyclopedia of Classified Gags 158–9

  ENSA 58

  Equity 192, 219–20, 445

  Eric Sykes 1990 Show, The 340

  Eternally Yours 134

  Evans, George 265, 267

  Evening Standard 97, 239

  Exeter, Devon 22–4

  Face the Music 241

  Farrow, Janet 347–8, 354, 367

  Farrow, Jimmy 347–8, 354, 367

  Fawley Junior School 25, 34, 303

  Ferrie, Beatrice xviii, 369, 416, 422

 
Ferrie, Miff xviii, xix, 55, 161, 214, 215, 232, 328, 450

  America, reaction to offers from 189, 190–4, 196, 286–9;

  blue material, reaction to 176, 177;

  character 77–8, 79, 83, 205, 220, 226, 274;

  club bookings, attitude towards 214, 215, 216, 217, 285, 296, 384;

  comedy judgement 78–9, 283–4;

  Gwen Cooper, relationship with 78–9, 82, 83, 227, 228, 237, 361–3, 365, 366, 418, 421;

  health 418;

  TC’s billing, negotiates 208–9;

  TC, contract with 79–82, 83, 84, 191–4, 218–25;

  TC’s earnings with 81–2, 84, 89, 188, 191, 210–11, 212, 217, 250, 294, 296–7, 339, 340, 393–4, 395, 417;

  TC, first meets 74–6;

  TC’s health and alcoholism, worries over 361–3, 365, 366, 368, 377, 378, 380–1, 382–3, 387, 388, 391, 392, 393, 396, 398–9, 405, 416;

  TC’s movie career, negotiates 332, 337–8, 339, 340, 341;

  TC’s stage career, negotiates 91, 92, 93, 96–7, 98, 190–4, 196, 202, 204–5, 211–12, 216, 231, 392, 393, 394;

  TC, relationship with 78, 82–3, 89, 191–4, 199, 208–9, 218–28, 233, 377, 378, 380–3, 405, 418, 432–3;

  TC’s television career, negotiates 240, 242–3, 244–5, 247, 249–50, 253–4, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259–60, 263, 264, 266, 270, 271, 272, 277, 281, 283–4, 292, 294, 296–7, 302, 305

  Few Impressions, A 199

  Field, Sid 68, 79, 136, 173, 265, 327

  Fielding, Harold 207

  Fields, Gracie 87, 216, 289

  Fields, W. C. 5, 38, 120, 136, 175, 213, 345, 443

  Fighting for a Laugh (Fawkes) 51

  Flanagan and Allen 62, 173, 235

  Flanagan, Bud 53, 62, 123, 234

  Flynn, Jerome 421, 422, 424, 425

  Folies Bergère 93

  For the Children – Variety 93

  Forsyth, Bruce 79, 83, 209, 223, 227, 259

  Foster, Dudley 265

  Foster’s Agency 193

  Fowler, Harry 62–3

  Fox, Imro 123–4

  Frederick, Iris 288, 294, 339

  Freeman, Dave 242, 245

  Frost, David 272–3, 285–6, 287, 288, 350–1

  Fyne, Alec 247–8, 274, 301

  Galton, Ray 14, 260, 261, 262, 331, 342

  Gay’s Gags 159

  Gazeka, Len 54–5

  Geen, Eric 168, 256, 259–60

  Giles, Carl 349, 353

  Glasgow Empire 85–6

  Glason, Billy 158–9, 160, 171, 186

  Grade Organisation, The 220

  Grade, Leslie 212, 218–19, 220, 242

  Grade, Lew 162, 205, 212, 220, 242, 274, 301, 426

  Grade, Michael 213

  Grand Order of Water Rats 233, 354, 453

  Grant, Cary 123, 435

  Greenwood, Joan 281, 282

  Grosvenor House 87

  Guyler, Deryck 270, 326

  Hall, Bill 100–1

  Hancock, Tony xix, 14, 76, 130–1, 136, 146, 169, 188, 208, 212, 229, 243, 259, 260, 264, 277, 318, 345, 356, 394, 406

  Happy and Glorious 194

  Hardley Secondary School 34

  Harrison, Rex 343–4, 345

  Hayden, Bob 106, 107

  Hemingway, David 171, 173, 430, 433–4, 446, 454

  Henderson, Dickie 104, 277, 436

  Henning, Doug 105, 301

  Her Majesty’s Theatre xvii, 407–12

  Heroes of Comedy xvii, 419

  Hill, Benny 137, 194, 195–6, 251, 259, 274, 302, 328, 352

  Hills, Dick 201, 292, 293, 295, 297, 310, 364

  Hobley, McDonald 237, 240, 241

  Hooper, Edwin 110–11, 112, 114, 356, 445

  Hope, Bob xxii, 21, 137, 147, 153, 155–6, 158, 182, 188, 301, 348

  How Do You View? 236, 251

  Howard and Wyndham 206, 207, 211, 216

  Howard, Trevor 326

  Howerd, Frankie 14, 38, 98, 136, 180, 182, 241, 259, 261, 330, 331, 332, 352, 420, 430

  Hudd, Roy 178, 354

  Hudson, Peter 214, 345, 357, 359, 362, 371, 404, 430, 434, 445–6, 455

  Hull, Rod 392–3

  Humby, Derek 35, 36, 38

  Humor-Dor for Emcees and Comedians 159

  Hurran, Dick 215–16, 221

  Hylton, Jack 188, 242

  Hythe, Hampshire 25, 34, 35, 38, 40

  Institute of Magicians 170

  International Magic Studio 109

  It Never Fails 199–200

  It’s Magic 187, 236–40, 290

  It’s Your Move 340–2, 402

  ITV 246, 247, 254, 269, 270, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277

  Jackdauz 75, 91

  Jacques, Hattie 332–3

  James, Sid 26, 146

  Jones, Betty (cousin) 20, 23, 24

  Jones, Philip 248–9, 251, 253, 254, 255, 258, 259, 260, 263, 273, 274–5, 285, 287, 291–2, 294, 299–300, 338, 339

  Juke Box 63–4

  Jus’ Like That! xvii, xxii, 172, 422, 424

  Kaleidoscope 241

  Kay, Mary xix–xx, xxi, 2, 53, 82–3, 105, 106, 150, 179, 218, 225–6, 269, 296, 303, 306, 320, 327, 362, 369, 370–1, 372, 373, 382, 383, 384, 390, 404, 410, 412, 418, 423, 433–4, 450

  Keaton, Buster 3, 14, 130, 272, 334

  Ken Brooke’s Magic Place 104–5, 109, 359–60, 439

  Kirkland, Dennis 303, 304–5, 320–1, 388–90

  Lahr, Bert 157, 413, 427

  Lakeside Country Club 217, 378–9, 441

  Lancashire Evening Post 49

  Langley, Hampshire 25, 28, 65

  Las Vegas 115, 148, 150, 189–90, 191, 192, 218, 219, 220, 228, 362, 399, 405

  Laughtermakers, The (Nathan) 262

  Laurel & Hardy 12, 70, 137, 140–2, 173–4, 187, 201, 333, 334, 341, 348

  Leddy, Mark 196, 219

  Leno, Dan 12–13, 138, 290

  Lewis, Milo 263, 276, 277

  Life with Cooper 258–69, 274, 275, 276

  Little Hut, The 328

  Live from Her Majesty’s 405–12

  London Hippodrome 93, 96

  London Laughs 188

  London Night Out 201, 389

  London Palladium 62, 106, 117, 134, 139, 142, 163, 187, 188, 204, 206, 207, 211, 212, 213, 241, 247, 251, 376, 385–6, 434, 440, 446

  London Society of Magicians 170

  London Television Consortium 273

  London Weekend Television (LWT) 273, 275, 276, 278, 280, 284, 285, 286, 287, 289, 292, 310, 407, 412

  Lowe, Arthur 262, 339

  Lutz, Abbot 128–9

  Lynn, Vera 188, 189, 225, 274

  Lyons, Frankie 61, 62, 63, 64

  Magic Circle, The 83–4, 89, 96, 100, 112, 113, 121, 199, 201, 239, 322, 435

  Magic Circular, The 96

  Main Attraction, The 301, 403

  Manchester Opera House 206, 216

  Marks, Alfred xxii, 88

  Marqueez 77, 452

  Marsden, David 194–5

  Marsh, Billy 74, 205, 206, 221

  Marshall, Jay 103, 196, 219

  Martin, Dean 233–4

  Marx, Groucho 137–8, 146, 213

  Marx, Harpo 173, 213

  Maskelyne, Jasper 134, 314

  Mayoh, Royston 184, 292, 294, 295, 304, 305, 306, 310, 358, 369, 430, 447

  McCabe, John 140–1

  McGivern, Cecil 92, 238, 239

  McKenzie, Doug 234–5

  Meet the Champ 329

  Merriman, Eric 263, 265, 266, 267

  Miller, Max xxii, 53, 68, 74, 87, 95, 100–1, 137, 144–8, 175, 181–2, 195, 205, 213, 235, 268–9, 289, 324, 327, 348, 354, 448, 449, 452, 457

  Milligan, Spike xix, 3, 13, 33, 130, 159, 178, 179, 215, 245, 302, 311, 331, 344, 430

  Mitchell, Iris 385, 387

  Mitchell, Leslie 251

  Monkhouse, Bob 88, 128, 130, 139, 145, 149, 170–1, 178, 185, 248, 290, 301, 313, 316, 320, 375, 403, 404, 408, 444

  Montreux television festival (1969) 275

  Morec
ambe and Wise Show, The 280

  Morecambe, Eric 2, 133, 136, 176, 185–6, 226, 264, 277, 280, 292, 299, 307, 309, 352, 403–4, 413, 414, 426, 430

  Morgan, Gladys 21, 180

  Mortimer, Johnnie 262, 265, 283, 290, 291, 292

  Moss Empires 85–6, 96, 187, 188

  Mount Radford School 23–4

  Muir, Frank 252

  Muir, Graeme 238–9

  Muir, John 168, 169–70, 231, 254, 256, 259–60, 447

  Mullica, Tom 151–2

  Muppet Show, The 301

  Murray the Escapologist 118

  Murray, Jimmy 58–9

  Murray, Norman 212

  My Life by Tommy Cooper 243

  My Wildest Dream 230

  National Film Theatre 10, 201

  Nesbitt, Robert 204, 205, 451

  New London Theatre 299, 392, 396

  New Royal Restaurant, Liverpool 219

  New York, USA 115, 182, 190, 196, 285, 350, 399

  Newcombe, Clovissa 289

  Newcombe, Peter 113, 149, 199

  Night Out, Birmingham 218, 417

  Nixon, David 229, 251, 302

  Noel Gay Organisation 287

  North, Peter 28, 31, 34, 40, 439

  Nuffield Centre 74

  Nunn, Trevor 327, 346

  Observer, The 194

  Orben, Robert 157, 158, 186

  Out of My Trunk (Berle) 157

  Page, Patrick 55, 103, 170, 311, 356, 448

  Palfreyman, John 297, 298, 299, 397

  Paris by Night 164–5, 188, 194, 196, 199, 227–8, 328

  Parkinson 246, 247, 381, 396–8, 400

  Parkinson, Michael 246, 247, 326, 358, 454

  Parkinson, Stan 251–2, 253, 295

  Parnell, Val 96, 98, 139, 204, 242

  Particular Pleasures (Priestley) 38

  Pathé 275, 356

  Paul, Johnny 115–16, 123

  Payne, Tom 167–8

  Penington, Jon 337–8

  Performer, The 190–1

  Peters, Gordon 227, 307

  Piccadilly Revels 189

  Planet Cooper 280–1

  Plank, The 332–41

  Pollock, Channing 434, 435

  Poplar Civic Theatre 91

  Potter, Bob 217, 378–9, 441

  Powell, Sandy 132, 267

  Priestley, J. B. 38, 121, 213

  Prince of Wales Theatre 136, 165, 188, 200, 202, 205, 242, 328

  Prince of Wales, Charles 121, 232, 244

 

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