A statue of the comic Tommy Cooper has been unveiled in his hometown – just like that – by Hollywood star Sir Anthony Hopkins. Cooper – thought by many to be the greatest comedian of his generation – was born in Caerphilly, south Wales. The 9ft (2.7m) bronze was sculpted by James Done who said Cooper would have been “the highest paid jester in any kingdom.”
Cooper died of a heart attack during a TV show in 1984. It ended a career built around magic routines which went wrong He was born in 1921 in Llwyn Onn Street, Caerphilly, before leaving with his family as a small boy to live in Exeter. The Tommy Cooper Society was set up five years ago aimed at erecting a statue of the comic in the town of his birth.
Aaah – thats a really nice gesture. I’ve heard of him but I don’t know much about him – he died 5 years before my time I like his tailed jacket – and it’s lovely that they’ve got a statue of him performing.
I remember him especially due to his extremely sweaty face. Saw him quite often as a child, but the sweat sticks more to my mind than his act. He always looked as if in trouble.
I’m sure Derren has now been visualising a statue in his image, caked in pigeon droppings in Kensington park.
I went to the doctor the other day and said Doctor, it hurts when I do that …
… he said, well don’t do it.
[the capturing of childlike abstractions done at a genius level ... like Kaufman in a fez]
A huge hero from my childhood. My parents always say I used to sit within inches from the screen whenever he was on.
Oh how I loved TC – what a lovely guy aswell. I remember watching his death on TV, and me and Dad just looking at each other in disbelief, wondering whether it was just part of his act. Sad
Loved this guy when I was a kid. my first real exposure to magic was watching the Tommy Cooper Show on TV. Seemed such a tragic figure in those days, wasnt until I read his biog that I realised the tragedy was real.
Much missed entertainer…just like that!
I don’t live a million miles away from Caerphilly and that statue was unveiled ages ago.
Ooh thats odd, i just was talking about tommy cooper this week…really loved him…i mean really really really loved him!…