Product Description

The first ever intimate portrait of Britain's best-loved, but little known, comedy entertainer. Fully authorised, and written by Cooper's friend and colleague John Fisher. More than just a comedian, Tommy Cooper was a born entertainer. Working in a golden age of British comedy, Cooper stood -- literally -- head and shoulders above the crowd, and had a magical talent for humour that defied description. But there was a man behind the laughter that few people saw. John Fisher was Cooper's friend and colleague and witnessed first-hand the moments of self-doubt and inadequacy that contrasted with the genial exterior. Until his tragic death on live television in 1984, Tommy Cooper lived in constant fear of the day he would be found out by his audience. He could never accept the accolades that came so thick and fast from every direction, and died to the sounds of laughter that he never really believed. Supplementing his own intimate knowledge with material accessed for the first time from the archives of Cooper's agent and manager, Miff Ferrie, and with the full co-operation of the Cooper family, John Fisher's warm, honest and insightful writing skilfully brings alive the man behind the comedic mask in this definitive biography of a comedy legend.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #66499 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Review
'A monumental and masterly biography of the great Cooper.' Daily Mail 'A masterful work that will deservedly find its way into the Christmas stockings of anyone interested in showbiz.' The Stage 'It's a measure of how funny he (Cooper) was that this book had me on the floor even when reading about gags I've never seen. Yet this is no hagiography. While it has chapter and verse on how Cooper's comic chaos came into being, it also tells how one of our country's greatest bringers of joy was a boozy, tight-fisted, foul-mouthed, faithless old misery.' The Sunday Times. 'This book is an accolade to a truly talented and complex man who was much more than just a comic.' The Sun ' "The definitive biography of a comedy legend" -- for once a book lives up to its blurb.' Michael Parkinson 'John Fisher's biography admirably captures the Cooper magic.' The Oldie 'A book with unrivalled access to (and knowledge of) its elusive subject.' The Independent '! a well balanced, very well researched and thoroughly enjoyable book that at times will have you laughing out loud.' **** The Irish Examiner 'Not the least of the pleasures in John Fisher's fine biography is that he describes many of the routines in loving detail, so that they come to life again in the theatre of the mind's eye.' Sunday Telegraph 'An affectionate and informative memorial to by far the greatest of all the surrealists.' Mail on Sunday 'Fisher's research and sources are impeccable.' The Guardian 'There have been other memoirs of the gentle giant of an entertainer, but acclaimed TV producer Fisher is well placed as a friend and colleague to present this as the definitive biography -- warts and all.' Manchester Evening News 'This exhaustive study is never less than sympathetic and contains many illuminating insights into the craft of comedy, the vital importance of visual technique and movement, and the sheer slog of showbiz.' The Spectator 'The flyleaf describes Fisher's book as being the "definitive biography" of Cooper. I wouldn't disagree.' Yorkshire Evening Post 'Fans of more old-fashioned biography (and comedy) will prefer Tommy Cooper: Always Leave Them Laughing, a book with unrivalled access to (and knowledge of) its elusive subject.' The Independent. 'For all his popularity as one of Britain's best-loved post-war entertainers, Tommy Cooper's life away from stage and screen is little known. John Fisher's excellent new book, Tommy Cooper: Always Leave Them Laughing, does much to change that.' Yorkshire Post. 'A superb read and it will make you laugh and cry.' Belfast News Letter 'This entertaining, heroically researched biography isn't a labour of love, it's a labour of adoration.' Eastern Daily Press 'This is a wonderful book that will be devoured and treasured by Tommy Cooper's legions of fans.' Magic Week 'I don't think that I have ever read a book, written about a star, with more love and understanding by the author. John Fisher has caught him exactly, in all his many moods.' Bobby Bernard Praise for Tommy Cooper: 'Everyone wanted to imitate him didn't they. That was the true accolade I think. And he was funny as soon as he came on, he didn't have to say anything he was just ! FUNNY.' Ronnie Barker 'Tommy was amazing. He looked like Mount Rushmore on legs. He never said anything about real life so he never dates.' Barry Cryer 'Absolutely fantastic. No other comic would work with him, he was too good. He had this fantastic expression. A giant of comedy, a British WC Fields and he will be irreplaceable.' Eric Morecambe

From the Inside Flap
More than just a comedian, Tommy Cooper was a born entertainer.
Working in a golden age of British comedy, Cooper stood - literally - head
and shoulders above the crowd, and had a magical talent for humour that
defied description.

With a love of laughter stemming from a magic performance gone wrong when
he was in his teens, Cooper enlisted in the army in 1939 and began to
perfect his comic timing on his army colleagues in the Egyptian desert. The
man with the fez was born.

Cooper was at the heart of the thriving British variety scene, adored by
his legions of fans and much revered by his fellow professionals. But there
was a man behind the laughter that few people saw. John Fisher was Cooper's
friend and colleague and witnessed first-hand the moments of self-doubt and
inadequacy that contrasted with the genial exterior. Until his tragic
death, which occurred in the middle of his act on live television in 1984,
Tommy Cooper lived in constant fear of the day he would be `found out' by
his audience. He could never believe the accolades that came so thick and
fast from every direction, and died to the sounds of laughter that he never
really believed.

Supplementing his own intimate knowledge with material accessed for the
first time from the archives of Tommy's agent and manager, Miff Ferrie, and
with the full cooperation of the Cooper family, John Fisher's warm, honest
and insightful account brings alive the man behind the comedic mask in this
definitive biography of a comedy legend.

About the Author
John Fisher has a long and distinguished career as a TV producer working in light entertainment with such giants of comedy as Bob Monkhouse, Spike Milligan, Bruce Forsyth & Tommy Cooper. His most recent work includes Channel 4's critically acclaimed "Heroes of Comedy". An authority on popular entertainment, he has written many books on the subject. 'Jus' Like That!', his stage celebration of Tommy's life, was a recent West End hit. He is also a member of the Inner Magic Circle.

Customer Reviews

I don't think Tommy would have liked this book
Tommy Cooper was one of the funniest men I have ever seen. He had the rare ability to be able to make you laugh just by looking at him; he, above anybody else I can think of, truly had 'funny bones'.
His humour wasn't complicated. He didn't rely on rambling jokes or bad language to get laughs, instead he was able to be funnier than 99.9% of all other performers by simple means - tricks going wrong, the odd bit of slapstick or just by changing the expression on his face.
It seems incongruous then, that Mr Fishers biography of Tommy Cooper is such a long, tedious affair.
No one could dispute that this is an extensive account of Tommy Coopers career, and that no stone has been left unturned in revealing Tommy Cooper the man, the husband, the performer, and also darker areas of his life - his affairs and his love of alcohol in later life.
The problem is that this information is imparted in a very dry fashion and as a result all the humour that we associate with Tommy Cooper is missing. Mr Grant attempts to inject humour by including the dialogue from some of his most famous sketches, but as Tommy Cooper was primarily a visual comic these fall a little flat.
I have a feeling that if Tommy Cooper were to have read this book he would, like me, have grown bored with it long before the end.

Hopes not met
I had high hopes of this book. I wanted to find out more about one of the great comedians of the 20th Century. The hopes were not met. The book drags terribly; it attempts to gain an understanding of Tommy by reflecting on other comedians and magicians who could have influenced him. As I do not know many of the acts mentioned, I found it a read that quickly became impenetrable.

I notice from other reviews that folk either seem to love or loathe this book. SO, at the end of the day, I guess it is for other folk to make their minds up about this tome.

Reliving Cooper
If by 'definitive' Fisher and his publishers mean wordy, then it's certainly a fair description of this hefty tome.
Having said that, Cooper fans will enjoy this thoroughly researched and affectionate portrait of one of the greatest British entertainers of the last century. Some of the chapters on the ins and outs of Cooper's career, dealt with in extraordinary detail, might have benefited from some gentle editing. Equally, some may feel they would have liked more on Cooper the man. Fisher does eventually get round to delving into Cooper's personal life, his alcoholism, his other health problems and, of course, his infidelity, but only in any depth during the penultimate chapter.
It's an uneven book, but clearly a work of love by the author and he succeeds in reminding the reader what a great and fascinating man Cooper really was. Fisher retells countless jokes and routines to great effect, so much so that you can almost relive Cooper performing them. And that in itself makes this book a marvellously rewarding read. If Ken Dodd can still fill theatres up and down the land, imagine what Tommy Cooper could do if he were alive today. The mind boggles.