| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in Tommy Cooper: Always Leave Them Laughing: The Definitive Biography of a Comedy Legend for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
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
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.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
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.
This book is clumsily written, it doesn't flow and it's very hard to read. The author is intent on showing off his knowledge of obscure (and not-so obscure) comedians and magicians and rambles on for page after page, sometimes without mentioning Tommy Cooper. The book could and should have been much shorter - and would then have been much better.
I loved the story about Tommy in the Casbah and the Fez seller - I just hope it's true.
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.
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Biography > Film, Television & Music > Actors & Actresses
- Books > Biography > Sport > Football
- Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Film > Biographies
- Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Film > Film Genres > Comedy
- Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Performing Arts
- Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Television > TV Genres > Comedy
- Books > Sports, Hobbies & Games > Football
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
