Poor old Tommy Cooper keels over on Live TV
Not really a shock video, but will remove if anyone's offended. I doubt you will be though. We're all grown-ups, innit.
Had heard about this for many years but never actually seen it. Quite a startling piece of TV - Tommy dies in front of an audience who all think it's part of the act. Chilling in one sense, but what a way to go.
Also, nice tribute song about Mr Cooper from Scroobius Pip / Dan Le Sac: www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8zi7vcnjVc
Heard he was a bit of a git in real life, but he certainly knew his comedy onions.
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 10:36, Reply)
That piece of footage has been hidden for years!
How the hell did they get hold of it?
(
The Togaboy The world will end on, Fri 8 May 2009, 10:49,
Reply)
Apparently it was shown a little while ago on a dutch TV show...
..which was a complete retrospective of his life. How they got hold of the footage I'm not entirely sure.
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 11:02, Reply)
My family were all watching this when it happened.
We all laughed thinking he was mucking around, a great way to go.
(
Brandy_Bumwinkle, Fri 8 May 2009, 10:49,
Reply)
^ This
It was only when the papers came out the next day, we knew he had died :(
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 10:52, Reply)
This too. I remember it well
And always wondered if it would surface onlne
(
Flash_Bastard, Sat 9 May 2009, 1:25,
Reply)
bloody hell.
I never thought i'd see that again. I remember watching it live, and like everyone else, thought it was part of the act.
Still, i'm sure it's how he'd have wanted to go.
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 10:53, Reply)
Me too
Its one of the most sad yet amazing bits of telly I had seen and yet everyone thought it was part of his act up until he was dragged beneath the curtain and they did a ad break.
I never thought I would see this again.
(
Tyronne Get To Falkirk, Fri 8 May 2009, 13:45,
Reply)
Poor old Tommy
A great man and sad to see his last moments. Kept them laughing right to the end (and past it!)
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 10:54, Reply)
That is extraordinarily sad.
I for one am not sure that it should be on here.
(
Blackdogmanguitar is out with Fat Larry's Jazz Band on, Fri 8 May 2009, 10:58,
Reply)
^^This
Sorry, but this is grim rubber-necking.While I'm sure he'd have wanted to go this way, watching it again for kicks is unsavoury...
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 11:53, Reply)
But it's not for kicks...surely just a fascinating piece of telly?
I'd never seen it before. One of the best-loved entertainers expiring in the most unusual way...it's pretty extraordinary. Death is an interesting taboo - how some find it such a private thing that it shouldn't be viewed by anyone else...but this wasn't exactly a private death, was it?
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:06, Reply)
Exactly the same as slowing down on a motorway to watch
them cut the dead bodies from a car wreck. No better.
Do you think his family want you to watch it? Is that why they have always made it so easy for anyone to watch again and again? Oh, wait, they didn't...
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:12, Reply)
i see your point
but we do have a choice to click play or to change the channel.
(
Captain Pilchard The king of B-movies!, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:21,
Reply)
But he doesn't have the option not to be watched.
That's the point.
(I'm in two minds about the OP, btw)
(
Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:43,
Reply)
I don't see how you can equate the two.
This is an extraordinary, unusual and somehow apt demise for a well-known personality that's gone down as part of TV history, the other is gawking at a stranger's road accident.
Not sure how his family feels about it. I've seen his wife interviewed several times and she didn't speak very highly of him so I doubt she'd mind one way or the other.
Plus this is footage from a documentary about his life shown recently on mainstream European TV - it's not like it's smuggled under-the-counter stuff. I should imagine that the appropriate people were consulted beforehand.
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:23, Reply)
Your orwellian use of English not with standing...
This is grim rubber-necking.
As you obviously have not had to deal with rubber-neckers while a family member died you really have no idea what you're talking about.
Sad that this is linked on B3ta, this ain't fucking 4chan...
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:32, Reply)
Apologies if it touched a nerve.
Genuinely. I've witnessed a close family member die in a very similar way - sudden unexpected heart rupture (albeit not on stage) and I can sympathise that it's not something you'd want people watching for kicks.
Not the intention behind posting the video, though. It's not "LOL - LOOK AT THIS!", it was meant as a point of interest - as a well-known moment of history that not many people had seen, but had resurfaced in official mainstream channels.
You can't simply label all such footage "rubber-necking", otherwise there'd be very little news. Why film the twin towers collapsing? Why watch it? What's the difference? The experience of watching such things isn't pleasurable in any way, yet we feel like we need to see them.
Maybe it's a way of dealing with things. Sharing things that scare us, frighten us or otherwise have a massive emotional impact on us and are therefore taboo. I dunno, I'm not an psychologist.
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:46, Reply)
I remember that, they cut to commercial and then he was gone,
was really weird...
Cheers for finding that, but now I'm slightly spooked.
(
..wil, Fri 8 May 2009, 11:01,
Reply)
Aye, I felt strangely solemn for a few hours after I first watched it the other day....
...but now I can see it as a pretty extraordinary way to go out. Pretty sure he would've seen the funny side.
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 11:03, Reply)
I didn't see it live but remember it was the talk of the
playground the next day.
It's a bit spooky seeing it for the 1st time after all these years. Slightly regret pressing play but that is just me.
(
herd of chickens First part only £1.99 and comes with a free, Fri 8 May 2009, 11:04,
Reply)
hope i die like that
in a cloak and silly hat, and in about 3 seconds with no knowledge of incoming death...
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 11:29, Reply)
Sadly
even though many haven't gone quite that way there have been many filmed deaths not to be grim
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Filmed_deaths
(
sancelle says something stinks in suburbia, Fri 8 May 2009, 11:44,
Reply)
wasnt Brandon Lee killed on the set of the crow as well?
im sure they filmed this.
(
Captain Pilchard The king of B-movies!, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:29,
Reply)
If
so i've never seen the footage leaked
(
sancelle says something stinks in suburbia, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:46,
Reply)
its very sad
im in two minds about this.
Hes dying and people keep on laughing. i heard about this, and in a way im glad ive seen it and yet...
and yet im happy for him as well. the last thing he hears are people laughing with him and hes not alone when dies.
rip tommy :)
(
Captain Pilchard The king of B-movies!, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:01,
Reply)
see!
im not always a fucktard.
(
Captain Pilchard The king of B-movies!, Fri 8 May 2009, 13:22,
Reply)
this is incredibly sad to watch
but the Benny Hillifier makes it much more amusing.
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:59, Reply)
or
bobsworth.dreamhosters.com/keyboardcat/index.php?id=7---mGq7G_Y&start=40
(
Captain Pilchard The king of B-movies!, Fri 8 May 2009, 13:52,
Reply)
Was wondering how long it would take...
You bad people.
However, I'd like it known that I want keyboard cat to be playing on massive screens when I'm put to rest.
(, Fri 8 May 2009, 13:55, Reply)