V&A Museum acquires Tommy Cooper Collection
- The V&A in London has acquired a 'Tommy Cooper Collection' for its archive
- It comprises scripts, gags, props, theatre programmes, posters, contracts and more
- The collection spans almost 120 boxes of material
London's Victoria & Albert Museum has announced the acquisition of the 'Tommy Cooper Collection' for its National Collection of Theatre and Performance.
Almost 120 boxes of material have been bought from comedy historian and collector John Fisher, who has previously written and published numerous Cooper-related works, including an authorised biography of the magician and comedian.
Simon Sladen, the institution's Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Performance, says: "The Tommy Cooper Collection offers a fascinating insight into one the best-loved entertainers of the 20th Century and reveals much about his practice, process and legacy. Although it doesn't contain one of his iconic fezzes, the rich collection contains thousands of hand-written gags as well as unique examples of his comedy props."
The museum explains: "The Tommy Cooper Collection comprises over 116 boxes of archive material and 24 props and posters to chart the career of the outwardly shambolic magician and comedian known for his trademark fez, flustered face, bungling stage persona and razor-sharp comedy.
"From his early career in the army to the height of his television stardom and status as national treasure, the collection also sheds light on Cooper's scrupulously organised working methods, the business side of his vocation and the extent of his writing. Cooper only used a small percentage of all the material he amassed as part of his 'Gag File', a system for storing his jokes, ordered alphabetically with the meticulousness of an archivist. The collection also includes Cooper's writings, some jotted down on backs of posters and shirt packaging cardboard, as well as documents relating to the inner workings of his career, such as contracts from 1946 to his death in 1984 - including those he could not fulfil following his unexpected passing during a live performance."
Cooper suffered a fatal heart attack on stage at Her Majesty's Theatre in London in 1984, during a live broadcast by ITV.
Tommy Cooper's daughter, Vicky, said today: "It is wonderful that the V&A has acquired the Tommy Cooper Collection and that the public will get to see some of his material on display later this year. I hope it brings as much enjoyment and a big smile on everyone's face as he did when he was alive.
"My dad would be very proud knowing he was now represented in the National Collection of Theatre and Performance, sitting alongside the likes of Ronnie Barker's archive and costumes worn by Morecambe and Wise and Stan Laurel."
A selection of the many objects from the collection will go on public display for the first time in the museum's Theatre and Performance Galleries. Once catalogued the archive will also be available for research, and digital records will be available on Search the Collections.
Other "highlights" in the collection include stage props, such as the 'Head Twister' illusion (pictured, above); details of early auditions at the BBC and engagements; a folio notebook full of gags; personal correspondence; posters; theatre programmes; and merchandise charting his career.
Cooper's friend and contemporary, Ken Dodd says: "Tommy was truly a great and wondrous comedian. He possessed and was possessed by the comic spirit. He loved laughter and he loved to laugh. I'm sure he would have been very proud to see so many people enjoy his sense of humour."