Spoon, Jar, Jar, Spoon. Tommy Cooper. Copyright: Sugar Productions
Spoon, Jar, Jar, Spoon

Spoon, Jar, Jar, Spoon

  • Radio documentary
  • BBC Radio 4
  • 2009
  • 1 episode

To coincide with the 25th anniversary of Tommy Cooper's death, Rob Brydon explores two different sides to this unique British performer. Features Rob Brydon, William Wallace, Alan Alan, Paul Daniels, Barry Cryer and more.

Key details

Genre
Documentary
Broadcast
2009
Channel
BBC Radio 4
Episodes
1
Features
Rob Brydon, William Wallace, Alan Alan, Paul Daniels, Barry Cryer, Patrick Page and Tommy Cooper
Producers
John Sugar
Company

Rob Brydon explores two different sides to the unique British performer Tommy Cooper - his humour and love of magic.

Tommy was keen to learn any trick that came on the market and was a regular visitor, in the Sixties and Seventies, to Davenport's Magic Shop on London's Charing Cross Road and Brookes Magic Place on Wardour Street. For Cooper, it was a welcoming oasis and many an aspiring entertainer saw Brookes as the greatest magic studio in the world.

Throughout his career, Cooper was a member of the Magic Circle. Today's programme features the last interview with the late Ali Bongo, who gives an insight into the work of the "Circle" and how Cooper relished being a member and helped raise its profile. Cooper never lost his love and respect for the magician's craft but was wise enough to recognise it was his humour and comic timing that found favour with the public.

Listeners can also hear from escapologist and performer Alan Alan, who made sight gags and tricks specifically for Cooper's act. He later went on to run Cooper's Magic Shop on Shaftesbury Avenue, London, with Tommy's wife, Gwen.

Additional contributors to the programme include Paul Daniels, Barry Cryer and Patrick Page, a seller at Davenports.

Additional details

Production
Studio

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Tuesday 14th April 2009 at 11:30am on BBC Radio 4
Episode length
30 minutes
Most recent repeats
  • Thursday 1st March 2018 at 11:30pm on Radio 4 Extra
  • Monday 14th April 2014 at 2:00am on Radio 4 Extra
  • Sunday 13th April 2014 at 7:00pm on Radio 4 Extra

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