Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

TIGHazard t1_jbo81np wrote

Reply to comment by AdSweaty8557 in TIL that actor Red Foxx was only 49 when he starred in Sandford & Son. He wore makeup to look older. by SaltyDogBill

Same with UK comedian Tommy Cooper. Except this was on live TV :(

> On 15 April 1984, Cooper collapsed from a heart attack in front of 12 million viewers, midway through his act on the London Weekend Television variety show Live from Her Majesty's, transmitted live from Her Majesty's Theatre in Westminster, London. An assistant had helped him put on a cloak for his sketch, while Jimmy Tarbuck, the host, was hiding behind the stage curtains waiting to pass him different props that he would then appear to pull from inside his gown. His last words seemed to be "Thank you, love," to the assistant seconds before collapsing. The assistant smiled at him as he slumped down, believing that it was part of the act. Likewise, the audience laughed as he fell backwards.

> As Cooper lay dying on the floor, the audience continued to laugh at him believing it was part of an act. Cooper then began snorting and snoring, and died after. Around this time, Jimmy Tarbuck, Alasdair MacMillan (the director of the television production), and the crew behind the curtain who witnessed the incident realised that what was happening to him was not part of the act.

> After realising what had happened, Alasdair MacMillan cued the orchestra to play music for an unscripted commercial break (noticeable because of several seconds of blank screen while LWT's master control contacted regional stations to start transmitting advertisements) and Tarbuck's manager tried to pull Cooper back through the curtains.

> It was decided to continue with the show. Dustin Gee and Les Dennis were the act that had to follow Cooper, and other stars proceeded to present their acts in the limited space in front of the curtains. While the show continued, efforts were being made backstage to revive Cooper. It was not until a second commercial break that paramedics moved his body to Westminster Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His death was not officially reported until the next morning, although the incident was the leading item on the news programme that followed the show.

70

starmartyr t1_jbp55p9 wrote

In 1971 on an episode of the Dick Cavett show, the guest was Jerome Rodale. Rodale was a health guru who claimed he was going to live to 100. During the interview, Rodale slumped back in his chair and made a snoring sound. Cavett allegedly quipped "are we boring you Mr. Rodale" only to find out shortly afterward that he was dead. The episode never aired and the tape has never been made public.

41