<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Popular Welsh comedian Tommy Cooper suffered a fatal heart attack on stage during a live television broadcast on </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/today-in-history" rel="" target="" title="April 15, 1984"><span>April 15, 1984</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cooper, best known for performing magic acts with his distinctive red fez, was appearing on the variety show Live from Her Majesty's.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was performing directly in front of a curtain in a long gown for one of his standard tricks.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-april-8-what-happened-on-this-day/5360e344-7dc4-4c5f-aad6-5c952108dcd0"><strong><span>Rock star changed his own name to keep touring</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the stunt, he would pull items from his gown, which the audience would be well aware were just being passed from behind the curtain.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Cooper suddenly tottered and fell backwards into the curtain, prompting a roar of laughs from the live audience.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The crowd thought his fall was part of the act. But Cooper had just suffered an immense heart attack.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-april-15-what-happened-on-this-day-tommy-cooper/578471a8-4f56-49ff-8208-e5368c376112" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As the laughter faded, the television producers called for an unscripted commercial break.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After failing to pull Cooper all the way behind the curtains, two stools were brought out to obscure his body from the broadcast.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-april-2-what-happened-on-this-day-sverdlovsk-anthrax-leak/47d399e7-53b8-45c4-b940-f804cb70f76c"><strong><span>A few milligrams from lab leak killed dozens of people</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The next performers then used the limited space at the front of the stage to continue the show as people backstage tried to revive him.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As another performer sang, Cooper was shifted back and onto an ambulance, the movement of the curtains clearly visible.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cooper was declared dead on arrival at hospital. He was 63. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His death would be publicly confirmed the next day.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While he was one of the most popular comics in the UK, Cooper's career suffered as a result of his heavy drinking.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In one appearance on TV in 1979, he almost killed </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/british-tv-host-michael-parkinson-dies-aged-88/0cb913e0-9303-44d7-a76c-d2b855e90252" rel="" target="" title="TV host Michael Parkinson"><span>TV host Michael Parkinson</span></a><span> with a trick guillotine.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cooper had neglected to activate the safety switch which would stop the blade as it fell.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It was only the alertness of a stagehand that stopped Parkinson from being killed in front of a studio audience.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cooper's death was reminiscent of another comedian's public death.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-april-11-what-happened-on-this-day-vigliotto/e00f96fc-ae5c-47ff-8bdd-4f145c56f021"><strong><span>After ripping off 104 other women, his 105th wife tracked him down</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-november-23-what-happened-on-this-day/4585523c-0fbd-4f83-bf0b-fb8151b17c86" rel="" target="" title="Harry Einstein suffered a fatal heart attack on stage in 1958"><span>Harry Einstein suffered a fatal heart attack on stage in 1958</span></a><span>, moments after an uproarious reception for his routine.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Einstein was performing at a comedy roast for </span><a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/lucille-ball-desi-arnaz-love-story/3329a223-4ac4-42b4-99df-c7679db8e33e" rel="" target="" title="Lucille Ball and Dezi Arnaz"><span>Lucille Ball and Dezi Arnaz</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After he finished his routine, he took a seat on stage, then slumped over and died.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Five doctors began frantically working on Einstein backstage.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One cut his chest open with a pen knife to massage his heart. Another made a makeshift defibrillator with an electrical cord.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the show continued on as doctors tried in vain to save Einstein's life.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Singer Tony Martin was asked to sing for the audience.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He made the unfortunate choice of his hit "There's No Tomorrow".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Eventually hosts </span><a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/lucille-ball-desi-arnaz-love-story/3329a223-4ac4-42b4-99df-c7679db8e33e" rel="" target="" title="Lucille Ball and Dezi Arnaz"><span>Lucille Ball and Dezi Arnaz</span></a><span> tearfully put an end to the proceedings, as Einstein was pronounced dead.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-april-12-what-happened-on-this-day-franklin-roosevelt/c4f51afb-ef2f-48fb-8686-917911521add"><strong><span>President dies midway through having portrait painted</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/today-in-history" target="" title="For more from our Today in History archive, click here."><strong><span>For more from our Today in History archive, click here</span></strong></a></div></div>