Thomas Henty
Encyclopedia
Thomas Henty was an English actor and was the son of the British magician and prop comedian Tommy Cooper
. He went on to appear alongside his famous father in a 1979 episode of the Thames Television
variety series London Night Out, as well as four episodes of the 1980 series Cooper's Half Hour, also for Thames. He also acted as occasional stage manager to his father, and was backstage when Cooper died in front of a live television audience at Her Majesty's Theatre
on 15 April 1984.
In addition to his work with his father, Henty was also an actor in his own right; indeed his desire to make his own mark in the field was behind his decision to adopt his mother's maiden name. In an archive interview with the television personality Frank Bough
included in the 2001 ITV documentary The Unforgettable Tommy Cooper, Henty explained that he did not want people in the acting profession to know that he was Cooper's son, presumably because he was fearful of claims of nepotism
. Henty went on to make appearances in episodes of the popular British television series Robin of Sherwood
(1984) and Just Good Friends
(1986), as well as the British film Bellman and True
(1987).
His role in Bellman and True was his last; in 1988 Henty's marriage collapsed after seven years. Just six weeks later he died suddenly on 13 August 1988 aged just 32 'of haemophilia
, following complications caused by liver failure
.' Doctors had attempted to pump seventy pints of new blood into his body, but the blood failed to clot, and after three days his mother took the decision to have his life support machine switched off., just four years after his father the late Tommy Cooper. He left a then-6 year old son, Tam Henty (born in 1982).
Tommy Cooper
Thomas Frederick "Tommy" Cooper was a very popular British prop comedian and magician from Caerphilly, Wales.Cooper was a member of The Magic Circle, and respected by traditional magicians...
. He went on to appear alongside his famous father in a 1979 episode of the Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
variety series London Night Out, as well as four episodes of the 1980 series Cooper's Half Hour, also for Thames. He also acted as occasional stage manager to his father, and was backstage when Cooper died in front of a live television audience at Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
on 15 April 1984.
In addition to his work with his father, Henty was also an actor in his own right; indeed his desire to make his own mark in the field was behind his decision to adopt his mother's maiden name. In an archive interview with the television personality Frank Bough
Frank Bough
Frank Bough is a retired British television presenter who is best known as the former host of BBC sports and current affairs shows including Grandstand, Nationwide and Breakfast Time, which he fronted alongside Selina Scott.-Early life:...
included in the 2001 ITV documentary The Unforgettable Tommy Cooper, Henty explained that he did not want people in the acting profession to know that he was Cooper's son, presumably because he was fearful of claims of nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
. Henty went on to make appearances in episodes of the popular British television series Robin of Sherwood
Robin of Sherwood
Robin of Sherwood , was a British television series, based on the legend of Robin Hood. Created by Richard Carpenter, it was produced by HTV in association with Goldcrest, and ran from 1984 to 1986 on the ITV network. In America it was retitled Robin Hood and shown on the premium cable TV channel...
(1984) and Just Good Friends
Just Good Friends
Just Good Friends was a British sitcom written by the late John Sullivan. It starred Paul Nicholas and Jan Francis as former lovers Vincent Pinner and Penny Warrender, who meet in a pub five years after he jilted her at the altar....
(1986), as well as the British film Bellman and True
Bellman and True
Bellman and True is a 1987 film written and directed by Richard Loncraine, starring Bernard Hill, Derek Newark, and Richard Hope.-Plot:Hiller, a computer expert, was bribed by a group of bank robbers to obtain details of the security system at a newly-built bank. Having obtained the information, he...
(1987).
His role in Bellman and True was his last; in 1988 Henty's marriage collapsed after seven years. Just six weeks later he died suddenly on 13 August 1988 aged just 32 'of haemophilia
Haemophilia
Haemophilia is a group of hereditary genetic disorders that impair the body's ability to control blood clotting or coagulation, which is used to stop bleeding when a blood vessel is broken. Haemophilia A is the most common form of the disorder, present in about 1 in 5,000–10,000 male births...
, following complications caused by liver failure
Liver failure
Acute liver failure is the appearance of severe complications rapidly after the first signs of liver disease , and indicates that the liver has sustained severe damage . The complications are hepatic encephalopathy and impaired protein synthesis...
.' Doctors had attempted to pump seventy pints of new blood into his body, but the blood failed to clot, and after three days his mother took the decision to have his life support machine switched off., just four years after his father the late Tommy Cooper. He left a then-6 year old son, Tam Henty (born in 1982).