Thomas Frederick Cooper was a Welsh prop comedian and magician. As an entertainer, his appearance was large and lumbering at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m), and he habitually wore a red fez when performing. He served in the British Army for seven years, before developing his conjuring skills and becoming a member of The Magic Circle. Although he spent time on tour performing his magical act, which specialised on magic tricks that appeared to fail, he rose to international prominence when his career moved into television, with programmes for London Weekend Television and Thames Television.
Cooper, c. 1982
Statue of Cooper near Caerphilly Castle
The fez, also called tarboosh/tarboush, is a felt headdress in the shape of a short, cylindrical, truncated (peakless) hat, usually red, typically with a black tassel attached to the top. The name "fez" may refer to the Moroccan city of Fez, where the dye to color the hat was extracted from crimson berries. However, its origins are disputed.
A fez
Portrait of the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II after his clothing reforms
An Arab "protest gathering" against British policy in Palestine, 1929
Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood