Image: Basil Brush and "Mr Derek" (Derek Fowlds) in 1969.
Basil Brush, the glove puppet fox, first starred in his own programme, The Basil Brush Show, on 14 June 1968. Basil was already well known to viewers from his appearances on The Nixon Line with David Nixon. He was assisted on the first programme by Mr Rodney, Rodney Bewes. Guests included Manfred Mann, The Niberco Brothers and Robert Bartlett. Basil's posh voice - said to be modelled on Terry Thomas - habit of laughing at his own jokes and his catchphrase "boom boom" exasperated his sidekicks but proved a hit with children and adults.
Basil was created by Ivan Owen from a puppet designed by Peter Firmin. Owen was always at great pains to maintain the illusion that Basil was a real fox and steadfastly kept out of the limelight himself. Basil was supported by a succession of straightmen after Bewes, notably Mr Derek (Fowlds), Mr Roy (North), Mr Howard (Williams) and Mr Billy (Boyle). Later, Basil was a regular on Crackerjack. Basil's popularity was such that he often shared top billing in pantomime and summer season with human stars.
Ivan Owen died in 2000. However Basil outlived him, surviving largely unchanged. In recent years he has teamed up with Barney Harwood to present Basil's Swap Shop and Basil and Barney's Game Show on C成人快手.
June anniversaries
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Juke Box Jury
1 June 1959 -
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
2 June 1953 -
Mock the Week
5 June 2005 -
Real Lives
5 June 1984 -
D-Day broadcasts
6 June 1944 -
Till Death Us Do Part
6 June 1966 -
First broadcast of Crimewatch UK
7 June 1984 -
Steptoe and Son
7 June 1962 -
Driving School
10 June 1997 -
Last programme from Lime Grove Studios
13 June 1991 -
The Basil Brush Show
14 June 1968 -
Blackadder
15 June 1983 -
Yesterday's Men
17 June 1971 -
De Gaulle's first broadcast to France
18 June 1940 -
Parkinson first broadcast
19 June 1971 -
First female newsreader in vision
20 June 1960 -
Wimbledon first televised
21 June 1937 -
Royal Family first transmitted
21 June 1969 -
Music While You Work
23 June 1940 -
Our World
25 June 1967 -
Opening of Television Centre
29 June 1960