| Basil Brush | Gallery | Talk |
Basil Brush was an anthropomorphic fox who owned an estate (GAME: TV Terrors Autograph Hunt [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1970).) and was often incorrectly believed to be fictional, (PROSE: The Cactus and the Corpse [+]Aristide Twain, Horrors of Arcbeatle (Auteur, Coloth, Arcbeatle Press, 2023).) being depicted on television (PROSE: No Future [+]Paul Cornell, Virgin New Adventures (Virgin Books, 1994).) and in books such as the Basil Brush Annual 1976. (PROSE: The Cactus and the Corpse [+]Aristide Twain, Horrors of Arcbeatle (Auteur, Coloth, Arcbeatle Press, 2023).)
He also existed as a puppet in a parallel universe. (COMIC: TV Action! [+]Alan Barnes, DWM Comics (Marvel Comics, 1999).)
Biography[]
Going hunting with the Diddymen[]
Basil Brush goes hunting. (GAME: TV Comic's Counter Game [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1968).)
At one point, the Diddymen may have gone hunting with Basil Brush during their hike. (GAME: TV Comic's Counter Game [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1968).)
Rent collecting[]
Mighty Moth flies away, having eaten Basil's cloak. (GAME: Basil Brush goes Rent Collecting [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1969).)
Basil Brush once went rent collecting, potentially stopping off at various locations. First, he may have collected £10 store rent from the Diddymen. Next, he may have collected £25 village rent, also from the Diddymen. After this, he may have been witness to the Diddymen's house collapsing, sending him back the way he came. Later, he may have collected £5 from Beetle Bailey.
Basil Brush is locked in Keystone Jail by the Keystone Kops. (GAME: Basil Brush goes Rent Collecting [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1969).)
Shortly after, Mighty Moth may have eaten his cloak, Basil shouting "My cloak!". He may later have collected £15 land rent. After this, he may have gotten a refund of £15. He may also have collected £15 rent from the Keystone Kops. He may also have collected a £5 fine for fishing in the moat. He may later have gotten arrested by the Keystone Kops and locked in Keystone Jail. He may also have gotten a tax refund of £20.
The "TV Terrors" direct Basil Brush wrongly. (GAME: Basil Brush goes Rent Collecting [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1969).)
The "TV Terrors" may then have directed Basil wrongly, sending him the wrong way. Popeye may have fed Basil, with Basil moving forward and picking up rent. Old debt may have settled, allowing Basil to collect £20. Laurel & Hardy may then have payed the month's rent in advance, with Basil collecting £25. Basil may later have collected £25 rent. He then may have had to go back the way he came to avoid Tardis. Finally, he made his way to the castle collecting further rent of either £20, £15, £10, or £5. (GAME: Basil Brush goes Rent Collecting [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1969).)
Showing the TV Terrors round his estate[]
Basil Brush in front of his estate. (GAME: TV Terrors Autograph Hunt [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1970).)
Despite them potentially having directed him wrongly before, (GAME: Basil Brush goes Rent Collecting [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1969).) while the TV Terrors were hunting for autographs, Basil Brush may have shown them round his estate. (GAME: TV Terrors Autograph Hunt [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1970).)
Other references[]
Ace listed the character's television programme among the favourites of her youth. (PROSE: No Future [+]Paul Cornell, Virgin New Adventures (Virgin Books, 1994).) Many years later, she would find being called "Miss Dorothy" by Sanaul amusing as it made her sound like one of Basil Brush's assistants. (PROSE: At Childhood's End [+]Sophie Aldred, Mike Tucker and Steve Cole, BBC New Series Adventures (BBC Books, 2020).)
Professor X, fully aware of his status as a fictional character, said that he felt like he was "caught between Basil Brush and Bruce Forsyth." (PROSE: No Future [+]Paul Cornell, Virgin New Adventures (Virgin Books, 1994).)
Basil was the subject of the Basil Brush Annual 1976, which the Bookwyrm claimed was non-fiction, despite what one may initially think. (PROSE: The Cactus and the Corpse [+]Aristide Twain, Horrors of Arcbeatle (Auteur, Coloth, Arcbeatle Press, 2023).)
Other realities[]
Doctor Who Weekly's universe[]
Basil Brush finds the Eighth Doctor. (COMIC: TV Action! [+]Alan Barnes, DWM Comics (Marvel Comics, 1999).)
When the Eighth Doctor and Izzy Sinclair were brought into a parallel universe in which their reality existed only as fiction on 12 October 1979, Basil was one of the brain-washed minions of Beep the Meep found at the BBC Television Centre. The Doctor, Basil and countless other 1970s TV personalities were saved by the actor Tom Baker, who played the Fourth Doctor. (COMIC: TV Action! [+]Alan Barnes, DWM Comics (Marvel Comics, 1999).)
Appearance[]
Basil Brush was a short anthropomorphic fox with either light (GAME: Basil Brush goes Rent Collecting [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1969)., TV Terrors Autograph Hunt [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1970).) or dark brown fur. (GAME: TV Comic's Counter Game [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1968).) He wore various outfits on different occasions. (GAME: TV Comic's Counter Game [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1968)., etc.)
While going hunting, he wore a blue outfit with black trousers and shoes. (GAME: TV Comic's Counter Game [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1968).) Later, he wore a yellow suit when he went rent collecting, with either yellow or black trousers, and either black or white shoes, as well as a red cloak. (GAME: Basil Brush goes Rent Collecting [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1969).) When he may have shown the TV Terrors around his estate, he wore a green outfit with blue trousers, black shoes, a red and black cloak, and a yellow top hat with a black stripe. (GAME: TV Terrors Autograph Hunt [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1970).)
As a puppet in a parallel universe, he wore a suit with a bow tie. (COMIC: TV Action! [+]Alan Barnes, DWM Comics (Marvel Comics, 1999).)
Behind the scenes[]
- Basil Brush was the titular character in the comic series Basil Brush, which was published in TV Comic and crossed over with the Doctor Who universe in the board games TV Comic's Counter Game [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1968)., Basil Brush goes Rent Collecting [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1969)., and TV Terrors Autograph Hunt [+]TV Comic games (Polystyle Publications, Ltd., 1970)..
- In an early sketch of the real The Basil Brush Show, Basil encountered a Yeti in the Himalayas. The costume used for the Yeti was one of those featured in The Web of Fear [+]Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, Doctor Who season 5 (BBC1, 1968)..
- Basil Brush had a new show in 2008 entitled Basil's Swap Shop, which featured ex-Totally Doctor Who host Barney Harwood.
- Several cast members of the real The Basil Brush Show have acted in Doctor Who stories or its spinoffs; Rodney Bewes, Derek Fowlds, Christopher Pizzey and Milton Johns.
