Ivan Owen and Basil Brush in Cinderella
Caricature
22 January 1970 (dated)
22 January 1970 (dated)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This caricature shows Basil Brush and Ivan Owen. Basil Brush appeared in Cinderella at the Oxford New Theatre during Christmas 1969 when he had become a national favourite due to his hit television programme The Basil Brush Show, first screened in 1968. The caricature was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.
Foxy, anarchic Basil Brush modelled his debonair British voice on that of the actor Terry-Thomas although he grudgingly accepted that Ivan Owen (1927-2000) made a great contribution to his voice and movement, and that Peter Firmin created him for the 1963 television show The Three Scampies which originally made his name. Basil made Owen a millionaire and created a Basil Brush industry, but Owen always kept his identity a secret, so this is a rare portrayal of the fox and man together. Boom boom!
Foxy, anarchic Basil Brush modelled his debonair British voice on that of the actor Terry-Thomas although he grudgingly accepted that Ivan Owen (1927-2000) made a great contribution to his voice and movement, and that Peter Firmin created him for the 1963 television show The Three Scampies which originally made his name. Basil made Owen a millionaire and created a Basil Brush industry, but Owen always kept his identity a secret, so this is a rare portrayal of the fox and man together. Boom boom!
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Ivan Owen and Basil Brush in <i>Cinderella</i> (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour and wash on paper |
| Brief description | Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour and wash caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976) of Ivan Owen and Basil Brush in Cinderella at the Oxford New Theatre. Dated 22 January 1970. |
| Physical description | Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour and wash caricature of Ivan Owen and Basil Brush in Cinderella at the Oxford New Theatre. Dated 22 January 1970. From a hard-backed sketch book containing caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Michael Sommerlad |
| Object history | This caricature comes from an album of caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn (with one exception) by Gilbert J.Sommerlad (1904-1976) between December 1965 and September 1971 at the Oxford New Theatre. Gilbert Sommerlad moved from Brighton to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist in 1936. He continued with his caricatures until his retirement. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This caricature shows Basil Brush and Ivan Owen. Basil Brush appeared in Cinderella at the Oxford New Theatre during Christmas 1969 when he had become a national favourite due to his hit television programme The Basil Brush Show, first screened in 1968. The caricature was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums. Foxy, anarchic Basil Brush modelled his debonair British voice on that of the actor Terry-Thomas although he grudgingly accepted that Ivan Owen (1927-2000) made a great contribution to his voice and movement, and that Peter Firmin created him for the 1963 television show The Three Scampies which originally made his name. Basil made Owen a millionaire and created a Basil Brush industry, but Owen always kept his identity a secret, so this is a rare portrayal of the fox and man together. Boom boom! |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.134:41-2002 |
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| Record created | November 25, 2003 |
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