Remarkable story of the man behind Basil Brush

For those of a certain vintage, Basil Brush was - and remains - an iconic British character; a tweed-wearing, charismatic fox with a memorable “boom boom” catchphrase. From pulling in audiences of 15 million viewers on prime-time BBC in the 1970s to performing at a private party to celebrate Prince William’s fifth birthday at Kensington Palace in 1987, he remains instantly recognisable. Yet the man who devised the comic creation, providing his distinctive voice and, ahem, offering him a ‘helping hand’ remains, to this day, almost entirely unknown.

Ivan Owen, who grew up in Kent, passed away 20 years ago this autumn. Basil had made him a millionaire and one of the entertainment world’s key figures, but as devoted as he was to the wily fox, he was equally determined not to share in his limelight.

In a rare interview, Ivan Owen’s son, Jonathan Owen, 60, reveals his father’s desire to ensure Basil was the only one of the two to have a public persona. He explains: “Most of my father’s reasoning was that he wanted to keep the magic of no-one knowing there was someone behind Basil.

“My father was Basil’s ‘right hand man’ - and my father was right-handed - so that was always the best way of describing it.

“Enough time has now passed for Dad to get some recognition for being behind that original Basil.”

Ivan Owen was born in Dulwich, in south London, in 1927 but was brought up and lived in Dartford until he was a teenager.

While growing up, his family would holiday at the likes of Whitstable and Dungeness.

During national service in the

RAF he became focused on acting for a living. It was a path which would eventually lead him to Associated Rediffusion

- the company to launch the first ITV service in 1955.

He joined in 1956 and by the early 1960s became the man behind the puppet Fred Barker, a shaggy dog, who along with the owl Ollie Beak would present children’s TV shows. And it was there he was introduced to the artist Peter Firmin. Firmin had recently set up Smallfilms, a production company with collaborator Oliver Postgate, based in Firmin’s home in Blean, near Canterbury.

It had already unleashed the first series of the classic Ivor the Engine onto ITV (it would later switch to the BBC) and would go on to create the likes of The Clangers and Bagpuss. Ivan had already envisaged how he wanted his creation to be, and come up with the name, so it was back to Blean where Firmin worked his customary magic to create a puppet who would channel a very particular personality.

“Dad loved Terry Thomas [the British comedian and actor] and he wanted the puppet to give over that air, that Englishness, and so that’s where the gap in Basil’s teeth came in,” explains Jonathan.

Basil’s quips were created by scriptwriter George Martin, who also worked with the likes of Tommy Cooper, Dave Allen and Jimmy Tarbuck. After Basil first appeared on The Three Scampies, he went on to be the support act for magician David Nixon on the BBC proving such a hit the Beeb gave him his own show.

And from 1968 to 1980 the Basil Brush Show became a staple for young and old alike in its early Saturday evening slot. Allowing additional cover for Ivan was the introduction of Basil’s string of stooges - actors who appeared alongside the star of the show and earned themselves ‘Mr’ status. Likely Lads star Rodney Bewes was the first (Mr Rodney), followed by Yes Minister’s Derek Fowlds (Mr Derek), actor Roy North, Howard Williams and Billy Boyle. It’s easy to forget quite how big a star Ivan Owen’s creation became during the period - and not just in the UK. Australia, New Zealand and South Africa all lapped up Basil’s quips.

And Ivan ensured his family enjoyed his success.