Basil Foster
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Basil Samuel Foster (12 February 1882 – 28 September 1959) was an English actor and cricketer who played 34 first-class matches in the early 20th century. He was born in Malvern, Worcestershire, and died in Pield Heath, Hillingdon, Middlesex, aged 77. He was the inspiration for the Wodehouse character, Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright, having become a stage actor so that he could also play county cricket.[1]
Cricket career
One of the seven Foster brothers who played for Worcestershire, he made his first-class debut for that county against Kent in August 1902, but scored only 4 and 0 as Worcestershire lost by nine wickets. He played against Surrey a few days later, taking three catches, and against Hampshire the following June, but made ducks in both his innings.
Foster did not play first-class cricket again until 1906, when he made 27 and 26 for Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) against Worcestershire at Lord's. Between then and early May 1912, he played mostly for MCC, making 15 appearances for them in all while turning out only four more times for Worcestershire. It was for MCC that he made his two half-centuries: 86 (from number eight) against the South Africans in 1907, and 74 against Leicestershire in 1910.
After his last match for MCC, Foster returned exclusively to county cricket, but now with Middlesex. For his new county he made 12 first-class appearances, but in 15 innings never scored more than 35. His final game came against Kent in late August, but only one day's play was possible in the match and Foster made just 8 in his only innings before being caught and bowled by Woolley.
Actor
Foster made his stage debut in 1906, as Norman Popple in Mr Popple of Ippleton by Paul Rubens, at the Marlborough Theatre, Holloway, London.[2] In The Dollar Princess of 1909, the Daily Mirror critic wrote that Foster (Earl of Quorn) and Gabrielle Ray (Daisy) "make a fine pair, and play to each other splendidly."[3]
In 1907, Foster played cricket against P.G. Wodehouse in the Actors against Authors game at Lord's. Foster later collaborated with Wodehouse, portraying the lead role, in the 1928 New Theatre production of A Damsel in Distress, as well as the role of Psmith in the 1930 Shaftesbury Theatre production of Leave It to Psmith; both productions were adapted by Wodehouse and Ian Hay from novels written by Wodehouse.[4]
Foster became manager of the Richmond Theatre in 1939.[2]
Personal life
During World War I, Foster was machine-gun instructor to the 2/8th Hampshire Territorials.[5]
Foster was married to actress Gwendoline Brogden and Lillian F. Norton.[6]
References
- ^ Murray Hedgcock (2011), "Extras", Wodehouse at the Wicket, Random House, p. 197
- ^ a b Parker, John (1947). Who's Who in the Theatre (10th ed.). London: Pitman. pp. 600–601.
- ^ "'The Merry Widow's' Successor". Daily Mirror. 27 September 1909. p. 4.
- ^ Wodehouse, P. G. (2011). Hedgcock, Murray (ed.). Wodehouse at the Wicket. Arrow Books. p. 197. ISBN 978-0099551362.
- ^ Baily's Magazine of Sports & Pastimes. 1916. pp. 94–95.
- ^ Stage deaths : a biographical guide to international theatrical obituaries, 1850 to 1990. Internet Archive. New York : Greenwood Press. 1991. ISBN 978-0-313-27593-7.
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