Basil Foster

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]

Basil Foster
Cricket information
BattingRight-handed
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 34
Runs scored 753
Batting average 14.76
100s/50s 0/2
Top score 86
Balls bowled 81
Wickets 0
Bowling average –
5 wickets in innings –
10 wickets in match –
Best bowling –
Catches/stumpings 32/–
Source: Cricinfo, 8 November 2022

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 as Vernon in The Sunshine Girl (1912), with Phyllis Dare as Delia

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]

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.[4]

Foster was married to actress Gwendoline Brogden and Lillian F. Norton.[5]

References
  1. Murray Hedgcock (2011), "Extras", Wodehouse at the Wicket, Random House, p. 197
  2. Parker, John (1947). Who's Who in the Theatre (10th ed.). London: Pitman. pp. 600–601.
  3. "'The Merry Widow's' Successor". Daily Mirror. 27 September 1909. p. 4.
  4. Baily's Magazine of Sports & Pastimes. 1916. pp. 94–95.
  5. 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.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
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