Toonhound - Fred Basset (1963-)

    "The hound that's almost human!"

    Fred Basset arrived in the pages of the "Daily Mail" on 8th July 1963
    And he's never looked back. His creator, Alex Graham, had previously been
    responsible for another canine-centric strip, "Wee Hughie" which he'd been
    drawing for "The Dundee Weekly News" for some 18 years prior to Fred's
    arrival. It's often suggested that Fred was based upon Graham's very own
    basset hound called Frieda, and certainly, the traits that Fred exhibits in
    his strips have must have been closely observed from a real-life counterpart.

    Fred leads a dog's life. He mutters and mumbles through the days,
    giving us an insight into his doggy mind and his canine thoughts. Our
    Fred's a rather pompous fellow, as it happens. He doesn't understand
    his owners, just as they don't understand him. Then again, he looks
    down his nose at his own doggy pals like Fifi the poodle and Jock the
    Scottish Terrier. Their behaviour seems so much more inferior to his own.

     Fred Basset #7

    Fred has toddled on through the days and years, irrespective of the
    changing world around him. The strip has never been particularly topical,
    or political. And that's just how the readership likes it.

    When Alex Graham died in 1991 he left behind a surplus of unpublished
    artwork, and these, combined with 28 years of strips mean that there are
    some 9000 toons in syndication. So it looks like Fred will be with us for
    a wee while longer!

    » As well as the newspaper strips, there have been at least 58 anthologies
       published over the years - and they're still coming out annually today...

    » In 1976, Fred was granted his very own tv series, which was shepherded
        to the screen by Bill Melendez. You can read more about the toon here...

    On the web


      Gocomics
      Here's the original strip, to view each day...

      Tonys Trading
      Wow. Here's Tony's guide to the associated books. He's got
      a complete series of cover scans to share with us...

      Double: Take
      And Double:Take have the rights to the animated
      series, if you're interested...

      index »    previous »   next »

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			Fred Basset artist/creator: Alex Graham appearances: published in "The Daily Mail" from 8th July 1963
		"The hound that's almost human!" Fred Basset arrived in the pages of the "Daily Mail" on 8th July 1963 And he's never looked back. His creator, Alex Graham, had previously been responsible for another canine-centric strip, "Wee Hughie" which he'd been drawing for "The Dundee Weekly News" for some 18 years prior to Fred's arrival. It's often suggested that Fred was based upon Graham's very own basset hound called Frieda, and certainly, the traits that Fred exhibits in his strips have must have been closely observed from a real-life counterpart. Fred leads a dog's life. He mutters and mumbles through the days, giving us an insight into his doggy mind and his canine thoughts. Our Fred's a rather pompous fellow, as it happens. He doesn't understand his owners, just as they don't understand him. Then again, he looks down his nose at his own doggy pals like Fifi the poodle and Jock the Scottish Terrier. Their behaviour seems so much more inferior to his own. Fred has toddled on through the days and years, irrespective of the changing world around him. The strip has never been particularly topical, or political. And that's just how the readership likes it. When Alex Graham died in 1991 he left behind a surplus of unpublished artwork, and these, combined with 28 years of strips mean that there are some 9000 toons in syndication. So it looks like Fred will be with us for a wee while longer! » As well as the newspaper strips, there have been at least 58 anthologies published over the years - and they're still coming out annually today... » In 1976, Fred was granted his very own tv series, which was shepherded to the screen by Bill Melendez. You can read more about the toon here... On the web Gocomics Here's the original strip, to view each day... Tonys Trading Wow. Here's Tony's guide to the associated books. He's got a complete series of cover scans to share with us... Double: Take And Double:Take have the rights to the animated series, if you're interested... index » previous » next »

© Alex Graham / F2006