So, here’s a funny thing. Two versions of the Basil/Livvy pic have now come into my possession. This one, which we published here a short while ago….
And this one, see if you can spot the diff…. 🙂
Mothy sweater, or non-mothy sweater? Wonder which is real and who changed it. Maybe a publicity guy at Warner’s thought the holes were just too Boho for comfort.
Or then again – maybe the two shots are really seconds apart and between them an enraged Ouida attacked Basil with a pair of scissors. 🙂
BTW, The Baz now has over 1,000 followers!
The Baz 
Scissors? I have no scissors! What scissors are you speaking of? *Throws scissors out window* See! No scissors there! 🙂
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My partner and I absolutely love your blog. I am a fan of Basils of long standing but he isn’t, yet he still reads. Your new design is beautiful. Very art deco!
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True story
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He looks way sexy and so modern in that outfit.
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Luvs this place too
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Hi there! Someone in my Facebook group shared this site with us so I came to take a
look. Superb blog and fantastic design and style.
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My God I love that photo. That throat. Just wanna bite it.
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Ambrose??!
Anyhow, the less Bazz wears the better I like it.
I always remember that Queen Elizabeth, despite all her servants and china service and so forth, has the habit of bringing Tupperware containers from the kitchen and eating out of them as a snack. Deep underneath, these folks are Just Like Us.
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which of course reminds me of the wonderfull series of David [Duke of Windsor]and his pugs, gardening,in a suit and tie. http://pinterest.com/pin/143130094378265984/
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He-he that is cute as hell
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Funny,Ambrose was a character from Merrily We Live,a tramp taken in by flaky Billie Burke’s character as chauffeur,Brian Aherne was next “tramp” who was actually writer on fishing trip who’s rental car was lost in a quite hilarious scene,back in the day of lovely classic movies which didn’t require umpteen f-words to fluff up a script.Love Clarence Kolb’s pratfalls!Alan Mowbray wonderful,too.
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I had a GIANT white rabbit in the ’80s, named Ambrose. (My mom used to breed pedigreed rabbits for shows and selling…we kept Ambrose as a pet for around 10 years, till he died. He just laid around like a BUM in his cage all day! He was pretty COOL, though.)
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For those who don’t believe Basil would wear a sweater with holes, read this excerpt from Screenland, July 1938, “The Host of Hollywood” by Dick Pine:
“Ambrose [Rathbone’s butler] went quietly to a cupboard, and drew therefrom a tattered sweater, an old pair of crepe-soled shoes, and the most disreputable pair of brown trousers I have ever seen. At the sight of these habiliments, Leo, the spaniel, . . . suddenly went mad, dancing, leaping, yapping. . . . ‘Leo doesn’t know he is going walking until he sees these trousers,’ Basil explained. He held them up and chuckled. They had holes in the knees and in the seat. ‘Dog-walking garments. Had ‘em for years.’ . . . I went across the hall to my room, where I found that Ambrose had laid out some flannel bags, a sweater, which looked almost indecently new to me, and some sports shoes. I hadn’t expected to feel overdressed with this Rathbone man, but I really did wish I had a hole in something.” (page 65)
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Don’t know why the Mrs R hated the lived-in look on him.Like Swayze said about his fav chair when Demi objected to it in GHOST,”it goes with me”.He looks great with or w/o the holes.I’m sure the royals don’t always look perfectly formal.Esp as much as the young seem to be out of their clothes.Any more info on that letter he wrote to “My darling girl”,really sweet greeting,whomever it was to!
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I LUV IT!!!!! I just had a thought about the pics of him painting and moveing things and asorted spring cleaning,he’s wearing painters bibs OVER a white shirt and tie and [pro.]suit pants.How wonderfull to walk the dogs in ratty[no pun intended] pants and holey sweater and clean in a tie.
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Ouida would never let him be photographed without a tie! She must have hated his scruffy jumpers so much
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And to think what people have been known to wear today,his dog-walking pants would be casual,if not formal in comparison.Mrs R should have been Mrs Blackwell!
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coment: on what people wear theses days..I work in retail…I have seen it all..most of it I never hope to see again! :<
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Mabey it was Weedys ghost refuseing to let him be seen in anything she didn’t aprove of. “Basil get back in this house right now and change NO husband of MINE will be seen in public dressesd as a rag picker.WE are NOT amused!”
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Hey, this may sound really stupid, but is it at all possible that the infamous “moth-holes” are just scratches on the photo? I zoomed in as best I could on my computer, and there were other scratches nearby. I doubt it’s true, but it was just an idea.
Otherwise, I’d tend to think somebody Photoshopped out the holes. I can’t think why, though.
What a mystery!! 🙂
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Hee, I think the holes are real. And sexy 🙂
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I think I read that Basil actually liked to be a bit a bit shabby in casual clothes, but Ouida disapproved. Come on, don’t you all have a ratty sweater or pair of pajamas that you love and can’t let go of? I actually think it’s kind of cute. Plus, they were working on a costume picture, so they probably just hung out in any old thing when they weren’t going to be “on.” If you see some of the outtakes and home movies of Robin Hood (they actually sprayed the trees green because some were starting to turn), it was in the fall and a bit chilly. He could even have been wearing the thin old ratty sweater under his costume.
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I would love to see that footage!
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It used to be on Youtube. It’s part of the documentary included in The Adventures of Robin Hood DVD set.
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not that it has anything to do with moth eaten sweaters,that make Mr. R look very sexy, unless the moths come with the closets..here’s a link I think you all will enjoy. http://ojaivacationcenter.com/commonwealth.html [realy it’s safe].
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That’s way cool. Wish I could buy it. 🙂
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I wouldn’t mind buying the sweater or ODH’s take on the man.She always seemed so relaxed with him in offscreen pics,dancing.Do please dish,Ms Olivia
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Only $4500 per week! If only I could afford to stay there!
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Dont you think it is sad though when you look at how it has changed..it looked like a lil Tyder country house when Basil owned it. All beautiful gardens and ivy covered walls.Boy would I LUV to have that kitchen.Does anyone rember the eppy of Dragnet where they talked about Basils house..Jack Webb and Harry Morgan version.Had something to do with the killing of a realestate lady[unless I’m total imagening this eppy? Or mixing it up with another tv crime show]I often wondered if it was realy his house in the show?
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I think the top one has been airbrushed to et rid of the moth holes 😀
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I’m posting this as a test as every comment I have posted for the last few weeks has been eaten
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Oh, you guys, you fabulous ever-diligent Nancy Drews and Dana Girls, you have made my day. Not so swell around the Boston area this week….. Maybe Bazz found this old motheaten sweater in his dressing room or elsewhere on the set and put it on as a joke. He did like to play jokes. Then the studio got their hands on the thing and said, wow, great photo except for the moths, we may want to use it, and did their usual due diligence. I’d hate to think he really didn’t care how he looked. And since his hair is beautifully coiffed and his pants (what little, unfortunately, we can see) look clean and well-fitting, I will vote for now that he was kidding around. But ’tain’t funny, McGee.
Very glad the site is busy again–and sorry for all you who got your comments eaten!
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Hot lovely man also welcome back and hope this gets through and totally love the little monster avatars. Mine looks so grumpy 😆
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OMG Alyssia,Moths are drawn to wool,well like moths are drawn to a flame.Or like I am drawn to Basil or you are drawn to saying silly things.They were probly airbrushed out.Cant wait to see that new blog of yours. Also all the pages of Basil’s oh so secret diary you have promised us.Oh and if you look closely at the 1st pic. the sepia toned one it looks perfect.But blury where the spots were. The back and white pic. if you blowit up showes circles near his left arm. as if it was photo shoped.
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Distressed clothing, V-neck, AND layering…clearly a man who was, in so many ways, ahead of his time.
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Very droll Mr. M 🙂
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Any idea how sexy that look is though — oh mama!
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Basil would never have worn such disgraceful clothing.
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And she’s back ladies and gentlemen.
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Apparently,he would.I find it comforting to know he could be allowed to be himself in comfortable,if not acceptable attire to all tastes.After all,he wasn’t a model,just as attractive as one well into his 60’s.And to see that athletic body,see nothing wrong with either pic,they are beautiful!And so are Olivia and Baz.Love the pics of him taking home movies,too.Saw a clip from him hugging Olivia on Entertainment Tonight a few years back,and they were so cute together,more at home w/each other than Liv & Errol.IMHO!
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