Fred Basset by Alex Graham for February 10, 2024

Fred?!is there more than one Fred?

Exactly. He will show up waggy tail and hungry. Although, Fred, you have to understand we don’t like it at all not being able find our doggies. We love and worry about you guys and don’t want to wait until you decide to wander home.

He could yell Freud and get someone who could psychoanalyze Fred.

You hear your master calling you! Stop being disobedient!

Too many nice smells to go in yet. You never know, Fred. There might be sausages on the kitchen table……

Since my previous reading of today’s strip, I have been watching a 1957 episode of The Adventures of Robin Hood on Freeview Channel 82 here in the UK. It is of relevance to this strip as Lionel Jeffries, who would voice Fred Basset in a 1970s TV cartoon, appeared as an oppressive Norman nobleman called Sir Charles. The episode was directed by Terence Fisher who also directed The Curse of Frankenstein in 1957. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Lionel Jeffries had a small part as a grave robber in the 1959 sequel The Revenge of Frankenstein – also directed by Fisher.

Fred vants to be alone! Much like Greta Garbo!

Mr Dear put a bell on Fred if you want to let him go free form ;-) Works with my hunting dog :-)

Fred, you’re all droopy. What’s wrong? Are you a lost sheep?

Quite a different Fred than in the later years!

Fred is being cat like, he hears his name but is taking a message. He’ll respond at his earliest convenience

It looks to me like he is looking for an appropriate place to do a bit of “business.”

He looks like he’s on the scent of a lost golf ball…

Tall grass, short legs, and out of sight, he’s enjoying a bit of solitude.

Or if left out there alone, some unscrupulous person will see him and figure a lab will pay for him…

Me thinks Mr Dears attitudes are rubbing off on Fred. Be nicer Fred.

Is Fred playing hide and seek with me xear