You're all being distracted from the main point here, which is Kato:
Alfred has been played by a succession of skinny (yet iron-willed) British dudes. Jarvis, well, hasn't broken out of funny books, has he?
Cato was played by Bruce Lee.
Call him a factotum. A valet. A footman. A Man Friday, even. But unless you're Green Hornet, you'd better call him "Sir."
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By the way, here's a marvelous text on the duties of various household servants. Doesn't mention the etymology of butler (from bottler, isn't it?), but goes on at great length about his responsibilities in the cellar. And includes valets, footmen, coachmen and grooms, as well as general tips about demeanor and responsibilities.
Masters as well as servants sometimes make mistakes; but it is not expected that a servant will correct any omissions, even if he should have time to notice them, although with the best intentions: thus it would not be correct, for instance, if he observed that his master took wine with the ladies all round, as some gentlemen still continue to do, but stopped at some one:—to nudge him on the shoulder and say, as was done by the servant of a Scottish gentleman, “What ails you at her in the green gown?” It will be better to leave the lady unnoticed than for the servant thus to turn his master into ridicule. |
