The Saint on TV

Episode 29: The Benevolent Burglary

"THE BENEVOLENT BURGLARY"

The Saint takes on a bet with an arrogant millionaire that the art gallery
in his Riviera home will be burgled within four days. The stake is five
thousand pounds - but it is also the Saint's chance to make it possible for
a friend to marry the millionaire's daughter.

Bill Fulton (GARY COCKRELL) is in Monte Carlo. He is broke, thanks to being
let down over the engagement of his band, which he has brought from England
on the promise of a contract. He is also in romantic difficulties because he
is in love with Meryl Vascoe (SUZANNE NEVE), whose millionaire father,
Elliot Vascoe (JOHN BARRIE), won't hear of the marriage of his daughter to a
penniless band-leader.

Vascoe is, in fact, responsible for the cancellation of Bill's contract, as
Simon Templar, the Saint (ROGER MOORE), discovers after meeting Bill and
promising his help. He and Bill are old friends - and, as it happens, he and
the arrogant Vascoe are old enemies. He is delighted at the thought of
humiliating a man he despises.

The fact that Vascoe throws open the art gallery in his home to the public
provides him with what he claims is "The most diabolically clever plan of my
entire career". He throws out a challenge to Vascoe - a bet of five thousand
pounds that his place will be robbed within four days, despite all security
precautions.

The wager attracts tremendous publicity. It also, as the Saint anticipates,
attracts the attention of every good crook on the Riviera who sees this as
too good a chance to miss. With so many planning to pull off the job
themselves, leaving the Saint as the obvious suspect, it requires only a
trick on someone's part to put the Saint in a position so that he would not
have an alibi.

But the Saint's plan goes further than this. It enables him, not only to win
money to help Bill and Meryl, but to prove to Vascoe that he hasn't really a
friend in the world because of his attitude towards other people.

His benevolent burglary, the burglary that seemed to be impossible, brings
happiness to more people than anyone would have guessed.

CAST

Starring

ROGER MOORE as SIMON TEMPLAR

With

Guest Stars
JOHN BARRIE as ELLIOT VASCOE
GARY COCKRELL as BILL FULTON
RACHEL GURNEY as DELPHINE CHAMBERS

with
SUZANNE NEAVE as MERYL VASCOE
RAYMOND ADAMSON as JULES BRANT
ARNOLD DIAMOND as COLONEL LATIGNANT

and

ALLAN McCLELLAND as MORGAN DEAN
BARRY KEEGAN as MARTIN GRAHAME
HENRY VIDON as PETER DAVOS
NEAL ARDEN as DESLAURIERS
IAN PARSONS as HENRI
RICHARD CLARKE as JACQUES
IVOR SALTER as GERMAINE
ANDRE MARANNE as RADIO OPERATOR

Produced by Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman
Directed by Jeremy Summers
Screenplay by Larry Forrester