The Saint on TV

Episode 30: The Bunco Artists

"THE BUNCO ARTISTS"

The Saint turns the tables on two confidence tricksters in a case that takes
him from a quiet English village to the French Riviera.

One essential required by confidence tricksters is charm - and both Richard
Eade (PETER DYNELEY) and his wife Joyce (LOUISE KING) possess this essential
in large quantities. In their profession, they are known as "bunco artists"
- and they are artists in their own craft, a thoroughly nice couple except
for their method of making a living the easy way.

Their latest coup is to divert the funds collected for the restoration of an
English village church into their own pockets.

Simon Templar, the Saint (ROGER MOORE), gets to know about this because he
is friendly with the Vicar's actress-daughter, Jean Yarmouth (JUSTINE LORD).
He makes a shrewd guess that the bunco artists will already have left the
country, and confirms through the local post office that someone has been
'phoning Air France from the village. Following up this clue, he learns that
a Mr. and Mrs Eade made a reservation in this way for a passage to Nice.

Which explains why the Saint and Jean Yarmouth, posing as his French girl
friend, soon find themselves on the Riviera, tracking the Eades to an hotel
in Cannes. The Saint, in the guise of a Texan rancher, makes contact with
Richard Eade and makes a point of displaying his wealth. Eade falls for the
trap. The Texan looks like an easy victim, and Joyce is set loose on him.

The Saint allows himself to be "tricked" into paying £2,000 for a worthless
necklace as a present for his girl-friend - but, this time, the bunco
artists find that their confidence trick has rebounded on them. The Saint
can pull off a con trick just as smoothly as they can.

He not only gets his £2,000 back - but the Eades also lose the church funds
they had collected in England.

CAST

Starring

ROGER MOORE as SIMON TEMPLAR

Guest Stars
MARY MERRAL as SOPHIE YARMOUTH
PETER DYNELEY as RICHARD EADE

With
JUSTINE LORD as JEAN YARMOUTH
LOUISE KING as JOYCE EADE

and
VICTOR PLATT as CHARLIE
JOHN GLYN JONES as VICAR STONE
MARIE MAKINO as MISS EMMAR
BARBARA OGILVIE as MRS. RANCE
ANDRE MERANNE as LOUIS
JOHN STANDING as GENDARME
MEADOWS WHITE as STAGE DOOR KEEPER

Produced by Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman
Directed by Peter Yates
Screenplay by Lewis Davidson