The Saint on TV

Episode 12: The Charitable Countess

"THE CHARITABLE COUNTESS"

The Saint cleans up, in his own individual style, a charity racket in Rome,
and also paves the way to a new life for a gang of juvenile delinquents.

Events are happening simultaneously in two very different worlds. In the
social strata, the Countess Kristina Rovagna (PATRICIA DONAHUE) is holding a
big charity ball in aid of Father Bellini's mission for homeless and hungry
children. On a lower strata, Franco (PHILIP NEEDS), leading "poco bandito"
of the back streets, is organizing his gang to rob the cars of the charity
ball guests.

Simon Templar, the Saint (ROGER MOORE) finds his feet in both worlds. He is
a guest at the ball. Returning from it, his taxi knocks down a youngster who
is dashing across the road. The victim is Franco, who is taken to the
Saint's apartment. He is scared more than hurt, indignant at being forced to
take a bath, over-joyed to be given a first-rate meal.

The Saint soon discovers what he is, but likes him and takes pity on him. He
appeals to Father Bellini (ANTHONY NEWLANDS) to take the boy into the
mission, but Franco insists that, if he goes in, then so must all the eight
members of his gang.

While at the mission, the Saint makes the discovery that, though Father
Bellini has received a large sum of money from the Countess, she has kept
very much more for herself from the amount collected. He is not suprised. He
has known her for a long time, knows her background from the time she was a
strip-teaser in New York, and challenges her with running a charity racket
now that she has acquired a title but no money.

There are complications ahead for the Saint, however. One is that Franco's
gang includes a girl, and the mission is for boys. Another is that the
Countess pulls off a fast counter-stroke which places the Saint at a
disadvantage.

But the Saint has another card up his sleeve, and trumps her trick with an
audacious coup which helps Father Bellini and Franco's gang to a far greater
extent than any charity ball could have done.



CAST

Starring

ROGER MOORE as SIMON TEMPLAR

With

Guest Stars
PATRICIA DONAHUE as COUNTESS ROVAGNA
NIGEL DAVENPORT as ALDO PETRI
WARREN MITCHELL as MARCO DE CESARI
ANTHONY NEWLANDS as FATHER BELLINI
PHILIP NEEDS as FRANCO

and

ANTHONY JACOBS as ENRICO VESPA
MARIE BURKE as PRINCESS DE RIBES
IRENE PRADOR as SIGNORA VESPA
VICTOR RIETTI as COUNT ALZERNO
NEVILLE BECKER as DOCTOR
LORETTA PARRY as ANGELINA
HUGO DE VERNIER as BUTLER

Produced by Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman
Directed by Jeremy Summers
Screenplay by Gerald Kelsey and Dick Sharples.