The Saint on TV

Episode 15: The Gentle Ladies

"THE GENTLE LADIES"

They are three charming ladies - not so young but not too old. What is the
secret they dread the world will discover when a blackmailer descends on
them? The Saint finds out.

Simon Templar, the Saint (ROGER MOORE), decides to take a restful holiday in
the picturesque, historic sailing village of Bosham, in Sussex. He parks his
car. It is the only one there. But even if it had been the largest parking
lot in the country, Florence Warshed (AVICE LANDON) would probably have
managed to hit the only other vehicle there while reversing. She is that
sort of driver.

Flo is terribly apologetic; the Saint is amused, rather than annoyed. But
when he remarks, "Haven't we met somewhere?" and gives her his card, Flo
reacts in terror.

The attractive Kathleen Howard (CHRISTINA GREGG), the principal reason for
the Saint's visit to Bosham isn't in the least surprised when he tells her
about the mishap, and introduces him to George Marsh (ANTHONY NICHOLLS),
Florence's lawyer. "She and her two sisters", he assures the Saint, "are
absolute darlings. The sweetest people for miles around. Except in
automobiles......" He doesn't add that he has been trying to persuade Flo to
marry him for years. The fact that she is obviously fond of him adds to the
difficulty of understanding why she keeps refusing him.

The other sisters are Violet (BARBARA MULLEN) - very aptly named, too - and
the cheerful, bustling Ida (RENEE HOUSTON). All three are highly popular in
the district. There are generous, charitable and friendly, obviously well
off.

Fear stalks into their old-world cottage, however, with the arrival of
Alfred Powls (PHILIP O'FLYNN). He insists on staying at the cottage, demands
that they shall provide him with the money for a cottage and an income of
£2,000 a year, or else ....................... Scared, they agree to his
terms.

It's just hard luck for him that the Saint should be in the district. Simon
is with Kathleen when Powls comes into her estate office to look for a
cottage. His suspicions are aroused, and he manages to get a sample of
Powl's fingerprints, which he send to Scotland Yard for identification. His
suspicions are deepened even more when Florence asks Kathleen to cash a big
cheque for her in a hurry.

And then, when Powls falls down the stairs in a drunken stupor at the
Warshed's cottage and is killed, the Saint goes into action in a big way,
removing once and for all the fear that has been hanging over them........

NB All spellings and punctuation as in the original.

CAST

Starring

ROGER MOORE as SIMON TEMPLAR
WITH
AVICE LANDON as FLORENCE WARSHED
RENEE HOUSTON as IDA WARSHED
BARBARA MULLEN as VIOLET WARSHED
PHILIP O'FLYNN as ALFRED POWLS
ANTHONY NICHOLLS as GEORGE MARSH
AND
TIMOTHY BATESON as CHARLEY BUTTERWORTH
CHRISTINE GREGG as KATHLEEN HOWARD
FRANK SIEMAN as JOE TRACEY
GWENDA EWEN as MISS WILSON
DONALD TANDY as DETECTIVE SERGEANT
BARRY WILSHER as WAITER

Produced by Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman
Directed by Jeremy Summers
Screenplay by John Graeme