The Bounder
Howard Booth is a Raffles-like cultured cad, newly released
from open prison after serving two years for fraud. Sadly, jail
has not altered him one jot, a fact that does not go unnoticed by
his much put-upon brother-in-law Trevor Mountjoy, local estate
agent and dour pillar of the business community.
Howard moves in as the Mountjoys' lodger, a stay encouraged by
his sister Mary (Trevor's wife), whom he manages to wrap around
his finger.
As the title suggests, Howard is a bounder through and through,
pathologically compelled to lie, cheat and deceive, suckering men
and women alike, all of whom fall for his suave manner and Savile
Row suits. One person not so easily conquered, however, is Laura,
an attractive widow who lives next door to the Mountjoys and whom
Howard pursues because she's wealthy.
The Bounder began while its star, Peter Bowles, was
still appearing in another Eric Chappell creation, Only When I
Laugh (indeed, Bowles told Yorkshire TV he'd only commit to
another run of OWIL if he was also given his own series),
and it returned George Cole to sitcoms, otherwise best known at
this time for his wonderful portrayal of Arthur Daley in Thames'
light-drama series Minder.
An American adaptation of The Bounder was made and
screened, but failed to develop into a full series. CBS aired the
pilot - also called The Bounder - on 7 July 1984, with
Michael McKeown as Howard, Jeannette Arnette as his sister Bonnie,
Richard Masur as her husband Charles and Francine Tacker as Laura,
the next-door lovely.
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