CAST:
Patricia Donahue - Countess Rovagna
Nigel Davenport - Aldo Petri
Warren Mitchell - Marco de Cesari
Anthony Newlands - Father Bellini
Philip Needs - Franco
Anthony Jacobs - Enrico Vespa
Marie Burke - Princess de Ribes
Irene Prador - Signora Vespa
Victor Rietti - Count Alzerno
Neville Becker - Doctor
Loretta Parry - Angelina
Hugo de Vernier - Butler

Directed by Jeremy Summers; Screenplay by Gerald Kelsey & Dick Sharples (pdf Shooting Schedule on network DVD) 

STORY:
Simon is in Rome to attend a charity ball for the poor street kids held by Countess Kristina Rovagna. He accompanies her to her home where she explains him that the charity ball will bring a profit of $35.000. For the lift to his hotel Simon meets again taxi driver Marco di Cesari. While they're talking Franco, one of the street kids, runs in front of the car and is hit by it. Templar brings him to his hotel room. The next day he tries to get a place for Franco in Father Bellini's mission - only to learn that Bellini received only $9.000 from Countess Rovagna!

OPINION: Can't put my finger on it but this episode is rather strange. All in all one of the weaker episodes. Although the boy (Philip Needs) is a show...

NOTES:
* Warren Mitchell also appears in Episodes #2 "The Latin Touch" and #21 "The King of the Beggars" (same role)
* The character of taxi driver Marco would later appear in the stories "A Shark for the Saint" in the Saint Annual 1967 and "All Lit Up" in the Saint Annual 1968.
* Patricia Donahue also appears in Episode #93 "Island of Chance"
* Nigel Davenport also appears in Episode #55 "The Rhine Maiden"
* Anthony Newlands also appears in Episodes #33 "The Good Medicine" and #113/114 "Vendetta for the Saint"
* Marie Burke also appears in Episode #2 "The Latin Touch", #16 "Teresa" and #113/114 "Vendetta for the Saint"
* Neville Becker also appears in Episodes #19 "The Work of Art", #69 "The Saint Bids Diamonds" and #72 "The Queen's Ransom"
*  Another appearance of the Bad Guys' Mercedes in an extra role... (0:05).
*  There's a double back projection when di Cesari's taxi collides with Franco: One of Franco in front of a street scene and the inside of the taxi in front of this (0:11).
*  The mirror on the wall is terribly shaking when Roger Moore opens and closes the door - well, it's just a studio scenery! (0:12)
*  The Saint behaves quite evil to Rovagna's friend Aldo Petri... (0:32).

AIRDATE:
UK: 20th December 1962

AVAILABLE ON:
* DVD (PAL): Carlton 37115 01093 (2001)
* DVD (PAL): Umbrella DAVID0248 (2003)