Ernie Bourne

Ernest Alfred Bourne[3] (1 August 1926 – 21 January 2009) was an English Australian actor, entertainer, comedian and puppeteer, those career spanned 50 years, known for his regular roles in theatre and television, particularly in character roles, although he was probably best known locally and internationally for his role as prison chef Mervin Pringle, whom married Officer Joyce Barry (played by Joy Westmore) in the TV series Prisoner.

Ernie Bourne
Born
Ernest Alfred Bourne

(1926-08-01)1 August 1926
Dorset, England
Died21 January 2009(2009-01-21) (aged 82)[1]
Prahran, Victoria, Australia
Occupation
  • Actor
  • entertainer
  • comedian
  • puppeteer
  • merchant sailor
Years active1955–2005[2]

Biography

Bourne was born in Dorset, England and raised in Yeovil, Somerset where his mother ran a boarding house following the early death of his father. Leaving school and home at the age of 14, Bourne worked in a cafe before joining the British Merchant Navy during World War II, where he became interested in acting after appearing in a pantomime, he would appear regularly in English pantomime and in many stage productions in Bristol, before migrating to Australia.[2]

He emigrated to Australia in 1952, initially settling in Geelong joining the Geelong Musical Comedy Company, he appeared in numerous stage roles starting from 1955[4] and later moving to Melbourne. In the 1960s, he was loved (and booed) as a series of pantomime-style villains on Australian television such as Sir Jasper Crookley (in Magic Circle Club), and multiple similar baddies in Adventure Island including Sir Cedric Sneak, Captain Crook, Chummy Chums and Miser Meanie's sidekick Fester Fumble.

Throughout the early-to-mid 1970s he was a staple of Crawford Productions police dramas in a variety of character roles. In the 1980s he played prison chef Mervin Pringle in Prisoner (having earlier played two other minor roles) and garage mechanic Rob Lewis in Neighbours.

He also appeared in a series of television commercials for a retail sportsgear outlet (Sportsmart) as an older man (playing golf and tennis) who is perpetually laughed at by a young blonde man for spending too much money on his gear elsewhere. He has a daughter Sally Bourne who is also an actress and is best known for appearing in the musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Bourne was married to Claire Bourne (formerly Smith) and he died on 21 January 2009, aged 82, at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.[1]

Filmography (selected)

Year Title Role
1960You Too Can Have A Bodyunknown
1964Consider Your VerdictJohn Drummond
1964The Road (TV movie)
1964Under Stress (film short)
1965The Magic Circle Club (TV series)Sir Jasper Crookley
1967Hey You! (TV series)Major. Hugh T. Worthington
1967Adventure Island (TV series)Fester Fumble- Flower Potts, Miser Meanie
1969Good Morning, Mister Double Day (TV series)Bentley
1969Sounds Like Us (TV series)Fester Fumble
1973Gully James
1973-1974Ryan (TV series)Ned Robbins, Meechum
1974It's Magic (TV series)
1975Dick Down Under (TV series)Barman
1975Cash and Company (TV series)Joshua Henry Biggs
1970-1975Division 4 (TV series)6 roles
  • "Shaky" Miller
  • Harry Jack
  • Willie Evans
  • John Hyland
  • George Mitchell
  • parking officer
1972-1975Matlock Police (TV series)6 roles
  • Jim
  • Andy Hill
  • Fred Harris
  • George Turner
  • Col Cameron
  • Dumpy
1970-1976Homicide9 character roles
  • Albert Canker
  • Marcos Mitrakis
  • Matthew Clarke
  • Dudley Roberts
  • George Stevens
  • George Hodges
  • William "Poker Face" Martin
  • Freddy Knight
  • Caretaker Faye
1976The SullivansUniversity Lecturer
1977The Picture Show ManBookmaker
1976-1977BlueyDavies/Timms
1978Bobby Dazzler (TV series)Seymour
1978Against the Wind (TV mini-series)Surgeon Beyer
1980Sams Luck (TV series)Benno
1980Young Ramsey (TV series)Blowfly
1980The Last Outlaw (TV mini-series)Gloster
1981voice artist
1977-1981Cop Shop (TV series)Various roles
1982Squizzy TaylorBarber
1982Lonely HeartsMan in Toilet
1983All the Rivers RunBoat Builder
1984Infinity Limited (TV series)Bernie
1984Carson's Law (TV,series)Barney Tibbs
1979, 1981, 1985-1986PrisonerDr, Crewe, Peter Hope, Mervin Pringle (75 episodes)
1987–1989NeighboursRob Lewis (90 episodes)
1991All Together Now (TV serial)Andy Williams fan
1993SkytrackersMr Krauss
1996Mercury (TV series)Claude Cartwright
1998Good Guys, Bad Guys (TV series)AlfieZinsinger
1999Thunderstone (TV series)Pohl
2003Blue HeelersStan Butterworth

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.