Ernie Bourne

Life and career Bourne was born in Shaftesbury, 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.

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 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). He died on 21 January 2009, aged 82, at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.

Filmography (selected) Year Title Role 1960 You Too Can Have A Body unknown 1964 Consider Your Verdict John Drummond 1964 The Road (TV movie) 1964 Under Stress (film short) 1965 The Magic Circle Club (TV series) Sir Jasper Crookley 1967 Hey You! (TV series) Major. Hugh T. Worthington 1967 Adventure Island (TV series) Fester Fumble- Flower Potts, Miser Meanie 1969 Good Morning, Mister Double Day (TV series) Bentley 1969 Sounds Like Us (TV series) Fester Fumble 1973 Gully James 1973-1974 Ryan (TV series) Ned Robbins, Meechum 1974 It's Magic (TV series) 1975 Dick Down Under (TV series) Barman 1975 Cash and Company (TV series) Joshua Henry Biggs 1970-1975 Division 4 (TV series) 6 roles 1972-1975 Matlock Police (TV series) 6 roles 1970-1976 Homicide 9 character roles 1976 The Sullivans University Lecturer 1977 The Picture Show Man Bookmaker 1976-1977 Bluey Davies/Timms 1978 Bobby Dazzler (TV series) Seymour 1978 Against the Wind (TV mini-series) Surgeon Beyer 1980 Sam's Luck (TV series) Benno 1980 Young Ramsey (TV series) Blowfly 1980 The Last Outlaw (TV mini-series) Gloster 1981 voice artist 1977-1981 Cop Shop (TV series) Various roles 1982 Squizzy Taylor Barber1982 Lonely Hearts Man in Toilet 1983 All the Rivers Run Boat Builder 1984 Infinity Limited (TV series) Bernie 1984 Carson's Law (TV series) Barney Tibbs 1979, 1981, 1984-1986 Prisoner Dr. Crewe, Peter Hope, Mervin Pringle (75 episodes) 1987–1989 Neighbours Rob Lewis (90 episodes) 1991 All Together Now (TV serial) Andy Williams fan 1993 Skytrackers Mr Krauss 1996 Mercury (TV series) Claude Cartwright 1998 Good Guys, Bad Guys (TV series) AlfieZinsinger 1999 Thunderstone (TV series) Pohl 2003 Blue Heelers Stan Butterworth