Ernest Alfred Bourne^[3] (1 August 1926 – 21 January 2009) was an English-Australian actor, entertainer, comedian and puppeteer, whose career spanned 50 years. Having started his career in theatre in his native England, he became known for his regular roles in theatre and television in Australia, particularly in character roles. Bourne was probably best known locally and internationally for his role as prison chef Mervin Pringle in the TV seriesPrisoner and as mechanicRob Lewis inNeighbours.

Bourne was born inShaftesbury,Dorset, England and raised inYeovil, 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 theBritish Merchant Navy duringWorld War II, where he became interested in acting after appearing in apantomime. He would appear regularly in English pantomime and in many stage productions inBristol, before migrating to Australia.^[2]

He emigrated to Australia in 1952, initially settling inGeelong. 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 ofpantomime-style villains on Australian television such as Sir Jasper Crookley (inMagic Circle Club), and multiple similar baddies inAdventure 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 ofCrawford Productions police dramas in a variety of character roles. In the 1980s he played prison chef Mervin Pringle inPrisoner (having earlier played two other minor roles) and garage mechanic Rob Lewis inNeighbours.

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 ofAndrew Lloyd Webber.Bourne was married to Claire Bourne (formerly Smith) and he died on 21 January 2009, aged 82, atThe Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.^[1]

• Ernie Bourne atIMDb

• 1926 births
• 2009 deaths
• Australian male film actors
• Australian male soap opera actors
• English emigrants to Australia
• British Merchant Navy personnel of World War II
• Male actors from Dorset
• Actors from Yeovil
• 20th-century Australian male actors
• 21st-century Australian male actors
• Military personnel from Somerset
• Comedians from Dorset
• Comedians from Somerset
• Male actors from Somerset
• English male comedians
• Australian male comedians
• Military personnel from Dorset
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