Our hero, dressed like 'Steed' from 'The Avengers', attempts to enter an exclusive gentleman's club called The Waterloo, only to be thrown out by the doorman for not being a member. He does not take his rejection well, seeing membership of such an establishment to be a starting point to becoming 'one of the creme'.
He gets his big chance when a well-to-do customer ( Roger Brierly ) at his casino urgently wants cash, and in return for it promises to endorse Bowler's application for membership of The Waterloo. The interview is, however, a disaster. Bowler betrays his ignorance of military history, and is rejected outright by the committee.
Outraged, he decides to convert one of his properties into a gentleman's club, which he will call The Napoleon. All members applications will be processed by him personally. The staff - including Cockney waitress Greta ( Wendy Richard ) - must undergo 'My Fair Lady'-style education to turn them into ideal posh club staff...
A decent enough second episode, though for some reason its never as funny as it might have been. As I mentioned earlier, the lovely Wendy Richard ( who alas passed on this year ) has a small role as 'Greta' the waitress. She had appeared previously ( as different characters ) in both 'Please Sir!' and 'The Fenn Street Gang'. Anthony Sharp plays the President of the Committee of The Waterloo. It would take ages to list this aristocratic-looking actor's credits, but one of his last roles before his death in 1983 was as 'Lord Ambrose' in Sean Connery's 007 comeback 'Never Say Never Again'.
Funniest moment - Bowler telling the first applicant ( Willoughby Gray ) that it will be a hundred times harder to join than The Napoleon than The Waterloo. The disgruntled man gets to his feet and leaves, taking the other would-be applicants with him. Only one man is left, apparently asleep with a newspaper over his face. Bowler presses a Membership Card into his hand, before realising the man is, in fact, stone dead!
He gets his big chance when a well-to-do customer ( Roger Brierly ) at his casino urgently wants cash, and in return for it promises to endorse Bowler's application for membership of The Waterloo. The interview is, however, a disaster. Bowler betrays his ignorance of military history, and is rejected outright by the committee.
Outraged, he decides to convert one of his properties into a gentleman's club, which he will call The Napoleon. All members applications will be processed by him personally. The staff - including Cockney waitress Greta ( Wendy Richard ) - must undergo 'My Fair Lady'-style education to turn them into ideal posh club staff...
A decent enough second episode, though for some reason its never as funny as it might have been. As I mentioned earlier, the lovely Wendy Richard ( who alas passed on this year ) has a small role as 'Greta' the waitress. She had appeared previously ( as different characters ) in both 'Please Sir!' and 'The Fenn Street Gang'. Anthony Sharp plays the President of the Committee of The Waterloo. It would take ages to list this aristocratic-looking actor's credits, but one of his last roles before his death in 1983 was as 'Lord Ambrose' in Sean Connery's 007 comeback 'Never Say Never Again'.
Funniest moment - Bowler telling the first applicant ( Willoughby Gray ) that it will be a hundred times harder to join than The Napoleon than The Waterloo. The disgruntled man gets to his feet and leaves, taking the other would-be applicants with him. Only one man is left, apparently asleep with a newspaper over his face. Bowler presses a Membership Card into his hand, before realising the man is, in fact, stone dead!