Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986): Season 7, Episode 6 - Sam's Father - full transcript
Maggie gets very emotional when Sam decides that he wants to temporarily stay with his father.
♪ Now the world don't move
to the beat of just one drum ♪
♪ What might be right for
you may not be right for some ♪
♪ A man is born,
he's a man of means ♪
♪ Then along come two, they
got nothing but their jeans ♪
♪ But they got diff'rent
strokes, it takes ♪
♪ Diff'rent strokes, it takes ♪
♪ Diff'rent strokes
to move the world ♪
♪ Everybody's got a
special kind of story ♪
♪ Everybody finds
a way to shine ♪
♪ It don't matter that you
got not a lot, so what ♪
♪ They'll have theirs
and you'll have yours ♪
♪ And I'll have mine ♪
♪ And together we'll be fine ♪
♪ 'Cause it takes ♪
♪ Diff'rent strokes to move
the world, yes it does ♪
♪ It takes diff'rent strokes
to move the world ♪
- Okay, thanks very much, Scott.
See you tomorrow morning.
Hey, everybody,
guess who's home?
- Yay!
- Dad, you're back!
- Oh, how was your trip?
- Oh, it's so good
to have you home.
You look just wonderful.
I can't tell you how
much I missed you.
What'd you bring me?
- Surprise, one suitcase
full of dirty laundry.
- How was Chicago?
- Oh, well, it was cold,
but the deal was hot.
Anything exciting happen
here while I was away?
- Mr. D, my daddy
came to see me.
He's going to the airport,
staying in the
World Trade Center,
the zoo, a helicopter ride...
- Hold it. (rapid gibberish)
- Sam, come up for air!
- Forget it, Dad.
Ever since his father showed up,
ol' motormouth has
shifted into high gear,
and he hasn't
taken a pit stop yet!
- Well, Maggie, your
ex-husband's in town.
- That's right.
Wes is singing at a country
western club in New Jersey.
- And wait 'til I show you the
radio my daddy bought me.
Did I tell you the
guarantee was in Japanese?
- Only about 30 times.
'Scuse me, I have to go
study for a history test.
- History?
Did I tell you that
my daddy took me
to the Museum
of Natural History?
- Not in the last 10 minutes.
- Good.
It's neat, Arnold.
Someone caught a whale and
hung him up from the ceiling, ha!
- When will I get to meet Wes?
- Probably tomorrow, when
he comes to pick up Sam.
It's just like Wes.
He hadn't seen
Sam for nearly a year,
then he shows up unannounced
and turns Manhattan
into a fantasy land for him.
- Well, if he can get a smile
like that out of Sam's face,
he must have
something going for him.
- With all his faults,
and, as I remember,
there were about 287 of them,
I have to hand it to him.
Ol' Wes is a real charmer.
- Excuse me, Maggie?
Do you think Wes would
autograph this album of his for me?
- He'll autograph it,
and so will his horse.
- I bet his horse is sexy, too.
Oh, Mr. Drummond, Wes
McKinney is the biggest
teddy bear of a
man I've ever seen.
Oh, those eyes.
And that voice!
That voice is like maple syrup
dripping all over your body.
Wooo!
- Sounds like he'd go
good with pancakes.
How do I look, Maggie?
I want to make a good
impression for you.
- You will, Philip, you will.
Wes is from the backwoods.
First time he saw a suit
like that was at a funeral.
(doorbell ringing)
- It's daddy!
- Hey, little partner.
Don't peek.
Don't peek.
There she is.
- Wes, I told you
yesterday not to...
- I can't help it.
- Put me down.
We don't do this anymore.
Philip?
- Wes, we don't do that anymore.
- You must be Phil.
- I must be.
- Howdy.
- It's a pleasure.
Sam speaks of you very highly.
You must be proud,
he is one fine boy.
- Well, that's awful nice
of you to say that, partner.
- You're not gonna
pick me up too, are you?
- Not on the first date.
Ah, you know, Phil?
Every time I've been over
here this week and seen Maggie,
I just can't help but think
what a juicy little
pumpkin she is.
Now, I've been to county
fairs all over the country,
and I ain't never seen a
skillet as shiny as hers.
- Yeah, well...
We try to keep her
pretty well shined up.
- Howdy, y'all.
Hey, Wes.
Sure is good to see you again.
- Well, howdy, Pearl.
- I just thought you might
like something to snack on.
We got ham hocks
and chitlins, grits.
- The usual Park
Avenue munchies.
- That's mighty nice
of you to do that,
you know that, Pearl?
You know, if don't
mind my saying so,
you sure are a fine
figure of a woman.
- I don't mind.
- I like a gal with a
little meat on her bones.
- Then you'll love me,
'cause I got meat on my meat.
- Wes, it's really
good to meet you.
Excuse me, I've got a
board meeting waiting for me.
Oh, hey, I'm gonna take a cab.
Wes, why don't you and
Sam use the limousine today?
- Well, I appreciate that,
that's mighty neighborly of you...
- Don't thank me, don't...
Don't thank me.
Bye, everybody.
- [Arnold] Bye, dad.
- [Sam] Bye.
- Bye.
- Where we going today, daddy?
- We're going to Coney Island.
- Coney Island?
Wow!
- This just arrived
this morning.
- Oh, wow!
Look, Arnold!
What do you think?
- Well, it's okay for a kid.
- I got one for you
too, good buddy.
- Really?
I mean, some people can
wear 'em and some can't.
I can.
- Looking pretty sharp, Tex.
- Smile when you
say that, stranger.
- Thanks, daddy.
The boots are neat, too.
I'll never take 'em off!
- I'm glad you like 'em.
I had them hand-stitched
for you in Galveston.
- Come on, Arnold.
You can go watch me
try on my new boots.
I'll be right back, daddy.
- Okay, come on, I'll
teach you how to mosey.
You walk like this.
- Ah, it's been a
terrific week, Maggie,
seeing you and the boy.
- Yeah, Sam's turned
into quite a little man.
- I think about him a lot.
- Well, Wes, if you get
more bookings in the East,
you can see Sam
whenever you want to,
and he would really love it.
- Maggie, I'm not
talking about visiting.
Now I know you
have custody, but...
I want Sam to come live with me.
- What?
- Look, this is my last tour.
I mean it this time.
I'm gonna go back
home and buy a little club
and a house and a few
acres and settle down.
Maggie...
For Sam's sake,
for all of our sake.
Please.
Give it some thought.
- I'm all ready to go to
Coney Island, daddy!
- Whoa, you're
looking good, cowboy!
Well, let's hit 'em up and
mooooooooove 'em out.
- Yeah!
Bye, momma!
- Bye, Sam.
- Hi, Arnold.
How'd you know I was up?
- When you got out of bed,
you stepped on my face
with those stupid boots.
- Sorry, Arnold.
- Hey.
Whatchu doin' out here, kid?
You got a problem?
- Well, my daddy and Mr. D,
they're both great
guys, aren't they?
- Your dad sure seems nice.
And I'll tell you, Mr. D
is as good as they come.
But you know, when
my parents died,
and I first came here,
I was awful scared.
But Mr. D made me
feel like I was his own kid.
- But it's different
for me, Arnold.
My daddy's still alive.
- Yep, that is different.
- I feel bad for him, Arnold.
He's all alone.
You see, momma's got
a whole new family now.
I heard him tell momma
that he wants me
to come and live with him.
- Well, you're not
going, I won't let you.
- You really like me
that much, Arnold?
- Sure.
Besides that, I need
someone to pick on.
- What you fellas
doing out here?
- Oh, I was just imparting
wisdom to the child.
You know, they like to come
to their elders for advice.
Come on, squirt,
let's hit the books.
- You go ahead, Arnold.
I wanna talk to momma.
- Okay, kid.
Good night.
Heavy stuff.
- Kinda warm tonight.
- Yeah.
Boy, it's been fun
having daddy back again.
Right, momma?
- You two sure have been
having yourselves a time of it.
- Yeah, daddy's fun.
'Course, Mr. D's fun.
- Yes, he is.
- I bet if you divorced him,
he'd find a new
wife just like that.
(snaps fingers)
- You got something on
your mind, young man.
- Well, sometimes I
can't help to wondering
if you and daddy'll
ever get married again.
- Sam...
I'm afraid not, baby.
- Are you sure?
'Cause I've really been
having a great time with daddy.
And that hat he bought
me is gonna fit great
once I stuff newspaper into it.
- Sam, I know how you
feel about your daddy.
He feels the same way about you.
And he's gonna start
seeing you lots more often.
- But he wants me
all the time, momma.
I made up my mind.
I'm gonna go live with daddy.
- I mean it, Philip.
Sam is not going
to live with Wes.
No way, no how, no chance!
- Sweetheart, sweetheart,
now just calm down!
- I am calm! (bell dings)
- Maggie?
Maggie?
Maggie...
Sam is just excited
because his father's here.
- Phil.
He said he wants to live
with Wes permanently.
- Oh, Maggie, I
know how you feel.
Because when Willis and
Arnold first came to live with me,
a social worker tried
to take them away
and place them
in another family.
It was terrible.
But I knew that I
had to tell the boys
that they were free to go.
It was their decision.
- What am I gonna do?
- The hardest thing that
you've ever done in your life.
Let him go.
- Philip...
I can't let Sam go.
- Honey, if you say no,
he could resent you
for the rest of his life.
Look, I know it's hard,
but it's the only way,
and I promise you that
he'll miss everybody,
he'll get homesick,
and he'll have this
out of his system
in no time at all.
- Philip...
He's so little.
- See, it's the
perfect time to do it.
Wes is here for a
couple of weeks.
Sam's out on school vacation.
We'll make sure they
understand it's just a visit.
He'll be back home
in no time at all.
- Well, what if he's not?
- Then we'll have a
fight on our hands.
Maggie, I love Sam, too.
- Philip, I've got
a better idea.
- What's that?
- Let's hide him
in the basement.
- Maggie...
Let him go.
Let him go.
- All right.
Philip, I just don't know that
I can go through with this.
- Now, Maggie, pull
yourself together!
Wes will be here any minute.
- Right.
- Well, Sam's all set.
I told him it's a
jungle out there,
and I told him how
to survive on his wits,
just like I do every
day of my life.
- Yeah, Arnold told me
how to sneak into movies,
sneak under turnstiles, and...
- Uh, Sam, Sam...
- Well, Arnold,
I guess this is it.
- Yeah, Sam.
It.
- Well...
- Excuse us, guys.
- Uh, Sam?
I want you to have something.
- Pocket lint?
- No, wrong pocket.
I want you to have
my lucky silver dollar.
- Wow!
Your lucky silver dollar?
You're the best big brother
a guy could ever have.
- I know.
(doorbell ringing)
- Hi, Wes.
- Maggie, I want to thank
you for letting me take...
- Wes.
Please.
- Hi, daddy.
I'm all packed!
- Well, all right, let
me help you with those.
Thank you.
- Mr. D?
- Yes, Sam?
- I wanna tell you something.
If I didn't have a
father of my own,
you'd be my first choice.
- I know that, Sam.
Thank you.
- Well, momma,
I guess this is...
it.
- Good bye, Sam.
Just let me get a
good look at you.
You be a good
boy for your daddy.
- I will, momma.
- And just remember
that I love you
more than anything on Earth.
- I love you too, momma.
- I'll see you in a
couple of weeks.
- Alright, momma.
Bye, Arnold.
- Bye, squirt.
- Honey, the boy's
eight years old.
He'll be calling to come
home in three days.
He will.
(rhythmic tapping)
- [Arnold] Now, dad, can I
make this move over here?
Oh, dad, as I was saying, can
I make this horse move here?
- Yes, it moves this way...
- Okay, now, I...
(rhythmic tapping)
- Maggie.
- Philip, you said three days.
It's been over a week.
- Maggie, Sam's
called you every night.
- I know, every night
at seven o'clock.
But he hasn't
called yet tonight.
- Maggie.
It's 7:01.
He'll call.
(phone ringing)
- Hello?
Oh, hi, Sam, darling!
How's my little sugar plum?
You having a good time?
You are?
Well, sure, we're coming
to see you tomorrow night.
You are?
Of course momma
wants to hear you sing.
You have to go so soon?
Oh, no.
No, that's okay.
Yes, darling.
Well, bye.
Bye, sweetheart.
- Sounds like
Sam's having a ball.
- What'd he say?
- Well, things are just great.
For Wes.
Now he's got Sam
singing in his act with him.
I'm losing my child,
Philip, I can feel it.
- Maggie, you are
not losing Sam.
- And I'm not going to.
If Wes tries to get custody,
I'm gonna fight him in court!
Philip, how many lawyers
did you say you have?
- 14.
- Well, that's alright.
We can get more!
- Maggie, look,
you're hysterical.
Everything's gonna be fine.
- Yeah, Maggie!
That little redhead will
be out of the bunkhouse
and back into the
penthouse before you know it.
- Before you know it
is not soon enough.
We are not going to
that club tomorrow.
We are going tonight!
Arnold, grab your coat!
Philip, grab your chauffeur!
We're going!
- Whoa, wait!
Maggie...
- Let's move it!
Let's go!
Let's go!
(country music)
(audience cheering)
(crowd chatter)
Can't believe we
finally got here.
- I don't think the
chauffeur appreciated
your foot on the accelerator.
- Momma, Mr. D!
Arnold!
What are you doing here?
- We just couldn't
wait, darling.
Boy, you look cute
in that cowboy outfit!
- Well, surprise, surprise!
Hi, Maggie.
- Hi, Wes.
- Howdy, partner.
- Please, Wes, don't
slap me in the back.
I'd like to stay in my shoes.
- Maggie, come over to the bar.
The gang would like to meet ya.
Phil, why don't you
come along, too?
- Come on, Arnold.
- So how's it going, Sam?
- Great, fantastic!
I sing with daddy every night.
And then we sleep in real late,
get up about four
o'clock in the afternoon,
have breakfast, go to the
club and do it all over again!
And the crowd loves us!
- In other words,
you're miserable.
- Yeah.
I miss the family
something awful.
- Especially me, right?
- No.
Especially momma.
I wanna come home
in the worst way.
- Then why don't you?
- 'Cause I'd hurt daddy
something terrible.
I wanna go see momma.
Please don't say
anything to her, Arnold.
- I won't.
- Promise?
- Promise.
But I didn't say anything
about speaking to your dad.
♪ And I'm nobody's sugar daddy ♪
♪ Now I'm all lonesome ♪
♪ I got the lovesick blues ♪
♪ And I'm lonesome ♪
♪ I got the lovesick blues ♪
(audience applauding)
- [Sam] Thank you.
How'd I do, daddy?
- You did great, son.
But we got a little problem.
- What, daddy?
- Well, son...
It's your momma.
Her skillet's lost its
shine since you left her.
She needs you, son.
- What about you, daddy?
- Well, I need you, too.
But I'm kind of
used to being alone.
Now, I know you're
my little fella, but,
you gotta be a man about
this and go help your momma.
- I love you, daddy.
- I love you, too.
Let's go out there and sing
one more song for momma.
- Okay.
(audience applauding)
- Folks, I'd like to thank you
for being so nice
to my son, Sam.
I'm really proud of him.
Matter of fact, he's about
the proudest thing of my life.
I'm glad y'all are here
tonight, because...
This is Sam's
farewell performance.
He's going home to his momma.
- He is?
Arnold, did you have
something to do with this?
- Who, me, no way.
I don't want that
redheaded menace back.
- Somehow I find
that hard to believe.
- Look, he really
wants to come home.
I had a talk with Wes.
A boy-to-mountain talk.
He really misses you, Maggie.
♪ Smile as you go bye, buddy ♪
♪ Smile as you go back ♪
♪ 'Cause I don't have time
to hear a grown man cry ♪
♪ My pappy was a poor man ♪
♪ All he ever had was fun ♪
♪ The only thing he
could ever give me ♪
♪ Were the earth and
the sky and the sun ♪
♪ But the greatest
thing he told me was ♪
♪ Boy don't weep, come on ♪
♪ 'Cause a man who's
always crying now ♪
♪ Will always cry alone ♪
♪ You just smile as you go bye ♪
♪ Buddy, smile as you go back ♪
♪ 'Cause I don't have time
to hear a grown man cry ♪
♪ Why, I don't have time
time to hear a grown man cry ♪
(audience applauding)
- I'm coming home, momma!
- Thank you, Wes.
♪ If you're a cowboy
out on the highway ♪
♪ You can be sure
you're not alone ♪
♪ There are some mountain laws ♪
♪ Who dance on dust clouds ♪
♪ Ride wild horses
in the rodeo ♪
♪ In the rodeo ♪
♪ Now the world don't move
to the beat of just one drum ♪
♪ What might be right for
you may not be right for some ♪
♪ A man is born,
he's a man of means ♪
♪ Then along come two, they
got nothing but their jeans ♪
♪ But they got diff'rent
strokes, it takes ♪
♪ Diff'rent strokes, it takes ♪
♪ Diff'rent strokes to move
the world, yes it does ♪
♪ It takes diff'rent strokes
to move the world ♪
♪ Mmm ♪
(Sony Pictures
Television jingle)
to the beat of just one drum ♪
♪ What might be right for
you may not be right for some ♪
♪ A man is born,
he's a man of means ♪
♪ Then along come two, they
got nothing but their jeans ♪
♪ But they got diff'rent
strokes, it takes ♪
♪ Diff'rent strokes, it takes ♪
♪ Diff'rent strokes
to move the world ♪
♪ Everybody's got a
special kind of story ♪
♪ Everybody finds
a way to shine ♪
♪ It don't matter that you
got not a lot, so what ♪
♪ They'll have theirs
and you'll have yours ♪
♪ And I'll have mine ♪
♪ And together we'll be fine ♪
♪ 'Cause it takes ♪
♪ Diff'rent strokes to move
the world, yes it does ♪
♪ It takes diff'rent strokes
to move the world ♪
- Okay, thanks very much, Scott.
See you tomorrow morning.
Hey, everybody,
guess who's home?
- Yay!
- Dad, you're back!
- Oh, how was your trip?
- Oh, it's so good
to have you home.
You look just wonderful.
I can't tell you how
much I missed you.
What'd you bring me?
- Surprise, one suitcase
full of dirty laundry.
- How was Chicago?
- Oh, well, it was cold,
but the deal was hot.
Anything exciting happen
here while I was away?
- Mr. D, my daddy
came to see me.
He's going to the airport,
staying in the
World Trade Center,
the zoo, a helicopter ride...
- Hold it. (rapid gibberish)
- Sam, come up for air!
- Forget it, Dad.
Ever since his father showed up,
ol' motormouth has
shifted into high gear,
and he hasn't
taken a pit stop yet!
- Well, Maggie, your
ex-husband's in town.
- That's right.
Wes is singing at a country
western club in New Jersey.
- And wait 'til I show you the
radio my daddy bought me.
Did I tell you the
guarantee was in Japanese?
- Only about 30 times.
'Scuse me, I have to go
study for a history test.
- History?
Did I tell you that
my daddy took me
to the Museum
of Natural History?
- Not in the last 10 minutes.
- Good.
It's neat, Arnold.
Someone caught a whale and
hung him up from the ceiling, ha!
- When will I get to meet Wes?
- Probably tomorrow, when
he comes to pick up Sam.
It's just like Wes.
He hadn't seen
Sam for nearly a year,
then he shows up unannounced
and turns Manhattan
into a fantasy land for him.
- Well, if he can get a smile
like that out of Sam's face,
he must have
something going for him.
- With all his faults,
and, as I remember,
there were about 287 of them,
I have to hand it to him.
Ol' Wes is a real charmer.
- Excuse me, Maggie?
Do you think Wes would
autograph this album of his for me?
- He'll autograph it,
and so will his horse.
- I bet his horse is sexy, too.
Oh, Mr. Drummond, Wes
McKinney is the biggest
teddy bear of a
man I've ever seen.
Oh, those eyes.
And that voice!
That voice is like maple syrup
dripping all over your body.
Wooo!
- Sounds like he'd go
good with pancakes.
How do I look, Maggie?
I want to make a good
impression for you.
- You will, Philip, you will.
Wes is from the backwoods.
First time he saw a suit
like that was at a funeral.
(doorbell ringing)
- It's daddy!
- Hey, little partner.
Don't peek.
Don't peek.
There she is.
- Wes, I told you
yesterday not to...
- I can't help it.
- Put me down.
We don't do this anymore.
Philip?
- Wes, we don't do that anymore.
- You must be Phil.
- I must be.
- Howdy.
- It's a pleasure.
Sam speaks of you very highly.
You must be proud,
he is one fine boy.
- Well, that's awful nice
of you to say that, partner.
- You're not gonna
pick me up too, are you?
- Not on the first date.
Ah, you know, Phil?
Every time I've been over
here this week and seen Maggie,
I just can't help but think
what a juicy little
pumpkin she is.
Now, I've been to county
fairs all over the country,
and I ain't never seen a
skillet as shiny as hers.
- Yeah, well...
We try to keep her
pretty well shined up.
- Howdy, y'all.
Hey, Wes.
Sure is good to see you again.
- Well, howdy, Pearl.
- I just thought you might
like something to snack on.
We got ham hocks
and chitlins, grits.
- The usual Park
Avenue munchies.
- That's mighty nice
of you to do that,
you know that, Pearl?
You know, if don't
mind my saying so,
you sure are a fine
figure of a woman.
- I don't mind.
- I like a gal with a
little meat on her bones.
- Then you'll love me,
'cause I got meat on my meat.
- Wes, it's really
good to meet you.
Excuse me, I've got a
board meeting waiting for me.
Oh, hey, I'm gonna take a cab.
Wes, why don't you and
Sam use the limousine today?
- Well, I appreciate that,
that's mighty neighborly of you...
- Don't thank me, don't...
Don't thank me.
Bye, everybody.
- [Arnold] Bye, dad.
- [Sam] Bye.
- Bye.
- Where we going today, daddy?
- We're going to Coney Island.
- Coney Island?
Wow!
- This just arrived
this morning.
- Oh, wow!
Look, Arnold!
What do you think?
- Well, it's okay for a kid.
- I got one for you
too, good buddy.
- Really?
I mean, some people can
wear 'em and some can't.
I can.
- Looking pretty sharp, Tex.
- Smile when you
say that, stranger.
- Thanks, daddy.
The boots are neat, too.
I'll never take 'em off!
- I'm glad you like 'em.
I had them hand-stitched
for you in Galveston.
- Come on, Arnold.
You can go watch me
try on my new boots.
I'll be right back, daddy.
- Okay, come on, I'll
teach you how to mosey.
You walk like this.
- Ah, it's been a
terrific week, Maggie,
seeing you and the boy.
- Yeah, Sam's turned
into quite a little man.
- I think about him a lot.
- Well, Wes, if you get
more bookings in the East,
you can see Sam
whenever you want to,
and he would really love it.
- Maggie, I'm not
talking about visiting.
Now I know you
have custody, but...
I want Sam to come live with me.
- What?
- Look, this is my last tour.
I mean it this time.
I'm gonna go back
home and buy a little club
and a house and a few
acres and settle down.
Maggie...
For Sam's sake,
for all of our sake.
Please.
Give it some thought.
- I'm all ready to go to
Coney Island, daddy!
- Whoa, you're
looking good, cowboy!
Well, let's hit 'em up and
mooooooooove 'em out.
- Yeah!
Bye, momma!
- Bye, Sam.
- Hi, Arnold.
How'd you know I was up?
- When you got out of bed,
you stepped on my face
with those stupid boots.
- Sorry, Arnold.
- Hey.
Whatchu doin' out here, kid?
You got a problem?
- Well, my daddy and Mr. D,
they're both great
guys, aren't they?
- Your dad sure seems nice.
And I'll tell you, Mr. D
is as good as they come.
But you know, when
my parents died,
and I first came here,
I was awful scared.
But Mr. D made me
feel like I was his own kid.
- But it's different
for me, Arnold.
My daddy's still alive.
- Yep, that is different.
- I feel bad for him, Arnold.
He's all alone.
You see, momma's got
a whole new family now.
I heard him tell momma
that he wants me
to come and live with him.
- Well, you're not
going, I won't let you.
- You really like me
that much, Arnold?
- Sure.
Besides that, I need
someone to pick on.
- What you fellas
doing out here?
- Oh, I was just imparting
wisdom to the child.
You know, they like to come
to their elders for advice.
Come on, squirt,
let's hit the books.
- You go ahead, Arnold.
I wanna talk to momma.
- Okay, kid.
Good night.
Heavy stuff.
- Kinda warm tonight.
- Yeah.
Boy, it's been fun
having daddy back again.
Right, momma?
- You two sure have been
having yourselves a time of it.
- Yeah, daddy's fun.
'Course, Mr. D's fun.
- Yes, he is.
- I bet if you divorced him,
he'd find a new
wife just like that.
(snaps fingers)
- You got something on
your mind, young man.
- Well, sometimes I
can't help to wondering
if you and daddy'll
ever get married again.
- Sam...
I'm afraid not, baby.
- Are you sure?
'Cause I've really been
having a great time with daddy.
And that hat he bought
me is gonna fit great
once I stuff newspaper into it.
- Sam, I know how you
feel about your daddy.
He feels the same way about you.
And he's gonna start
seeing you lots more often.
- But he wants me
all the time, momma.
I made up my mind.
I'm gonna go live with daddy.
- I mean it, Philip.
Sam is not going
to live with Wes.
No way, no how, no chance!
- Sweetheart, sweetheart,
now just calm down!
- I am calm! (bell dings)
- Maggie?
Maggie?
Maggie...
Sam is just excited
because his father's here.
- Phil.
He said he wants to live
with Wes permanently.
- Oh, Maggie, I
know how you feel.
Because when Willis and
Arnold first came to live with me,
a social worker tried
to take them away
and place them
in another family.
It was terrible.
But I knew that I
had to tell the boys
that they were free to go.
It was their decision.
- What am I gonna do?
- The hardest thing that
you've ever done in your life.
Let him go.
- Philip...
I can't let Sam go.
- Honey, if you say no,
he could resent you
for the rest of his life.
Look, I know it's hard,
but it's the only way,
and I promise you that
he'll miss everybody,
he'll get homesick,
and he'll have this
out of his system
in no time at all.
- Philip...
He's so little.
- See, it's the
perfect time to do it.
Wes is here for a
couple of weeks.
Sam's out on school vacation.
We'll make sure they
understand it's just a visit.
He'll be back home
in no time at all.
- Well, what if he's not?
- Then we'll have a
fight on our hands.
Maggie, I love Sam, too.
- Philip, I've got
a better idea.
- What's that?
- Let's hide him
in the basement.
- Maggie...
Let him go.
Let him go.
- All right.
Philip, I just don't know that
I can go through with this.
- Now, Maggie, pull
yourself together!
Wes will be here any minute.
- Right.
- Well, Sam's all set.
I told him it's a
jungle out there,
and I told him how
to survive on his wits,
just like I do every
day of my life.
- Yeah, Arnold told me
how to sneak into movies,
sneak under turnstiles, and...
- Uh, Sam, Sam...
- Well, Arnold,
I guess this is it.
- Yeah, Sam.
It.
- Well...
- Excuse us, guys.
- Uh, Sam?
I want you to have something.
- Pocket lint?
- No, wrong pocket.
I want you to have
my lucky silver dollar.
- Wow!
Your lucky silver dollar?
You're the best big brother
a guy could ever have.
- I know.
(doorbell ringing)
- Hi, Wes.
- Maggie, I want to thank
you for letting me take...
- Wes.
Please.
- Hi, daddy.
I'm all packed!
- Well, all right, let
me help you with those.
Thank you.
- Mr. D?
- Yes, Sam?
- I wanna tell you something.
If I didn't have a
father of my own,
you'd be my first choice.
- I know that, Sam.
Thank you.
- Well, momma,
I guess this is...
it.
- Good bye, Sam.
Just let me get a
good look at you.
You be a good
boy for your daddy.
- I will, momma.
- And just remember
that I love you
more than anything on Earth.
- I love you too, momma.
- I'll see you in a
couple of weeks.
- Alright, momma.
Bye, Arnold.
- Bye, squirt.
- Honey, the boy's
eight years old.
He'll be calling to come
home in three days.
He will.
(rhythmic tapping)
- [Arnold] Now, dad, can I
make this move over here?
Oh, dad, as I was saying, can
I make this horse move here?
- Yes, it moves this way...
- Okay, now, I...
(rhythmic tapping)
- Maggie.
- Philip, you said three days.
It's been over a week.
- Maggie, Sam's
called you every night.
- I know, every night
at seven o'clock.
But he hasn't
called yet tonight.
- Maggie.
It's 7:01.
He'll call.
(phone ringing)
- Hello?
Oh, hi, Sam, darling!
How's my little sugar plum?
You having a good time?
You are?
Well, sure, we're coming
to see you tomorrow night.
You are?
Of course momma
wants to hear you sing.
You have to go so soon?
Oh, no.
No, that's okay.
Yes, darling.
Well, bye.
Bye, sweetheart.
- Sounds like
Sam's having a ball.
- What'd he say?
- Well, things are just great.
For Wes.
Now he's got Sam
singing in his act with him.
I'm losing my child,
Philip, I can feel it.
- Maggie, you are
not losing Sam.
- And I'm not going to.
If Wes tries to get custody,
I'm gonna fight him in court!
Philip, how many lawyers
did you say you have?
- 14.
- Well, that's alright.
We can get more!
- Maggie, look,
you're hysterical.
Everything's gonna be fine.
- Yeah, Maggie!
That little redhead will
be out of the bunkhouse
and back into the
penthouse before you know it.
- Before you know it
is not soon enough.
We are not going to
that club tomorrow.
We are going tonight!
Arnold, grab your coat!
Philip, grab your chauffeur!
We're going!
- Whoa, wait!
Maggie...
- Let's move it!
Let's go!
Let's go!
(country music)
(audience cheering)
(crowd chatter)
Can't believe we
finally got here.
- I don't think the
chauffeur appreciated
your foot on the accelerator.
- Momma, Mr. D!
Arnold!
What are you doing here?
- We just couldn't
wait, darling.
Boy, you look cute
in that cowboy outfit!
- Well, surprise, surprise!
Hi, Maggie.
- Hi, Wes.
- Howdy, partner.
- Please, Wes, don't
slap me in the back.
I'd like to stay in my shoes.
- Maggie, come over to the bar.
The gang would like to meet ya.
Phil, why don't you
come along, too?
- Come on, Arnold.
- So how's it going, Sam?
- Great, fantastic!
I sing with daddy every night.
And then we sleep in real late,
get up about four
o'clock in the afternoon,
have breakfast, go to the
club and do it all over again!
And the crowd loves us!
- In other words,
you're miserable.
- Yeah.
I miss the family
something awful.
- Especially me, right?
- No.
Especially momma.
I wanna come home
in the worst way.
- Then why don't you?
- 'Cause I'd hurt daddy
something terrible.
I wanna go see momma.
Please don't say
anything to her, Arnold.
- I won't.
- Promise?
- Promise.
But I didn't say anything
about speaking to your dad.
♪ And I'm nobody's sugar daddy ♪
♪ Now I'm all lonesome ♪
♪ I got the lovesick blues ♪
♪ And I'm lonesome ♪
♪ I got the lovesick blues ♪
(audience applauding)
- [Sam] Thank you.
How'd I do, daddy?
- You did great, son.
But we got a little problem.
- What, daddy?
- Well, son...
It's your momma.
Her skillet's lost its
shine since you left her.
She needs you, son.
- What about you, daddy?
- Well, I need you, too.
But I'm kind of
used to being alone.
Now, I know you're
my little fella, but,
you gotta be a man about
this and go help your momma.
- I love you, daddy.
- I love you, too.
Let's go out there and sing
one more song for momma.
- Okay.
(audience applauding)
- Folks, I'd like to thank you
for being so nice
to my son, Sam.
I'm really proud of him.
Matter of fact, he's about
the proudest thing of my life.
I'm glad y'all are here
tonight, because...
This is Sam's
farewell performance.
He's going home to his momma.
- He is?
Arnold, did you have
something to do with this?
- Who, me, no way.
I don't want that
redheaded menace back.
- Somehow I find
that hard to believe.
- Look, he really
wants to come home.
I had a talk with Wes.
A boy-to-mountain talk.
He really misses you, Maggie.
♪ Smile as you go bye, buddy ♪
♪ Smile as you go back ♪
♪ 'Cause I don't have time
to hear a grown man cry ♪
♪ My pappy was a poor man ♪
♪ All he ever had was fun ♪
♪ The only thing he
could ever give me ♪
♪ Were the earth and
the sky and the sun ♪
♪ But the greatest
thing he told me was ♪
♪ Boy don't weep, come on ♪
♪ 'Cause a man who's
always crying now ♪
♪ Will always cry alone ♪
♪ You just smile as you go bye ♪
♪ Buddy, smile as you go back ♪
♪ 'Cause I don't have time
to hear a grown man cry ♪
♪ Why, I don't have time
time to hear a grown man cry ♪
(audience applauding)
- I'm coming home, momma!
- Thank you, Wes.
♪ If you're a cowboy
out on the highway ♪
♪ You can be sure
you're not alone ♪
♪ There are some mountain laws ♪
♪ Who dance on dust clouds ♪
♪ Ride wild horses
in the rodeo ♪
♪ In the rodeo ♪
♪ Now the world don't move
to the beat of just one drum ♪
♪ What might be right for
you may not be right for some ♪
♪ A man is born,
he's a man of means ♪
♪ Then along come two, they
got nothing but their jeans ♪
♪ But they got diff'rent
strokes, it takes ♪
♪ Diff'rent strokes, it takes ♪
♪ Diff'rent strokes to move
the world, yes it does ♪
♪ It takes diff'rent strokes
to move the world ♪
♪ Mmm ♪
(Sony Pictures
Television jingle)