Father Knows Best (1954–1960): Season 1, Episode 17 - The Promised Playhouse - full transcript

Bud wants Jim to promise to take him to a rodeo, but Jim does not want to promise. Promises gets him into trouble, Once, to get Kathy to take medicine, he promised he would sleep with her in a play house and he reluctantly kept the promise.

And Jane Wyatt,

with Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray,

and Lauren Chapin in...

Dad, will you do me a favor?

Bud, can't you see I'm busy?

Oh, I don't mean now.

Two weeks from today,

there's a rodeo coming to town,

and they got a family plan

where you can
get in for half price

if you're with a parent. Yeah.



So will you took
Claude, Kippy, and me?

Maybe. I'll see.

Well, I gotta know now
so I can tell the guys.

Well, I don't know
whether I'll be free that day.

I might have to
work. I hope I can go.

Will you promise?

No, I don't make promises
unless I know I can keep them.

I learned that
lesson the hard way.

Kathy taught it to me.

Kathy?

That's right.

Let me tell you what happened

so you know why
I'm wary of promises.

It was about four,
maybe five years ago.



Anyway, it was when
Kathy had the measles.

We were in her bedroom, trying
to get her to take some medicine.

Gee, it's not bad at all.

In fact, it's pretty good.

Now, here, you take some.

You didn't take hardly any.

Well, I really
have no reason to.

I don't have the measles.

I'll give 'em to ya.

Go on, angel, take your
medicine like a good girl.

If I take it, can I have a
playhouse out in the backyard?

Yes, you may have a playhouse.

Now here.

Can I eat dinner in
my playhouse, too?

You can eat all
your meals out there.

Now come on.

Will you eat out there with me?

Yes, certainly.

Can I sleep out there, too?

Sure, sure.

Now, stop stalling around.

Will you sleep
out there with me?

Yes, I'll sleep
out there with you.

Now, please, take this.

Promise?

Yes, yes, I promise.

Now, come on, please take this.

Hey, this is good.
Can I have some more?

Kathy soon recovered
from the measles,

and I thought we'd heard
the last about that playhouse.

But I didn't know what was
going on in the backyard.

Yes, ol' Kath was out there,
trying to build a playhouse

out of a refrigerator
packing case.

I didn't notice it when I
came home that evening

because my mind
was on other problems.

For one thing, I was upset

because a fellow
named Harry Keane

had broken his promise
in a business deal,

and to me, breaking a
promise was a cardinal sin.

And then, on top of that,

you, Bud, were needling me

about some ridiculous kind
of a job you wanted to take.

What kind of a job?

At a bakery. Night watchman.

Night watchman?

Well, what's the
matter with that?

Well, it's all you can do

to stay awake in the
daytime, let alone at night.

I can take little catnaps

when nothing
important is going on.

That's the way Thomas
Edison used to do it.

I never knew Thomas
Edison worked in a bakery.

Ah, come on, Dad.
How about it, huh?

Look, Bud...

Well, it pays good
money. 12 bucks a week.

Bud, can't we talk about
this some other time?

I just got home, and I'm tired,

and I like to read the paper.

Daddy!

Go away, Squeegee, Dad's tired.

Daddy, can I borrow
your camping flashlight?

Well, I don't know,
Kitten, I'm afraid...

Thank you, Daddy.

It's an easy job, Dad. Bud...

And there's a chance
for advancement, too.

Bud... Sometimes,
when you get caught up

in your night watching,
they'll let you do other things,

like sprinkle the
nuts on bear claws.

Huh?

Bud, will you please
let me read my paper.

I just want a few minutes
of peace and quiet.

Bye, Ralphie.

It'd be a good chance to
learn the business, Dad.

Mother!

Dad... Mother, if
Burt Ketchal calls,

will you tell him I had
to go somewhere?

What'd you say, dear?

I said...

Betty, if you want to
talk to your mother,

go out in the kitchen.

Yeah.

Oh, hello, Father.

What'd you say, Betty?

Oh, when Burt Ketchal
calls, I want you to talk to him.

Well, why should I talk to him?

Well, I made a date
with him for tonight,

but I don't want to keep it.

I'll think of a good excuse.

Maybe I had to go to
choir practice or something.

Now, just a minute.

I don't know who this boy is,

but it seems to me if you
promised to go out with him,

you should keep your word.

But, Father, it's Burt Ketchal,

and he's such a goon.

Hey, his uncle
works at the bakery.

Bud, let's drop the
bakery for a second.

He's in rolls and buns.

It is pretty late
to call it off, dear.

After you promised
him you would go.

I didn't know he was such
a goon when I promised.

Yes, he should've
told he was a goon.

Very sneaky of him not to.

If he had any brains at all,

He'd know the only reason
I agreed to go with him

is because I'd had
a fight with Ralph.

And now Ralph
and I have made up.

You'll think of some good
excuse to tell him, won't you?

Whoop, wait a minute.

Betty, you can't do this.

You're going to learn
to keep your word.

But, Father, I'll
be bored to death.

All right, then,
you'll be bored.

Next time, you won't be
so free with your promises.

Oh, all right.

But if this date leads
to a nervous breakdown,

you'll know whose fault it is.

Aren't you making a
fairly big issue of this?

I don't think so.

I was always taught

that a promise is supposed
to mean something.

Do you want to speak to Burt?

She certainly does.

Hello? Betty!

Yes. Oh. Wait just
a minute, will you?

Betty!

Jim. Jim, it's Ed Davis.

They're planning on
coming over this evening.

I'd almost forgotten about it.

Maybe I better
tell him next week.

Why do that? Well, you're tired.

They always stay so late,

and, anyway, it wasn't
anything definite.

Oh, no, all you said was,

"We want to see you
Thursday evening at 8:00."

But it wasn't anything definite.

Well, they're neighbors.
We don't stand on ceremony.

It's not ceremony, it's
the idea of the thing.

If you say you're gonna
do something, do it.

I haven't got
time for a lecture.

You talk to him.

All he wants to know is
what time to come tonight.

Hiya, boy.

Oh, about 8:00, I'd say.

You what?

I got the slides back today.

The color slides
of our fishing trip.

Boy, you should see
yourself landing that big trout.

Really? Gee, I
want to see those.

Why don't you bring
them along tonight?

Okay, Ed, get
here a little early

so we'll have plenty
of time for the pictures.

Swell. Good-bye.

And I could get our
bread wholesale, too.

Come on, everyone.

Betty!

I'm here.

I'm not hungry, though.

Boy, I am.

Just thinking about dancing
all evening with Burt Ketchal

is enough to kill
anyone's appetite.

It'd take a good deal
more than Burt Ketchal

to spoil my appetite
for a meal like this.

Hi, Daddy. I'm all
ready for dinner.

Good. Sit right down.

Oh, but I'm not eating in here.

Where are you eating?

Outside.

Okay, we got that
settled, now let's eat.

Hold your horses, Bud.

Kathy, who told you
you could eat outside?

You did.

I did?

Uh-huh, last month
when I had the measles.

If I took the medicine, you
promised I could have a playhouse,

and I could eat in it, too.

Did I say that?

I'm afraid you did, dear.

So I built one out in back,

and I got dinner
all ready in it.

A playhouse, huh?

So that's the secret project.

Well, if I made you a promise,

I'll stick to it. I
keep my word.

Go ahead, Kathy,
but you're gonna miss

a wonderful dinner in
here, eating out there alone.

Oh, but I'm not eating alone.

No? Who's eating with you?

You are.

Huh?

You promised you'd eat
out there, too, remember?

Did I say that, too?

We must all learn to keep
our word, Father, dear.

Come on, Daddy. I
got the table all set.

I'm using my new doll dishes.

Well, uh, what are
we, uh, having to eat?

Oh, something real good.

Graham crackers and butter,

and radishes, and orange pop.

Look, Kitten, uh,
don't you think maybe

tomorrow might be a better day?

You promised, Daddy.

I was always taught

that a promise is supposed
to mean something.

We don't want any Harry
Keane's in this family.

Well, come on, Daddy.

Just don't eat all of
that, because I'll be back.

Enjoy your dinner, Father.

Well, let's get to
working on ours.

Oh, wait, you better
get your pajamas.

What for?

You're sleeping out there, too.

What? In that pile of boxes?

You promised, Daddy.

Night, Dad.

Sleep tight, dear.

Happy dreams, Father.

You work and you slave, and...

look what you get.

Boy, isn't this fun, Daddy?

Yeah, it sure is.

Ouch.

Do you want some
more fried chicken?

Well, I've forgotten now.
Which is the fried chicken?

Well, this is.

Have all you want.

Thank you, I believe I've had
all the fried chicken I can handle.

May I have this apple?

That's not an apple.

What is it?

A great, big
strawberry shortcake

with lots of
whipped cream on it.

Here, do you want it?

Kathy, let's sneak in the house

and see what Mommy
fixed for dessert.

Well, don't you want
the strawberry shortcake?

Well, sure, but...
Well, then, here.

Isn't this fun?

Mm-hmm.

It's a lot more comfortable

eating lying down, isn't it?

Oh, yes, I, uh...

May eat lying down from now on.

Have you ever had
this much fun before?

No.

Ed, I tell you, they're not
expecting us until 8:00.

I know, but Jim
said get here early.

He's anxious to see these.

But he didn't mean for
us to come to dinner.

Honestly, Ed, sometimes you...

Oh, hi, Margaret.

Hello, Margaret.

Oh, hello.

I know we're a touch early,

but old Jim wanted us to hurry

so he could see
these pictures and all.

Look, sweetie, you
can throw us out,

and we'll come back later.

Oh, no, no. Come on in.

It's perfectly all right.

Yeah, old Jim is sure
anxious to see these, too.

I got some great shots.

Oh, put your stuff anywhere.

Make yourselves at home.

We'll be through
dinner in a minute.

You're not through?

Oh, well, why don't
you join us for dessert?

Would you like some
strawberry shortcake?

Yeah, sure. No, thank you. No.

Oh, come on. I've got plenty.

And you can have old Jim's

because he's not here right now.

He isn't? Where is he?

At the moment, he's out in
a refrigerator packing case.

Oh, I see.

Packing case?

We've got to keep
a nice, neat house.

Yeah.

Oh, Kathy, I have a good idea.

Let's pretend it's Thanksgiving

and we have to go
visit our relatives.

In the house.

Okay, but only we can't go now.

It's bedtime. Put
on your pajamas.

Kathy, it's a little
early for bed.

Besides, I don't think
there's room enough in here

for both of us to sleep.

There's lots of room.

Put on your pajamas
and go in the bedroom.

Where's the bedroom?

You're in it.

I was afraid of that.

Dad, you in there?

Hmm? Bud, don't
yell through the roof.

If you want us, knock
on the front door.

Well, where is the front door?

That potato sack.

Just how do you
knock on a potato sack?

Bud, please do as she asks.

Hey, Dad, you left
your shoes out here.

Ow!

Sorry.

What do you want?

Well, Mom wants to see you.

She does? Tell
her I'll be right in.

Kathy, I have to
go in the house.

Mother wants to see me.

I'll go see what she...

No, no, no. I better
do this myself.

Will you come right back?

Well, that all depends.

Mother may need me
for quite a little while.

Aw, Daddy.

Well, Kitten, I...

You promised you'd
sleep out here with me.

I know I did, but the
Davises are coming over,

and I have to be
polite to our guests.

You promised.

Okay. Okay, I'll be back.

Children, will you
finish up the dishes?

I can't leave the Davises alone.

Oh, thanks, honey, for
the seventh inning stretch.

Me? It seems you told Ed
to come early, and he did.

He's in there, setting up
the projector right now.

Are you free?

Well, I'm supposed to go out
there and put my pajamas on.

But I think maybe she'll get
interested in something else,

and forget about me.

You think so?

Daddy, you said
you'd be right back.

Well, yes, but the Davis' got
here earlier than I expected,

and they have some picture
slides they want me to look at, and...

You promised.

Yes, Father, you promised.

Yeah.

Well, uh, I'll be
right with you.

Maybe she'll go to sleep
real fast, and I'll bring her in.

Hurry, Ed won't
hold still very long.

A man armed with vacation
films is not to be denied.

Okay.

Dad, you promised we'd talk
about that job at the bakery.

Oh, Bud, I said later.

Well, it's later now.

Yes, but I've got another
promise I'm working on now.

Hurry up, Daddy.

I'm coming.

I'll talk to you later, Dad.

Comfortable, Daddy?

Oh, yes, wonderful.

Well, just turn off the
light and have a fine sleep.

Okay.

Good night, Kitten.

Good night, Daddy.

Isn't this fun, Daddy?

Yes, dear. Yes,
dear. Go to sleep.

What the...

I can't sleep
with the light off.

It's too dark.

Well, you can't
sleep with the light on.

Yes, I can.

Good night, Daddy.

Good night, Dear.

Daddy? Daddy, I heard
something outside.

There's nothing out there.
Close your eyes now, honey.

That's a girl.

Good night, Daddy.
Good night, dear.

Daddy. Daddy, there's a
big, ugly animal outside.

No, there isn't.

Yes, there is.

I can see his eyes,
and his horrible face!

For Pete's sake,
what's the idea?

How about the bakery?

Well, how about it, Dad?

Bud, won't you please go away?

Can't you see
Kathy's trying to sleep?

Daddy, will you
please stop talking?

You're keeping me awake.

I'm sorry.

Good night, Daddy.

Good night.

Mother? We're
leaving now, Mother.

All right, dear, you and
Burt have a good time.

Oh, we will.

How much longer do you
think he'll be out there?

I hope not much longer.

Well, maybe we better
do this some other evening.

Oh, no, I'm sure
he'll be here soon.

Sure he will.

In the meantime, maybe
we can just warm up

on a couple of these.

Make sure everything's okay.

Bud, flip off the
light, will you, please?

Sure.

Boy, old Jim's gonna
love these pictures.

Man, oh, man,
isn't that a beauty?

What is it?

It's a trout.

An eastern brook trout.

Do you mean you
bought all that equipment

and drove 600
miles just to catch

that poor,
defenseless little thing?

Go and get your
father, Bud. Hurry.

Dad.

Huh?

Mom wants to know
if Kathy's asleep yet.

Well, she was.

What's the matter, Daddy?

Nothing, Kitten.
Nothing. Go back to sleep.

Well, they're
waiting for you, Dad.

Mr. Davis is starting
to run the pictures.

He is?

Well, I'm not
interested in that.

I just want to get to sleep.

Don't we, Kitten? Uh-huh.

Well, what'll I tell 'em?

Just go back in the house

and don't tell them anything.

Okay.

Let's settle down, now.

It's nice to have
holes in your roof.

You can look up
and see the stars.

They're pretty, too.

Well, close your
eyes and go to sleep.

And hurry.

I can't hurry.

Well, try.

Okay. Sweet dreams.

Sweet dreams, dear.

Are you asleep, Kathy?

No, are you?

Daddy, are you waiting
for me to go to sleep

so you can get up and
watch the fishing pictures?

Well, whatever gave
you an idea like that?

You would like to see
them, wouldn't you?

Well, I can see them
some other time.

It's all right, Kitten.

Good night.

Good night, angel.

Oh, dear.

Oh, now, here.

Here's one old Jim
wouldn't want to miss.

It's old Jim landing that big
rainbow. Maybe he mentioned it.

Oh, yes, he mentioned it.

About 9,000 times.

Oh, boy, you don't often
get a picture like that.

It's luck that I happened to have
the camera on him at the time.

Pure luck. Look at that action.

Once again, I made
one little mistake.

I underexposed it.

Is she asleep?

Finally.

Are the pictures over?

Almost.

But I have a hunch
you could talk Ed

into bringing them over
a half dozen more times.

Bless her heart.
She's exhausted.

She worked all day
on that playhouse.

Well, I kept my
promise, didn't I, honey?

You're a good father.

And a pretty good husband.

Oh, she looks just the way
she did when she was a baby.

You know, honey, just
before she dropped off,

she asked me if I was just
waiting for her to go to sleep

so I could come
in, see the pictures.

You didn't tell her, did you?

Oh, no, of course not.
She wouldn't understand.

Come on, dear.
Little angel face.

You better get dressed,
come down stairs.

Ed's waiting.

Good night, Kitten.

Good night, Daddy.

Let me tell you what
else happened that night.

About 1 a.m., Kathy wakened us.

She was sure she heard prowlers

trying to break into
her beloved playhouse.

Thanks, Dad.

The only way I could
get her back to sleep

was by promising her I'd find
some watchmen to guard it.

You mean you trapped
yourself into another promise?

Still hadn't learned my lesson.

Well, where could
you find watchmen

stupid enough to guard
a pile of junk like that?

It wasn't easy, but I
finally found someone.

Oh.

Well, it's not the most
comfortable bed in the world, honey,

but it does have
certain advantages.

For example, when
you turn off the light,

you can look up through
the holes in the roof

and see the stars.

Good night, honey.

♪♪

Closed-Captioned By J.R.
Media Services, Inc. Burbank, CA