Father Knows Best (1954–1960): Season 4, Episode 24 - Betty's Crusade - full transcript

The Insurance Company where Jim works is buying a new building for expansion. The building is a local hangout for Betty's college and the students love it. The students campaign to stop the sale of the building and repair the old building.

[Announcer] Here are...

with Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray,

and Lauren Chapin in...

And that's where my new
office building's going to be,

right on that corner.

What are you
going to call it, Dad,

the Anderson Building?

No, it's not my building.

The insurance company's
putting it up, not me.

I couldn't afford that.

Why not? A little
short this week?



Well, now, that property's
out near Betty's college.

Shouldn't an office
building be downtown?

No, the trend now

is to get away from
congestion, traffic, smoke.

Out there, we'll have
plenty of parking space,

ventilation, fresh air,

and enough room.

Those drafty, dingy
cubicles we're in now,

it's so crowded, you get crushed

every time you pull
out a file cabinet drawer.

Well, that sounds wonderful.

What's this little black square

on the very corner
of the property?

Oh, that's the one thing



that's been holding up the deal.

Fellow owns the
lease on that building.

He could have renewed
it for another five years

if he had made
certain improvements,

but fortunately for
us, he didn't do it.

So his lease is now expiring.

Well, will you have to
tear that building down?

No. A good stiff wind
would blow it down.

It's sort of an off-campus
coffee hangout

for the college kids.

Oh, I know the place.

Betty says they
call it the hovel.

The hovel? Oh, dear.

Well, the official
name is Hanno's Place.

Actually, it's a
small monstrosity.

Look, we can't just sit here
and let them move Hanno out.

But how can we stop them?

This lease looks awful legal.

We'll write a
letter to the mayor.

The mayor has
nothing to do with this.

The one we want is the outfit

that's trying to
buy the property.

Hanno, how many
more days do you have?

What's the deadline?

In the lease it tells.

A few days more.

Six, maybe ten.

Oh, here's the date.

Your lease expires on the 20th.

Let's see. Today's the 11th.

Wow. Only nine more days.

That doesn't give us much time.

We'll have to work
that much faster.

Hanno, how come you
goofed on this provision here?

If you'd only put a new roof on

and modernized
the front a little,

you could have renewed the lease

for another five years.

Well, I meant to do it.

Just never got around to it.

For the last five years,
you never go around to it?

Well, time flies, you know.

Well, it's too late to
worry about that now.

We'll have to figure
out another way

of keeping Hanno here.

Hanno, can we borrow
this lease for a bit?

The less I see of that,

the more I don't care

if I don't see it
too much again.

Hey, we'll show
this to my father.

I know he'll be
able to figure out

some way to stop
this... This land grab.

Okay. Let's go.

Hanno, I give you my pledge.

You are going to stay right here

for a long, long time.

Good. I'm with you.

Viel Glück.

Oh, "ve'll" lick 'em, but gut.

We want to discuss something

very important with you, Father.

You know both Ralph and Joel.

- Sure, sure.
- How are you, Mr. Anderson?

I've seen their pictures
on the post office walls.

Now, Father, you believe
in justice, don't you?

Definitely.

And you believe in loyalty

to old friends and traditions.

And a man's right
to run his business.

And not get shoved
out in the street.

I'm with you so far.

Well, then.

Father, we're enlisting you

to find out the name of a
crass, heartless individual

who's trying to pull the rug

out from under a
very good friend.

Get the dirty rat's name,

and we'll write him
a scorching letter.

Did you get a box of stationery

for your birthday or something?

Will you do it, Father?

Well, you have to give
me something to go on.

What are the details?

Well, some miserable sneak...

Yes?

Is planning to put
up an office building...

An office building?

Right where our friend
has his place of business.

And your friend's name is...

Hanno.

Hanno Bachmuller.

Uh...

well, look, uh...

did it ever occur to you

there might be two
sides to this matter?

Oh, no. It's obvious
that some greedy whelp

is trying to push Hanno out

to make a nice,
neat pile for himself.

How do you know?
You don't even know him.

Well, it's obvious.

Here's Hanno's lease.

Maybe you can find
some loophole in it.

Well, uh, Betty...

You got any ideas how
we can throw a blockbuster

at this land-grabbing gorilla?

Betty, could I talk to
you alone for a moment?

You boys will
excuse us, won't you?

- What's the matter?
- Shh.

Why this sinister move?

Well, I thought
before our discussion

concerning the land-grabbing
gorilla went any further,

you'd better know that
the gorilla in question is...

[chuckles] Yes, well...

You?

Well, not me personally.

It's the insurance company
that's putting up the building.

But it will be my new offices.

Oh, no. You're
joking, aren't you?

No, I'm afraid not.

Oh, but...

Father, you can't do this.

Tell them to build
it someplace else.

We've been hunting for a
suitable site for two years.

This is the first
piece of property

that the company's
ever approved.

The papers are
being drawn up now.

But Hanno's lease
hasn't expired yet. Read it.

It just has a few days
to run, till the 20th.

Oh, I wish I were dead.

I'm really sorry.

Of course your friend Hanno

had plenty of opportunity
to renew his lease.

Yes, I know, but he
never could afford

to put on a new
roof and all that.

Well, he must be a pretty
poor businessman, then.

So maybe he is, but he...

Father, don't you understand?

If Hanno moved out,

the college might
as well fold up.

Oh, look, now, Betty, that...

Better they should burn down
the Administration Building

than tear down the hovel.

Well, I don't believe
it's that serious.

Besides, why can't
he find another place?

A place that would
be much better

than that ramshackle
thing he's in now.

Ramshackle?

Oh, no.

No, it's a wonderful place.

It's just right the way it is.

Its oldness has meaning...

and warmness and friendliness.

A tradition.

You feel all these things
when you step inside.

Betty, you're just
romanticizing now.

Romantic...
Father, of all people,

I thought you'd understand.

Well, I do see your point.

You know, I gave Hanno my pledge

that I'd fight this
thing through for him.

Well, before you go
around pledging yourself,

you should look
into all sides of the...

And I believed it was
the right thing to do,

and I still believe that.

I'm giving you fair
warning, Father.

I'm going to have to fight you.

Well, if you believe in it,

that's what you're
going to have to do.

But you might as well know
now the battle is already over.

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.

We'll see.

Hey, what's Tallulah
so hacked about?

Well, son, you're a
student of Shakespeare.

I am?

You remember
what King Lear said.

I think it was Lear.

Oh, how sharper
than a serpent's tooth

it is to have a thankless child.

It's good to get
that cleared up.

Wait. Let me get this straight.

Your father knows
who the gorilla is,

but you won't tell us?

Why not? Is he a bigger
crook than we figured?

He's not a crook!

Well, this just puts a
different light on things.

We'll have to figure
out another approach.

Let's see, how many
days have we left?

Only nine days
till the deadline.

Nine.

Hmm.

All right, Ralph,
find a contractor.

Find out how much it will cost

to put a new roof on the hovel

and whatever else
has to be done.

Joel, you're head of the
fundraising committee.

Betty, we only have nine days.

Okay, so we have to
make every second count.

Are you with me?

You're darn right.

Viel Glück!

- Hi.
- Hi.

I talked to another
contractor today,

and he'll give us a better
deal than any of the others...

- Only 500 bucks.
- Wonderful.

He can do the whole job
in two days, maybe less.

Now we're cooking.

How much loot do we have?

Well, not much more
than we had yesterday.

About $123.

That old deadline's
bearing down on us.

Yeah. Well, how much
did Joel turn in today?

He hasn't even shown up yet.

I'm afraid he's
running out of gas

after that big start he made.

Oh.

Hello, Ralph.

Hi, Hanno. Oh, no
coffee for me, thanks.

- I'm broke.
- That's okay.

You pay later...

Maybe tomorrow or next week.

Now, you know, Hanno,
you shouldn't do this.

You need the cash.
Make everybody pay.

No. I don't worry about the pay.

Even your poet friend
Walt Whitman says

"Don't worry about that."

I show you. Hmm?

This is a fine book.

Uh...

yeah.

"But now I think

"there is no unreturned love.

The pay is certain
one way or another."

Hmm?

[chuckles]

Yeah, you see.

Old "Valt Vitman"
isn't helping much

- with that kind of talk.
- He sure isn't.

Look what I got, kiddies.

Pennies from heaven.

65 pesos.

65? Oh, Joel, you're a doll!

All of it cheerfully donated,

on threat of death by torture.

Oh, that's beautiful stuff.

By George, if we keep this up,

we can make it, Betty.
We can beat the deadline.

Boy.

Oh, Betty, I want
to talk to you.

Oh, I haven't time now, Mother.

Mother, you're a sight.

Well, you're a sight, too,

the way you've been carrying on

over this... this
Hanno business.

Don't you realize

what that new office
building means to your father?

I certainly do, and I feel
awful about that part of it.

Don't you have any
respect for your father?

That has nothing to do with it.

This is an important
cause I'm working for.

- Oh, fiddle-faddle.
- Well, it is.

And Father himself said it...

If you believe in something,
you should fight for it.

Well, yes, I know,
but I don't believe

you should fight
against your father.

So I want you to stop
this business right now.

But I can't stop.

I pledged my word that
we'd keep Hanno there.

Say, here's some money

one of your conspirators
asked me to give to you.

- Oh.
- Traitor.

I'm not a traitor.

You're a thankless serpent
with sharpened teeth.

Oh!

Go ahead. Let
your father suffocate

in that little
cubbyhole he works in.

He crushes every time
he opens the cabinet door.

Go ahead, Benedict Arnold.

Traitor!

- Hi, princess.
- Hello, Father.

I have bad news for you.

- Huh?
- I think I'm going to win.

Win what? Hello, honey.

Win what? What do you suppose?

The fight to keep Hanno there.

Are you still waging that war?

Still pounding that
punctured punching bag?

It's not punctured.

Do you know we
raised nearly $200?

Really?

What good is that
going to do you?

Or Hanno?

We're going to hire a contractor

who'll make the improvements,

and then Hanno
can renew his lease.

But there isn't time.

The 20th is just
a few days away.

You couldn't get the
work done by that deadline.

Oh, couldn't we?

Okay, come on, Johnny, cough up.

Ralph, you know
I'm 200% for Hanno,

but when you're broke,
man, you're busted.

Don't you understand?

They're going to
tear the hovel down.

Look, sweetie, I'd give
Hanno the shirt off my back,

but the only one I
have is at the laundry.

Well, that's it.

Only $272.

We didn't do it.

We started out so
good, and then nothing.

Oh, this may be the blackest day

in the history of our school.

Well, now wait.

We still have until
midnight tomorrow night.

Oh, cut it out, Joel.

That's when the lease expires.

We'd have to have the
work done before then.

We'd have to have the
workmen on the job right now.

Yeah, that's right.

Poor old Hanno.

Where are we going to
go when the hovel's gone?

Who's going to tell
Hanno we failed him?

Yeah.

I know I couldn't face him.

I know.

I'm the one.

I was the one that
opened my big fat mouth

and made the big pledge.

Come on.

Maybe you could
write him a letter.

Oh, you and your letter writing.

With Hanno gone. I
think I'll drop out of school.

Gee, Betty, I don't
envy you your job

telling Hanno.

But if anybody
can do it, you can.

Thanks.

Good luck.

Yeah. Viel Glück.

[hangs up phone]

I can't do it.

Well.

What's the matter with
my beloved enemy?

Can't you guess?

Hovel fund failed?

The worst part of it is

I have to tell
Hanno we failed him.

No, you didn't. You
did all that you could.

It was Hanno who failed himself.

- Oh, no, it wasn't.
- Sure it was.

I found out he does a
good, steady business,

yet he's always way
behind in paying his bills.

Okay, so he's no
good at business, but...

oh, he's a wonderful person.

Now he's finished,
and it's our fault.

Oh, Betty, you mustn't
take it so hard, dear.

Things usually work out
the way they're supposed to.

This didn't.

Father,

I know this is an
awful lot to ask you,

but... would you go down there

and tell Hanno
the horrible truth?

Me. Oh, no. I don't
even know the man.

But you know how to
tell people grim things

without making them
want to leap off a bridge.

Well, after all,
you caused all this.

Betty, that's not true,

and I think it's much too
much to ask of your father,

especially after the
way you've treated him.

I guess you're right.

But you people
just don't understand

what a calamity this is!

What Hanno and
the hovel mean to us.

Now wait. I'm convinced
it does mean a lot to you.

Why it does I'm not quite sure,

but, uh, maybe I
will go down there.

I want to tell him
that you didn't fail him.

And I also want
to explain to him

that no one...

The insurance
company, me, or anyone...

Has anything against
him personally.

Oh, thank you, Father.

And break the news
to him... very gently.

Ahem.

Why do I always fall
heir to these happy jobs?

[bell rings]

Oh, no, Hanno.

I didn't order this.
Just coffee, I said.

Yeah?

Well, I guess the
mistake is on me.

So go ahead and eat.

No. No, really, Hanno.

I'm not hungry.

Eat. How you expect to
become a big famous lawyer

on an empty stomach?

Thanks, Hanno.

But you shouldn't do this.

Hanno, no. I...

And what's for you, sir?

Oh, uh, just coffee, I guess.

Uh, but mainly I want
to talk to you, Hanno.

I'm Betty's father.
Betty Anderson.

Betty! Ah, that one.

Oh, she's the one.

Do you know, if it wasn't
for that Betty of yours,

I would be in such trouble?

Yes. That's what I
want to talk to you about.

You see, uh...

Excuse me.

Hanno, may I speak
to you for a moment?

Sure, Georgie.
Excuse me, please.

[whispering]

I'll get it back to you next
week, for sure, Hanno.

Next month is okay.

Books you've got to have

if you want to get educated.

Thank you.

Yeah, that Betty of yours.

She and her friends

are finding a
knothole in my lease

so I don't have to move.

But, Hanno, the lease
expires tomorrow.

Surely you don't think
they can still do anything.

The time is up.

You don't know these
scholars like I do.

But, Hanno...

Excuse me.

So how did it go on
the examination, Emma?

Not good?

Worse.

I didn't pass it.

All I can do now is drop out.

Oh, no.

Quitting only forms
the habit of quitting.

We have to form
the habit of fighting.

Walt Whitman says
"Never yield or falter."

And now you go

and have a nice talk
with your professor.

Tell him what it is

you can't get through
that head of yours.

Ask him to help. He will do it.

That's why he's a professor.

Hmm?

You try that, hmm?

Excuse me, please.

I'm beginning to see

why the students feel
as they do about you.

But, uh, all that does is
just make my task harder.

Hanno,

I'm, uh, I'm going to be blunt.

The deadline is tomorrow,

and you haven't made
any of the improvements

that could have kept you here.

Yeah.

That is so.

And I can see why.

You give everything away...

Food, money, advice.

Oh, no.

If I give anything,

it comes back a hundredfold...

In memories, in their successes,

and on top of all that,

they are educating me.

Look. Walt Whitman.

Thoreau.

Abraham Lincoln.

Waldo Emerson.

And look here.

These are all like
my own children.

These scholars.

Yes, but, Hanno...

I see them come.

I see them begin to
scratch their brains.

I see them leave
and become people.

And the story of all
them is here and here...

- and here.
- Hanno.

I, uh, understand
all that, but...

This one just got married.

This one is in the
State Assembly.

This one is a doctor.

And they all sat
here in these chairs

at these tables.

Each one left a
little part of themself

here in this room,
in these walls,

this wood book.

Hanno,

this is, um, all well and good.

- But the facts of the case...
- [bell rings]

- [Man] Hanno.
- Oh, Richie!

He was one of mine.

Hanno, my son tells me

they're trying to move
you out of here. Is that true?

Well, they say...

Some kind of an office building

going in, is that right?

I didn't know I
would have to move,

but now they say the
deadline has come.

Well, whatever
outfit is going in here,

they'll never do a
nickel's worth of business

with any of the alumni,

and you can bank on that.

Well, I just don't know.

I just don't know.

Excuse me, Hanno.

Don't start packing up yet.

Just tell me where the
nearest telegraph office is.

Telegraph office?

There's one two blocks down.

Thank you.

Now, Hanno, don't you worry.

Nobody's going to
move you out of here.

I'll get the alumni together.

Go on, read it.

It's a copy of a telegram

I just now sent to my
insurance company.

Uh, "Have discovered
serious drawbacks

"to our building site.

"Will explain in
letter to follow.

"Suggest we abandon site

and continue search for
more suitable location."

Father! Did you
really send that?

Yep. I called Carter,
the real estate man, too.

When I told him
the deal was off,

he thought I had
rocks in my head.

Saving the hovel didn't
seem very important to him.

But, Jim, why did you do it?

Well, I learned
a lot down there.

I'm still for progress.

But there are values
in old things, too...

[phone rings]

that we shouldn't destroy.

Hello.

Yes, Carter.

What?

Uh-oh. I hadn't figured on that.

No. No, that doesn't
change our mind.

We still don't
want the property.

No, that's definite, Carter.

Okay.

How do you like that?

Hanno's going to be
moved out anyway.

What?

The owner's going
to sell the property,

whether we buy it or not.

The only way he can sell it
is to get Hanno out of there.

Oh, no!

If Hanno had only made
those improvements

- on the building.
- Yeah.

It's the only thing that
could have saved him.

Why, oh, why did we fail him?

Let's see.

The deadline is
midnight tomorrow.

Betty,

how much money
did you kids raise?

Not even 300.

Just barely enough
to buy the materials.

The contractor wanted 500...

It wouldn't do any good

to get a contractor now anymore.

How many kids could
you round up right now?

Lots of them. But why?

Then get on the phone
and start calling them.

- Go on.
- Okay.

Tell them to wear
their old clothes.

If they have any of
those study lamps,

bring those along, too,
and lots of extension cords.

Come on along, honey.
I'm going to need you.

- But, Jim, what are you doing?
- Come on!

Ralph, get a hold
of ten kids, will you?

And tell them to call ten more.

[chatter]

Hey, it's beginning
to look like a roof.

What do you think, boss?
Think we'll meet the deadline?

We will if we can
keep up this torrid pace.

I'll tell you one thing, though.

I'm beginning to
get hungry again.

[Girl] Oh, hey,
that's a good idea!

I'll go down and see
what's holding up the food.

Hey! How about some
more of those hot dogs?

More hot dogs?

Yes, sir, boss. Coming right up.

- More hot dogs!
- More hot dogs!

- More hot dogs.
- Coming, coming.

Ja, ja!

♪ Is das nicht der hot dogs? ♪

♪ Ja, das ist der hot dogs ♪

♪ Is das nicht der doughnuts? ♪

♪ Ja, das ist der doughnuts ♪

♪ Hot dogs, doughnuts ♪

♪ Hot dogs, doughnuts ♪

♪ Hot dogs, doughnuts ♪

♪ Hot dogs, doughnuts ♪

[all] ♪ Hot dogs, doughnuts ♪

♪ Hot dogs, doughnuts ♪

♪ Hot dogs, doughnuts ♪

[Jim laughing]

And to think all this
was nearly destroyed.

♪ Hot dogs, doughnuts ♪

Okay, crew, don't
waste a lot of time eating!

[chatter]

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