Father Knows Best (1954–1960): Season 4, Episode 8 - Kathy's Big Chance - full transcript

[Announcer] Here are...

with Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray,

and Lauren Chapin in...

Hey, Mommy, guess what.

For goodness' sakes, where
did all the books come from?

The library.

I'm going to read them so
I can win an essay contest,

and when I win,

guess whose guest
I get to be next week.

Well, I, uh...

Wrong, Greer Garson.



Greer Garson.

Yes, sir, she's coming
to Springfield next week

when her new movie
plays here... Rebel Lady.

It's about the Civil War,

and our history class is
having an essay contest,

and the ten winners
get to be her guests.

Just think, Mommy,

I get to shake her
hand in the flesh.

Just wait a minute. Don't
get your hopes up too high.

How do you know you'll
be one of the winners?

Oh, I have to be. She's
my very, very most favorite.

I'm going to work on my essay
day and night every evening.

I still say don't build
your hopes up too high...

Did you ever hear of Belle Boyd?



- Who?
- Belle Boyd.

She was a beautiful
Civil War spy,

and that's who Greer
Garson plays in the movie,

and that's what the
essay has to be about.

- About the spy?
- I think so.

Or the Civil War or
Stonewall Jackson

or something.

Well, hadn't you
better find out?

I haven't got time.

I've all I can do just
writing the essay.

Now, Kathy...

Please, Mommy,
don't bother me now.

Hello, kitten.

Oh, hi, Daddy.

Say, will you type
something for me?

All I do is make mistakes.

Is this your essay?

It's supposed to be.

"'The Civil War',
by Kathy Anderson.

"The Civil War was
where they fought

"between the
North and the South.

"Abraham Lincoln's
'Gettysburg Address'

"is from it.

"One famous general
was Stonewall Jackson.

"He won a battle
with information

"from a beautiful spy
named Belle Boyd.

She was very beautiful
and spied a lot."

Is that all of it?

Not so hot?

Well, not if you expect
to win a contest with it.

It's not long enough, either.

You should do more reading,

make a lot of notes,

organize your material,

and then start writing.

Okay.

[chuckles]

- Daddy.
- Huh?

I'm afraid.

Why? You've
written essays before.

Oh, I'm not afraid of that.

I'm afraid that when
I meet Greer Garson,

I won't be able to
think of a thing to say.

Oh, I'm sure you'll
think of something.

Tell her what grammar
school you go to.

Oh, no. You don't
talk to a... a queen

about such little kid's stuff.

She would think I was a child.

This has to be important talk...

High-class grown-up talk.

I want her to remember
me for always.

Hello, Miss Garson.

How do you do, Miss Garson?

How do you do,
Miss Greer Garson?

[Greer Garson] How do you
do, Miss Kathy Anderson?

[Kathy, refined accent]
I'm quite excellent.

Thank you, Miss Garson.

I am happy to hear that.

Won't you come
in, Miss Anderson?

Thank you. I'd be highly
impressed to do so.

And I am equally highly
impressed to have you.

Shall we sit down?

Let's do.

Care for some chocolates?
They're imported, of course.

I never eat any other kind.

Me, neither.

Mm, they're divine.

Aren't they, though?

Indeed.

Tell me, what do you think
about the world, Miss Garson?

Well, I think there's a
lot to be said about it.

And by the way, Miss Anderson,

what college are
you attending now?

Oh, I'm not in
college quite yet.

Really?

But you look so grown up,

and you have such
intellectual brains,

especially for one so pretty.

Oh, really, I'm not any...

Oh, but you are. You are.

Hollywood would
be interested in you.

Do tell me. How do
you get so intellectual?

Well, Greer,

I read a lot,

take a lot of notes,

and I organize my material.

Oh, it all sounds so
simple when you say it.

I shall always
remember you, Kath,

because you are so brilliant.

Oh, thank you,
but I'm not really...

[Bud] Dinner, Bird brain.

Come on, knucklehead,
dinner's on.

Boy, are you a letdown.

Oh, for goodness' sakes, Kathy,

I thought you had
gone to sleep hours ago.

You'll ruin your health

staying up every
night like this.

I have to write on my essay.

Not much time left.

[Margaret] There will be time.

Now, you go to sleep right now.

Isn't she beautiful?

I bet she's the most beautiful
woman in the whole Civil War.

I'm sure she'd appreciate that.

[yawning] You know she...

I mean, Belle Boyd...

Rode right through gunfire

to get a message through
to Stonewall Jackson.

Seems to me it
would have been better

to have gone around
some other way.

Now, sleep fast, angel.

- And they put her
in prison three times.
- Shh, shh.

Close your eyes.

Your mouth is right there.

Oh, Kathy, if you aren't a mess.

Why don't you go back
to bed where you belong?

I'm not sleepy. Feel fine.

You did a very good
job on this essay, Kathy.

That Belle Boyd sounds
like a fascinating spy.

I'm proud of you.

Do you think I'll be
one of the winners?

Well, I'd say you
have a good chance.

Well, don't bank too
heavily on being a winner.

I don't want you to be too
disappointed if you do lose.

Oh, I can't lose. I just can't.

- When are you
going to find out?
- Tonight.

We hand them in this morning,

and the judges read
them this afternoon,

and then...

Oh, I just have to win.

We'll be pulling for you, Kathy.

[Betty] Good luck. Don't fall
asleep on the way to school.

- [Jim] Goodbye.
- [Margaret] Goodbye.

[clatter]

What happened to
young Belle Boyd, girl spy?

She lose the contest?

Oh, she doesn't know yet.
She's waiting for the call.

That's why she has the
death grip on the phone.

[Bud] Boy, she really gave
her all for this one, didn't she?

[phone rings]

[Betty] Hey, Kathy,
wake up. There's your call.

You... You... You answer it.

[rings]

[Betty] Oh.

Hello?

Yes.

Yes, she's here,
but she's asleep now.

Oh, that's wonderful.
Yes, yes, I'll tell her.

That's at what time?

Quarter to 7.

Don't worry. She'll be on time.

As a matter of fact, she'll
be way ahead of time.

Yes. Okay, thank you. Bye.

- You're in, kid.
- Thank goodness.

- She made it.
- Oh, that's wonderful!

- You're in.
- Kathy, you're a winner.

Let her sleep. She needs
that more than anything.

Where does she have
to be at quarter to 7?

At the hotel in the Floral Room.

They'll have cake and ice
cream with Greer Garson.

Then they'll all go to the theater
to see her movie Rebel Lady.

Boy, will she be living.

Come on, let's not disturb her.

Who's the... Where's the phone?

Who's got the phone?

- [Betty] Take it easy, Kathy.
- [Margaret] Kathy, you won.

- You're one of the winners.
- I am?

You have to be at the
hotel at a quarter to 7.

The hotel?

We'll put your new dress
on, the one with the bows.

My goodness, you feel
warm. You feel all right?

Yeah... Yeah, sure.

Does this hurt?

No.

You better call Dr. Conrad.

Doctor? No!

Oh, no, no, no, no.
Now, don't get upset.

Maybe it's just nothing at all.

Maybe you're just
exhausted. Call him, Betty.

What do you think is wrong, Mom?

Mommy, I can't be sick, not now.

I can't. I'm well.

I never felt better
in my whole life.

I feel wonderful.

Oh, of course you do.

Of course you do.

[Jim laughs]

Measles.

Poor baby.

You certainly
picked an awful time

to break out with the
measles, didn't you?

Isn't it awful?

Yes. [chuckles]

But everything happens
for the best, they say.

Here, I brought home
a couple of games

we can play later on.

I think I can beat you, too.

- Daddy.
- Hmm?

What time is it?

Five after 6.

After 6.

Um, D-Daddy, would
you get me some water?

You have some water right here.

Yes, I know, but it's
warm, practically boiling.

Would you get me some cold?

I guess so.

You look over those games,

see which one you
want to tackle first.

[hangers clatter]

Hang on, what's going...
What are you doing out of bed?

Daddy, I just have to
get down to the hotel.

Not when the doctor
told you to stay in bed.

Now, come on,
honey, back you go.

But, Daddy, you
just don't understand.

- Oh, now, now, come on.
- Kathy, what are you doing?

This young lady was just
on her way to the hotel.

Oh, now, you know
you can't do that.

But I'm supposed to be there.

Greer Garson is expecting me.

I called your teacher and
explained the whole thing.

You wouldn't want
to give the measles

to the other
children, would you?

I figured that's a chance
they'd have to take.

You wouldn't want to give your
measles to Greer Garson, would you?

Oh. Gosh, no.

- All right then.
- What happened?

Oh, nothing.

Sweetheart, we
understand how you feel,

and if there was anything
in the world we could do

to get you to that hotel,
you know we'd do it.

Poor kid.

Now, we know how you feel,

and, well, I think we
feel worse than you do.

You couldn't.

I'll take you to see
Greer Garson's movie

just as soon as you're well.

It wouldn't be the same.

Nothing will ever be the same.

My life is over.

Oh, Kathy.

Nothing left to
live for, nothing.

Kathy, as soon as you get well,

I'll teach you some
new wrestling holds.

I don't want to wrestle.

All I want to do is
see Greer Garson.

This is my only chance.

Tomorrow she'll be gone,

and I won't even
have her autograph.

We'll make this up to you
somehow, kitten. Don't worry.

Not even her autograph.

That would be the least.

- Daddy.
- Hmm?

Would you get her autograph?

What?

Here, have her sign this.

Have her write
something special, like,

"To Kathy, my dearest
and intellectual-est friend."

She's probably very busy.

It's not nice to bust
in on her like that.

Please, Daddy.

Oh, she doesn't want a
lot of people hounding her.

Please, Daddy,
this is all I ask.

Well, I...

Look, Kathy, wouldn't you rather
have a nice, pretty new dress?

I have a dress.

Well, a little radio.

Bicycle?

Look, Kathy...

There you are.
Here you are, dear.

My, how many more do we have?

Thank you.

You know, I really should
be back in there with my...

My guests, the
little contest winners.

What color eyes does
Gregory peck have?

Uh, brown, I think, a
sort of bluish brown.

Thank you.

There you are.

- Thank you, Miss Garson.
- Can we hurry this up?

It's about time for you and
your guests to leave the theater.

Yes, yes, of course, I will.

I'm afraid we'll have to sort
of speed this up, you know,

- because we are unfortunately
running out of time.
- Thank you.

One more. There you are.

Ye...

Oh, this isn't for me.

I wouldn't stand in line for...

I mean... I don't mean
I'm not an admirer of yours

because I am very much.

Thank you. That is nice.

But this is for my little girl.

Oh... Oh, yes.

Kathy. She was supposed
to be a guest of yours,

a contest winner, you know...

- Oh.
- School contest?

But she got the measles.

Oh, well, that
really is too bad.

Then I won't get to see her.

Oh, I tell you, she's a
heartbroken little girl.

She never worked so hard
on anything in her whole life.

She hardly ate or slept.

Oh, bless her heart.

And to her, you're the most
marvelous person in the whole world.

- Oh.
- There she is,
flat on her back,

pretty well spotted,

and positive that her
life is a complete flop.

Well, that really
is a bad break,

but isn't it a good thing

that children get over these
minor tragedies so easily?

Not Kathy,

not when it's you that
she's missing out on.

If you'd write
something on the picture,

something special, I'd
certainly appreciate it.

I should say so,
something very special.

- Thank you.
- Kathy? She spells it
with a K?

K-A-T-H-Y, yes.

Oh, dear, there's no ink in
the pen. You've got a pen?

Well, I usually carry one. I...

- Oh, never mind. I'll try to borrow one.
- It's time, Miss Garson.

I do appreciate it.

You kids... I'll do it...
I'll try and borrow one.

I'm sorry, people. Miss
Garson must go to the theater.

[girls shouting]

I'd love to stay and
chat with all of you,

but... but I'm sorry, girls.

Miss Garson has
to change her dress

and go to the theater
with her guests.

Goodbye and good luck.

Told you we should've
lined up right after school,

but no, you had to eat.

Well, if that old man hadn't
hogged so much time...

I'm sorry, girls...

Sir, Miss Garson has left.

Oh, but... you see, I...

5.

Okay, squidge, it's your turn.

When in the dickens
is Daddy coming back?

I don't know.
Here, it's your turn.

Probably ran off with her.

Do you want me to play this
game with you or don't you?

What game?

Fine.

- Here I spend
my valuable time...
- [door closes]

I hear him coming. Daddy! Daddy!

Did you sign my pic...

Oh, how's my patient?

I don't want any more medicine.

Oh, don't think
of it as medicine.

Just pretend it's nice,
cool strawberry pop.

I don't like strawberry pop.

When is Daddy coming
back with my autograph?

Oh, any minute now.

It takes a little while to go
down to the hotel and back.

Not this long.

I can just see Father standing
in line for an autograph.

Oh, come on, now. It
can't be as bad as that.

I bet he doesn't even have
nerve enough to sign the picture.

Why, he better,
or I'll give him a...

Water, water, water!

You'd think you were
dying, the fuss you make.

I am. You'd be, too, if the
bottom dropped out of your life.

I doubt that's happened.

Daddy!

Hi, kitten.

I'm sorry to have been
gone so long, but you see...

What did she say?
How did she look?

Was she nice? What
was she wearing?

What else did she
say? Tell me everything.

What did she sign on my picture?

Hey, where is the
picture? Haven't you got it?

Well, to be honest,

somehow in the shuffle,
the picture got lost, but...

- Oh.
- Lost?

You lost it?

But I brought you
something else.

I don't want anything else,

but this is much, much better.

Look.

There's nothing in the whole
world I want more than...

Hello, Kathy.

You know what?

I missed you at the reception.

I said, "Wait a minute. Hold
everything. Where's Kathy?"

And they said, "Why,
she has the measles,"

and I guess they're right,

unless somebody's gone and
filled your squirt gun with red ink.

Get back. Move back. I don't
want to give you the measles.

Oh, you can't get
rid of me that easily.

I've had them three times.

Look. Kathy, just because you had
to miss the premiere of the picture,

I brought you a little souvenir.

It's Belle Boyd's fan.

- Oh, Kathy.
- Oh, how wonderful

You can use it
to fan your fever.

Oh, you must be Betty.

- Yes, h-h-how do you do?
- How do you do?

- Oh, and of course you're...
- I'm the mother.

It was wonderful of you to come.

I'm sure this will always be
the greatest day of Kathy's life.

My husband must've
been very persuasive.

Oh, I had nothing to do
with it. It was all her idea.

I merely followed
her to the theater

trying to get the picture back.

- Yes.
- But it certainly was
wonderful and generous...

Oh, not at all.

When one has loyal
fans such as this one...

Well, what would
we be without them?

You know, Kathy,

the reception just didn't
seem right without you.

- Really?
- Really.

Did you like my essay?

Loved every word of it.

Was it, um...
Was it intellectual?

Oh, yes, indeed it was.

As a matter of fact,
it was so intellectual

that I could hardly
understand part of it.

Oh, you should've understood it.

It was about Belle Boyd,

and that's who you
play in the movie.

Hey, you're missing your movie.

Well, I've seen it.

Oh, I wish I could've seen it.

Oh, you will, I hope.

Yes, but it wouldn't be the
same as seeing it with you.

- Tell me about it.
- Well, I...

Tell me about the time

when you got the message
through to Stonewall Jackson

and they put you
in jail three times,

and then they...

But you know everything
about it already.

Oh, no, I don't.

Show me how you act in it,

just some of it for me.

Oh, well, I wouldn't
want to inflict that on you.

You're sick enough as it is.

Please, just give me a kind
of a rough idea, would you?

Well, uh... Well, it
would be rough all right.

Uh, sort of a thumbnail version?

And any similarity to
the picture, living or dead,

will be purely accidental.

The rest of the
family, leave now.

This is strictly
for young adults.

Oh, we wouldn't miss this
for anything in the world.

Well, you'll be sorry.

Please, no crunching your
popcorn during the performance.

All right, Kathy, you ready?

Rebel Lady.

[hums fanfare]

Washington, D.C., 1861.

[humming "The Blue Danube"]

Then came the war.

[slurring marching calls]

Atten... halt.

[imitates gunfire]

[wheezes]

Gentlemen, we must get a message

through to Stonewall Jackson,

but who are we going to send?

Let me go, sir.

Oh, no, Belle B...

Belle Boyd, no, no,

this is no job for a
sweet, young girl.

But I'm a rebel lady, sir.

Give me the message.

What's all the racket going on?

Oh, Mr. Union sentry,

well, surely you wouldn't
stop a poor little farm girl

from crossing through the lines

just to see her poor
little old mother,

now, would ya, honey?

Oh, I knew you wouldn't.

[imitating explosions]

General... General Jackson...

[panting]

the message.

[groans]

Miss Belle Boyd,

I thank you for myself and for
the whole Confederate Army,

but I must warn you.

You are now in
danger of being arrested

as a dangerous spy.

Oh, no, General,

those Yankees will
never put me in prison.

Clink. [imitates key grinding]

You may have put me
in prison, you Yankees,

but you will never
imprison my spirit.

♪ Maryland, my... ♪

Stop singing that
Confederate song

and waving that flag,
you southern wench,

or I'll blow your brains out.

You wouldn't dare.

♪ Oh, Maryland, my Mary... ♪

[imitates gunfire]

But Belle Boyd didn't
lose her head in that prison

or any other prison.

In fact, later on,

when she was captured at sea

while she was trying to
run the Yankee blockade,

the Yankee officer in charge

said to her, "Hold onto
your flag, Belle Boyd."

You're under arrest.

Again?

You'll be put in irons,

and one thing more, Miss Boyd.

Will you...

Will you marry me?

Marry you?

Oh, yes.

Yes.

[humming]

The end.

There you are. See, Kathy,
you didn't miss a thing.

But I do hope that
when you're well,

that you'll come and
see the picture anyhow,

just to check, see
if I left anything out.

- Oh, I will.
- Oh, good.

You know, Kathy,

this has been the best
part of my whole tour.

I'll always remember you.

Me, too.

You're...

You're sure a good guy.

Well, you're a good guy, too.

Get well fast, now, won't you?

I wish I didn't have to leave.

- We wish you didn't, either.
- I could make some coffee.

That sounds
wonderful, but duty calls.

Thank you, thank you.

Farewell, General.

Whenever you want any
messages taken through the lines,

just let me know.

- Goodbye.
- Goodbye. Nice seeing you.

And goodbye, husband.

I'm sorry I had to leave you
so soon after our wedding.

Boy.

Aren't measles wonderful?

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