Flipper (1964–1967): Season 1, Episode 8 - Countdown for Flipper - full transcript
When Po sends the boys on an important errand, he tells the boys to leave Flipper at home. Flipper's life is in danger after it's believed he ate a rare fish that had been studied for many years. Bud and Sandy must get to their dad and warn him within a half hour. But they soon discover the truth and wonder how they'd get themselves out of their mess.
- Bring my fish back here!
- Hey what's going on?
- You know that fish I
told Jim Lorman about?
The one I was going to take
back to Pearl Key to study?
Well, I caught it and Flipper just ate it.
Where is Jim anyway?
- I don't know.
Dad's back.
You'd better come on out now.
- Dr. Koenig?
Porter Ricks.
I've got your rush shipment.
What's keeping Jim Lorman?
He won't be coming?
Why?
- Well, I found it
necessary to dismiss him.
Look, the shipment is
most urgent Mr. Ricks.
Would it be possible
for you to deliver it?
- Well, ordinarily I'd say yes,
but today I've got a dredge coming
to work on our south channel.
I could send my boys over in the skiff.
Well, I know the project's
restricted doctor,
but they're good boys.
I'll vouch for them.
- You're prejudiced Dad.
- Boy, and I want to see
that top secret island.
- Well, how 'bout it doctor?
- Well, if we want our shipment today,
it appears we have no choice.
- Alright, I'll send
them over in the skiff.
' Yippie!
- No, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Now, listen you jokers.
You behave yourselves over there.
Remember I vouched for you.
- We can take Flipper, can't we?
- I don't think that's a good idea.
They're doing important
marine work over there,
and he could make trouble.
- How could he make trouble?
He only stays in the water.
Anyway, he's too smart
to get into trouble.
- Please, Dad.
- It's a secret project.
Flipper might talk.
- Flipper, he wouldn't talk.
♫ They call him Flipper,
Flipper, faster than lightning
♫ No-one you see, is smarter than he
♫ And we know Flipper, lives
in a world full of wonder
♫ Flying there under, under the sea
- Well, you know where
to find me if you need me.
- In the south channel.
- That's right.
- Bud, you and Sandy have a good time,
but be careful.
- Okay, Dad.
So long.
- See you later Dad.
- What are you doing?
- Calling Flipper.
- You know what Dad said about
taking him to the island.
- He didn't say no exactly.
- Well, he sure didn't say yes.
And you know, and I know what he meant.
Cast us off.
- You know something?
I haven't got a brother.
I've got two fathers.
- Hey Jim!
Jim!
- He must be diving.
Hey, sit down.
What did Dad say about
standing up in the boat?
- Hey, look at Flipper!
He brought himself.
We didn't bring him.
- Maybe he brought himself,
but we're taking him back.
- Aww, Dad said they wanted this stuff
on the island right away, right?
Isn't that more important?
- Maybe you're right.
- This the shipment boys?
- Yes, sir.
- Good.
Here we go.
I'm Dr. Koenig.
- How do you do sir?
- You boys came very quickly.
Thank you very much.
- You're welcome doctor.
- Now, Burton will you see
that these get to the lab right away?
- Yes sir.
- Boys, how'd you like
to take a look around the station?
- Boy, that'd be great!
- That'd be terrific.
- Okay, let's go.
This is Sam, a six-foot Moray eel.
I admit he looks vicious,
but eels are non aggressive if left alone.
Now, this is true of
nearly all undersea life.
You know there are 150
harmless varieties of sharks?
Let me introduce you
to our porcupine fish.
They have sharp spines, which
are used for self-defense.
They can puff themselves up so
they look like sea monsters.
It's a pretty good trick
to scare larger fish away.
See, our most important work here
is a study on the effects
of atomic radiation
on marine life.
After the first bomb test at Eniwetok,
we collected hundreds of living specimens
from the lagoon there,
and brought them back here for study.
' These?
- Oh no, not these.
The Eniwetok specimens all died years ago.
All but one.
He may well be the most
important fish in the world.
Old 303 may make us all famous.
- Old 303?
- Yes, come on.
I'll introduce you.
You see he's an old, old fellow.
Not very big.
About like that.
All the others that
came with him are gone,
but he's still alive and healthy.
- Pretty big pen for just one little fish.
- Well, he used to have
a lot of company there,
but he's the only one that survived.
- Why is that doctor?
- We don't know yet,
but we will some day
when we examine him and learn
why our treatments work.
Now this knowledge would
be of tremendous importance
to this country, perhaps
to the entire world.
- Flipper!
- What?
- Flipper, you get out
of here right this minute.
- Dr. Burton.
The dolphin in the pen
with my prize specimen.
- He's not there doctor.
- You're sure?
- Positive.
-303?
HE'S gone?
Twelve years work,
thousands of experiments,
hundreds of thousands of
dollars eaten by a dolphin.
- Flipper, you've really done it.
You would bring him along.
- I didn't bring him.
He came himself.
- Well, there's only one thing to be done.
Dr. Burton, stay here.
Make sure that dolphin doesn't get away.
I'll prepare the dissecting room.
- For what?
- To open up the dolphin.
- Open him up?
You mean kill him?
- He has just eaten the most
valuable marine specimen
in the world.
- He's mine!
You can't touch Flipper.
You won't dare!
- There's nothing else to be done.
- Oh Flipper, Flipper how could you?
- Dr. Koenig, Dr. Koenig.
- Dr. Koenig, please don't kill flipper.
He didn't know any better.
A fish to him, well, it's
just something to eat.
- Well, I'm sorry son.
If there were anything
at all I could do
- Well, could we at least use
your radio to call our Dad.
Maybe he'd know what to do.
- Our radio won't work
on your father's channel.
Even if it would, and your father came,
we'd still have to go ahead.
- Dad would think of something.
I know he would.
- Well, I suppose there is
one thing I could do boys.
I could call the coast guard
and have them rely a
message to your father.
- Would you sir?
And you wait until he gets here.
- I'll send the message.
We can only wait a half hour.
Not a minute more.
- Flipper.
Dad won't let them kill Flipper.
- Suppose he doesn't get the message,
and they don't tell him about Flipper.
- You're right.
Hey wait a minute.
Jim Lorman's radio will work.
Maybe he'd let us use
it to call Dad direct.
- Sure he would.
Jim's a swell guy.
- Come on.
' Ahoy Jim!
- Hey what are you
boys doing way out here.
- You gotta help us.
You just gotta.
- Well, sure boys.
What's the trouble?
- Dr. Koenig's gonna kill Flipper.
- We thought maybe you'd
let us use your radio
to call our dad.
It's real important.
- Well, sure old buddy.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
What's all this about?
- Flipper got into this specimen pen
and ate the most important fish.
- You know, the one Dr. Koenig calls 303.
- And now Dr. Koenig wants
to open Flipper up and get him back.
- That's why we need your radio.
- Well, sure go ahead.
- WD9598 This is Sandy at WR7207.
Please come in Dad.
WD9598 This is Sandy.
Can you read me Dad, over?
- He what?
- Flipper didn't
know any better Dad.
- Well, what was he doing there?
Well, I thought we decided
- We'll explain later, but please hurry.
- You're on Jim Lorman's boat?
- In the western channel.
- Alright, stay there.
I'll pick you up, out.
- Everything okay?
- He's coming here to pick us up.
- Oh, good.
"303!
Sandy, come here, quick!
Flipper didn't eat 303.
Here he is.
- How'd he get here?
- Now Dr. Koenig won't
have to open up Flipper.
If he did, he'd be empty.
We've gotta get him back fast.
- I'm sorry boys.
Too bad you had to get so curious.
- You stole him.
Why?
- I know how I can use
303 to get a lot of money.
I probably wouldn't have done it
except Dr. Koenig suddenly decided
to run a security check on
me after all these months.
I just got fed up.
You see why I can't let you leave now?
- But you are our friend,
and Flipper's too.
- I'd still like to be,
but the way things are, you
boys better stay out of sight.
Come on.
- Look.
Let go.
Let go!
Let me go!
Will you let go of me?
Let go!
Let go!
Let go!
- Dad.
Dad.
Hey, Dad.
Dad.
Hey, Dad.
- You alright?
- I'm okay Dad.
- What the devil's going on?
- Dad, Flipper didn't eat that fish.
Jim Lorman stole it, and he's
got it in a tank on his boat,
and he's got Bud too.
- Take the wheel.
- Hey Sandy, let me out.
Sandy.
Sandy open up the door.
- Flipper's free and the gate's closed.
- Well good.
Here you are old 303, old friend.
Home and safe.
Ha, ha, ha, ha.
- Jim Lorman was lucky to
get by as long as he did.
Working on a top secret project
with forged credentials.
- Well, give the devil his due.
He worked hard and he
was a very fine diver.
Thanks a lot Mr. Ricks.
You and the boys really helped.
- Look, Dad.
Flipper, he's flipped.
- You think he knew just
how close he came to
- Yeah maybe.
- But you'd better hope he doesn't know
who got him into this mess.
Two smart kids who think they
know more than their father.
- That's true, Dad.
And we're sorry.
- Yeah Dad, but just think
if we didn't bring Flipper,
you wouldn't have caught Jim Lorman.
And Dr. Koenig wouldn't have
got his secret fish back.
And Flipper didn't talk.
- He's as happy as we are
that he's back with us again.
♫ Everyone loves the king of the sea
♫ Ever so kind and gentle is he
♫ Tricks he will do when children are near
♫ And how they laugh when he's near
♫ They call him Flipper,
Flipper, faster than lightning
♫ No one you see, is smarter than he
♫ And we know Flipper, lives
in a world full of wonder
♫ Flying there under, under the sea
- Hey what's going on?
- You know that fish I
told Jim Lorman about?
The one I was going to take
back to Pearl Key to study?
Well, I caught it and Flipper just ate it.
Where is Jim anyway?
- I don't know.
Dad's back.
You'd better come on out now.
- Dr. Koenig?
Porter Ricks.
I've got your rush shipment.
What's keeping Jim Lorman?
He won't be coming?
Why?
- Well, I found it
necessary to dismiss him.
Look, the shipment is
most urgent Mr. Ricks.
Would it be possible
for you to deliver it?
- Well, ordinarily I'd say yes,
but today I've got a dredge coming
to work on our south channel.
I could send my boys over in the skiff.
Well, I know the project's
restricted doctor,
but they're good boys.
I'll vouch for them.
- You're prejudiced Dad.
- Boy, and I want to see
that top secret island.
- Well, how 'bout it doctor?
- Well, if we want our shipment today,
it appears we have no choice.
- Alright, I'll send
them over in the skiff.
' Yippie!
- No, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Now, listen you jokers.
You behave yourselves over there.
Remember I vouched for you.
- We can take Flipper, can't we?
- I don't think that's a good idea.
They're doing important
marine work over there,
and he could make trouble.
- How could he make trouble?
He only stays in the water.
Anyway, he's too smart
to get into trouble.
- Please, Dad.
- It's a secret project.
Flipper might talk.
- Flipper, he wouldn't talk.
♫ They call him Flipper,
Flipper, faster than lightning
♫ No-one you see, is smarter than he
♫ And we know Flipper, lives
in a world full of wonder
♫ Flying there under, under the sea
- Well, you know where
to find me if you need me.
- In the south channel.
- That's right.
- Bud, you and Sandy have a good time,
but be careful.
- Okay, Dad.
So long.
- See you later Dad.
- What are you doing?
- Calling Flipper.
- You know what Dad said about
taking him to the island.
- He didn't say no exactly.
- Well, he sure didn't say yes.
And you know, and I know what he meant.
Cast us off.
- You know something?
I haven't got a brother.
I've got two fathers.
- Hey Jim!
Jim!
- He must be diving.
Hey, sit down.
What did Dad say about
standing up in the boat?
- Hey, look at Flipper!
He brought himself.
We didn't bring him.
- Maybe he brought himself,
but we're taking him back.
- Aww, Dad said they wanted this stuff
on the island right away, right?
Isn't that more important?
- Maybe you're right.
- This the shipment boys?
- Yes, sir.
- Good.
Here we go.
I'm Dr. Koenig.
- How do you do sir?
- You boys came very quickly.
Thank you very much.
- You're welcome doctor.
- Now, Burton will you see
that these get to the lab right away?
- Yes sir.
- Boys, how'd you like
to take a look around the station?
- Boy, that'd be great!
- That'd be terrific.
- Okay, let's go.
This is Sam, a six-foot Moray eel.
I admit he looks vicious,
but eels are non aggressive if left alone.
Now, this is true of
nearly all undersea life.
You know there are 150
harmless varieties of sharks?
Let me introduce you
to our porcupine fish.
They have sharp spines, which
are used for self-defense.
They can puff themselves up so
they look like sea monsters.
It's a pretty good trick
to scare larger fish away.
See, our most important work here
is a study on the effects
of atomic radiation
on marine life.
After the first bomb test at Eniwetok,
we collected hundreds of living specimens
from the lagoon there,
and brought them back here for study.
' These?
- Oh no, not these.
The Eniwetok specimens all died years ago.
All but one.
He may well be the most
important fish in the world.
Old 303 may make us all famous.
- Old 303?
- Yes, come on.
I'll introduce you.
You see he's an old, old fellow.
Not very big.
About like that.
All the others that
came with him are gone,
but he's still alive and healthy.
- Pretty big pen for just one little fish.
- Well, he used to have
a lot of company there,
but he's the only one that survived.
- Why is that doctor?
- We don't know yet,
but we will some day
when we examine him and learn
why our treatments work.
Now this knowledge would
be of tremendous importance
to this country, perhaps
to the entire world.
- Flipper!
- What?
- Flipper, you get out
of here right this minute.
- Dr. Burton.
The dolphin in the pen
with my prize specimen.
- He's not there doctor.
- You're sure?
- Positive.
-303?
HE'S gone?
Twelve years work,
thousands of experiments,
hundreds of thousands of
dollars eaten by a dolphin.
- Flipper, you've really done it.
You would bring him along.
- I didn't bring him.
He came himself.
- Well, there's only one thing to be done.
Dr. Burton, stay here.
Make sure that dolphin doesn't get away.
I'll prepare the dissecting room.
- For what?
- To open up the dolphin.
- Open him up?
You mean kill him?
- He has just eaten the most
valuable marine specimen
in the world.
- He's mine!
You can't touch Flipper.
You won't dare!
- There's nothing else to be done.
- Oh Flipper, Flipper how could you?
- Dr. Koenig, Dr. Koenig.
- Dr. Koenig, please don't kill flipper.
He didn't know any better.
A fish to him, well, it's
just something to eat.
- Well, I'm sorry son.
If there were anything
at all I could do
- Well, could we at least use
your radio to call our Dad.
Maybe he'd know what to do.
- Our radio won't work
on your father's channel.
Even if it would, and your father came,
we'd still have to go ahead.
- Dad would think of something.
I know he would.
- Well, I suppose there is
one thing I could do boys.
I could call the coast guard
and have them rely a
message to your father.
- Would you sir?
And you wait until he gets here.
- I'll send the message.
We can only wait a half hour.
Not a minute more.
- Flipper.
Dad won't let them kill Flipper.
- Suppose he doesn't get the message,
and they don't tell him about Flipper.
- You're right.
Hey wait a minute.
Jim Lorman's radio will work.
Maybe he'd let us use
it to call Dad direct.
- Sure he would.
Jim's a swell guy.
- Come on.
' Ahoy Jim!
- Hey what are you
boys doing way out here.
- You gotta help us.
You just gotta.
- Well, sure boys.
What's the trouble?
- Dr. Koenig's gonna kill Flipper.
- We thought maybe you'd
let us use your radio
to call our dad.
It's real important.
- Well, sure old buddy.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
What's all this about?
- Flipper got into this specimen pen
and ate the most important fish.
- You know, the one Dr. Koenig calls 303.
- And now Dr. Koenig wants
to open Flipper up and get him back.
- That's why we need your radio.
- Well, sure go ahead.
- WD9598 This is Sandy at WR7207.
Please come in Dad.
WD9598 This is Sandy.
Can you read me Dad, over?
- He what?
- Flipper didn't
know any better Dad.
- Well, what was he doing there?
Well, I thought we decided
- We'll explain later, but please hurry.
- You're on Jim Lorman's boat?
- In the western channel.
- Alright, stay there.
I'll pick you up, out.
- Everything okay?
- He's coming here to pick us up.
- Oh, good.
"303!
Sandy, come here, quick!
Flipper didn't eat 303.
Here he is.
- How'd he get here?
- Now Dr. Koenig won't
have to open up Flipper.
If he did, he'd be empty.
We've gotta get him back fast.
- I'm sorry boys.
Too bad you had to get so curious.
- You stole him.
Why?
- I know how I can use
303 to get a lot of money.
I probably wouldn't have done it
except Dr. Koenig suddenly decided
to run a security check on
me after all these months.
I just got fed up.
You see why I can't let you leave now?
- But you are our friend,
and Flipper's too.
- I'd still like to be,
but the way things are, you
boys better stay out of sight.
Come on.
- Look.
Let go.
Let go!
Let me go!
Will you let go of me?
Let go!
Let go!
Let go!
- Dad.
Dad.
Hey, Dad.
Dad.
Hey, Dad.
- You alright?
- I'm okay Dad.
- What the devil's going on?
- Dad, Flipper didn't eat that fish.
Jim Lorman stole it, and he's
got it in a tank on his boat,
and he's got Bud too.
- Take the wheel.
- Hey Sandy, let me out.
Sandy.
Sandy open up the door.
- Flipper's free and the gate's closed.
- Well good.
Here you are old 303, old friend.
Home and safe.
Ha, ha, ha, ha.
- Jim Lorman was lucky to
get by as long as he did.
Working on a top secret project
with forged credentials.
- Well, give the devil his due.
He worked hard and he
was a very fine diver.
Thanks a lot Mr. Ricks.
You and the boys really helped.
- Look, Dad.
Flipper, he's flipped.
- You think he knew just
how close he came to
- Yeah maybe.
- But you'd better hope he doesn't know
who got him into this mess.
Two smart kids who think they
know more than their father.
- That's true, Dad.
And we're sorry.
- Yeah Dad, but just think
if we didn't bring Flipper,
you wouldn't have caught Jim Lorman.
And Dr. Koenig wouldn't have
got his secret fish back.
And Flipper didn't talk.
- He's as happy as we are
that he's back with us again.
♫ Everyone loves the king of the sea
♫ Ever so kind and gentle is he
♫ Tricks he will do when children are near
♫ And how they laugh when he's near
♫ They call him Flipper,
Flipper, faster than lightning
♫ No one you see, is smarter than he
♫ And we know Flipper, lives
in a world full of wonder
♫ Flying there under, under the sea