Flipper (1964–1967): Season 3, Episode 2 - Disaster in the Everglades: Part 1 - full transcript

While checking on a poaching complaint, Porter is injured and captured by an alligator poacher and taken to his camp. When he's late for a camping trip with his sons, they worry and contact the coast guard.

- Sandy, Bud, hey fellas.

- Gettin' ready to leave, Dad?

- When will you back?

- Well it shouldn't be too long, boys.

Just a routine check
flight over the Everglades.

We've had some reports
of poaching over there.

- Poachers in the Everglades?

- That's right, you know
the Everglades exposed

since they had that heavy rain.

Talked about it at supper last night.

- Oh yeah, I forgot.



- Why don't you boys load the skiff

with the camping gear and meet me over

at Emerald Key in a couple of hours.

That way it'll save me from
coming all the way back here.

- Okay, Dad.

- All right, don't forget
the sleeping bags this time.

- Don't worry I won't forget.
- See you later.

- Did you hear that, Flipper,
we're going on a camp out.

♫ They call him Flipper, Flipper

♫ Faster than lightning

♫ No one you see

♫ ls smarter than he

♫ And we know Flipper

♫ Lives in a world full of wonder



♫ Lying there under

♫ Under the sea

- Hold it!

- Hey Bud.
- Coming.

- Well hurry up, we've got
less than an hour to get there.

- Almost forget my metal detector.

- Metal detector?

- Yeah, never can tell
when you might run across

some rare metals or old coins.

Did you get the sleeping bags?

- Did you remember the food?

- No.

- Well hurry up, we'll be
late and Dad will be worried.

- It'll only take me a minute.

- Flipper, you don't
know how lucky you are

not having a kid brother.

- Ranger, ranger, you're
gonna be all right

as soon as I get this trap off your foot.

Wait a minute Ranger, don't worry,
you're gonna be all right.

Let me get a tourniquet around you.

Ranger...

Get up there.

Get up there, ranger, right away.

- That ought to do it, huh.

- I wonder what's keeping Dad?

- I don't know, Bud,
he's been delayed before.

He hasn't got radio
contact with us though.

- Oh, I wish he'd get here
though, what time is it?

- It's after 1 o'clock.

- After one, he's been
gone almost two hours.

- Yeah, I know.

- Are you sure
he said the north side

of Emerald Key?

- Sure, isn't this where we always come?

- Yeah.

No!

Remember once we camped on the south side?

- Yeah but that was only
because Dad had to do

a study on shark migration.

- Well isn't it possible
maybe that he wanted to...

- Anything is possible, Bud.

Better go take a look.

- Let's go.

- No, you'd better stay here
just in case Dad shows up.

I'll send Flipper down the beach that way

and I'll go up the other way in the skiff.

Just stay here and look for some firewood

just to keep busy, okay?

Flipper.

Flipper I want you to go
around the island, understand?

Look for Dad, go on.

Don't worry, Bud.
- I won't.

Hi squirrel.

I wonder what your problem is.

Boy, I didn't wanna worry Sandy

but I think something
awful bad happened to Dad.

Well so long, keep your fingers crossed.

What's the matter?

Hey what's the matter, you tangled?

Look at the mess you got yourself into.

How did you do that?

Now wait a second, I'll
get you out in a second.

Now just be quiet.

How did you do this?

Thanks.

There you go.

Don't mention it, that's
what friends are for.

So long.

- Ranger, ranger.

It's all right, you're at my camp.

Come on, let's get you out of this boat.

Watch out for that leg,
I don't want to hurt that leg.

Watch out, watch out.

Let's go, ranger.

Okay, let's take a look at that leg.

You're lucky there's no bones broken.

You got a deep cut in that leg though.

Good thing I tied it up or
you'd have bled to death.

- Yeah, thanks.

- You can call me Barney.

- I didn't even see that trap.

Guess I'd been out, huh, how long?

- You've been in and out
maybe two, three hours.

Must've bumped your head when you fell.

- Two hours?

I gotta get out of here,
let my boys know where I am.

- All in good time,
ranger, all in good time.

- Find anything?

- Didn't find anything on this side.

Flipper didn't find anything on the other.

- Sandy, I'd hate to tell you this,

but I got a feeling something's happened.

- Dad would never be this late

without giving word to us somehow.

Not unless something's happened.

- I know, what are we gonna do?

- Well I'm gonna go back to the house

and see if I can reach him on the radio.

- I'll go with ya.

- No, Bud, you'd better
stay here just in case

Dad does show up.

- Sandy, I don't wanna
stay here all by myself.

- There's nothing to be afraid of.

- It's not that I'm afraid exactly.

- Yeah, I know, it's the
waiting and not knowing.

That's the tough part, but at least

you'll have Flipper to keep you company.

- Yeah, well you'll be back
as soon as you can, won't ya?

- Just the minute I hear anything.

Dad'll probably be here by
the time I get back anyway.

- Let's hope so.

- I'll see you later.
- Bye.

- Barney, you got any kids?

- Eight of 'em.

- You must know how worried
my boys are gonna be

when they don't hear from me.

- Can't recall my kids
ever worrying about me.

- Look, I've gotta get word to those boys.

- Relax, ranger, won't hurt your boys
none to worry

about that pa a mite.

Appreciate ya, if-fen you get back.

- Now look if you'll just
row me out to my plane.

- Oh you couldn't fly that plane

no how with that leg.

- No, but I could.

- You could use the radio.

Old Barney ain't so dumb.

Those ranger boys of
yours would be down on me

in no time, for gator
hunting out of season.

- How long are you gonna keep
me here as your prisoner?

- Now that ain't being friendly like,

especially when I'm the one
trying to be hospitable.

If it weren't for me,
you wouldn't be alive.

- Look I didn't ask you to save my life

and I didn't ask you to bring me here!

Barney, you gotta realize something.

There's gonna be searching
parties out looking for me

and when they spot that plane,

they're gonna track me right to you.

- Not the way I fixed it.

- What?

- Don't worry, ranger, I
didn't harm your plane none.

I just covered it with
some leaves and bushes,

you know to make it hard for
them them searching fellas.

Yeah, old Barney's got a head on him.

Have some more coffee,
ranger, do you good.

- You're only postponing
what's gonna happen anyway.

As soon as I can walk,
I'm gonna arrest you.

- Ranger.

I'm holding all the cards.

I figure with that leg of yours,

you're gonna be bedded down
maybe five, six, relax, ranger.

Ranger, now you wouldn't club
a man who saved your life.

But you never can tell.

- WD9598 to Ranger Ricks,
come in Ranger Ricks, over.

WD9598 to Ranger Ricks, come in Dad, over.

WD9598 to Coast Guard,
come in, Coast Guard, over.

- This is Coast Guard,

Lieutenant Jermaine
speaking, go ahead, WD9598.

- Lieutenant Jermaine,
this is Sandy Ricks.

I'm afraid something's happened to my dad.

He left this morning on
a routine check flight,

and he was supposed to
meet my brother Bud and me

over by Emerald Key.

It was about four hours
ago and I can't get him

on the radio, over.

- Well Sandy, have you any idea

which direction he was going, over.

- He just said he was gonna
be flying over the Everglades

checking out a report
on some poachers, over.

- Okay, listen to me, Sandy.

He may have ran into
trouble and been forced

to land out of radio range.

We'll send a couple of
helicopters up right away.

You stick close to the radio, over.

- Yes, sir, I'm gonna take the lunge

and go pick up my brother, Bud.

You keep in touch, won't you, over.

- We sure will
and Sandy, don't worry,

you hear, over.

- Yes, sir, thank you,
Lieutenant, over and out.

- Flipper, I just don't feel like playing.

I know you're trying to
make me feel better, Flipper

and I appreciate it, but
I'm not a kid anymore

and a man has to be able to
handle situations like this.

You just gotta be all right, Dad.

- WD9598 to Ranger Ricks,

WD9598, come in, Dad.

Please come back, Dad.

- Ranger, might as well relax.

You ain't going no place.

I'm gonna go out and get
myself another gator.

When I come back, I'm gonna
cook us some gator stew.

You ever eat gator stew?

Mighty tasty if you got the taste for it.

Ranger, you must be a mighty important man

to have them Coast Guard boys out looking

for you this quick.

- Them Coast Guard boys
are the most efficient

and fastest rescue outfit
in this country.

- They're wasting their time this time.

Sure are.

♫ 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

♫ Lying there under

♫ Under the sea