Petticoat Junction (1963–1970): Season 3, Episode 30 - What Ever Happened to Betty Jo? - full transcript

(train whistle blows)

♪ Come ride the little train ♪

♪ That is rollin' down the
tracks to the Junction ♪

(bell clanging)

♪ Forget about your cares ♪

♪ It is time to relax
at the Junction ♪

(whistle blows twice)

♪ Lots of curves, you bet ♪

♪ And even more when you get ♪

♪ To the Junction ♪

♪ Petticoat Junction ♪



(snare drum plays train rhythm)

♪ There's a little hotel called
the Shady Rest at the Junction ♪

♪ Petticoat Junction ♪

♪ It is run by Kate, come and
be her guest at the Junction ♪

♪ Petticoat Junction ♪

♪ And that's Uncle Joe,
he's a-movin' kinda slow ♪

♪ At the Junction ♪

♪ Petticoat Junction! ♪

(train whistle blows)

Kate, what are you doing?

Isn't it obvious?

I'm redecorating the lobby.

How do you like it so far?

You mean to tell
me all this stuff



came out of that
one little closet?

Well, it didn't
exactly come out,

- I dragged it out.
- All by yourself?

No. He helped.

JOE: Heh!

- Some help.
- Well, I couldn't find the girls,

and you were sleeping so sound.

Aw, nonsense, Kate.

Whenever there's
work to be done,

you go ahead and wake me
up... I'll find the girls for you.

Thanks. And where are you going?

Kitchen. I'm ready to eat.

Always.

But if you eat now,
you'll spoil your supper.

- No, I won't.
- Oh, yes, you will,

'cause I won't give you any.

Be reasonable, Kate.

If I'm gonna look for the girls,

I got to stoke the
old boiler. (chuckles)

(wry chuckle)

You just bring that
old boiler over here.

If you stoke it any more,
you won't be able to carry it.

Very funny.

Now, come on, I'll
explain my system to you.

I have the girls'
things in three piles...

Bobbie Jo, Billie
Jo and Betty Jo.

And... this is yours.

Whose is this?

KATE: Oh, that's the dog's.

JOE: Hey!

Just a minute, you... you're
putting that on the wrong pile.

That's my slipper.

- Give me that.
- (dog snarling)

Keep your little grubby
paws off of my stuff.

Hi, Mom. Hi, Uncle Joe.

Bobbie Jo, where in
the world have you been?

Now, listen, I want
you to get over...

It's about time you showed up.

We've been looking
high and low for you.

I was swimming
at the water tower.

It was such a nice day.

What's going on?
What are you doing?

We're cleaning
the storage closet.

Work... that's what's going on.

Your mother and me have
been about breaking our backs

while you and your sisters
are out lollygagging around.

Oh. Speaking of
lollygagging, where is Billie Jo?

She's playing tennis
with Ace Gunther.

They took the train into
Hooterville this morning.

Tennis, swimming...

Kate, you're raising
a bunch of lazy girls.

Yeah. I wonder
where they get it.

- Uncle Joe...
- Never mind, Mom, I'll help.

- What do you want me to do?
- Well, first I want you

to go through your stack of junk

and see if you can
get rid of some of it.

Oh, look! Here's my old ukulele.

I wonder if I
could still play it.

Not without
strings. In the trash.

Some people just don't
have any sentiment at all.

Oh, I have plenty of sentiment;
I just don't have any room.

But, Mom, if all this junk
came out of the closet,

it'll all go back in.

Yes, but you see,
this is last year's junk,

and if we keep it all,

where are we gonna
put this year's junk?

- Kate, I got a great idea.
- Well, this has got to go.

You're gonna burn this...?!

No, you're gonna burn it.

Kate, you haven't heard my idea.

This is a valuable old antique.

Well, it's old, but
it isn't an antique,

and it certainly isn't valuable.

Kate, I'm surprised at you.

You're not keeping up
on your interior decorating.

To you, this is just an
old piece of beat-up junk.

To me, it's the inventory of a
moneymaking antique shop.

That was your great idea.

Sure. Sometimes, if the
furniture don't look old enough,

you take it out and bang it
around till it has dents in it.

This is what they call
a "distressed finish."

What do you know!
I'm in style after all.

Everything I own has
a distressed finish.

Uncle Joe, when
you catch your breath,

you can... haul the
rest of this stuff out.

- (train whistle blows)
- JOE: Hey, the train's in.

KATE: Yeah. Later
than usual today.

I've been waiting for Betty
Jo to get home from school.

- She's good help.
- Fine. Then you won't need me.

Here, hold this. I'm
going in the kitchen

and get a cup of coffee and
a piece of that blueberry pie.

I'm saving that pie for supper.

Besides, you just
had a coffee break.

That was my sandwich break.

Now I'm taking my coffee break.

Joe's a remarkable man.

One day's work, and he's
ahead three weeks' breaks.

BILLIE JO: I just love the way
you look in that T-shirt, Ace.

And the way you
serve that ball... wow!

Well, there's Billie Jo and Ace.

I guess they were
on the train, too.

Yeah, looks like I'm gonna
have a complete staff after all.

Hi, everybody.

We just had the
most marvelous time.

It was a perfect day for tennis,

and they resurfaced
the courts in Hooterville.

For goodness sakes,
this place looks awful.

Yeah, I've been cleaning
out the storage closet.

Why in the world did
you do that, Mom?

Well, uh, it was this way:

I had my choice of
going to the races,

uh, playing golf
at the country club,

having tea with Ladybird,
or, um, cleaning out the closet,

so naturally...

Oh, Mother, you're
such a character.

You know Ace Gunther, don't you?

Ooh, course I do.

- Hi, Ace.
- Hello, Mrs. Bradley.

- Hi, Bobbie Jo.
- Hi, Ace.

I need your help, Billie Jo.

You're just in time.

Mother, please!

I've got company.

Well, that's wonderful...
We can use another hand.

And when Betty Jo gets here...

You mean she isn't home yet?

No. I-I-I thought she
was on the train with you.

Not unless she was running it.

Well, that's it. Sure.

She's in the cab with
Floyd and Charlie.

I just hope she hurries up.

Meantime, I have to,
uh, see about supper.

Well, if it ain't Miss
Billie Jo Bradley,

prominent sportswoman,
just in from the links.

(laughs): Hi, Uncle Joe.

But you don't play
tennis on the links,

you play on the courts.

Oh. They must've
changed the rules.

Uncle Joe, this is Ace Gunther.

Ace, this is my
Uncle Joe Carson.

How do you do, Mr. Carson?

How are you, son?

Do you know anything
about antiques?

- No, sir.
- That's too bad.

I was looking for
somebody to help me out

- in my antique business.
- Oh?

Come on, Ace, you
must be dying of thirst.

Yes, there's some nice
ice-cold lemonade in the icebox.

Oh, hi, boys.

Where's Betty Jo?

Tinkering with the train again?

No, she didn't go on this run.

And we held the train
next to 20 minutes.

Well, I can't imagine
what happened.

She usually tells me when
she's gonna stay late at school.

We ain't seen her
since this morning.

I said to Floyd she
just didn't look like

our little Betty Jo
with her hair slicked up

and makeup all over her face.

And when I spoke to her,
she didn't answer hardly at all.

Just stared out into
space kind of dreamy-like,

like her mind was on
something far away.

I could see right off, she
wasn't her normal self.

Darn moths... They
ain't got brains enough

to come out at night.

Boys, did... did
she say anything

about doing
something after school?

I don't recollect she did.

Oh, I thought it
was kind of peculiar,

her with that suitcase.

- Suitcase?!
- Floyd!

I told Charlie if it
was anyone else

but Betty Jo Bradley, I'd say
she was running away from home.

Running away?!

Yeah, you know,
like that Perkins girl

over in Pixley last month.

Run off to the county
seat and got married.

And she was a year
younger than Betty Jo.

Why, Betty Jo wouldn't...

Or that Walker girl from
Crabwell Corners last year.

Hitchhiked halfway to
Hollywood, California,

before they caught up with her.

Floyd, will you shut up!

You got a mouth
like a cellar door.

What'd I say?

You dumbbell!

Can't you see that Kate's
pretty near worried to death

without you making it any worse?

Oh, no, no,
I'm-I'm-I'm not worried.

Why... Betty Jo's too
sensible to do a thing like that.

No... No, I'm-I'm not worried.

- Then why are you sweeping the dog?
- I'm not.

My stars!

I thought sure we'd find a note.

Lots of times when she's
gonna stay late at school,

she leaves me a note.

Well, it isn't under
there, but I found this.

- What's that?
- Her diary.

I wondered where she kept it.

Bobbie Jo, you put that
right back where you found it.

I wouldn't think
of prying into it.

- It's probably locked, anyway.
- No, it isn't, Mom. See?

That is Betty
Jo's private diary.

- Now, put it back.
- Okay.

On the other hand...

if anything happened to Betty Jo

and there was a
clue in the diary

and I didn't read it, I'd
never forgive myself.

G-G-Give it here.

Oh, but these are my
baby's own personal thoughts,

and... nobody
should pry into them.

Put it... put it back.

Of course, I don't have
to read the whole diary.

I could just read the last page.

And that's a mother's duty.

Give it here.

A mother should have...

some trust in her daughter.

- Well, I'm not her mother.
- Billie Jo, what are you doing!

Bobbie Jo, you put this
back where you found it.

And that goes for dogs, too.

(barks)

Yes, I mean you.

Well, so far, no note,

but her green dress is
missing, and her high heels.

Her green dress? She
never wears that to school.

Looks like she did today.
She's crazy about that dress.

I know. She thinks it
makes her look sexy.

Oh, dear!

Well... I-let's not get excited.

Just sit calmly and,
uh... try to think.

- I've got it!
- What? -What?

Play rehearsal!

No, Mom, it's too early.

They don't even
have trials till October.

Cheerleader practice!

Uh-uh. That starts next week.

She was practicing cartwheels
yesterday getting in shape.

Club meeting?

- No?
- That's right, no.

Too early.

(barks)

(barks)

Well, don't just sit there...

If you've got an idea, say so.

(barking)

It's too bad he can't
talk; he probably knows.

Yeah. She tells him everything.

She used to tell me everything.

Here, here, what are you doing?

That's Betty Jo's notebook!

He's trying to
tell us something!

Take it away from him.

He'll tear it.

(chuckles) "Notes
on World History.

Reasons why Napoleon
was defeated at Waterloo."

Oh, you're a great help.

We're worried sick about...

No, that isn't what
he's trying to tell us.

Look what's written
all over the margin.

"Mrs. Betty Jo Latimer."

"Mrs. Betty Latimer."

"Mrs. Peter Latimer."

Well, that doesn't...
Who's Peter Latimer?!

Oh, he's just a new boy in town

trying out for high
school baseball team.

"Betty Jo Latimer."

"Mrs. Peter Latimer."

Wow! She sure flipped over him.

Oh, that doesn't mean anything.

All girls do that.

Ooh, and I thought
she was just clowning.

Saturday we were
making the beds.

She took the bedspread
in number seven...

You know, the lace one...
And draped it over her head

and marched up and down
singing the "Wedding March."

Just feast your eyes on this.

Now there's an antique
if I ever seen one.

How about it, young fella?

When's the last time
you saw one of them?

Don't think I ever saw
one of these before.

- (Joe chortles) -Why has
he got a clock in his stomach?

So's it can tell
time, knucklehead.

Ain't working just right,
but I think I can fix it.

Oh, now here's
another fascinating item.

Did you find a note, Kate?

Well, not a note
exactly; it was just...

Well, the whole
thing's ridiculous.

Well, she'll probably send
you a telegram after it's all over.

After what's all over?

Why, the wedding.

That's the way
they usually do it.

I swear, Floyd, if you
ain't got a one-track mind.

Well, I'm just not going
to worry about it yet.

There must be a reasonable
explanation for all this,

and when we find it out,
we'll all have a good laugh.

(laughing)

Oh, Kate, listen...

How about setting aside
this section of the lobby

for our antique shop?

- Our what?
- Our antique shop.

After all, we got all
them priceless antiques

and "objects dart."

We got to have a
place to display 'em.

Objects what?!

"Dart." That's French
for statues and stuff.

Kate, I'm thinking of calling it
"Ye Oldey Antiquey Shoppey."

How does that strike you?

Well, it doesn't...

because all these
priceless treasures are going

in Ye Oldey Trashy Baskety.

But, Kate, you're
passing up a fortune.

Please... please, Uncle Joe.

All I can think of
right now is Betty Jo.

It just isn't like her
to do a thing like this.

She's always so sensible
and so considerate.

There must be something

that I'm forgetting I'm
supposed to remember.

- Uh... Mom?
- Yes, Bobbie Jo?

I think I remembered something
I was supposed to forget.

What?

Well, it probably
doesn't mean anything,

but Betty Jo borrowed
back her nightgown.

The one she got
for her birthday.

The pink one?

With the ruffles?

And the lace?

What for?

I don't know.

I think I do.

Oh, shut up, Floyd.

You don't know nothing.

Maybe not, but I
got a good idea.

She probably
wanted to sleep in it.

Of course she
wanted to sleep in it.

What else would she
do with a nightgown?

But where would
she be is the question.

Why, wherever
she was eloping to.

That did it.

Charley, I got to get into
town. Will you take me?

Well, we're heading the
other way, towards Pixley,

but I reckon we could
back it into Hooterville.

Oh, please, Charley.

I got to stop Betty
Jo before it's too late.

Sorry to make you
fellas back the train

all the way into Hooterville.

We're glad to do it, Kate.

I'll go get up a little steam.

- Won't take but a minute.
- Thanks, Charley.

Now don't you worry, Kate.

Everything's gonna
turn out just fine.

Oh, you really think so, Floyd?

Why, sure!

Betty Jo's a sensible,
level-headed girl.

She's going to
make a fine mother.

Hey! That's going to make
you a grandmother, ain't it?

Floyd...

- (knocking insistently)
- Sam? Sam!

Store's closed!

(knocking continues)

Come back tomorrow!

- (knocking)
- Sam, open up! It's me!

I don't care who...

Kate! I'll be right with you!

(knocking continues)

Oh... Sam, Sam, I got
to use your telephone!

Sure, Kate.

Wh-What's wrong?

Oh, it's-it's just
terrible, terrible.

Hello, Sarah? Yes.

Sarah, give me,
uh... give me, uh...

Who should she give me?

Well, first, tell
me what's wrong,

then I'll tell you who
Sarah should give you.

Oh. I'll-I'll call
you back, Sarah.

Oh, it's just dreadful,
Sam, dreadful.

Now, Kate, get
a hold of yourself.

Betty Jo ran off
and got married.

Oh, good gosh!
When did this happen?

I don't know.

She-she left the
house this morning

without saying good-bye...
Without even leaving me a note.

Oh, now, take it easy, Kate.

Betty Jo's a level-headed,
conscientious little girl.

She wouldn't do anything
drastic without telling you.

Oh, t-tell me more,
Sam, tell me more.

Well, she came in here today

right after school,
like she always does,

reaching into the candy jar.

And that nice young fella, Pete
Latimer, smiling down at her,

holding her suitcase, while
she dug out some licorice

for them to eat on their
way to the state line.

State line?!

Suitcase?!

Oh, holy Toledo!

You're a mother-in-law!

Oh, my poor baby!

It isn't much of
a diamond, Pete,

but it sure served its purpose.

Let's see you snag this one.

How was that, Betty Jo?

BETTY JO: Great!

With a little more practice,
you'll be another Pee Wee Reese!

Who's she?

(laughs) She is a he, silly.

Oh, this better be
the last one, Betty Jo.

If I don't get that car home
pretty soon, Dad'll kill me.

Well, if you hadn't insisted
on coming all the way out here,

we could have gotten
in a lot more practice.

Well, gosh, Betty Jo,

I couldn't take a chance
on practicing in town.

What if the fellas were to see
me being coached by a girl?

Well, you won't have to
worry about that anymore.

You're ready for the tryouts.

Well, here's the last one.

Ooh.

Betty Jo, are you all right?

(Betty Jo groans softly)

PETE: Oh.

Yeah.

- Mrs. Latimer?
- Yes?

I'm Betty Jo's mother.

Oh?

I... I'm-I'm... I'm-I'm
Kate Bradley.

Oh, how do you do, Mrs. Bradley?

I'm Peter Latimer's
mother-in-law.

Oh, how nice.

Peter Latimer's mother-in-law?!

Oh! Peter Latimer is my son!

Well, he's also my son-in-law.

Your son and my daughter
just eloped over the state line.

Oh, there's some mistake.

Peter couldn't have eloped.

He has all that homework to do.

Why, he never...
Wait a minute...

If he was going to
do all that homework,

why did he ask to
borrow his father's car?

Uh-huh, you see?

Car, suitcase, state line.

Listen, to me, Mrs. Latimer:

Right now, there are two
innocent children out there

being pelted by uncooked rice.

Oh, my poor soon!

Your poor son? What
about my poor daughter?

Your poor daughter has talked
my poor son into the poorhouse.

His career is finished.

He'll never be a plumber.

What about my daughter?

She's a straight A student.

A girl who never got
to go to college married

to a boy who never
got to be a plumber?

It's all down the drain.

Oh, I've lost my only son!

Oh, Mrs. Latimer,
don't feel that way.

You-you may have lost a son,

but you have gained the
fastest shortstop in Hooterville.

Yeah, but what
good's a shortstop

when Peter's socks need darning?

True.

Hey, maybe we
can still catch 'em.

It's worth a try.

Okay. Let's get in the car
and head for the state line.

Yeah.

- Mm?
- No car.

- No car?
- Mm.

Well...

there's only one
thing for us to do.

You're right.

We'll just have to look
on the bright side of things.

(both laugh)

(both crying)

Gee, Mom, couldn't you
find out anything at all?

One thing, and I wish I hadn't.

Pete Latimer's missing, too.

His mother is worried sick.

Borrowed his father's
car this morning,

and he isn't home yet.

Only those crazy kids
would give us some word!

Mom, did you notice?

We scrubbed out
the closet real good

and put back the
things you told us to.

We didn't know what to
do about the party stuff.

And-and then we carried
our own stuff to our rooms.

Betty Jo's, too.

(crying): Betty Jo.

Say, Kate, us human
beings are a little hungry.

We haven't got clocks
for a stomach like he has.

Oh, Uncle Joe, you got a
clock for a stomach, all right,

and it's always
set for mealtime.

I guess you kids are starved.

I'll go out in the kitchen to
see what I can rustle up, huh?

(woman laughing,
man groans softly)

Wait a minute. Listen.

MAN: Yeah, but you might get...

- (woman laughing)
- Mom!

It's Betty Jo and some boy.

He's carrying her up the walk.

- (Betty Jo laughs)
- Carrying her?!

(Betty Jo laughing)

(Pete groans softly)

Oh, thank goodness
she's all right.

Who's she with?

- PETE: Yeah.
- He's awfully good-looking.

- Oh, we're almost there.
- Yeah.

- Ooh. Aah.
- (Betty Jo laughs)

It's Pete Latimer.

Why do you suppose
he's carrying her?

Gosh, Mom, they do look...

Now, now, now, let's all
get away from the window,

and when they
come in, not a word.

Let them tell us.

I know. Let's all put
on our party hats.

Party hats?

(laughing)

(laughing): Ooh...!

(Pete grunts with effort)

Well, hello, everybody.

Uh, Betty Jo, hello.

Well, what's going on?

Is it a party?

Well, why didn't
somebody tell me?

'Cause you weren't
around, that's why.

And it ain't a party.

We just been
cleaning the closet.

- Oh.
- (Pete laughs)

Well, listen, everybody.

I'd like you to
meet Pete Latimer.

Pete, this my family.

My mother, my Uncle Joe,

and my sisters,
Bobbie Jo and Billie Jo.

How do you do?

Well, uh, d-d-don't just
stand there, come on in.

(laughter)

- Oh!
- Oh!

Watch out for that.

(Betty Jo and Pete laugh)

Might help if you'd
put Betty Jo down.

Uh, sure.

Uh, where?

Well, how about right there?

Well, could somebody, uh,
clear out a chair or something?

Oh. Bobbie Jo, help me out.

That's fine.

(Betty Jo and Pete sigh)

Is that all right, Betty Jo?

Oh, just fine.

You sure you're comfortable?

BETTY JO: Oh, absolutely.

Can I get you anything?

Can't think of a thing.

Uh, Betty Jo?

Yes, Mom?

Uh, if you are sure
you are comfortable...

Oh, I am.

Uh, would you mind telling
us what this is all about?

Oh, I forgot.

You don't know.

I twisted my ankle.

- It don't look swollen.
- No, it doesn't.

It looks perfectly
all right to me.

And where did all
of this take place?

When Pete and I
were fielding grounders

over at Shroeder's Flats.

You see, uh, Pete didn't...

Well, frankly, uh, Betty
Jo was coaching me.

Well, I didn't want
the fellas to know.

Shroeder's Flats.

Th-That's why you
went over the state line.

Well, sure, Mom.

Why else would we...?

Well, never mind.

Uncle Joe, uh, would you
show Pete your antiques

while I get supper ready?

- Come on, girls.
- Oh, yeah.

You know anything
about antiques, son?

- Uh, no, sir.
- Well, that's too bad.

I'm looking for
somebody to help me out

with the antique business.

You haven't eaten your carrots.

Would you like some more beans?

Betty Jo, you can
teach me about baseball,

but when it comes to food,
well, I can coach myself.

- (Joe laughs) -I'm sure glad
you folks let me stay for supper.

Wait a minute.

We know you kids
were practicing baseball,

but we still don't know why
you took along the suitcase.

Well, I had my ball and glove

and schoolbooks,
and my green dress

and-and nightgown
to take to the cleaners,

and my shoes to
take to the repair shop.

So, I put 'em all
in the suitcase.

Like I said in my note.

Note? What note?

The one on my pillow,

where I always leave notes.

Don't look now, but I
think we just found the note.

You naughty boy.

(dog whines)

Pie, anyone?

Except you.

Don't be mad at him, Mom.

(dog whining)

All right, you can have some.

- Good night, Mrs. Bradley.
- Good night, Pete.

- I'll see you to the door.
- Okay.

See you tomorrow, Pete.

Sure thing.

Bye.

You kind of like
Pete, don't you?

Oh, he's just a boy

I'm teaching how to
play baseball, that's all.

- Uh-huh.
- Good night, Mom.

Wait a minute.

I thought you
sprained your, uh...

Healed fast, didn't it?

Hmm.

(laughter)

Go to bed!

♪ Petticoat Junction. ♪

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