The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 1, Episode 2 - The Carnival - full transcript

Few strangers ever came
to Walton's Mountain.

We got our news of the outside
world from the radio...

or from an occasional copy
of a magazine.

But I remember when I was about
17, four visitors arrived...

and gave me my first
unexpected glimpse...

of the other world
beyond our mountain.

$1.81, $1.82, $1.83....

$1.84, $1.85, $1.86, $1.87....

No, stupid, that's a nickel.
That makes it $1.92.

I'm not stupid, I can count just
as good as you can, Erin.

Okay, now just calm down,
both of you, right now.



How can I get it right
if you keep interrupting me?

John-Boy, if you don't get a
move on...

that carnival's gonna be gone
before you get there.

I know.

I think we have
a total of $2.22.

Have we earned enough?

To see the bearded lady, the
strong man...

and the dancing bear?

We've earned enough for all
that...

and enough left over for a stick
of cotton candy to share.

All right, upstairs, all of you,
and get washed up.

Half the county will be at that carnival.

I don't want my children
looking like ragamuffins.

-John-Boy.
-Yes, Mama?



Are you gonna leave this money
lying around here?

I'll get it on the way down.

You'll do it now. Your grandma
and me need the table.

Yes, ma'am.

Take good care. You all
have a good time.

We will, Mama.

And watch out Ben don't eat too
much of that cotton candy.

That boy's got a jumpy
stomach...

and the Lord only knows
what they put inside that stuff. 35

No, it's my fault.

I shouldn't have put them
where you couldn't see them.

No. Grandpa's right.

He's always saying
that when I get to talking...

I only put half a mind
to what I'm doing.

You can't do without them.
That's for sure.

I'll wrap them and send them
to Charlottesville to be fixed.

Where are you going to get
the money?

We've got $2 emergency money
saved up.

You know as well as I do that
that $2 emergency money...

Maybe I can see if John can
ask--

Daughter, I'll not have you
borrowing on my account.

Now, if we Waltons can't pay
cash, we do without.

Never could get used
to the things anyway.

They're more bother than they're
worth.

Sisters!

-John-Boy, will you get that?
-All righty.

Listen, you all...

I know Grandma won't admit it,
but without her glasses...

she can't even see to read
and write her own name.

Or crochet. You know how Grandma
loves to crochet.

What do you think we should do,
John-Boy?

The money belongs to all of you

and I can't tell you what to do
with it.

But I'm going to contribute
my share

to getting Grandma's
glasses fixed.

You can have my share, too,
John-Boy.

Yeah, and mine, too.

And mine.

Who cares about an old carnival
anyway?

Probably wouldn't have been
any good, anyway.

You won't get to see the bearded
lady and the dancing bear.

None of us will.

Thanks, Elizabeth.

Well, I won't hear of it and
that's that.

Grandma, that carnival doesn't
matter.

I never did believe that eye
doctor over in Charlottesville.

Telling me I needed glasses.

My eyesight's just as good as it
ever was.

Come on, Elizabeth.

Come on.

-Mr. Godsey.
-Hi, kids.

How was the carnival?

We didn't go, Mr. Godsey.

Grandma broke her glasses...

and we have to send a money order--

Elizabeth!

We need a $2 money order,
Mr. Godsey.

Okay. I see.
87 00:06:57,985 --> 00:06:59,587

With the postage to
Charlottesville

and the money order
that comes to $2.11.

I didn't see you all at the
carnival.

Seemed like about everyone in
town was there except you all.

I do declare...

in my entire life,
I have never attended

a more exciting carnival.

Sorry you all had to miss it.

Elizabeth!

Mary Ellen, here's your receipt,

and I'll get it off
as soon as I can.

Thanks, Mr. Godsey.

-Bye, kids.
-Bye.

-That ought to hold her.
-Thanks, John-Boy. 102

John-Boy.

Wash day?

Every day is wash day
with this crowd.

John around?

He and Grandpa are up at
Rockfish

delivering some railroad ties.

-Know what time he'll be back?
-About a half hour, I reckon.

Something wrong, Sheriff?

I just wanted to tell John
tonight before he goes to bed...

lock up all them doors and
windows.

-Why?
-It's that carnival.

Last night after the show, the
manager ran off with the cash...

Took the snake charmer's wife
along with him.

Anyway, I guess
the rest of the folks figured...

there wasn't much point sticking
around...

so they hightailed it out of
town with their trucks.

Trouble is they've left four
people here.

-Where are they now?
-I don't know.

Skulking around somewhere,
I guess.

I hear tell they got no respect
for other peoples' ways...

or property.

Drinking, smoking, carrying on.

Mind you, you tell John to keep
everything under lock and key.

John-Boy, I want you to keep
a sharp eye on the children...

until those people are gone.

I will, Mama.

"An' they seeked him in the
rafter-room

"an' cubby-hole, an' press

"An' they seeked him up the
chimbly-flue

an' ever'wheres, I guess

"But all they ever found was
just his pants an' roundabout!

"An' the Gobble-uns'll git you
ef you don't watch out!"

Come on, goblin, time for bed.

Come on.

Come on, goblin.

Come on, John-Boy, read some more.

-Are there really goblins?
-No, they're just make-believe.

Now go on, sleep.
Don't let the bed bugs bite you.

Goodnight, dolly.

You going downstairs
to listen to the radio?

I figured I'd just write a bit
first.

Come on, get back to bed,
goblin.

Goodnight, goblins.

"An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you
If you don't watch out!"

I didn't want to ask the others

especially Jim-Bob and
Elizabeth.

It's hard for them
understanding...

than going to a carnival.

Elizabeth, come here.

Wake up.

8:00.

The train is just going
over the trestle at Rockfish.

It makes a lonesome sound
and far out there in the night.

it fills me with a kind of
restless feeling...

I don't rightly understand.

It won't budge.

-Hit it with your shoe.
-It'll scare the monkey.

It's not a monkey.
It's a goblin.

Now, what are you two doing?

It's a goblin, John-Boy,
outside.

-It's gone.-Yeah, it's gone. Come on.

Off to bed before Mama catches
you and you both get a licking.

-But it was there, John-Boy.
-It was not.

You get off to bed, too,
before I give you a goblin.

-Goodnight.
-Just go to sleep.

-More coffee, Grandpa?
-Two cups are enough for me.

-I'd sure like to see that.
-What's that, son?

The World's Fair in Chicago.
Just opened up.

We've been hearing about that
on the radio.

"A Century of Progress."
Isn't that what they call it?

in the middle of a depression.

"The scientific
and industrial theme...

has been all but eclipsed...

"by an unknown film actress
named Sally Rand.

"Enthusiastic crowds are
flocking....

"Continued on Page 37."

Sally Rand.

-Go on, son.
-Yep.

"...are flocking to see
the 28-year-old beauty...

"as completely naked...

"she performs her daring
and provocative fan dance...

"inspired from watching the
white herons in the moonlight 189

John-Boy, what are you reading?

Why, that's just a magazine
article.

Bringing a thing
like this in here

for your brothers
and sisters to see.

The boy didn't mean any harm.

Besides, it sounds right pretty
to me.

Can't you just picture it?

I mean these beautiful white
herons...

gently flying over her
granddaddy's farm?

Stop it.

Funny thing about World Fairs.

There was one in the last
century in Chicago...

about 40 years ago.
203 00:14:00,740 --> 00:14:04,244

They called her Little Egypt.

She raised quite a ruckus, too.

Just goes to show you
things haven't changed much.

Old man!

Times have changed.

It just proves
that men's foolishness hasn't!

It won't be up there.
Goblins don't live in trees.

Monkeys do.

Jason, where do goblins live?

Just about anywhere, I reckon.

How about monkeys?

You won't find any around here.

Well, what do you know?

Jason!

Over here, John-Boy.

Hey, children.

-No. Just the monkey.
-What monkey?

There he sits.

Did you get up close to him?

Took a piece of applesauce cake
right out of Jim-Bob's hand.

-Didn't bite nor scratch?
-He's real friendly.

He's a cute little devil.

Hey, come here. Come on.

Come here.

-Are you going in there,
-Sure.

Bet it's dark in there.

No. Come on, let's go. Come on.

Excuse me, ma'am. I'm sorry.

Allow us to introduce ourselves.

This is Marco the Magnificent...

Feats that have astonished not
only...

President Franklin Delano
Roosevelt...

but King George V of England...

Queen Mary, and the entire
family.

And this is...

Tommy Trindle...

a direct descendant of the one,
the only, the original...

Colonel Tom Thumb.

Me, I'm Pete Harris...

billed in the business as
"Panhandle Pete...

"the Hobo Clown. Never asks
for a handout. Only a laugh."

This is Belle.
248 00:17:57,244 --> 00:17:59,312

Better known as Beautiful Belle
Brown...

world famous, death-defying,
aerial artiste.

They're hiding out in a barn.

Four of them, just like
the Sheriff said.

Three men and a woman.

The lady's real pretty, wearing
a slithery pink bathrobe...

just like that Jean Harlow in
the talkies.

That's enough out of you, Jason.

They got cigarettes out there,
and whiskey?

I don't know. I reckon maybe.

But they seemed like
awful nice people to me. 260

out there in that barn...

are three men
and a woman in a bathrobe...

drinking whiskey, and the Lord
knows what else beside...

and you stand there telling me
they're real nice.

I didn't see any whiskey, and I
didn't see any cigarettes or....

It's them!

-Who, the carnival folk?
-They're coming here.

I will not have those people
inside this house.

You can't judge people by where
they come from...

or what they wear,
or what they do.

and we're not gonna start now.

All right, children, up to bed.

Hurry up, all of you.
Get ready for bed now.

-Go ahead.
-Right this minute.

Listen to your mama. Upstairs.

We'll never be able to see them.

-You can see them later.
-No.

Get ready for bed.

Go ahead, upstairs.

-Evening.
-Good evening.

-Won't you come in?
-How nice. Yes, thank you.

-Good evening.
-Evening.

Hello.

We just come to return the
kettle which we borrowed.

Thank you.

We would've returned it sooner,
but, well....

We didn't have nothing
to heat hot water in, you see.

A most unfortunate situation.

We apologize if we've caused you
any inconvenience.

Yeah.

-Yes. Well, goodnight.
-Goodnight.

Have you folks had supper?

Come on, there's plenty of food
for everyone. Come on in.

When we were with the big
circus...

we traveled the length and
breadth of this country

on the company train.
298 00:20:48,014 --> 00:20:51,784

mahogany paneling.

And in the dining car, real red
plush velvet on the walls...

and crystal chandeliers.

You should have seen it.
Beautiful.

We played all the grand cities.

New Orleans, San Francisco,
St. Louis, Seattle.

-Don't forget New York.
-New York?

Did you all see
the Empire State Building?

-See it? Got engaged on it.
-Engaged?

Yes, ma'am, to Belle here.

One night Belle and I
got on the elevator...

That's where I popped the
question.

That's pretty.

From up there you can see for
miles and miles.

Seems like the whole world is
just stretched out before you...

glittering and shimmering
away...

and far below are the
transatlantic liners...

moving slowly down the river
on their way to Europe.

Hundred and two stories.
Must touch the clouds.

More coffee, anyone?

Yeah, I'll have some more,
please.

Pass the sugar, please.
322 00:22:40,827 --> 00:22:44,431

Where are you folks headed?

We hope to get to Chicago,
to the World's Fair.

Yeah. We've all been promised
jobs at the fair.

Chicago is a mighty
long way off.

How do you figure
on getting there?

We had hoped by train.

At night in the barn, we've
heard one in the distance.

That'd be the freight.

Stops at Rockfish,
6 miles from here.

Can we get on it?

It might be difficult.
You see...

the railroad company's put on
these security guards.

Hobos and folks
who can't get a job...

they've been jumping the
railroads...

and riding free.

Maybe we'll have to think of
another way.

It just so happens I know one of
the agents over there.

-Who's that, John?
-That's young Sam Holden.

Do you think he'd help us?

Only one way to find out.

The next time I go over to
Rockfish, I'll ask him.

That's wonderful.
Thank you.

I tell you, I never saw folks
put away so much food.

They must have eaten
a whole week's supply of food.

And that Marco, that quiet one,
he must've had six helpings.

What's the matter?

I wish they'd never come here.

It's not the food
or the extra mouths to feed.

-That'll be hard, I know.
-Then what?

It's John-Boy.

-He's going to leave us, John.
-One day.

Tonight I really saw it
for the first time.

Why did they have to come
here...

with their stories,
filling his head with ideas?

Those ideas were there before.

They just swirled arounda little tonight.

I don't think I'll ever have the
strength to give him up.

You had the strength
to raise him.

You'll have the strength
to let him go.

Mama made too much.

Said in this kind of weather
it wouldn't keep.

Your mama's a real uptown lady.

Mary Ellen, Elizabeth's touching
things that don't belong to her.

That's all right, honey.

You touch those things
all you want.

That's pretty.

That's pretty worn out.

-You can have it, if you want .
-Really?

-Sure.-Thanks. Look at that.

I like this.

Honey, I need that for my act.

I'm sorry, I can't
let you have that one.

On the tightrope.
It helps her keep her balance.

What's a tightrope?

In the carnival, honey,
it's the rope I walk on.

We didn't get to see the
carnival.

I thought you had.

I thought every kid
in the country was there.

We were going but--

We wanted to go, only....

We had some family matters to
attend to.

Drum, horns, whistles, harp,
just like mine. 385

I don't know. I reckon they call
it a cymbal.

That's a motor horn.

Come on, Jason, we gotta go.

Mama said just to leave the
food, and not to hang around.

Mary Ellen.

-So long, and thanks a lot.
-Bye-bye. Thank you.

-Bye.
-See you soon.

Bye-bye.

Bye.

Ben!

Just in time for the show, Mama.

We're just playing carnival.
Marco showed me how to juggle.

You pick those pieces up
at once.

And then go straight
to your room.

And mind you don't cut yourself.

My son is down to Ike's
to fetch me some axle grease.

When he comes back,
tell him I want to see him.

I'll warn him.

-Livie?
-Yeah?

Sounds to me like somebody's
scrambling around on the roof.

What is it?

Hi, Ma.

Look at Mary Ellen!

-She's good!
-I'm coming up.

She'll fall.

How am I doing?

Hello, sweetness.

Hi, Pa.

Mary Ellen!

Ten verses, young lady. Ten.

And put that thing away.

"Man that is born of woman
is of few days... 419

What?

I don't know. Suppose something
should go wrong.

Sam, you are a family man
with four mouths to feed...

and it ain't so easy these days.

Next week it'll be five,
Mr. Walton.

Well, I declare.

With all those children we don't
want you to take any risks.

Heck, it ain't gonna be no risk.

You just have them here at 9:00
sharp tomorrow night...

-I'll see they get on the train.
-We sure appreciate that, Sam.

You'd better warn them it ain't
gonna be no first class.

I reckon they know that already.

That the right time, Sam?

It must have stopped again.

Homer'd have my scalp if he knew
I let his clock run down again.

That Homer Ferguson must be
a regular old priss.

Priss isn't the word for it.

Everything's got to be
just so-so.

Told me in all the years
he'd been with the railroad...

he hasn't missed one single day.

Good old Homer.

I hear tell that come lately...

Homer Ferguson's more dedicated
to his own service...

Is that so?

Just hearsay, won't bear
repeating.

Come on, Pa. We'll be late for
supper.

Good luck with the new kid, Sam.

Tommy?

Hi.

-We got it all fixed up.
-The train?

Daddy, me, and Grandpa will pick
you up in the truck at 8:30.

Great. You know,
three or four days from now...

I guess we'll all be in Chicago
working at the fair.

You know, I read
a magazine article about that.

About how the night the fair
opened...

Heard they got a beam of light
from a star.

It set off some kind of
electrical impulse.

Suddenly all the lights at the
Fair went on at the same time.

-I heard about that.
-Yeah.

How about them stories of
Petes'. They all true?

Pete sometimes
exaggerates a bit.

I'd sure like to go to those
places, meet those people.

More than anything else,
I want that.

You will one day.

Shucks, I'd like to go
right now.

I don't know, makes me restless.

Even in school.

Last week, Miss Hunter was
reading us something...

by Herman Melville.

Shoot, all I wanted to do
was just...

get up in the classroom and run,
shout, laugh, just do something.

What did she read you?

About this whaling ship.

And how at night with the sails
folded and the ship to rest...

all the life in the ocean...

was just teeming
and rushing underneath it. 479

That's right.

"...furls his sails...

"and lays him down to rest...

"while under his very pillow...

"rush herds of walruses
and whales."

That's just how I feel.

Just like I'm really asleep
right here...

and life is just
rushing past me.

And one day, when it's too late,
I'll wake up...

and find myself high and dry
like a ship that's run aground.

It won't happen
if you don't let it.

-Here let me help you with that.
-Thank you.

See, Tommy, I want to be
a writer...

When the time comes for you
to leave, John-Boy...

and it will, nothing
will stop you.

How do you know that?

Once I had to make a decision
about leaving home...

and it wasn't easy.

You see, for me, too...

there was a couple of things
standing in the way.

And we thank you, Lord, for this
food...

and we beg you to lead us soon
out of this depression--

Amen.

Amen. Let's eat.

Come on, now, Ben.
Don't take it all.

-Pass it.-Elizabeth!

There's a letter under the door.

Thank you, Daddy.

Go back to the table and behave
yourself.

Come on, now. Don't take it all.

It looks like some kind of
invitation. Yeah.

"To all the Waltons.

"We most humbly request the
pleasure of your company...

"at 7:15 tonight in the barn."

Is that all it says?

That's all. It's got their names
signed at the bottom.

Pete, Belle, Tommy, and Marco.

Want to see it?

7:15. The train doesn't leave
till 9:30.

Here, take a look.

Now, come on with those
pancakes, Ma.

-Place looks deserted.
-Hope nothing's wrong.

Welcome, and good evening.

-What do you know!
-I don't think anything's wrong.

Please, this way.

Come on, let's go.

Come on, then.

Please, dear lady, allow me.

Don't step on with me, now.

If you please.

Much obliged.

-You could stand here.
-I'll be fine right here.

Daddy, there's a box over there.

Don't fool me none
with these gigolo ways.

Ladies and gentlemen!

It gives me great pleasure
to welcome you here tonight.

And now, direct from La Scala in
Milan...

il maestro, Pietro!

-Homer?
-Mr. Ferguson to you.

Get your dirty boots
off of my desk.

Yes, sir.

How many times have I got to
tell you to button your uniform?

This is the railroad you're
working for...

not some socialist New Deal
outfit.

-You better get on home.
-Why? What happened?

Excuse me.

Watch it.

Belle...

my husband once told me...

that you shouldn't judge people
by where they come from...

or what they do.

He was right.

And I was wrong.

Can I give you a hand?

Pete's always after me
about carrying all this stuff.

He says a carny's
gotta travel light.

Something is gonna
have to come out.

I know.

Hold this a second. I'll carry
that with me, under my arm.

Really pretty.

That's my hobby.I've been doing them for years.

Just like a picture.
Look at those flowers.

I never had a chance to settle
anywhere long, to grow my own.

Here, take it.

Thank you.

What's it like?

What?

Having a home, raising children.

Always being in one place.

It's the only way I know.

It must be lovely.

Nothing to be scared
of all the time.

Sometimes I think it's probably
a little bit like...

walking that wire up there.

So, with your experience,
you ought to be very good at it.

Hold on, don't let him go now.

Bye.

-John-Boy?
-Yes, Mama?

It's nothing.

All right, everyone.

Bye.

Hey, Sam!

What are you all doing here
at this time of night?

Homer.

We just dropped by to see Sam.

Well, well, well!

Look like you've got yourself
a real traveling circus.

These folks are real good
friends of ours.

I see. I'll bet the Sheriff
would like to meet them, too.

They haven't broken any law.

Let's keep it that way.

That's what you had in mind,
didn't you?

Homer, now, these folks have to
get to Chicago.

They've got jobs waiting for
them there.

Ain't no concern of mine.

Now why don't you
and your friends...

just get right back in that
truck and drive on off of here.

Else I'm calling the Sheriff...

and having you all arrested
for violating railroad rules.

Now, hold on, Homer--

While you're reporting us as
violators...

I had in mind that train that

pulls out here every week
on Thursday night.

What train?

The one that loads six cases of
bootleg whiskey on it...

just as soon as
your back is turned.

I gotta get this train moving.

After 25 years of devoted
service...

to the railroad, they should be
all mighty interested...

in your Thursday night special.

How did you find out about this?

I forgot just now
who did tell me.

Could be, come morning...

Get them on board.

You're a good man, Homer.

-I'll take it.
-All right.

Hurry up, before it leaves.

Come on. Good boy.

Come on, let's go.

-All right, John-Boy.
-Get it up there.

-Up. Hurry, get up.
-All aboard!

All aboard!

We'll send you
a card from the fair.

Tommy, you dropped something.

It's yours.

And so the carnival people
left Walton's Mountain.

The postcard
we received from them

said they'd arrived safely in
Chicago...

You all right, son?

I'm all right.

Some years later, when I left
to go to college...

the book which Tommy gave me...

was one of the possessions I
took with me.

Now, whenever I open it,
I remember those four people...

who gave a 17-year-old boy his
first glimpse...

of the outside world.

John-Boy?

-What is it?
-Will they'll ever come back?

I don't know, Elizabeth.

Wish I could see that lady walk
along the rope again.

One day maybe.

Good night, Elizabeth.