 Mother, are post-40% bran flakes really the best tasting cereal of them all? Well, your father says so, and father knows best. Yes, it's Father Knows Best transcribed in Hollywood starring Robert Young as Father, a half-hour visit with your neighbors, the Anderson's, brought to you by America's largest-selling bran flakes, post-40% bran flakes, and by Instant Postum, the good tasting drink that's entirely caffeine-free. You know, Kathy Anderson, she's the little girl that lives in the White Frame House on Maple Street in Springfield. Did you ever notice her ears? Probably not. Well, she has two of them, and they're small, just like most little girls' ears. The puzzling thing about those little ears is how they can hear so much from so many in so little time. And right now, those little pink funnels have gathered in so much news that it's about to spill over, like this. Margaret, I'm home! Where's the family? Oh, hello, dear. Oh, hello, honey. Betty's upstairs, but isn't home yet, and Kathy's around somewhere, I don't know. Daddy! Daddy! Never mind, I found her. Well, kitten, what are you bubbling over for? You don't know yet, do you? You don't know about Bud. Know about Bud? Well, he eats and sleeps. What else is there to know about Bud? Bud quits school. Oh, well, he's always doing the quits school. Calm, Margaret, calm. It's all because of a girl. Because of a girl? Millie Ferris. He's in love with her. He asked her to a movie, and the teacher found out about it. Everybody's talking. Hmm. Have the papers heard about this? But, Jim... Margaret, I want first-hand information before I get all worked up over it. I can tell you all about it, Daddy. Oh, I'm sure you can. But I want the truth. Margaret, please send Bud into the den when he comes in. It's probably Bud now coming in the back way. We might as well have it out right here. Now, let's just take it easy. We'll see what he says when he gets in here. Quiet now. Don't say anything. Hi. He's going up to his room. Bud Anderson, you come back here. What? What's the matter? Can I go up to my room? What are you staring at? Bud, we've just heard a little distressing news. Report has it that... Hello, people. What's all the fuss? Betty, your brother has decided to quit school, and he refuses to give us any reason. Refused? Holy cow! Let's give the boy a chance, Margaret, please. I can give you a good reason. He's just too dumb to go any farther. Who, me? Mother, I've been looking over my room, and I'd like to talk to you about something. Later, Princess. Now, Bud, you might as well get it off your chest. Mother, Kathy's got about 50 dolls in our room. I haven't got room to breathe. Betty, later. All right, Bud? Okay, so I quit. It was on account of that Millie. Millie Ferris? Yeah, she sits between me and Don Curry. So? Well, I wrote a note to Don asking him if he could go to the movies with me tonight. And the teacher saw me handing the note to Millie so she could hand it to Don. And the teacher thought you'd written the note to Millie? Yeah. I forgot to put Don's name on it. So the teacher took the note and read it to the class. Big laugh. Didn't you explain you meant the note for Don? Sure. What happened then? Big laugh. Now, the whole thing is very silly. Well, it's not silly at all. At noon time, did I get it? All the guys were kidding me, saying I'm in love with Millie, saying I'm a sweetie pie. Well, that's not good. Not good at all. I didn't go back this afternoon. I've never gone back. Now, Bud, you can't give up your whole education because of a little embarrassment. How do you think Millie feels about it? She thinks it's great. Why don't you marry the girl if you're so crazy about her? Oh, who asked you anything? Well, dear, what are you going to do? Well, it's obvious Bud can't make any headway at school. That girl chasing him, you know how shy he is. Yes, I know. So if you don't go to school, what do you do? You go to work. We'll have to find Bud a job. Hey, Dad, you really mean that? Jim Anderson. I mean it. Oh, boy. I'm going in the den and call some of the fellas. Yahoo! No more school. Jim, I don't understand you. I'll explain, honey. The girls, you run along. I want to talk to your mother alone. Well, I'm sure Bud's ignorance doesn't concern me in the least. I'd like to talk to you later, mother. And you run along, too, kitten. Gee, Daddy, I don't know where to go. Oh, well, let's see. Well, you see this closet right here, the one with a thin door that sound carries through so well? Yeah, sure. Well, don't go in there. You go upstairs to your room and close the door. Oh, heck, I never have any fun. Now, Margaret, just let me talk. If I forced Bud back to school right away, it might break the poor kid. Everybody laughing at him? It was all a mistake. Who knows it? Well, the fairest girl knows it. And she won't tell. She's got herself a boyfriend. And we've got a boy who won't go back to school. Margaret, it's as simple as this. I'm going to give Bud a job working for us, the Anderson's. What? Wait until you hear the work I've outlined for him. He'll be so sick of work by Monday morning that he'll be glad to go back to school, even if he has to sit on Millie's lap. Simple, won't you admit? Yes, you and your plans. Now, honey, just leave everything to me. Dad, hey, Dad, you know what? Your father knows everything. Dad, if I start to work now, by next June, I ought to get two weeks of vacation with Pay. See, Margaret, a forward-looking businessman. Pardon me while I finish getting dinner. I'd kind of like to pack into the woods by mule. Would you like to go? Bud, there's one mule to another. Let's get you a job first. Here, I brought in the paper. Now, let's take a look at the one ad. Uh, sit down. Let's see, selling, selling, selling. Now, this sounds good. If you can't make $500 a week, we don't want you. What does that mean? That means they don't want you. Let's see, maybe something in the industrial line. Well, here's a big paying job. Say, this might be it. Equipment analyst, able to analyze requirements, prepare cost estimates, select and purchase machines, and process markups for jig assembly. Sounds good. Yeah. Oh, too bad. What? Must have car. That lets you up. Yeah. Let's see, wanted, young man, strong, ambitious, wide awake. Let's see what else there is in here. Bud, I've got an idea. What? How would you like to make $2 a day and room and board? $2 a day and room and board? Holy cow, where could I get a job like that? Right here. General handyman for the Anderson household. Only until you get something better, of course. Oh, but gee, Dad, what's there to do around here? Plenty. The house needs a lot of repairs, the driveways in bad shape. There's a lot of digging to do. I'm sure your mother will find plenty of things. Oh, you'll be busy all right. What do you say? When do I start? Well, today is Thursday. How about tomorrow morning? That'll give you Friday and Saturday this week $4. Why can't I start tonight? Now, don't get over-anxious, Bud. You'll have to get up about six in the morning, you know, in order to get ready to start at eight. Gee, I'm gonna call Joe Phillips and tell him about it. I think I'll start tonight, though, if I can. Daddy. Kathy, what are you doing here? It's but really going to work for us. Kathy, you've been eavesdropping, haven't you? No, I was listening by the window. Oh. I got a job already, Joe, working for my dad. Is he going to be a hard man for the whole family, Daddy? We'll see, Kathy. We'll see. Two bucks a day in boredom room. Father. Just a minute, Princess. Oh, I don't know, Joe. I wouldn't want to ask him. Why don't you call him later and ask him? Yeah, he's in a good mood. Okay, Joe. Goodbye. Okay, Dad, I'm ready to start. What do you want me to do first? I'm working on it. Father, if Bud isn't exactly a member of the household, shouldn't we rearrange the living quarters upstairs? Don't bother me with that now, Betty. I'm trying to lay out a work schedule. Yeah, let's see. Tomorrow, uh, attic and storing records. Daddy, could I have him work for me a little while Saturday afternoon? Kathy, go play with your dolls. That's another thing. There are at least 50 old dolls cluttering up our room. Will you please go away? Jim, children, dinner's nearly ready. Hey, Mom. Mom, I'm working. I'm sure I don't share your enthusiasm. And you'd better get ready for dinner. Dad, why couldn't I work from 6.30 to 10.30 tonight? There's another dollar right there. I haven't got anything for you to do tonight, Bud. Mom, you got any odd jobs that I could do? It would look very odd to see you doing any job. Betty, maybe I could clean out the refrigerator. You cleaned that out last night, but good. Quiet, kids. I'm trying to think. There wasn't even a piece of celery left, children. Now, listen, Bud, here's tomorrow's work program for you. Okay. I want you to dig a 4-inch pit around the incinerator, about 10 feet in diameter. I want to put brick in there a little later. Yeah? Then what? Well, that's quite a job. But after that, well, there must be about five cubic feet of ashes in that pile out there. Spread those ashes thinly over that big bear space by the fence. Got that? Yep. Then what? Oh, well, if you get through that, stack all that broken lumber back of the toolhouse. Right? Right. Okay. But what do you want me to do in the afternoon? In the afternoon. Plan's working out nicely, isn't it, Jim? It hasn't begun yet. But you mean you think you can do all that in the morning? Sure. That's a sin. Okay. Well, uh, there must be a hundred bundles of magazines in the attic. Lug those out by the garage. I'm going to send them to the paper drive. I already did that one evening last week. You did? They're around on the side. Well, uh, then lug them back up to the attic again. Don't get it! But, Dad, if the magazines are downstairs... Hello? Just a minute. Oh, all right. Hello? Oh, hello, Joe. What? Well, Joe, I'm sorry, but I'm full up right now. No, don't call me. I'll call you. Goodbye. What in the world goes on here? Who was it? Joe Phillips. He heard I'm hiring men. He wants me to give him a job. He's figuring on quitting school, too. With a payday in sight, Bud has turned into a real ball of fire, priming over with them and energy. In no two ways about it, that's a mighty fine way for anyone to feel. Yes, life is swell when you feel well. And that's one good reason why so many folks rely on the important, keep-regular benefits of brand. Only in the past this cereal may not have been all you asked for as far as flavor was concerned. But that's been changed. Now you can enjoy all the benefits of brand in a cereal that's right up there in flavor. For something wonderful has happened to brand. Yes, new post-40% brand flakes have a completely new and delicious flavor called magic oven flavor. They have a new crisp texture, too. And it's these two advantages, marvelous flavor and texture that makes so many folks a new post-brand flakes are one of the best tasting cereals ever. So serve new post-brand flakes in your home and know that your family will get their answer prevention, their keep-regular benefits in a cereal they'll truly enjoy eating. Well, that's the whole simple story, which I hope will persuade you that post-40% brand flakes is the cereal you want to serve regularly. For goodness sakes, eat post-brand flakes. So good and so good for you. Be sure to buy new post-40% brand flakes. America's largest selling brand flakes when you shop this weekend. They're good and so good for you. If you ever need a good handyman, there's a young fellow lives on Maple Street in Springfield who's a real worker. You might be able to get him pretty soon, too. The man he's working for now, and Mr. Jim Anderson, is having a hard time keeping the young fellow supplied with enough to do. He's that efficient. Well, he's been working there a day and a half. It's almost noon on Saturday now, and Jim Anderson is in the kitchen talking to Margaret. It's a kind of worried talk like this. Honey, there must be something you can have but do until I can think of something. You and your plan. Well, it has to work out. Have you had him wash the windows yet? Twice. Oh, no. I can't understand the boy's energy. He acts like a maniac. Will you get that, Margaret? If it's another kid asking about a job, I'm not hiring today. Hello? Just a minute. It's for you, Jim. It's not a boy. No. Hello? Yes, Mrs. Pembroke. What other boys do is no concern of mine. I don't see how I've established any precedent whatsoever. I assure you that my boy will be back in school Monday morning on schedule. Now, what your boy does is strictly up to you and him. Goodbye. I've got to get him back to school Monday. Mrs. Pembroke's boy wants to quit school now. That makes about the fifth. And everybody blames it on me. I didn't know Bud was so popular. It seems your son is a leader of men. Well, he's certainly not a follower of women. Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. I'll go wash up for lunch. Oh, but don't you think it would be a good idea to maybe take Saturday afternoons off? And lose a dollar? Heck no. What do you want me to do this afternoon? I'll let you know at lunch. Okay. Want me to do anything about lunch, Mother? No thanks, dear. It'll be ready in a minute. Sit down and console your father. Have you made up your mind about Bud's room yet? Betty, I can't ask Bud to give up his room. I promised him room and board. Where would he sleep? He could put a cot in that little room over the garage. It's nice and secluded and quiet. That's an idea. I think I'll move in there myself. Oh, Father, don't be so utterly slapstick. That room of Kathy's in mine is so crammed with doll buggies and dolls and doll houses, it's like living in a toy shop. Betty, I've told you that Kathy and Patty Davis are having their doll show and parade this afternoon. All those things will be out of your room by tonight. So next week it'll be something else. She'll probably have a hamster farm in there. Jim, if you should insist that Bud move to the room over the garage, the discomfort might cause him to dislike his job. Oh, I'd hate to do it. It would be a real blow to the boy, giving up his room for a cubby hole in the garage. It's for his own good. It might solve your problem. All right. But let me handle it. Betty, you will casually mention it at lunch, and I'll take over from there. I'll do it gently. I don't want to hurt you. Good. Now, Kathy can have Bud's room, and at last... Who can have who's room? We'll discuss that later, kitten. Okay. Have you heard the latest news? I hope so. Milly Ferris claims she's going steady with Bud. What? She thinks Bud really sent that note to her. Why, she couldn't have. Dear, you know how girls at age are. She probably wants the other girls to think she has a boyfriend. She'll grab at any excuse. Well, Bud is a mighty poor excuse for a boyfriend. Oh, yeah. This isn't so great, either. Oh, turn green. Oh, turn purple. Oh, cut it out. The poor girl has taken advantage of a situation, and she's glamorizing it. She called here twice yesterday, you know. Wanted Bud. Oh, fine. Well, all that concerns me now, Father, is to get the room situation straightened out. I'll be the happiest girl in the world. All right. Just leave things to me. By the way, have you any work lined up for Bud this afternoon? I'm thinking. I'm thinking. Daddy, can I use Bud this afternoon? Kathy, there's no kind of work you could give him that he couldn't do with his little finger. I've got to make it tough on him. But I sure could use him. I think he's coming downstairs. Now, don't mention Millie. And Betty, bring that idea of Bud sleeping out over the garage in very casually. Hi. Lunch ready? Sit down, Bud. Mind if I eat fast? I want to work most of the lunch hour, so I can knock off a little early. Bud, take it easy. Don't you ever get tired? All a little, but when I think of that $2 a day rollin' in day after day, boy. Pass me the sausage. Bud, please. What's for this afternoon, Dad? Just take it easy, Bud. But what is it? Well, it's, uh... Well, as a matter of fact, uh... uh, Kathy had an idea. Kathy? Father, there's something I wanted to bring up. Casually, of course. Oh, yes, yes. Ralph and I were discussing family environment yesterday. Bread, please. Ralph is of the opinion that it's not good for a family to live in the same house with a hired man. Jam. He thinks the hired man should be kept outside the house. Peanut butter. Bud, did you hear what I said? Yeah, sure. What's Ralph got to do with it? Well, it just happens that Ralph is my current fiancée. What's a current fiancée? An alternating current kitten. He, uh, alternates with that Roger's boy. Oh, Father, don't be so TV-comic. Betty, I think you may as well forget it. I will not forget it. It'll help you too, you know. Not now, Betty. Hey, Dad, I got an idea. I thought I had one, too. Why not let Kathy have my room and me move into that little room of the garage? What? What did you say? Well, I figure this way. I figure that room of mine is worth about ten bucks a week rent, right? Uh, I suppose so. But that little room of the garage is worth only about two dollars. So I'd rather live there and you could give me the extra eight dollars a week. Bud, I, uh... I'm sure Father will be very happy to do that. Mm-hmm. Everything seems to be working out just fine. Bud, I wish you a long and prosperous career as a hired man. Now, wait a minute. I think I'll call Joe and tell him I gotta raise. Just a minute, Bud. Why don't you reconsider this whole thing? A boy's place is in school. Father, I'm not gonna lose that room now. And I'm sure Bud wouldn't want to give up eight dollars a week. Now, Betty, you stay out of this. I guess I better not call Joe. I better get to work. What do you want me to do, Dad? Well, Bud, I ordered three truckloads of bricks. I was going to have you rip up the driveway and put in anew in this afternoon. Yeah. But the bricks haven't arrived. Kathy had something she wanted you to do. The shrimp? I don't want to work for her. Well, I can't say I blame you. Dear, I don't like to butt in, but after all, Bud is working for the family, you know. Oh, yes, yes. That was the agreement, wasn't it? Holy cow. I quit school to get away from my girl. Now you want me to work for one. Well, Bud, it isn't much to do. Patty Davis and I are having our doll show today. What's that got to do with me? First, we've got to carry all our dolls over to Patty's house. Oh, not me. The other girls will be there. Then we start the parade. Bud will fit in fine in a doll parade. Betty? Then we parade down Olive Street to Maple. Up Maple to Willow. Over Grand, then back to Patty's house, where we had the show. And all you have to do is carry the extra dolls. Oh, no. Bud, dear, no matter what kind of work you do, there's always something unpleasant about it. That's right, son. You see, I promised that you'd work for the family, not just me. I can't break my promise. You could, uh, quit your job. Holy cow. I got to think this over. It would be a shame to lose all that money you're making. Betty. What would you and Millie do for spending money now that you're going steady? Betty Anderson, she called you three times yesterday and she's told everybody that you're her steady. She did not. All right, ask Kathy. Well, that's what Millie told everybody yesterday. Okay, come on, shrimp. Let's get the parade started. Oh, boy. First come out in the front yard a minute. I've got something I want. Well, Betty, you certainly fixed up things just fine. I think you'd better go to your room. Well, at least I have a room. That's more than I could say before. Well, Betty won. I lost. Now you'll have to force Bud back to school. I suppose. Well... Bud, why are you heading for the basement? Millie Ferris. She's coming up the walk. Look, Jim, out the window. She's giving Kathy a note. So that's Millie. Oh, nice looking, youngster. What? She's going away again. Oh, here comes Kathy. I wonder what in the world... It's for Millie. It's a note for Bud. Shall I take it to him? I'll take it here. Jim, don't read it. It's a cinch. Bud won't. I'll have to read it to him. Well... Bud, come up out of the basement. No. Good news, Bud. Come on up. Bud? I'm never coming up. Millie's gone. Like fun. If you don't come up, I'm going to fire you. Fire away. All right. I hereby give you a week's notice... together with a week's pay. $12. Honest? $12? That's right. Boy, I can get out of town on that. You can go back to school with no worries. Listen to this note from Millie. Dear Bud, my mother made me tell both our teacher and Don Curry that that note was really for him. Teacher is going to explain to the kids Monday morning. Don can't go to the movies with you because I'm going with him. So I guess you and I will have to break up. Break up? But let's you and I still be good friends. Yours truly, Millie Ferris. Gee, Dad, I sure feel better. But kind of sad, too. What have you got to feel sad about? Oh, it's not me I'm sad about. It's Pearl Don. Well, everything's fine. Margaret, I told you my plan would work. Knew it all the time. Margaret. What are you smiling at? Nothing. I'm just smiling. Now, before our final surprise of the show, we've asked our friend Margaret Anderson back to give us a good household hint or two. Well, as you can plainly see, just about everything happens to the Andersons. Well, not everything, really. Things could be lots worse. For instance, Jim could be a real grouch, mean and nasty like some of the husbands I know of. Husbands who have a good case of coffee nerves. Of course, that could never happen now that Jim's been drinking Postum. Because there's no caffeine in Postum to give him coffee nerves. Actually, we Andersons all drink Postum. We like it. And I like the money Postum saves me. Would you believe it? But Postum costs less than one-third of what coffee costs. See why I like Postum? Well, why don't you try it on your family, too? It's instant. Instant Postum. Well, it's Monday evening. Bud's been to school, he's been cleared, and he's $12 richer. Bet he's a little disappointed, but she'll get over it. And Jim, well, he's pretty well satisfied with himself. Like this. You see, Margaret, if you just give things a little thought, they work out fine. Oh, you did a splendid job, dear. I just don't know how you do it. Well, the whole thing is closed now. I'll probably never hear another word from it. Probably not. I'll get it. Hello? Yes? Well, I don't know, but I can ask him. Just a minute. Jim, it's Don Curry on the phone. Millie's new boyfriend? Oh, what does he want? He's quit school. He wants to know if you could give him Bud's old job. The right to vote for the candidate of your choice is one of the most precious rights of our democracy. But too many of us forget that it is also a duty. Remember, your vote is your guarantee of freedom. Be sure you vote on November 4th. Join us again next week when we'll be back with Father Knows Best, starring Robert Young as Jim Anderson. Until then, good night and good luck from the makers of post-40% brand flakes, America's largest-selling brand flakes, an instant post-um, the drink that's entirely caffeine-free. In our cast, where Helen Strom is Kathy, Gene Vanderpile, Rhoda Williams, and Ted Donaldson. It comes in a red, white, and blue box. What is it? Hot post-wheatmeal. It has the picture of Roy Rogers on the package. What is it? Hot post-wheatmeal. It's packed full of whole-wheat nourishment. What is it? Hot post-wheatmeal. It has a rich, delicious, nut-like flavor. What is it? Hot post-wheatmeal. Cooks in just three minutes. Another member of the famous post family. What is it? Hot post-wheatmeal. It's the best hot cereal you ever ate. Hot post-wheatmeal. Father Knows Best was transcribed in Hollywood and written by Paul West and Carl Hertzing. This is Bill Foreman speaking. Listen to West Coast College Football Saturday on NBC.