 CBS Radio Workshop, dedicated to man's imagination, the theater of the mind. Tonight, a musical play dedicated to both children and grownups, with music composed by Alex North, book and lyrics by Jeremy Gurry, and adapted for radio by Draper Lewis. The CBS Radio Workshop presents the hither and thither of Danny Dither. Every story must have a beginning, hours began yesterday, or was it tomorrow? Well, that's not important. What is important is that Danny Dither, celestial office boy for the heavenly department of faith, hope and charity, was suddenly sent to earth on a very special mission. It's now the morning after his departure and there are three very worried ladies sitting behind three rather shabby desks. Three ladies named Faith. Oh, I'm sure Danny will bring back the report we need. Faith, hope. But he only has a week. That's all the time Mr. Judkins gave us. And charity. He'll succeed, I just know he'll succeed. There must be so many people down on earth who know that the Faith, Hope and Charity Department exists. Oh, I'm sure they know my dear. And by way of a reminder, shall we go? Why not? What can we lose? Who am I to disagree? After you, Faith. Ask yourself this question. Did you do some good today? Did you lend someone a helping hand? Did you give something away? And if by chance you didn't, if you simply closed your eyes, wake up and learn this lesson, it's a word unto the wise. Follow our example. You'll be happier you see. By imitating what we do. Faith, Hope and Charity. First you won't hurt you. It's easy to be kind. Easy to be generous. It's a joy you'll find. Look a bit around you. Then try to help along. Try to straighten out a mess. Do right or wrong. And if you keep on trying, what a difference it will be. Just hit your wagon, two, three stars. Faith, Hope and Charity. Won't hurt you. Won't hurt you. It's easy to be kind. Easy to be generous. It's a joy you'll find. Don't think that we'll forget you if you start to mend. How much better that makes me feel? Now I know that everything is going to be just fine. Oh, at least I think everything's going to be just fine. Maybe. Faith, you answer it. It's probably Mr. Judkins from the front office. Oh, that nasty little efficiency expert he's hired. If it wasn't for him, Danny would never have had to go down to earth in the first place. What does he mean, saying he's going to have our department eliminated? Lucifer and Lucas, indeed. And how did he get into heaven in the first place? If you ask me, girl, shh. Faith, Hope and Charity Department. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Good morning. This is Judkins. What sort of report has Dither sent up from earth? Oh, we haven't heard from Danny so far, Mr. Judkins. What the boy? Mr. Judkins, you said we had a week. It gives us such a thing as faith, hope, and charity. The department stays. Otherwise, Mr. Lucas has my permission to liquidate it. Oh, by the way, I've also given Mr. Lucas permission to go down to earth to make sure that Danny Dither doesn't get into any mischief. Oh, but Mr. Judkins, he'll do everything he can to stop Danny from getting the report we need. Mr. Judkins? Mr. Judkins? That you won't hurt you. It's easy to be kind. Easy to be kind. Oh, Hope, be quiet. Girls, we've got to get in touch with Danny and see what's happening. But what if he isn't wearing the intercommunicating ear muffs we gave him? We told him to keep them on all the time. Faith, you try first. Call him. See if he answers. All right, I'll try. Danny! Danny Dither! This is Faith calling. Can you hear me? He must be so confused because we made him forget everything about his life up here. He doesn't even know his name. He's probably gone to a ball game and who can hear anything at a ball game? Try again. Try again, Faith. You don't know me. My name is Lucas. Lucifer. I've never seen you before, but... We might have met as recently as yesterday, but what are you doing on Earth? You're such nonsense. No one does those things to name. Come along with me and have some fun. Forget about looking for beautiful deeds. No, I don't want to. Well, at least let me get a little money for you. All you have to do is ask for it. Isn't that right? Why, sure. Just watch this. OK, mister, this is the gun. Get your hands up. I beg your pardon. Let's have your wallet fast. Hand it to the kid. Don't think you can get away with this. I will, but maybe the kid won't. I hope. Now get out of here. OK, Danny, you've got some money now, and here's the gun to go with it. See you in jail. In jail, Danny. Man, oh man, do you see that operation? Kid, you're OK. My name's the Duke, and this is Juby. Now, if we can be of some service... 310. Did you get that, Juby? He's better with diplomas than he wants to know if he can buy something to eat. 325 smackaroos. If I was dull like that, I could buy myself a season pass to the pictures. Or sideburns like Elvis Presley. I have the East River. We're a new tune for Nick's hand organ. Hey, Nick, you want a new tune for your gizmo? Maybe a little rock and roll. Hey, Nick, don't look so good. Hey, Nick, anything wrong? No, no, there's nothing wrong much. Why so sad, Nick? Where's the monkey? What's happened to the monk? What's happened? He's a very sad story. Like this. Getro Cristofero Fiorrello, just said, was the name of my monkey. But for short, I call him Bear. His coat had bigger buttons, and his tail was very long. He sat upon the organ while I play all of my songs. Cheaper his hat, he make it about, he look very fine. He jump out of the organ when you give him a doll. Lime up, he climb down, he make a funny scene. I know like him to scratch himself. I try to wash him clean. He make a much noisy run away. He shake out all his feet. But pretty soon he come back when he are one. But he come back no more. To walk, he go to monkey heaven. And he want to climb a dark hopper. When he cheaper his hat, they don't think it's a wrong. And Nick. I'm sorry to hear that. But if you need some money for a new monk, Danny here's lots. He's got 325 bucks. Who has 325 bucks? Daisy, what you doing sneaking up on a guy like that? Hey, Duke, look, it's Daisy. Come on over here and meet our new pal, gal. His name is Danny, and he's a real go-getter. Danny shake hands with Daisy. What are you guys doing with this kid? I've never seen him around. Hey, Danny, show the role you just heisted. Hey, now, wait up. He was one of them. He has my money. Hello. I suppose you tell me, Daisy. This man says the kid stuck him up. Says he has a gun. What do you say, kid? I don't know what you mean by stuck him up. And here's the gun and money if you want them. The other man gave them to me. What other man? I saw him. He had a handkerchief around his face. He did? Which way did he go? He went that way. Come on, mister. Well, that was close. Look, Danny, that's no way to get money. It's dishonest. You almost got us all into trouble. And we've got enough trouble as it is. I don't understand. Who do you mean by we? All of us. The Duke, Droopy. Down being a city brat sometimes. But even city brats can dream. Sure, we can dream a little sometimes. In this little tomb, when you look for June. Down in my notebook. Oh, his father and mother are. Where he comes from or where he lives. And that's the case for the immigration authorities. But, Danny, you must know where you came from or where you went. I'm not right this way, young man. The chief of the immigration bureau wants to speak to you. Sales in five minutes, sir. The captain of the immigration bureau wants to speak to you. The captain wants to know if you're going to send anyone this trip. Nope. Not an alien to deport. Permission, sir. I have an undesirable to report. This is Danny Dither. No identification, no parents. He refuses to tell anyone where he comes from. Guard, tell the captain to hold the boat. I have one passenger for him. Half fare. Yes, sir. I have one passenger for him. Half fare. Yes, sir. But you'd better send him down before the last whistle blows. Troopy, the last whistle. We've got to do something quick. What can we do? How can we stop it? Will you kids please stop whispering? I can't hear a thing this man is saying. Now, uh, Mr.... Uh, Lucas, chief. Lucifer L. Lucas. Troopy, that's it. He can hear a thing. We've got to make sure that he doesn't hear that final whistle. Follow me. We're all with you, Daisy. Taxi on the street. The final whistle yet, did you? Last whistle blew two minutes ago. We'd better get out of here while we can. Time to be writing things in your note. This is important. Now I have a really good deed to report to Faith, Hope and Charity. It becomes increasingly apparent that I must somehow manage to lay my hands on Mr. Dither's little black notebook. Increasingly apparent. Come on, Dad, finding so many good deeds. You know what I always say. He must have made them all just so that he could love them. He made the world with little folks that big shots like to frighten, but big shots aren't... Corkin, just a minute. She should have come up by... For the report, Faith, Hope and Charity. Your seven days have unfortunately expired. Dad, need a little black notebook. Give it to Mr. Judkins. Let this department be eliminated at once, as for our agreement. And he took me to the Immigration Bureau. And he was down on the docks, and he stole your notebook when you dove into the river to save me. Mr. Judkins, are you going to stand there and let these children make such ridiculous accusations? Mr. Judkins, take your hands off me. I just wanted this notebook, Mr. Lucas. So it seems you were afraid of a few bits of kindness, a few paltry acts of Hope and Charity. Well, you're not much after all. Have you anything to say? Sure. What do I care for your kindness, your goodness, your ridiculous Hope? I say it's a lot of nonsense. Mr. Judkins, are you going to stop him, a dangerous man like that? Charity, my dear, there's a very convenient hole in the clouds into which Mr. Lucas may tumble at any moment. See? I think I owe you all an apology. We've been treating this department as though faith, Hope and Charity were only ideas, but they're not. They make life livable, they bring happiness, and that's important, very important. Do I make myself clear? Yes, sir. We'll all get started right away, Mr. Judkins. Thank you, Faith, and you too, Hope and Charity. And now, Danny and Daisy, I have a special job for you. Yes, sir. Anything you say. I'm sending you back to Earth because you can do more good there than here. And while you won't remember anything that happened, there'll always be something deep inside of you that will say, be kind, be thoughtful, be generous. Well, let's not waste any time. All of your friends will be looking for you. Right now, they're standing on the dock by the river, hoping and praying for your return. Goodbye, Danny dear. You'll only need your earmuffs now in the wintertime. Goodbye, Danny. Goodbye, Daisy. And always remember what we taught you. Hurt you, won't hurt you. It's easy to be kind. Easy to be generous. It's a joy you'll find. Don't think that we'll forget you. If you start to mend your ways, don't stay. Just give them a little air. They're coming out of it now. They're dead for a minute or so. Are you all right, Daisy? Yeah, I'm fine. Well, she wanted to see you pulled you both out. Thanks for saving us. I'm troubled to you. No, no, no, you'll trouble, Lattie. You and your gang just keep out of mischief, that's all. Daisy, I have a message for you from your mother. She says, Danny, it's to come live at your house from now on. Could be generous. It's a joy you'll find. I guess maybe we'd all better be going home. The music composed by Alex North, book and lyrics by Jeremy Gurrey, and adapted for radio by Draper Lewis. The orchestra was under the direction of Charles Lichter with vocal supervision by Michael Stewart. The CBS Radio Workshop is produced in New York by Paul Roberts. Bobby Alford appeared as Danny Dither and Lynn Loring as Daisy. This is Gaylord Avery inviting you to join us again next week. When from Hollywood, the CBS Radio Workshop presents A Pride of Carrots or Venus Well Served. An unpublished original by Robert Nathan. A story of two earthly space travelers who visit the planet Venus. America listens most to the CBS Radio Network.