 Family Theatre presents James Cagney, Jean Cagney, and Ruth Hussie. From Hollywood, the Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theatre presents The Mental Blocks, starring James Cagney and Jean Cagney. And now, here's your hostess, Ruth Hussie. Family Theatre's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives if we're to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, and peace for the world. Family Theatre urges you to pray, pray together as a family. And now, to our transcribed drama, The Mental Blocks, starring James Cagney as Hank and Jean Cagney as June. Is this the home of Professor George Rogers? I'm Professor Rogers. Can I help you? Well, yes. I'm Hank. I'm Henry McKenna, June's older brother. Why, of course. How do you do, Mr. McKenna? There's a definite family resemblance. Do come in, come in. Hi, I was just passing through town. Journal be delighted. She's over at my campus office just now, but I expect her back shortly. Here, sit down. Sit down. Thanks. Well, the last letter I had from her, she said you were writing a book. How's it going? You know how those things are pretty slow. It's a very new branch of psychology. What's that? Psychokinesis. Oh? It's a study of the degrees of influence which the human mentality can be made to exert upon inanimate objects. Oh, well. That's grand. It sounds very interesting. It keeps me busy. By the way, how is your paleontological work progressing? My what? June's told me all about you. She's very proud of your accomplishments as a paleontologist. Oh, well, yes, yes. Well, I keep busy. You know, I can't tell you how warmly we feel about your system, Mr. McKenna. We? Sally and I. She's my little girl. Oh, yes. Well, June, she's a doll. I want to tell you she's been just wonderful as a friend, student. Incidentally, she's going to make a first-rate psychologist before she's through. Well, I know that's what she always wanted. And I hope you haven't come to steal her away from us. Me? Oh, yes. She's told us about those expeditions you go off on, searching for new treasures. She has? Oh, yes, indeed. As a matter of fact, there's something I'd like to ask you. Oh, it's probably she and Sally. No, excuse me. I'll bet you'll be surprised to see her. Yeah, I guess she will. Well, back so soon. Hi, Daddy. Hi, sweetheart. Oh, we ran all the way. Uh, June, come here. I've got something to show you. Me? You? Can I see it too? Well, I think that might be arranged. Uh, would you step into the vestibule here, sir, please? Oh, George, what is this? Remember me, sis? Oh. How are you, June? Oh, wonderful. Just wonderful. Well, I thought you were in Nevada. Oh, yes, I was, but nothing turned up. Oh, I see. Oh, Hank, I don't think you've met Sally. Sally Rogers. Hi. How do you do? How's the sister of mine treating you? Good. Do you play part cheesy? Part cheesy? The game, part cheesy. We play it all the time. Well, uh, tell the truth. I haven't played that lately, no. I'm afraid my daughter is building you up for an invitation to lose your shirt, Mr. McKenna. Oh, Daddy, don't tell him. Don't tell me why. All right, we'll keep it a surprise. Uh, uh, come on. I'll finish up the game with you. Just the two of us? Yeah, that's right. June hasn't seen her brother for a long time. Let's give them a chance to get reacquainted. You and June will be staying for dinner, Hank. Oh, well, I, uh, I hate to impose. Nonsense. We insist, don't we, Sally? We insist. Come on. This time, I'm going to beat you. You can't. I never... They, uh, they seem to be real nice folks. Oh, yes. He's the, he's the first college professor I ever met. What is he, uh, a widower? Mm-hmm. What happened, Hank? Broke again? Almost. What do you mean by almost? I got $23 to my name. Oh. What was it this time, the dice table? Mostly. Hank, when would you learn? Look, I didn't come here for a lecture. I know what you came for. Don't I always pay you back? Oh, that's not the point. Well, then what is the point? A man of your talent and intelligence wasting his life as a professional gambler. That's the point. It's, it's just shameful. Well, I'm not ashamed of it. I know a lot of very ethical guys who make their living as, uh, sportsmen. Are you down to $23 making a living? It's no disgrace to be poor. Oh, Hank, I... Oh, I know I shouldn't be talking to you like this. You've been just wonderful about helping me through school and... I wasn't going to bring that up. I was not going to bring that up. But don't you think it's time you settled down? I'll settle down when I make my 50 or go completely broke. You've been saying that for years. I came close within $3,000 of it. Not two months ago. Oh, congratulations. I'm proud of you. Well, speaking of being proud, what was it you told the professor I am? A paleo... paleo... Oh, paleontologist. That's someone who specializes in the study of fossils and prehistoric skeletons. And you told him that's what I did? Well, not exactly. I, I said you were interested in old bones. Oh, very cute. Now, now what happens if he gets me some scientific rhubarb? Oh, he won't. Don't worry. Well, I'm not sticking around to see. If you can let me have a couple of hundred... Oh, please, Hank, stay for dinner anyhow. I want you to get to know Georgia a little better. Oh, stuck on him, huh? Mm-hmm. He tells me it's mutual, too. Looks like a fine guy. But I think I better be moving along. But I can't get the money for you until tomorrow morning anyhow. The bank's closed. Please, Hank, for me? All right. Come on, we can help with the dinner. Oh, don't tell me he does his own cookie. It's just the last few days. His house keep has been ill. Well, Hank, you're just in time to see me go down and defeat us, usual. One more roll, and I'm the winner. What number do you need, Sally? Six, see? One, two, three, four, five, six, and I'll have my last man home. Even money says she will. Hank. That'd be a very good bet right now, Hank. Here I go. Five and one? I win again. You, uh, you mean you always win? I'm the world's champion Parcheese player. When you play with June and me? By the way, how many games does that make it, honey? 38 in a row, three more, and we'll break the record. She's won 38 straight games? That's right. Her last winning streak was 41. Well, how do you like that? Incidentally, June, the 4-2 ratio is dropping in the sixes. There's no doubt about it. Oh, wonderful. I have the figures right here. 14-4-2s against 37-5-1s. It's just for this last game. Why, that's almost a 60% increase. Let's play another one. We will not. It's time for dinner. Ah. What did I tell you? One game a day. Now, you go help June. Come on, young lady. It's your turn to cut the French fries. We're gonna have the thin ones or the fat ones. That's up to you. You're the cutter. Well, sit down, Hank. Thanks. Uh, how about a glass of sherry for dinner? Oh, fine. Come on. There you are. Mm-hmm. Thanks. Say, uh, what's the story on that part cheesy game? Is it just a joke you play on Sally letting her win? Oh, no. On the contrary. It's quite serious. We've been compiling data on those games for over a year now. Data? Yeah. For the book I'm doing on psychokinesis. Oh, that's, that's the way the, uh... The way in which the human mentality can be made to affect inanimate objects, like dice. You, uh, you mean how the numbers will come up? Exactly. Go, uh... No, no. No, really. I'm certainly not the only man in the country conducting experiments of this kind. The results of countless tests demonstrate clearly that the mind can actually be a controlling factor in things like this. You mean if you want a roll of seven, you'll roll one? Oh, it's certainly not that simple, but given the correct mental attitude, the right atmosphere, and a strong determination to make a certain number appear on the dice, you can at least refute quite a few laws of mathematical probability. Oh, whoey. I've tried a roll. I mean, I've seen men try to roll a certain number in, uh, uh, gambling places. I've seen them try all night, and it never comes up. Did everyone around the dice table want them to make that number? Well, no. Lots of people were betting against them. Well, there you are. That atmosphere was wrong, and so very likely was their own mental attitude. What's that got to do with it? Well, I don't imagine you've ever been in many professional gambling casinos. Oh, no, no, no. Well, on any of those visits, have you ever watched a player who, in the parlance of the game, was hot? Hmm, yes. Has it ever occurred to you why he was hot? Well, he was just having a lucky night. You've heard people say, haven't you, sitting down to a game of chance, I feel lucky tonight? Yes. That's just another way of saying their mental attitude is attuned to win. Well... Put a person like that at a dice table, and he may start to win. But what? What if people bet against him? You may not have noticed, but when a player is hot, most people do not bet against him. They'll bet for him, and they'll root for him. Hmm, you know... you know that's right? You know, in Sally's case a few moments ago, her mental attitude was that of a winner. It always isn't pretty easy. And when she rolled that six, mentally everyone present was rooting for her to roll it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now, in addition to that, Sally's a very good subject. She's a child. She's willful, and she has the faith of a child. She believes that if she wants to win hard enough, she will. That's psychokinesis. It's almost like voodoo. Nonsense, Hank. Man's mind is a powerful instrument. Who can say how powerful? If he learns how to use it. And Sally, your little girl, she's good at this, huh? I think so. I'll say this much. She gives the law of averages an awful drumming. Are you two gentlemen going to upset the table or not? Right with you, June. George, did Hank tell you he's leaving tomorrow? No, I'm sorry to hear that. So you've both got a lot of getting acquainted to do in a short time, I'm afraid. Well, I was just thinking, sis. I might stay over for a few days after all. Oh, really? Yeah, I could use a little vacation. Why don't you stay here with us, Hank? Well... Sure, we've got all sorts of room. We'd love to have you. And I'll teach you how to play pricey easy. I could use a few lessons, honey. But Hank, are you sure that staying over won't interfere with your work? Oh, no, no. In fact, I've got a hunch. I've got a hunch it'll do a lot of good. Well, here we are. Uh, Sally, now, before we go into my friend's hotel room, let's be sure we've got everything straight. Yes, Uncle Hank. In the first place, what's your name? I don't have a name. I'm just a poor little orphan. I never talk strangers. That's the girl. And how long have you known me? Almost a week. Oh, no, not really. How long? How long did we decide you knew me? Oh, two years. You've been like a daddy to me. And what else? Nothing else. You don't know anything? Remember now, this is all in the interest of science. All for science. And not a word to Aunt June or your daddy. Not a word. Good girl. Well, here we go. Who's there? It's me, Charlie, Hank McKenna. Come on in. Everything okay? Everything is very irregular. You know, I wouldn't do this for just anyone. You called Harry Wilson in Vegas? I did. Well, he told you I was all right. The fact remains, opening up a game for one man and a small child is by me most unorthodox. It's not your game. You're just Aunt Wilson's payroll. The fact remains, I frown on this kind of thing. It's all for science. Huh? What did I tell you? What's she talking about science? Look, are we going to stand here arguing all day or can we get started? All right, all right. Right over here. Now you can choose any two. They all get the same numbers on them. Okay. Give me twenty bucks worth of white chips. Twenty white. All set? All set. All right. Five on the seven. Fivey sevens coming off a seven, six and one. Pay to shoot it. Let him ride. Hey, let some ride. Come on out again. All set? All set. Four and three, seven again. Pay to shoot it. What do you think? Let him ride? I'm with you. Let him ride. A lot of man feels hot. The man lets him ride. Coming out again. Coming off a seven. Four and three. Pay seven. Not bad, huh? Oh, very good indeed. You are not worried, are you? Who's worried? I like to see people win. Even when they're playing against you? You're not playing against me, mister. I'm just a hired hand. I never gamble. Glad to hear it. What's the bet? Let it ride. A man lets it ride. Coming out again. Coming off a seven. Six and one. This isn't getting on your nerves, is it? Oh, no, no, no. It's very interesting. Pay seven. A little girl doesn't make you nervous, does she? Oh, no, no. Very well behaved. You kind of bring them good luck, don't you, honey? If that's what you want to call it. What does she mean by that? Well, it's a little more than good luck. It's a system. She wants me to win. That's nice. So she wishes that every time I roll, I'll roll a seven. Mm-hmm. That's all there is to it. That's the system? That's the system. Tell me something. Whose idea was it? You think I'm kidding you, don't you? What kind of system is that? She wants you to roll a seven, so you roll a seven? Oh, I've got to want to roll a two. That's very important. Yeah. Get this guy, honey. He's got to want to roll it. Well, he does. It won't work if he doesn't. What won't work? The system. Ah, come on. I've made four passes in a row. What do you call that? Luck, blind luck. I'd like to see you make another. Do you really mean that? Yeah. You've got to really want me to make it, or I won't. You know that, don't you? You've got to want me to roll a seven. You can't want me not to. That's important. All right, all right. I want you to roll a seven. I wish you would roll a seven. I'd like to see it, honest. Okay? If you want it, and we want it, I'll do it. Oh, can I make a bet? Bet, bet. That's what I'm here for, bet. It won't change your mind. You'll still want me to roll a seven. It's important. If you want him to roll it, honey, believe me. Okay. Let him ride. Four and three. You see, honey, I told you, I wanted him to. I believe you. Well, what do you think now? Oh, this is a little marvel. You don't mind if I keep winning? It ain't my money. Besides, I'm fascinated. That's all I wanted to know. Let him ride. Well, another lamb chop, Hank? Oh, no, no, thanks. This is fine, George. Fine. June, Sally? I'm full. Oh, plenty for me, George. Well, tell me, where did your two vagabonds go this afternoon, the zoo? Oh, no, no. We, uh, we just took a walk. And then we played with the dice. The dice? Uh, it's a matter of fact. Hank, I've never seen such a perchese hand in all my life. You know, I should think you'd get sick of it. Oh, no, no. I like it. Who won, Sally, again? Well, yeah, she, uh, uh... We both won, every game. Oh, how could that happen? Well, you see, I, uh... I'll get it. If that's Professor Collins, he's a bit early. Yes, gentlemen? I understand Hank McKenna's staying here. Oh, it's someone for you, Hank. Who should I say his colleague? Wilson, Harry Wilson. He knows me. Oh, brother. Hank, what's wrong? I'll tell him you're here. Look, Uncle Hank, it's Charlie from this afternoon. Shh! Who's Charlie? Friend of mine. Uh, Hank, these two gentlemen... Yeah, I know, I know. Well, hello, bright boy. Hi, Wilson. Hello, Charlie. Don't talk to me. Is that the kid? Yeah, I told you she was no major boss. It's a real kid. Now, listen, Harry, before you start shooting off your mouth... You listen, bright boy. I won't be just shooting off my mouth. If you don't come up with that 18 grand. Just a minute. What's this all about? It's just a little misunderstanding. I wouldn't fly all the way in from Vegas just for a little misunderstanding. I won that money, Harry. You won my foot 26 passes in a row. Who are you kidding? I'm telling you, boss, I've seen it with my own eyes. Some eyes you've got. Letting one guy and a 10-year-old kid snooki out of 18 grand. Mr. Wilson, this little girl you're referring to is my daughter. I don't know what you're talking about, but she can't possibly be involved. Oh, yes, I can. What did I tell you? Hank, where did you take Sally this afternoon? Now, cool down, sis. Where did you take her? He took her to the sixth floor to Metropolitan Hotel where I was running a little games. Oh, you didn't. You wouldn't, Hank. I was just trying to prove something. Something scientific. I sure proved that 18 grand's worth. Hank, I can't believe it. You took a child. A child to a gambling place. Oh, they were just the three of us. It was very homie. Homie? Well, it was, lady. I run a very dignified game. You run a very dignified giveaway. What do you do? Fall asleep? Boss, I give you my way to watch them like a hawk. It's all done with the mind. Hey, the mind. I've seen little kids like this before. They can make a paradise, get up, and cook breakfast. But she never touched a dice. Look, Wilson, I can explain this. I think you owe us all an explanation, Hank. Oh, okay, George. So, maybe I shouldn't have taken Sally up there this afternoon. I had a swell time. Uh, that'll be enough out of you, young lady. But, well, when you first explained the psycho-kinesis to me, I, well, it seemed like a surefire way to clean up. Hey, that's the way I couldn't think of, boss. It's like that's psychology. Collegy, smology. You got rocked. Just a minute, Mr. Wilson. Go on, Hank. So, Sally and I practiced rolling sevens together all this week until we got so I could roll one almost every time. I see. And then you decided to put this newly-acquired talent to a practical test, is that it? Yes, and it worked. Really worked. 26 passes in a row. Sally? I won $18,000 in less than three hours. Why didn't you mean your stole? It was completely on the up and up, and I can prove it to you. What do you mean? You got a pair of dice. Sure. Are they okay? Of course they're okay. You think I'm a crook or something? Let's have them. Here, when it got in mind. I'll show you. Push that tablecloth back away. All right. Now, everybody concentrate on the number seven. What is this? It wakes, boss. He did it all afternoon. Oh, boy, that's so... All I want you to do is give it a try. Wilson, just concentrate on the number seven. Say to yourself, I want McKenna to roll a seven. This is crazy. Just give it a try. Go ahead, boss. What can you lose? Okay, okay. I'm concentrating. George? Yes, okay. Sally? I'm with you. Judy? I won't have any part of this. Judy, I'm trying to prove something. Oh, I'm so ashamed of you. I could cry. Oh, please, June. It's, it's all right. Please cooperate. I'm in a jam. All right. All right. I'm concentrating. Seven. Okay. Okay. Here we go. Well, I'll... Six and one. What'd I tell you, boss? We did it all afternoon. We. What do you mean, we? Oh, Charlie, it was a great help. Helping you was helping? Wait a minute, boss. You don't understand. And I suppose you meant for 50 percent? No, no, no. Mr. Wilson, I think all your friend means is that he was not in mental opposition to the idea of Hanks rolling a seven. Yeah, that's right. That's right. What he said? Well, you should have been a mental opposition. What do I pay you for? You told me you liked to see people win. Win, yes. Send me to the poor house, no. I was just following orders. Well, you're fired for following orders. And I still don't believe this punk about rolling dice with a mind. You just saw a demonstration. I'm not interested in demonstrations. I want my 18 grand back. All right, Wilson. I'll give you a chance to get it back. What are you talking about? You're a gambling man. I'll roll you for the whole 18,000. Shoot the works. Fair enough. On one condition. What's that? That you don't mentally root for me to lose. Ha! Root? Who roots? I'll let the dice take care of you. Word of honor? If you win, you win. If you lose, you lose. The dice do all my wishing for me. Okay. Everybody ready? I'm dying to see this. Come on, seven. Everybody concentrate on a big seven for Uncle Hank. Be there. Five and one. Six is the point. Pick them up. Six. I don't get it. We were concentrating on seven. Wilson. Don't look at me. I wasn't thinking anything. But all the rest of us were thinking seven. Charlie, seven. Sally, George. Seven. Joony. I was thinking what I was thinking. Joony, you can't do this to me. It's my mind and I can think anything with it that I want. Holy cats, it's 18,000 bucks. Come on, come on, ball them. Get off the dime. But she's rooting against me. So it's a free country. Roll that ice. Joony, please, please think seven. Taking a 10-year-old child into a place like that. I'll make it up to her. I'll buy her a pony. Don't try to bribe me. I'll give up gambling. I promise I'll never touch another pair of dice as long as I live. Cross your heart. Scouts on her. All right. Wonderful, wonderful. Here we go. Be there. Be there. Just like this afternoon. Hey Hank, but remember. Leave him alone. Be there. How did I tell you? That's right. Seven. But your point was six. You crapped up. Oh no. Six was the point. Oh no. No, no. I forgot. I forgot. You told me to concentrate on seven. It can't be. It can't be. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm right for you, 18 grand. Hank, I tried to tell you. I can't believe it. Wilson, give me a break. One more roll. Double or nothing. Double what? You cleaned up. I've got $23. Here, we'll start low. We'll start nothing, Hank McCann. You just finished promising me you'd never touch another pair of dice as long as you live. But that was if I won. It was not if you won. And concentrate on seven. That was the wrong number. I give you the wrong number. That's not my fault. You made a promise. Yeah, it's on her. And a promise is a promise. Come on, McCann, at the 18Gs. All right. All right. I'm licked. It's all there. Now, take your words for it. Oh, this is awful. I'm going to have to go out and get a job. It'll do you good. I don't think you'll have much trouble, Hank. I know two or three positions right here in town that you'd be ideally suited for them. Yeah, but what am I going to do for a recreation? There's always part cheesy. Part cheesy. Even that, I can't play. Oh, I think we can make an exception there, Hank. How come? Well, in part cheesy, you don't really have to touch the dice. No? No. From now on, you can just roll them onto the board from that little cup. Yeah. Come on, Uncle Hank. I'll let you win this time. This is Ruth Hussey again. It must be true, ladies and gentlemen, that every normal, decent person wants to be right has some regard for his fellow man and loves his country. I know there are enemies within, powerful perhaps, but far from numerous. Most people have good hearts, and yet we do differ violently as to precisely what is best for ourselves and our fellow man and our country. These differences and sometimes angry contentions are usually about matters of policy. I mean, which of two mere policies is better for the nation? But can we really think that plans and policies are going to decide our fate, or do we realize that all our problems, personal as well as national, are basically spiritual and must be solved first on that level? And that's why family theater every week goes right to the root of the matter. The essence, the kernel of all problems and reminds us of our dependence on our Heavenly Father and tells us week after week that just exactly as the family that prays together stays together, so a world at prayer is a world at peace. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. From Hollywood, family theater has brought you transcribed the mental blocks starring James Cagney and Jean Cagney. Ruth Hussey was your hostess. Others in our cast were Ted DeCorsia, Jack Krushan, Pat McGeehan and Gayan Kelly. The script was written and directed by John T. Kelly with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman. This series of family theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program, by the mutual network which has responded to this need and by the hundreds of stars of stage screen and radio who give so unselfishly of their time and talent to appear on our family theater stage to them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony LaFranco expressing the wish of family theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to be with us next week when family theater will present Night Caller starring Anne Blythe and Raymond Burr. Join us, won't you? Family theater has broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.