 Remember a hallmark card when you care enough to send the very best From Hollywood the makers of hallmark greeting cards bring you mr. Lionel Barrymore and miss Luanna Patton in Laura E. Richards Captain January on the hallmark playhouse Each week hallmark will bring you Hollywood's greatest stars in outstanding stories chosen by one of the world's best-known authors They distinguish novelist mr. James Hilton Good evening ladies and gentlemen, this is James Hilton tonight on our hallmark playhouse We present Captain January by Laura E Richards a genial story Which first appeared in the 1890s and over a period of years has not lost its popularity or its tang of the sea and ships and Tonight we are particularly proud and honored to welcome a starring guest of the evening Lionel Barrymore that great figure of the American Theatre and we are also delighted to have with us the charming little picture star Luanna Patton But before we raise the curtain on Captain January here is a brief message from Frank goth my message from hallmark tonight Mr. Hilton is addressed particularly to lovely Luanna Patton star of Walt Disney's newest picture. So dear to my heart to me Yes, Luanna, we've planned a grand surprise for you surprise. Oh, I love surprises. What is it? Oh, not yet it comes between the axe Luanna, but now our curtain Hallmark Playhouse starring Lionel Barrymore with Luanna Patton in Laura E Richards Captain January Once upon a time on an island off the coast of Maine They're lived in a lighthouse an old sea captain named January and a little girl named star Hey, you're supposed to be almost asleep, but I'm not sleepy Look at the light flashing across the water telling everybody here. We are we'll take care of you Old man and a child Guardians of the Atlantic Tell me the story again captain January you wear it's your bedtime. Oh, yes But it will still be in my bedtime a half hour from now I'll go to sleep the minute you're through Well now let me see where I begin at the beginning. All right Ten years ago this very month that isn't the beginning captain January the beginning is it had always been lonely on the island Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, well It had always been lonely on the island Although having the sea and light for company and an occasional visit from captain Nazarro Word did a lot to lighten the hour and you could always go to the village. Yeah, right That's right. Well on this particular night the 14th night of September 10 years ago Captain Nazarro and I were sitting in front of this fire with our pipes. It was blowing up a gale. Yes Captain Nazarro was helping me make everything ship shape around the light when we heard the ship's guns through the storm We went out on the cliffs. We could see the ship going down as the light swung round There was no way in the world to get to I'm going to get it if I can think she's all right. Sure. She is. How old do you reckon she is? Less than a year. Too bad about the mother. Yeah They were both strapped to the raft with a piece of sail cloth wrapped tight around them Mothered had a blow in the head wreckage from the ship must have hit her. I Got some brandy here in case of emergency Your fool you can't give the baby brandy was talking about the baby. I thought maybe I Constituted an emergency. I got a bad chill out there. You know better warm some more milk for her Go ahead. I don't poke her and let her fall off the cushion and don't breathe in her face like that No wonder she's crying. I'll go burn your fingers. I'll take care of her Nice baby What are you gonna do about her want me to take her into the minister's house? No, no, no, no, I'm gonna keep her Lord send it to me and I'm going to keep her keep her January How can you bring up a little girl out here alone on a rock like this? Well natural the way I see it all you need to bring up a child is the Lord's help common sense and a cow First two I got already and I can get the cow How I stayed with you captain January and everyone in the village tried to help raise Hey, they certainly did most of them I could put up with but not those meddling sisters Their name is Mindling captain January not meddling Middling middling their blame nuisances they started and telling me what to do before I had you for a week Captain January that cradle is too close to the window and you haven't got that child wrapped up warm enough Not nearly warm enough not nearly warm enough. She's too warm enough. That's why she's a small She should be much bigger at her age much bigger at her age. She's big enough Whatever age is she's exactly the right size for it. We don't expect gratitude or Politeness from you captain January. Well, that's good after all Matilda and I only grow out here every week because we feel It's our Christian duty Christian duty, and if we are not welcome you're not Come sister. Let us go home and pray for this poor baby and this lost man. Oh lost man We've brought over some dresses for star. We've worked on them all week You can't let a little girl run around in boys clothes. It's positively indecent now Miranda Now Matilda, it's easier for her to climb around in pants after all She must be five now, and she has to learn how to be a little lady How do you know how old she is? Well, I know when the shipwreck was everyone knows that everyone knows that Why don't you go mind somebody else's business and leave mine alone? We see our duty, and we do it we do it star grows up to be anything It's going to be in spite of you to come sister. Captain January. We're going we're going and we are not coming back We are not coming back Until next week you'll Marlon tongue see hags Done about that child something has to be done about that child. What's the matter with her? She has to have schooling you can't have a growing up ignorant. She needs education. She needs education She's getting an education. Why can't you two leave star me alone? What education is she getting? I'm teaching them myself. I talked to the Reverend and he give me the Bible and a book of Shakespeare and the dictionary She's learning out of those she'll never amount to anything never amount to anything How would you two know you've only got one brain that's split up between the two years Coming much older coming Miranda. Good day. Good day. Good riddance January you really sent them packing didn't you and they never came back until next week Yeah, that's when they came out to invite you to archibald willoughby's birthday party wasn't it? It sure was That's one party. I'll never forget My party miss Miranda miss Matilda, but you get that dress. They made it. It's my birthday I know I'm trying very hard to remember it. I hear you think you're as good as a boy. I do I'm worth my weight in boys. I could lick you with one hand tied behind me You just try it hit me go ahead hit me boys down hit girls. You can hit me. I'm as good as any boy You won't hit my other cheek go ahead Smite my other cheek sure you see now what comes of a man raising a little girl Matilda and I haven't had a disagreement in all our lives and now that child has caused a complete rift Matilda doesn't agree with a word. I say anymore Stars all right. He was wailing the tire of that kid. It's un-christian to fight I was only doing what the Bible said He smite me on my right cheek and I let him smite me on my left before I hit Star now that's not exactly what the Bible had in mind. You see she doesn't even understand the Bible Captain January. You've got no right to that child any longer. No, who has her own people Her own people are dead. How do you know? Did you ever investigate? Investigate her mother was wearing a locket with the initials H M The ship was out of Boston the names of the passengers were on her log You could have written to the steamship company and asked for some information You could have published inquiries in the Boston paper. There were many things you could have done Get off this island. Go on get off and don't come back. She was sent to me and I'm raising her Oh, we'll see whether you're going to continue to raise her. I'll get that child away from you If it's the last thing I do I'll write to Boston myself get off this island before I throw you over the cliff We'll see about you Captain January. We'll just see There's rough seas ahead Captain January But we'll weather them shipmate we'll weather them No, old sea crows going to bust up this crew. No, sir Coming to a dramatization of Captain January on the Hallmark Playhouse my surprise Yes, Luanna and Mr. Barry Moore if you will do the honors Close your eyes Luanna one Two, what do you call them? Mr. Barry Moore these dolls Luanna are the new Hallmark dolls of the nation The fine name and a fine idea They're so cute and look at those plumes in their hats. They're real feathers. Oh, thank you, Mr. Barry Moore I just love my new Hallmark dolls of the nation Well, you learn from them too because when you open them so they'll stand up see Luanna You'll find a clever rhyme inside that tells you about the country each doll comes from Now let's see who they are now here Here is sing toy of China and Maria of Mexico Antoinette of France and Rita of Brazil and look at those wooden shoes on Katrina of Hala And there's a boy doll That's John Royal Canadian Monty They say the Mounties always get their man. Well, this one seems to have captured a lovely little girl Oh, he has Mr. Barry Moore and look there's cowboy Joe from our own Wild West and here's such a pretty doll She's Anne of England. Was it a good surprise Luanna? It was a wonderful surprise, Mr. Goss I'm so happy Hallmark dolls of the nations are going to make lots of other girls and boys happy too Luanna because these charming colorful little friends from foreign lands that educate while they fascinate are Available right now in the fine stores all over America that carry Hallmark cards There's a beautiful album to put them in too, but more about that later It's time to return to James Hilton and the second act of Captain January starring Lionel Barrymore with Luanna Patton It's early evening in the old lighthouse off the main coast and Captain January is telling star her favorite story The story of her life for a few weeks. It was very peaceful on the island just you and me and the cow and An occasional visit from Captain Nassro and you did your best to make a lady of me Yes, I did my best to make a lady of you. I went back to see the Reverend and borrowed another book This time it was a book on decorum and every single afternoon. We had a lesson in the living room Page were we up to star page 37 page 37 Here we are Now then what did we learn yesterday? The perfect lady is always polite Considered of the comfort and wishes of others and unobtrusive in her behavior. That's right. That's right Now then young ladies at all times should be gentle and delicate They should sit with their hands folded in their laps in the presence of their elders how much elder than the elder at all Suppose a young lady doesn't want to be a young lady. Well, that's a more advanced lesson Now let's stay with the text under no circumstances There's a lady ever permit a quarrel to develop between herself and a gentleman But if one should develop under no circumstances may a lady raise her voice Can she hit afraid not well, what can she do? Hmm. She can look angry She can look hurt She can look at the gentleman in cold silent disdainful outrage dignity Captain January that just isn't practical besides you told me Shakespeare said beware of entrance to a quarrel But being in there at the the opposed may be aware of the Well Shakespeare wasn't exactly writing a book on etiquette for young ladies Has that book been read as long as Shakespeare not by a gunshot Well, if you don't mind captain January, I think I'll continue to cast my lot in with Shakespeare's Well, how still and all star you know you you've got to be able to act like a lady I don't want to act like a lady captain January. I want to act just like you but star If you don't act like a lady that might take you away from me Take me away from you. No one's gonna take me. I wouldn't go I'd kick and I'd bite and I'd scratch and I wouldn't eat I just sit till I died if anyone took me away from you. Oh, I don't know what I'd do without you Don't talk like that. No one's gonna take me. Give me the book. I'll learn the lesson. What was it? Young ladies at all times should be genteel and delicate They should sit with their hands folded in their laps in the presence of their elders They should sit with their hands folded in their laps in the presence of their elders Ah, splot! And double splot! Ander had actually written to Boston as she said she was going to or not I think you're right captain January. Maybe her name should be meddling instead of mingling Well, we soon found out a few weeks later she was going to or not Well, we soon found out a few weeks later while you were down playing on the shore There was a knock at the lighthouse door Good afternoon, Captain January. Good afternoon, Reverend. This is Mrs. Morton, Captain January How do you do? She's come to talk with you about star Oh, oh, well, come in, come in My husband's attorney was contacted by an attorney in Boston who had received a letter from, uh, Miss Meddling Mending, mending, mending. Oh, yes, mending See, Captain January, Mrs. Morton's sister was lost in a shipwreck about ten years ago My sister and her husband and their baby, or so we were notified We weren't able to find out anything about them until this letter I don't think there's any doubt, Captain January, that Starry is Mrs. Morton's niece Don't you, Reverend? No There was a locket with the initials H.M. according to the letter Do you have the locket? No Captain January, the Morton's our star's own people. She belongs to them No, no, no, she belongs to me I went down to the sea and brought her up She wouldn't even be alive if I... Very grateful I don't want gratitude I didn't save her because I wanted gratitude I saved her because the Almighty willed it What right have you got to her? I don't want to quarrel with you, Captain January Did you expect me to hand her over to you without a fight? But she's my sister's child I have rights No, no, no, she's mine and I'm not going to give her up Captain January, you have to think of the child I am thinking of the child My husband and I have children of our own We can take Star to a wonderful home Where she'll have companionship and all the things any little girl would want She'll treat her exactly as though she were our own little girl She'll go to school and then to college You're not a selfish man, Captain January Surely you wouldn't attempt to keep Star from all the things these people can give her Toys and parties and party dresses All the things that make up the world for a child Circuses and music lessons She sat by that fire every night for ten years I told her her first fairy story Sang her her first lullaby I bandaged her first skinned knee She's cried in front of that fire And laughed and grown She learned from the books on that table And from the people who come in here and come in and out of this room This has been her world A world she's ruled And where she's been much loved I'll certainly miss her Captain January, Captain January I found a starfish, it was up on the beach Star, this is your aunt This is Morton How do you do? I threw the starfish back in I think you'll be all right Star, Mrs. Morton is your mother's sister Star, how would you like to come and visit us in Boston for a while? Well, thank you very much Maybe some other time I'm very busy right now You're busy? Yes I'm halfway through decorum And up to the D's in the dictionary And right in the middle of This above all to thine own self be true You mean your study? Yes You can go to school with our little girls in Boston Well, thank you But I'd rather go to school with Captain January Star, wouldn't you like to live with your aunt and uncle for a while? No, no I wouldn't Reverend, I wouldn't Star now, your aunt and your uncle love you And I think it's only fair for you to spend a little time with them They're going to do wonderful things for you They'll buy you dolls and pretty dresses I don't want any of those things I want the lighthouse and the ocean And you, Captain January, I don't want to leave Please, can't you see, I don't want to leave Make her understand, Captain January Please make her understand No, I won't go, I won't go You can kill me and take my body if you want But I won't go Now it takes a lot to, it means it You know, a lot to a girl when she grows up and has a nice home I have a nice home And I'm getting along in years now I think it might be easier on me You see, it's hard for a man of my age to take care of a grown girl I want to die Mrs. Morton, do you think... No, I don't Captain January, forgive us No one in the world has the right to come between you And that child God has given you Well, that's about all the story, Star And it's a half hour past your bedtime Come along now Is that the most wonderful part, Captain January? What's that? They lived happily ever after In a moment, James Hilton will return to tell you about next week's story Meanwhile, make a note to see those gay, new, beautiful dolls of the nations See them tomorrow at the store where you buy your hallmark cards Each lovely doll is in full color, stands up by itself And has a real feather plume in its hat Inside each doll is a clever rhyme story about the land that comes from So here's a wonderful way to teach the youngsters you love how children live in other lands Hallmark dolls of the nations cost only 25 cents each And are as easy to send as any hallmark greeting card There is a big hallmark doll collector's album to keep them in, too One you'd expect to cost at least a dollar, but it's only 50 cents For $1, you can buy the album and two hallmark dolls See them tomorrow, sure They ate new dolls and the doll collector's album at the store where you buy your hallmark greeting cards Now here again is James Hilton Thank you for a great performance, Mr. Barrymore And thank you, Luanna, for a great performance, too And for the makers of hallmark cards I'm grateful to you both for bringing two such lovable characters to life And giving us such an enjoyable evening It was a pleasure, Mr. Hilton You know, I grew pretty fond of that grand old duffer, Captain January And thoroughly enjoyed working with my little leading lady, too Luanna, you played star as a true star warden Thank you, Mr. Barrymore, and thank you again, Mr. Hilton And thank you, Mr. Goss And all those nice hallmark people for such lovely hallmark dolls of the nations It's such fun being on the hallmark program And getting such very nice surprises It was fun having you, Luanna And an honor to have you with us tonight, Mr. Barrymore And before we drop the curtain on the hallmark playhouse I'd like to invite you to be with us again next week to hear My Man Godfrey, starring Dick Powell And I'm sure you'll all be happy to know that the following week We will have as our guest a man who will delight you in his role In an unusually timely story We refer to Mr. Bob Hope Until next Thursday then, this is James Hilton saying good night Tonight's story was adapted for radio by Gene Holloway With music composed and conducted by Lynn Murray Our director producer is D. Engelbach Lionel Barrymore appeared by arrangement with Metro Goldwyn Mayer Producers of the Technicolor production of Alexander Dumas The Three Musketeers Starring Lana Turner, Gene Kelly, June Allison and Van Heflin Remember hallmark cards when you care enough to send the very best This is Frank Goss saying good night to you all Until next week at the same time When James Hilton returns to present My Man Godfrey starring Dick Powell And the following week our guest will be Bob Hope