 Hollywood, California, Monday, July 20th. Due to studio commitments, Wallace Berry and Stuart Irwin, previously announced for this date, will appear in a future program in Viva Viva. And here's great news. Tonight, the Lux Radio Theatre brings you Claudette Colbert and Walter Houston in the Barker with Norman Foster. The Lux Radio Theatre presents Claudette Colbert and Walter Houston in the Barker with Norman Foster. This presents Hollywood. Tonight, you will hear Claudette Colbert, Walter Houston, Norman Foster, Cecil B. DeMille, King Vidor, Louis Silver, Emily Berry and many others. Brought to you by the makers of Lux Flakes, direct from our theater on Hollywood Boulevard. Our head usher just reports that once again it's standing room only. And there's a ripple of excitement in the audience for the crowds have just spotted such famous personalities in their midst. As Ralph Morgan, Florine McKinney, Ms. Ruth Waterbury of Photoflay Magazine and two of America's most famous radio conductors, Victor Young and Raymond Page. A hearty welcome to you all. This entertainment is an expression of goodwill by the makers of Lux Flakes. Those remarkable fine soap flakes that protect colors, freshen all fabrics and keep your washables new looking so much longer. No wonder Lux Flakes are used in all the leading Hollywood studios. And now our producer, a foremost authority on drama. He has created over 60 great pictures, started more actors and developed more stars than any man in Hollywood. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Cecil B. DeMille. Greetings from Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, the Lux Radio Theater is the scene of a reunion. As Claudette Colbert, Walter Houston and Norman Foster repeat on the air the play that started them toward Hollywood and world fame. The play is the Parker. And for 10 months, they kept Broadway audiences enthralled with its drama of life under the tattered canvas of a tent show. Throughout that time, Claudette played the role of a snake charmer. And yet when I was directing Cleopatra, she was terrified that she'd have to touch a real snake. From the time we started, I'd been secretly thinking of various ways of getting her to handle the snake. And she'd been secretly worrying about what I was going to do about it. As Claudette sat on the glittering golden throne of the pharaohs, I walked up to her with a live California king snake almost six feet long coiled around my right arm. Behind my back, in my left hand, I held the harmless small snake that was to enact the role of the deadly Egyptian viper. When Claudette saw the big snake around my arm, she shrieked. Oh, Mr. DeMille, I couldn't touch that snake. I couldn't possibly. Please don't ask me to. Well, how about this one, I said, taking the little snake from behind my back? Oh, that one, she said. Oh, that's just a baby. Yes, give me that and put it in both hands and we made the scene. My only contact with Miss Colbert's distinguished co-star is that he's always escaped me. In every picture I make, I have a great part for Walter Houston. But each time, he has a great part with some other director. So I've never been able to catch him in my net. But at last I have him on my network. If this were 45th Street, Walter Houston's name and lights would be a beacon over Broadway. Taxis would crowd the curb. Mounted policemen would be struggling to disentangle them through a packed lobby. Top hats and ermine coats would move eagerly to their places. It's the same sort of excitement in Hollywood tonight as the Lux Radio Theatre presents Walter Houston. Colbert, the curtain rises on our play, The Barker. Claudette Colbert plays the role of Lou, the snake charmer. Walter Houston will be heard as Nifty Miller, the Barker, and the part of Chris, Nifty's son. He's played by Norman Foster. Colonel Gowdy's big city show has arrived in town. The Midway is crowded with pleasure seekers. Many of them stop before the sideshow where Nifty the Barker is coaxing away their dimes with good-natured ballyhoes. Ladies and gentlemen, you have just seen our free outside exhibition. We have been just a little closer so I can tell you what we've got to entertain you on the inside. You are now standing in front of the big picture attraction of Colonel Gowdy's big city show. The biggest show for the money that has ever played your beautiful little city. It's a show full of spicy dancing. A show full of peppy dancing. On the inside you'll see Princess Kaleema, the pride of Tony Honolulu. She'll do her favorite dance that has made her notorious throughout the civilized world. And folks, when she dances, she makes old men young and young men old. Take her along. She's worth the price of admission. Then you'll be entertained by that Royal Hawaiian Trail, playing and singing hot melodies from those far-off islands in the Pacific. And folks, if you say, when you come out that it ain't the biggest show you ever saw, your money will be refunded as cheerfully as we take it from. You know, as a special advertising price tonight, the admission is a dime. Ten cents. Tenth of a dollar already. The box office is open. The performers retire. And the show starts right away. Well, I'm glad that's over, Hat. I throat this raw as a piece of beef steak. Nefty, looks like we're going to get a little dough in this burger yet. We've done 53 flat. That's 18 berries more than last night. Well, it's time we hit a red one. Any more rain, the Colonel will have to turn this outfit of his into a boat show. It'll be turned if I ever seen such a bum break in the weather since I've been trooping. I'm going over to the office wagon to deposit the money. All right, hurry back, Hat. Okay. Hey, Nefty, come here a minute. All right, Cal, you can come out. There ain't no one around. Now, what do you want? I just want to talk to you. Get Lonesome back there in the dressing table. I'll put on your best clothes tonight after the show down here. We're going to go downtown to a dance. All right, Nefty. How much do you love me? Wait, are you going to start that again? I don't know what the girl likes to be told. You know, Nefty, there ain't nobody in the world for me but you. You've got me spoiled for any other guy. Now, listen, I told you I can't marry you just yet. You don't seem to remember that I got a kid to put through law college. It's going to cost plenty of money. I'm going to see if that kid gets all the things I missed. See, he's a wonder, too. He's got brains and living on a farm has made him a husky little devil. Well, you ain't even listening. What's the matter, Carrie? I get sick of always hearing about him. Now, that ain't no way to talk. I ain't going to stay with this carnival wreck at all, isn't it? Well, when I come to settle down, there's time enough to talk about getting married. Give me a kiss, Nefty. Going out here on the midway? Well, there ain't no one round. You little son of a gun. Oh, Nefty, I don't know what makes me so crazy about you. Yeah, you're all right, kid. I'll hand it to you. I'll beat it. Here comes the colonel. Well, Nefty, how much did we do this fine evening? Fifty-three smackers even, colonel. Not bad. Not bad. You beat the athletic show eight dollars, and you're just a few dollars behind the Palace of Illusion. Oh, hello, Hap. Hello, colonel. How's Carrie, Nefty? Fine herself. She and me are dropping into the dance to town hall after a while. That's right. That's right. I like to see my troopers mixing up with the town folk. Great, good feeling. You and Lou taking it in? Well, uh, no, no, no, no. Lou and I had a little tiff this evening, and for the present, she doesn't care for my company. For the way you two strapped, you'd think he was married. Yeah? Hello, Lou. We were just talking about you. Yeah, we'll save it on my back turn. Say, Nefty, tell Carrie to stop by my room when she comes down to the hotel. Well, yeah, I want to see her. Lou, won't you reconsider your hastiness in refusing girls? Not a chance. And don't you come hunting around me after what you've done. Well, Nefty, as I always say, girls who like street cars you miss one and there'll be another long in a minute. Yeah, they don't come along like me. Oh, you're nothing to stop the traffic. Nefty, I think I'll drop in and listen to the music a while. You know, music has charms to soothe the savage beast. I'll go with you, Colonel. Then, when you decide to come off your high horse, come around to the office wagon to see, Lou. Oh, I'll get out of here, you old piker. Hey, take it easy, Lou. That's the ball. Oh, dry up. You got a peeve, huh? How's snake charming? Rotten. Tell me that big diamond-backed rattler died on you yesterday. Sure, he starved himself to death. I told Gowdy if he was going to have me at belly every five minutes, he couldn't expect to keep his snakes alive. Hey, would you look what's coming? Huh? That kid, look at it. Say, a genuine hasty, huh? I bet he never saw a tense show in his life. Hey, can you tell me if Mr. Chris Muller is the manager of this show? What do you want him about? Well, I'd rather tell it to him if it's all the same deal. You would want it, well, wait here and I'll see what I can do for you. Suppose you can keep him entertained while I'm gone, Lou? Yeah, I'll try. Well, big boy, live here in town? Me? Oh, no, I come from near Niles, Michigan. Niles? Hey, what you doing to fasten the big city? Oh, just sort of looking over the country. Have a good look. It won't cost you nothing. Oh, Rick, and you're one of them actresses, ain't you? How'd you guess it, handsome? Oh, I can tell for the way you're all painted up. Oh, it's a matter, don't you like it? Sure, it makes you look awful fresh and pretty. Boy, you work fast. What's your name? Chris Muller, same as my dad. Well, you don't mean Nifty Miller's your old man. Yeah, what's so funny about that? Well, who'd have ever thought Nifty had a kid as big as you? Or you've been keeping yourself. I've been going to school, but I come to see if Paul won't let me travel with your shell. Welcome to our city. Boy, wait, I'll carry here without you being here. Who's she? Karen? She's the hula-hula dancer. Yeah, Princess Kalima, friend of your daddy. Oh, very special friend, you might say. Hey, Nifty! All home week! Look who's here! Well, I'll be... Hello, Pa. Why didn't you tell us you was a proud father, Nifty? Hey, some looker, too. You better watch him close. Oh, indeed it, Lou. Okay. See you later, Chris. So you're Nifty's, uh, young man. I'm Hap Spistle. Pleased to meet you. Hap, go inside and don't say nothing to the Colonel. Don't say nothing about the boy, see? Your daddy talks like he's ashamed of you, but he ain't. He just thought I'd hear him blowing you up to the skies around here. Go on, go on. To war? To war? Well, Pa... Well, what did you do? Run off from Ella and your grandpa? Well, they knew I was leaving. School's let out for the summer. Oh, Pa, I got the restless on the farm. Yeah, and you thought you'd come to me, eh? Well, you're my dad, ain't you? Yeah, I thought you'd kind of be glad to see me. Well, you kept writing you wished you could see me. Well, I am glad to see you, Chris, but, well, I didn't expect... Well, I'll come and see you next winter, same as it did last year. Well, that's a mighty long time to wait, seems to me. You know, since Mom died, you're the only close blood kin I got. Well, we ought to start to get acquainted. Well, you sure have grown up since the last seen you. Let's see your, uh, your 19 now, ain't you? Going on 20, big fromage at that. Well, if don't hardly seem possible. Well, Pa, I want to do the things you do. Travel around and all. And I sort of hoping you'd see your way clear to take me. Well, now listen, now you get that out of your head right now. What do you suppose I've been spending money to keep you in school for? End up by messing around with carnivals? No, sir, eh, we're gonna amount to something. You're gonna amount to something, Chris. You got to. You ain't forgetting you're gonna be a lawyer, are you? Well, no, I'm gonna be a lawyer only, don't you? Think I got to know something about that? Well, listen, you can learn all you need to know about life out of school books. What do you suppose I'd be if I'd mind if my old gentleman and got me an education? I'd probably be a bank president or a lawyer myself. I tell you, Chris, I've wrote you letters many a time. A guy in this day and age without the proper school and ain't got a Chinaman's chance. Education will get you money and a good name and swell friends to pal around with. I ain't had none of them because I was pigheaded. All right, now I know what I'm talking about. Paul, I only want to travel with you while it's vacation. I'll go back to school in the fall. I'll be a lawyer like you want me to. You won't be sorry. Honest you won't. Well, I'll tell you what, Chris. If the colonel says... You will? I'll wait a minute, wait a minute, wait until I finish. I'll take you on. If you don't behave yourself and mind me, then you'll be shipped back to the farm right off. Cheap, Paul. Hey, what's my job gonna be? Well, anything you're told. I learned fast, you'll see. Did you catch my number? Uh, Carrie, come here. What do you want? Uh, Chris has turned up. Chris? Yeah, you know, the kid. Is this your kid? That's what I said. What's he doing around here? Well, this is a vacation. He's gonna stay with the office for the summer. Chris, come over here and shake hands with Carrie. Pleased to meet you. Well, I can't say the same for you. Now look here, Carrie. You two gotta be good friends. You hear me? I said good friends, and that goes. Come on, Carrie, sweeten up. You look like it swallowed a pint of vinegar. What's it all about, Nifty? The last 10 days, you've been treating me like I was a dirt under your feet. Well, I've been pretty busy, Carrie. I'll say you have. Since that kid of yours joined the outfit, I ain't hardly had a minute alone with you. What's the matter with you, Nifty? You never used to act like this. Well, listen, Carrie, I've been thinking things over, and I decided the only thing to do is to. Well, to lay our cards on the table. Now, it's come down to this. We're through. Through? Understand this ain't something that I'm doing on the spur of the moment. But there's other things I've got to consider, and, well, I gotta think of Chris. Chris, you make me sick. All of a sudden, you start squawking because you think I ain't good enough to associate with him. But I'll show you. You can't throw me off like an old shoe. I'll show you. Oh, what was I doing to ever fall in love with you? You ain't got to harden your body. And, Carrie, I don't like this any better than you do. But it had to come sooner or later, and... Well, now it's over, and I... Well, I guess there's nothing more to say. Get out of here! Get out of here and let me alone! I'm sorry, Carrie. Carrie, could you let me here? Hey. Hey, what's the matter here? Oh, Carrie, what's come over here? Is it something Nifty done? He's quit me, Luke. He's quit me. Why, it's a dirty bum. Oh, oh, pull yourself together, honey. Now, there ain't a guy living worth crying over. There's only one thing for me to do, Lou. And that's quit the show. I can't stand having all the gang laughing at me behind my back. Now, who's gonna laugh at you? Oh, I can hear him. Nifty's give Carrie the air since his kids come on the show. And she don't know enough to clear out. Well, if you feel that way instead of giving up, do something to turn the laugh on Nifty. The only way I could get back at him would be doing something to that kid he is. If anything happened to that young puss face, he'd get a taste down of his own medicine to make him see how it feels when you lose someone you love. You might let me vamp the kid. I can make him forget his happy home. Lou. Lou, would you do that? Would you? Do what? Help me get the kid away from Nifty. Hey, I was on the kid. I know what you can do it. Make him fall for you. Gee, he's green as a grass. We'd never be able to pass up a good looker like you. Them eyes of yours would draw ducks off a pond. Say, I'll tell you what I'll do, Lou. If you get this kid to fall in love with you, hook, line, and sink her, I'll make you a present of a hundred bucks cash. Oh, he's your kid. I'll show you if I'm kidding. I'll give you the 25 right now and the rest later. How would I ever get him alone? Nifty watches him like a hawk. I'll click that into it. Well, what do you say, Lou? A little business deal just between ourselves? Hey, Kerry. It's him. Oh, gosh. Do you think he hurts? Would he stand and outside the tent and couldn't help it? Kerry, can I come in a minute? Oh, wait a minute. Well, Lou. All right, I'll do it. Here's the 25. All right, Chris. I guess you can come in now. Oh, hello. I thought I heard talking in here. Yeah? Good on, Chris. You know Lou, don't you? Oh, sure. Sure. We ain't ever talking much, though, since the first night I joined the carnival. Well, it's your own fault. Well, you keep yourself all the time. Well, when I'm not working around the show, I'm usually somewhere with Paul. Oh, I guess you ain't got the time for girls, have you? Oh, they don't have much time for me. Say, a good-looking young seller like you could make any girl fall in love you wanted. I, Lou here, was telling me only today how she'd like to get better acquainted. Yeah, it's me. I think she's kind of gone on me for it. Oh, carry on, chef. Whoa. So it's me. Well, you two kids will have to excuse me. I got to go over to the office wagon to see the Colonel about something. Anyhow, to the company and freeze the crowd. I can see that all right. I guess you won't miss me. So long. So long. Come on over here and sit, Chris. Oh, come on now. Come on, take the load off your feet. All right, thanks. Well, now way over there. Here, by me. Oh, like, uh... Like this? Yeah, that's better. Ah, you and Nifty had your pictures taken this afternoon. You gonna give me one when it's finished? If you like. Oh, I don't look fine to be much good, though. Now, how could they help being good? Sure, I bet you'd take a swell picture. Nice features like yours. Oh, I don't know. How was your pose, huh? Well, we were standing up, boy, and his arm started around my shoulder like... Something like this? Oh, sure. Oh, now you're moving away. No, I ain't. Don't you like me to put my arm around you? Oh, sure. Yeah, sure I do. You know, you're an awful nice kid. You're kind of nice yourself. You think so? You better do. You think you could, uh, get to really liking me? Well, I don't see why not. Well, how are you on keeping things to yourself? Huh? Well, I mean, you don't go tellin' Nifty everything that goes on, do you? Of course not. Would you run and tell him if I was to speak to you? Well, what do you think I am? I bet you must have had a lot of sweet hearts with you as home, Chris. Well, I never had much use for country girls. They don't know anything. Didn't you have a... Didn't you have a special word when you'd take out buggy writing sometimes? Well, um, it's your eyes, so it's so... And did you used to kiss and hug it? Tell me how you used to kiss me. Oh, come on. Come on, now you can shut your eyes and pretend that I'm her. What's the matter? Wouldn't you like to kiss me? Well, sure, but... But you're scared, aren't you? All right, I'll kiss you. Oh, Lou. Listen, kid, you and me, we've got to get together more, huh? Yeah, well, sir, it's me. Would you meet me somewhere tonight? Sure, sure I will. You're a sweet kid. You're awful sweet. The second act of the barker will follow in just a moment. Tonight we take you inside a Hollywood movie studio. The lights are on and they're all set to shoot a scene. Listen, here's the director. All right, let's get going. Let's get going. Time's money. Where's that extra that's going to climb on the chair when the mouse runs across the floor? That's me. Here I am. Okay, now here's what you do, sister. It's a mouse, see? You don't like mice. You hate them. So you take a flying leap and run on the chair, see? Okay, here I go. Oh, cut, cut. Oh, dear, I'm sorry. Oh, holy smoke. Can't you girls get up on a chair without getting a run in your stocking? Oh, get down. We'll try somebody else. Time to fiddle around wasting time with you. Oh, gosh, that's two runs in three days. And that night when the extra got home? So he wouldn't let me do this scene just because of that old run. Gosh, I'm just sick. Well, Peggy, it's your own fault, I tell you. When you rub your stockings with cake soap the way you do, use your head and try Lux Flakes. You know they're mild and with Lux, there's no rubbing necessary. Smart girls everywhere know that Lux Flakes cut down on stocking runs because they save the elasticity that allows the silk threads to stretch and then spring back again without breaking. Cake soap rubbing and soaps with harmful alkali weaken elasticity. Stockings tend to pop into runs under strain. Tonight, protect your stockings against tomorrow's runs. Use Lux. We continue with the second act of the Barker, starring Claudette Colbert as Lou and Walter Houston as Nifty. The week has passed since Lou agreed to carry a scheme. It's late in the morning and outside the tent show, Nifty has been waiting for Chris to come to work. At last the boy turns the corner of the tent opposite the sideshow and hurries across the midway. Quiet, Pa. Sorry I'm late. I guess I must have went back to sleep. I suppose you know you're holding this up. I told you I wanted them jacks built. Well, we got plenty of time. We'd wait till it cooled up. Now, listen, when I give an order, I ain't talking just to hear myself talk. The sooner you get that in your head, the better. I'm sorry, Pa. I didn't know it was that important. Now, Chris, it ain't my idea to be nagging at you, but I ain't satisfied with the way you've been acting lately. And I might as well tell you, if you want to stay around here, you've got to brace up and take more interest in what's going on. Well, I always got a heavy sleep. Now, if you'd go to bed at night, you wouldn't be so groggy morning. Where'd you go the last three or four nights after we shut down here? Oh, I don't know. Who were you last night? Well, no worries in particular. Took a walk? You took a walk. Yeah, it must have been a long one. Well, it was a nice night. Would you buy yourself? Sure. Why not? Where'd you go after your walk? Well, I stopped at town at lunch car and had a bowl of chili. Hey, what you so nosy about? Now, listen, Chris, I don't mean to be nosy. Don't get me wrong. I mean, I think I got a right to keep track of you a little. You see, kid, I've made a good man of mistakes in my life, but I ain't any too proud of it. Well, I figured it wouldn't be right to let you go and not put you wise. Well, I'm all right. Yeah, I think you are, too. That's why I'm count-nunch. Now, you and me hit it off pretty good, and there's no reason that after you get to be a lawyer, we can't settle down somewhere together. I ain't gonna spend the rest of my days on a lousy carnival. I got plans for us, Chris. It'll be a long time before I get through all them colleagues. Yeah, I know, it seems long now, but you'll see how quick the time passes. Just think how nice it'll be to have an office of your own and people coming in to see you to get them out of trouble and more dough than you'll know what to do with. Wow. Come on, Chris. Let's be pals. What do you say? I didn't know we ever stopped, Pa. That's the boy. Now get out of there, Jax. When you get finished, you and me will go down to the creek and have a swim. Anyhow, Pa. All right, Pa. I'll see how I feel. Well, Colonel, what's on your mind? Considerable, considerable. And of an unpleasant character. Do you know what that young sport of yours has been up to, sir? What, Chris? He has the impudence and audacity to be carrying on a love affair with Lou. Right under our very nosy heart. Why, there ain't a word of truth in it. Ah, my friend, in spite of your vigilance, the lad has fallen in love. And with Lou of all people. Why, it couldn't be possible. Are you with your son every minute? For instance, were you with him last night? Well, he took a walk. I'll tell you where he was last night. He was keeping a rendezvous with the little snake charmer. That's where? How do you know? Last night, Nat Brody shattered the lady in question saw Chris meet her, and they walked off together with their arms around each other. Well, what do you think I ought to do, Colonel? Do? There's but one thing to do. We must put an end to such flagrant disregard of the conventions. I expect you to give your son a severe reprimand. And I shall dismiss Lou from my employ at once. Ah, it's letting her off too easy. She ought to be horse-whipped. We'd like a whole of her. I'll make her pay for that. Oh, no, Nifty. We can't blame it all on Lou. Boys will be boys. You and I know the lure of the Petticoke. And now I can see what's changed Chris in the past week, the little simp. He'll try slipping something over on me, will he? Well, I've got a good notion to ship him right back to the farm. Lou, where'd you come from? I was waiting outside the tent with Carrie. I thought you'd never be in here alone. I'd know you was there. There'd been no hole in me. Come here. Sheila, it's a long time since we've been together. Oh, it was only last night, foolish. It seems like a year. Will you meet me again tonight? The same place? You bet. Paul, give me fits for being out so late last night by stalling. I said I was taking a walk. He didn't swallow that. Sure. He's got no reason to doubt me. No one's seen us together except Carrie. Oh, Lou, I hate it. The way we got a hide-around behind folks' backs, well, you'd think we were crooks or something. Oh, no. You know what Nifty'd do if he knew. He's got no claim to be like that. It's not fair. I'd like to tell him and everyone else how crazy in love with you I am. I'm so happy when I think about you. It's about all I can do to keep it to myself. I know. I know just the way I feel. We'll have to tell him, Lou. We can't go on like this any longer. And if Paul don't see it our way, we'll clear out. Go away, by ourselves. I haven't been asking about trains. There's one out at four o'clock. Lou, you love me, don't you? Well, don't you, Lou? Oh, no, I do. Then I don't care about anything else. You're wonderful. You're the only one in the world I give a hang of. Lou. Lou, what you crying for? Oh, Chris. Hey, what's going on here? Looks like the big scene from Camille. Well, I don't know, Carrie. Lou started crying all of a sudden. You two better break that clinch. Somebody's liable to walk in any minute. What's the matter, sweetheart? Oh, don't exist, Nelson. I'll get over it. Chris, go get her bottle of pop. If you ask me, she's crazy with the heat. I don't want nothing. Sure, she does. Go on, Chris. Get her a cold bottle. Well, I won't be a man. Well, what's all the shooting for? Oh, I've been making a fool out of myself, that's all. You don't need to tell me that. Carrie, Chris, Chris is in love with me. Didn't I tell you it works? Whenever I want any more vampin' done, you get the job. Don't cut that out. Well, what's the matter? What's come over yet? Nelson, except that I'm crazy about him, too. He's got me going around like a top. Hey, you know what you're saying. Yeah, all I know is I couldn't go on living without him. You mean you'd marry? Marry him. Carrie, look. Why? Why, it's a rain. Yeah. A wedding rain. Well, Chris wouldn't take no for an answer. I tried to put him off, but I... I ain't got a mind of my own where the kid's concerned. I'm so hip on him. Carrie, if he'd tell me to jump in front of an express train, I'd go do it. Oh, there's a... I didn't think there was a guy living could get me this way. Can you imagine? Me, a Mrs. Oh, I swear, Carrie, when that JP was talking, I thought it was a dream. And after all I said to you. Well, for the first time since I can remember, I'm happy. Really happy. I feel like laughing and crying all at once. Chris is the same way, too. We're just like a couple of kids. Man, you got an awful wallop coming when you wake up. All I can say, you better make yourself hard to find if Nifty shows up here. As long as I got Chris, I ain't scared of him or anyone else. Well, I'll wash my hands of you. Don't forget that. Well, what are you crabbing about? Say, you ought to be glad that it gets Chris out of your way, don't it? We're thinking of leaving the show. Yeah. Where do you think you're going? I'd like to try Chicago. I know it there. You can starve and shy as well as anywhere else, I suppose. Don't worry, Carrie. We'll make out. I can do cabaret work, and Chris ain't afraid of soil in his hands. Lou. Lou. What's the matter? Lou, honey, we're in for it. I just met Hap. Doc Rice was down around the courthouse this morning. He got wind about us being married. He blabbed it all over the lot. Oh, Nifty. But does Nifty know? He's looking for us. Hap's trying to hit him away from here until he calms down. Now we've got to go. Carrie, will you help us? Well, what can I do? We've got to have money to get away. We ain't got a red cent to our names. When you got married, did you charge it? No. Chris had a tens part, but that went for the ring and the justice of the peace. Oh, yeah? Well, Carrie, what about the money you owe me? You only paid me 25, remember? You promised me a hundred bucks. I ain't just sure I owe you anything at all. It seems to me you got your reward when you got Chris here. What are you talking about? You told me right in this tent you'd give me the other 75 after I got Chris the fourth on me. Now you know you did. So you got any idea what you were saying? Don't worry. Chris knows all about it. He knows? I don't believe it. Oh, I asked him. It's true, Carrie. I heard the whole story. Well, I've never heard the beef. I've seen too many marriages go on the rocks through lies. Chris knows the worst about me. Now it's up to me to show him I've got a good side to him. You think I'm going to get you? You're going to get 75 out of me after blabbing your mouth like that? Are you trying to, Welsh? If you remember, right, I said I'd pay you if you kept your mouth shut. I'm not paying any squealer. Oh, so that's your game, huh? Crawfishing. Well, let me tell you something, you dirty Welsh. So you'll come across with that money or I'll make you wish you had. What do you think you can do? Do? I'll show you. I'll tell Nifty. That's what I'll do. Don't make me laugh. You'll be lucky if you don't bring your neck. Oh, you. So I'm a squealer, am I? Well, wait till I get through. What do you think Nifty'll do to you when he hears how you plan to get Chris away from him, huh? Just you wait. What is it? Nifty's coming down the midway. He's looking high and low for you. I can't hit him off no longer. Well, if Nifty's on the lot, I guess I'll move along. This ain't my funeral. Go to it, kid. See you later. Maybe. Hep. Hep. You think Nifty's likely to come back here? Sure he is. Oh, well, listen, Chris, you beat it quick. Pack your suitcase and then come back here for me. See? I'll take care of the money before I get away somewhere. Lou, I ought to be here with you when he comes. No, I can handle him. I ain't a friend. But I gotta be here, Lou. Oh, listen, Chris, he's your father, but I know I'm better than you do. Now hurry up and don't argue. Will you please sneak out the back way? Well, all right, Lou. Don't worry. Everything's going to be all right. I'll be right back. Yeah. Hey, Lou, is it really true? Are you really married? Sure we are. Why not? No, it doesn't have to. You've got to help me. I'm awful up against it. How much money you got on you? Well, how much you need? All you got and maybe more. Well, how? 20 bucks to you. Is that all you got? Well, I, uh... Well, here's another 10. Oh, yes. You're a white man. You'll never know how much we need this. I wouldn't have had to borrow it if someone hadn't welshed on me. Don't you go saying nothing to Nifty about me giving it to you? Hey, am I a fool? Oh, hello, Nifty. Needed that. I want to speak to Lou. Yes, sir. I was just leaving. Well, Nifty... It's all I can do to keep and shovel my fist right down your throat. Oh, listen, Nifty. Come down to earth and talk sense, will you? You might as well look things square in the face. Now, understand. I don't expect a kiss from you for what I've done. But also, I ain't going to stand for no strong-arm stuff. I married Chris because I love him, and he loves me. Yes. Yeah, and we're hooked up as tight as... as tight as if we had a strip carpet wed in a six-story church. Now, you can threaten swear to your lungs. Give up, but you can't change that. Well, you know how I felt about Chris. What store I put by and what plans I had for him? How it's saved up to get him educated, but what did you care? You come along and flirt in a few days. You wreck him for life, and me along with him. Wreck him? I don't know about that. After a while with you, I wouldn't give a thin dime for him. Oh, is that so? He's just a kid. He don't know how to look out for himself. Then would you leave him come on the show for? A carnival ain't just exactly my idea of a kindergarten. If you'd cared about him, you'd have kept him on the farm. Yeah, it's your fault. He's running away with me. Running away? Where do you think you're going? We ain't particular. Well, we don't stay here. Chris, don't go. How will you stop him? You can't lock him up in the closet like he was a two-year-old. Well, Lou, don't. Don't take Chris away from me. Don't just see him ruin him. He ain't just an ordinary carnival. Bobby's got a future, and with the right education, he can be a big lawyer. I heard him say he didn't think he wanted to be a lawyer, even if he went to all them colleges. You can't just make anyone into a lawyer. He ain't had enough experience to know what he wants, but I know I can make him a mount to something. Lou, what do you take to give him up? I thought it was about time for you to pull that. Well, you're always broke. I'll give you enough to put John easy. You can find plenty of other guys to marry you. If he didn't, I'd tell you before I love you. But you're lovin' him's all the more reason for letting him go. You're taking him away. Can't come to no good. Why, it won't be but a short time that you're tired of him and threw him over to someone else. Then where'll he be? Now you're all wrong, Nifty. I've been around long enough to appreciate the real thing when I find this. Chris and me are gonna make a go of this. How can ya? He ain't your kind. He's only a green country kid that I don't know what it's all about. And when he wakes up, he'll never forgive you for tricking him into marrying you. I didn't trick him. If you think I'm takin' your boy away under false pretenses, I'll give you a chance to talk to him by yourself. He's a lever of his own free will. You, you see if you can make him change his mind. Where is he now? He's up to the room, packin' up. Is he with the law? Sure. I ain't afraid. Here he is now. All right, go ahead. Run me down to him and see what good it does you. Well, then? Well, here daddy don't seem to fancy me as his daughter-in-law. I guess I wanna talk to you. Do you know what you said? Sure. I'll be outside, honey, when you want me. Where ya goin'? Hmm? I told him I'd step out while he has his say. He can say it in front of you. That seems you'd rather not. I expect he's afraid of hurting my feelings. Well, you stay here. No, I won't either. What is it, Pa? Well, what you gotta say to us? Nothing. Nothing at all. Go on, go away with her. Don't ever let me see you again. She's got you, she can keep you. You ain't worth the save. Well, that's the way you feel about it. Go outside, honey. I'll be out in a minute. All right, man. Goodbye, Pa. All right, Misty. And here's something you don't know. Carrie got me to do it. Carrie? Yeah, Carrie. I wouldn't have squealed on her if she hadn't welled. She hired me to vamp him to get back at you for ditching her. Well, as far as Chris is concerned, don't think he's gonna be a bum like you. I'll do more for him than you ever did. That's all I gotta say. Carrie, come in here. What do you want, Misty? There's one question I want you to answer, and if you lie to me, as God is my witness, I'll kill you. Did you get that little devil to take him away from me? You wouldn't take her word for it, would you? Did you? Answer me. No. You're lying, and you know you are. Misty! Misty! You're choking me. You don't like it, do you? Hang it out of thought of that. You'll double-cross me, will you? You'll never do it again. I beg you! You'll double-cross me, will you? Misty! He tried to kill me. He tried now. Come on, Carrie, you're all right. Give me a hand with her, Colonel. Take her over to the office wagon. I'll be there in a minute. Come on, Carrie. He tried to kill me. Go on with that, Carrie. I'll take care of Misty. You're a fine one, I must say. You don't know what she's done. You don't know anything about it. No matter what she's done, you've got no right to do a thing like this. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Well, I'm not. I wish I'd killed her. That kind of talk won't do you any good. If you don't want Carrie here, why don't you come to me and say so? We'll get rid of her. I don't care what you do with her now. I'm leaving, Colonel. You know you don't mean that, Misty. I'll show you whether I mean it or not. This is my notice. Misty, I need you. Haven't I always played square with you? Oh, yes, you've used me well enough, but I'm going just the same. What did you do? Where'd you go? What difference does it make where I go? All I know is I'm through forever with Tupen. It took Chris from me and sent him to hell. That's what you're lost. You kind of was gone for me. Station identification. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System. We shall continue shortly with the Lux Radio Theater production of the Barker, starring Claudette Colbert and Walter Houston. There have been no new script girls in Hollywood for about 12 years. That will give you an idea of how difficult the job is, because a job easier to learn would have had thousands of recruits in that time. The best-known script girl in Hollywood is, oddly enough, my own. On the set, I call her Amelia, but I'm obliged to be formal tonight and present her as Miss Emily Barrick. As a matter of fact, see, be the way you usually address me on the lot as, hey, you... That's when everything's all right. I'm not good at remembering names. You're not good at remembering small details, either. No directories. That's why there are script girls in Hollywood. While working for you, a script girl even has to be an explorer. When we were making four frightened people in Hawaii with tonight's star, Claudette Colbert, I was sent by plane to an isolated mountain to pick offy-offy leaves for her costume. It took me five days, and when I finally reached the nearest village, my beautiful white linen costume looked like ten minutes past midnight, just black. I found a little inn, but no stores and no laundry. Through myself and the mercies of a little Japanese housemaid and went to sleep, exhausted. When I awoke, there were my clothes and fresh and spotless as when I got on the plane. I asked her how she'd ever managed to get them so clean. She couldn't speak English, but she led me to a wash tub and pointed to a box of luxe flakes. Now, I know we use luxe flakes at Paramount, but imagine seeing that familiar package at the foot of a mountain in Hawaii. That housemaid deserved a reward. I sent it to her from Honolulu, a whole carton of luxe flakes. As I remember it, your stay in the Hawaiian islands was more pleasant than your stay on Blackwells Island. Even luxe flakes couldn't help you soft soap your way out of there. That time, Mr. DeMell needed data on women's prisons, though he sent me to a much more exclusive island than Hawaii, Blackwells Island, New York's prison in the East River. Mr. DeMell had me jailed as a shoplifter and no one knew my real identity. I spent five weeks in a cell until he remembered where I was and bailed me out. P.S., I got the material. Now, Emily, in my next picture of the Plainsman, Jean Arthur as Calamity Jane is captured by India. Now, Emily, I wonder how it feels to be scouted. That's one thing I'm not going to find out for you. I've just had a new permanent. Good night to you. Good night, jailbag. We come to the last act of the barker. We've clawed at Colbert as Lou and Walter Houston as Nifty. Two weeks have passed. It's a stormy night, and the faraway rumble of thunder is in harmony with Nifty's sullen state of mind. He's determined to leave the carnival. This is his last night with the show, and we find him sitting on the cot in his tent smoking a cigarette, perhaps, flirters on a trunk opposite him. Well, Nifty, you sure picked one piece of a night to get out of the show business. Raining cats and dogs. What time do you reach home in the morning? I only get to South Bend at four and lay over till six. I'll be home at the farm in time for ever to get him a breakfast, and believe me, it'll be breakfast. Only good greasy cook are sinkers in mud. I swear, Nifty, I don't know what this here outfit's going to be like without you. I'm getting too old to be working with guys I ain't used to. Well, Doc will get out of the ropes in time. Doc, huh? I don't know what the Colonel's idea is letting him take over the show. Doc writes. He couldn't belly on a peanut stand, and that new dancer he's got, Cleo, ain't worth a cuss at the carry. Sing, Nifty. You're going away without saying goodbye to Carrie? Are you sure you're shooting square to go off like this without a word? All I want her to do is to keep on in my way. Whatever she's done right or wrong was because she loved you. Wasn't in her mind to drive the kid away? Don't you think I can't see through all this gab? Carrie's asked you to beg for her. I don't have to get nobody to talk to her. The only thing, Nifty, if she comes to say goodbye, don't be hard on those. Treat her decent. Tell her you'll forgive her whether you do or not. It won't hurt you and will save her many a heartache. Ah, dry up. Don't make me chicken heart with all this Sunday school talk. They can't ruin my life and expect a kiss for it. She's getting just what's coming to her. Nifty, here she is. I know that was how you felt. But I had to come all the time. So you heard what I said, eh? Well, all the better. Well, what do you want? I want to talk to you. You've got nothing to say. You listen to her, Nifty, or say, help me out. Well, I'm going now. I want to hear you can get some sense in your heads and park friends. This here's a short life and a rotten one we don't know what's ahead. Well, Nifty, take care of yourself. Well, what you got to say to me? Understand. First of all, I ain't here with any idea of getting you to make it up with me. There's just something I want to explain, and now I'm here, I don't know how to go about it hardly. I ought to have written you a letter again. I wouldn't have read it. I didn't think you would. That's why I come. Nifty, I got a bottle of carbolic acid from the drug store today. A bottle that's going to be empty this time tomorrow. What are you trying to do? Throw a scare into me? I ain't grand-standin'. I'm telling you what I'm going to do, so you'll... Well, so you'll see, I ain't such a bad sport at that. I can see how much I harmed you, but sick and lewd on Chris. And when I heard you was leaving the outfit through what I'd done, I... I made up my mind I wasn't going to have you believe I was getting off scot-free. Now, how is your drinkin' poison going to bring Chris back her health? They're crazy. I may be, but I see things pretty clear for a crazy person. It ain't as if I was somebody who had something to live for. I'm a nobody. Tired out and broke. I'd like to think you could forgive me, Nifty, but that ain't going to change my mind none. You see, I ain't doin' this so much for you as for myself. Others will think I've done it because you left me with it. I don't care what they think if you understand that that ain't the real reason. Hey, Nifty! Nifty, what do you think? It stopped raining, and it's clearing off. It stopped raining, do you hear? And there's a prettiest moon coming up you ever seen. Big as a wash top. That's too light. It won't do no good if a dust turn clears. Colonel sent the band boys out to ballet. The whole midway will be humming with people in an hour. You see if it ain't. Think it's going to be such a bad break for you last night at that? Oh, Nifty. Listen. There goes the old hobby horses. Listen. Hey, Nifty, did you know we're opening up? Yeah, you got your speed ready, Doc? No, it's like a book. It's a cinch. I'll go out along and light up the stringers on the front, Nifty. And get the Hawaiians, and while you're out of take them, we're going to pull you out the platform to tick a box. Okay, Nifty. Kerry, what you doing over here? Listen, Doc, you got all you can do, turn to your own business. All right. Oh, go on, get out. Sure. Yes. Wait a minute, Doc. What's eating on you, Kerry? Nothing. Well, if I'm going to open up tonight, I got to be getting back to the doll rack. I'll say goodbye. Go on, Nifty. I want to shake hands. I guess we can do without that. All right, Nifty. Go. Go on. Kerry. Kerry, come here. What's going on, Nifty? How'd you like to go on tonight and place the new dancer? Go on tonight. Now, you heard me. Do your dance for the last time. Nifty. That was just an idea of mine. Well, what do you say? Well, I got to work the doll rack. All right. I can fix that up with a kernel. You think I've got time to get ready? You don't stand there all night talking about it. Nifty. They're starting to come in on the lot. Any time we start at the valley? All right, Doc. Get out there and give them all you got. Leave it to me. Everything's ready, Nifty. Well, wait. We'll have to wait for a minute. Wait just a minute on Kerry. Who? You heard me. Kerry. Kerry. Yeah, you think I've gone crazy, don't you? Well, I... Tonight I'm going to be with the Hicks and watch you do your stuff. So you better all give me a good show. Go on now. Start the valley, who? And remember, I'll be watching you. The biggest show for your money that has ever played your town. It's a show full of spicy dancing. A show full of hippie dancing. And with your kind indulgence, allow me to introduce the artist. First, introducing Princess Kalima, the first of them. He's dying on his feet, Nifty. A bunch of boys. They're starting to walk away on him, Nifty. Get up there and show him how to do it. Look, I see nothing yet. Now, don't go away. There she is. When she dances, folks, she makes old... Now, don't disconstrue me what I refer to the young lady's dance, because this show is clean, moral, up-to-date, educational and instructive. And there's a special advertising price tonight just to prove to you the great value of this performance. I'm not for a price of 25 cents. Congratulations. You certainly saved the day. I can't go a colonel as soon as I get the hang of it a little better. Ah, doc, can let me get on to it. You just ain't got the knack. You ain't got a selling personality. When you're ballet, you've got to tell the world. That's what I call a rod. Ah, Nifty, you were superb. Superb! If you'll reconsider your going away, I'll make you partner. I'll give you a quarter interest in this outfit. Well, I don't want to see the show going the wrong way. Good. I'll go over to the office wagon and make out a contract. Now, no hurry about that. I've got to think it over. Well, I'll just have one made out in case, Nifty. You're too old a dog to learn new tricks. I'll be waiting over there for you. Nifty. Don't carry it. What do you want? I would just wonder since you're going to stay on and all. Yeah, who says I'm going to stay all? Well, if you do stay on, I was wondering if you couldn't see your way clear to letting me come back on the job. Yeah, you don't want much, do you? The first thing I know, you'll be wanting to... Well, you can finish out the night, but I'm making no promises. Oh, boy. Yeah, and I'll tell you people one thing. If I do stay on here, there's going to be more work done around here. You're all so lazy. You ain't worth a chore to back it. Get inside there, carry it and do your stuff. Well, as you hear what I said, I'm the boss of this outfit. Go on, get in there. Oh, Nifty. That was the first kind word you said to me in a month. Listen to this. What is it? It's a card from Chris and Lou. It came this morning. What do they say? Well, Lou's got a job hooping it in the nightclub and Chris is working in an office. Yeah? Yeah. And hat. It's a law office. Walter Houston is through barking, but he'll be back to talk to us in a moment. And we also hear from Claudette Colbert, whose reputation as a charmer isn't limited to snakes alone. For his distinguished direction of motion pictures, the gentleman we shall hear next has received a collection of awards that girdle the earth. France, Italy, Russia, Belgium, nations east and west have contributed to it. One of the first winners of the Motion Picture Academy Award for direction. He is the first to be honored as the leader of nations for his work in motion pictures. His spectacular production, The Big Parade, is one of the outstanding pictures of all times. At Texan by birth, his current picture is the Texas Ranger. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. King Vidor. Even in that little Texas town, I had a hunch I could make motion pictures. I made one there before I ever saw the inside of a studio. I sold it, too. But I thought I'd better come to Hollywood before I tackled another one. I found it here in a broken down car and 20 cents in my pocket. Perhaps you remember that, TV? Yes, you were not only a Texas lion horn, you were somewhat of a green horn. Maybe I was, but I remember you accepted the first suggestion I ever made to you. We were looking at a picture you had just finished called Why Change Your Wife? I saw how you could improve a scene with a close-up, and I told you what I thought. Everybody looked at me as though I had spoken out loud in a cathedral. But you said that's a fine idea to put it in the picture. I never failed to adopt a good idea when it's over to me, even by a green horn. And I never overlooked an opportunity. The trouble is, people don't always know when an opportunity comes along. One time I was looking for the ideal American youth to feature in a picture called The Crowd. I tried to find the right actor for weeks, and then one day I saw a fellow go by on a street car. I chased it, jumped on board, and looked for him. But while I was getting on it to rear, he'd gotten off at the front. I left the car and roamed the streets, trying to catch sight of him. But he had disappeared completely. That young man will never know how close he came to a career in the movie. The moral of that is, if you want to get into the movies, always ride an extra block on the street car. The fact is that a lot of people don't want a career in pictures, as you'll find out when you start working with those Indians in the Plainsmen. When we were out in the desert shooting a battle scene for the Texas Rangers, an Indian boy who worked for about three weeks, finally came up to me and said, when can I go home, Mr. Bidar? What's the matter, son? Aren't we treating you right? I asked. Yeah, he said, but I'm getting awfully tired of playing Indian. It's been a pleasure to appear in your Lux Radio Theatre, CB. There's no other medium that brings Hollywood and the stage to every home in America in such distinctive fashion. Good night. Good night, James. Last week, I engaged a little unknown girl for a major role in the picture I'm starting tomorrow. For the present, her name is a secret. She's never appeared before the camera. For the first time I talked to her, I arranged to have her see every Claudette Colbert picture made in the last three years and study them for technique. I could give this little girl no better advice and I can pay Claudette no higher compliment, Miss Colbert. Thank you so much, Mr. DeMille. I think you're doing a marvelous thing bringing back these grand plays so that everybody who may not have seen them on the stage can enjoy them over the Lux Radio Theatre. I can't tell you how thrilled I was to play the Barker again. Thank you. Good night. Walter, there's an old popular song called Where Did You Get That Hat? And I'd like to know why you've been wearing yours all through tonight's performance. Well, I'll tell you, CB, that hat goes back to 1927 when we tried out the Barker in Atlantic City. After the performance, a real Barker came backstage to see me. He was the owner of a mitt joint all in polite language, a place where palms are red. He liked everything he said, he liked everything I did on the stage except my hat and my acting. He volunteered to teach me how to bark, so I paled around with him and learned the tricks of the trade. After a few days, he told me I was a fool to keep on acting and offered me his hat and a job at the carnival. I took the hat. Maybe you missed your big chance. By this time, you might have owned a little mitt joint of your own. CB, we can't all be successes. But I take off my hat to your choice of plays, Mr. Silver's music and the general excellence of the Lux Radio Theater. Tell me, Walter, do you wear that hat in Dodgeworth? Dodgeworth? Well, no, Sam Dodgeworth was hardly the type, but I am going to wear it in the first act of a fellow. Thank you. Mr. Polver, whose next fixer is made of Salem, appeared through courtesy of Paramount Studios as did Mr. DeMille and Mr. Vidor. Mr. Houston, now engaged in filming Dodgeworth at the United Auto Studio, through courtesy of Mr. Samuel Golden, Ms. Barry Paramount and Mr. Louis Silver's 20th Century Fox. Now, Mr. DeMille. Next week, the Lux Radio Theater presents Joan Crawford and Franchotone in chain. Ms. Crawford will play the same role she played on the screen, promising us one of the distinctive hits of the year. Our sponsors, the makers of Lux Flakes, join me in inviting you to be with us next Monday night, when the Lux Radio Theater presents Joan Crawford and Franchotone in chain. This is Cecil B. DeMille saying good night to you from Hollywood, with the Columbia Broadcasting System.