 Good evening. This is Dr. Robert Allison of Grove Falls, better known as Jeep's father. Would you like to feel my muscle? I'm not really very strong, but I've been hearing that question so often around the house lately that it slips out every now and then. You see, we had a narrow escape recently. I almost wound up by being the father of a professional strong man. I'm referring to my enthusiastic young offspring, my son Jeep. Yes, it's my son Jeep, the bright and warm-hearted adventures of the Allison family of Grove Falls, transcribed by the National Broadcasting Company and starring Donald Cook as Doc with young Martin Houston as wonderful, unpredictable 10-year-old Jeep Allison. And now back to Dr. Allison and tonight's story about my son Jeep. And nobody could be more aware than I of the advantages of a sound and healthy body. Being a doctor, it's my principal concern. But a bodybuilding, like almost everything else, can be overdone, particularly if the builder is a 10-year-old boy named Jeep. Hi, Jeep. Hi, Barb. I mean Miss Miller. That's all right. You can call me Barbara. Well, would it be respectful? Now listen, aren't we good friends? Sure. And don't I call you by your first name? After all, if you keep calling me Miss Miller, I'll have to start calling you Mr. Allison. Oh, that'd be silly. I feel the same way. So you call me Barbara. I like it. So do I, Miss Miller. I mean Barbara. Yes, Mr. Allison. I mean Jeep. Would you say I look like a weakling? A what? You know, a person who's weak. Oh, I never saw a healthier looking boy in my life. What's all this about? I got to get built up. What for? Because I don't want to be a weakling the rest of my life. Who's weakling? All of us, Pop. Well, I don't know about you, but I happen to be feeling fine. Me too. Oh, you don't get what I mean. Here, it's right on this magazine. The ad on the back page. Weaklings of the world unite. My. It sounds subversive. I, Harry Hercules, guarantee that I can transform you from a puny, undersized weakling into a vital, tingling, living man, like me. Who wants to look like him? Let me see. Oh, no. What's the matter with him? Well, he looks so puffed up. Oh, golly, Pop, those are his muscles. Oh, what's this? That's his head. Are you sure it's so small? Maybe he hasn't had time to build that up yet. Read some more, Bob. Do your friends laugh at you in the locker room? Are you ashamed to be seen in a bathing suit? Then I am the man for you. If you want your friends to envy you, if you want to be the most popular man on the beach this summer, I, Harry Hercules, guarantee that I can change the course of your entire life in only six weeks. I like the approach he uses, so gentle like a sledgehammer. Yeah, and he can lift 350 pounds. He can? I mean, he can tear a phone book in half and bend a horseshoe in two. He'd be a handyman to have around the house. Yeah, if you ever had a phone book and a horseshoe and a 350-pound weight, you didn't know what to do with. Then he can drive a nail through a two-inch board with his bare hand. That's silly. Why doesn't he use a hammer? What? And let his hands get soft? Yes, sir. In six weeks, I'm going to look like that picture. Over my dead body. Of course. Take any course you like, but if you wind up looking like him, I'll disown you. Jeep, dear, aren't you a little young to start getting all those muscles? Well, sure. Where do you grow up? If you still want more muscles, then you can buy them. I want them now. Okay, but I warn you, you're not getting a penny out of me. I have fallen for too many of your schemes before. Remember the saxophone? $30 that cost me. Yeah, but, Pop, this isn't going to cost you anything. Oh, no? It's right in the ad. Absolutely free. Let me see. Send away for my illustrated booklet describing my course. Absolutely free. Well, this is only a booklet, Jeep. What good will that do you? If it describes this course, I'll know what to do. Okay, son. Go ahead and send for the booklet. And to show you my heart's in the right place, I'll finance the whole deal. Here's a three-cent stamp. Jeep. What's that you're reading so intently? You haven't opened your mouth since we sat down to eat. Gee, I never knew it cost so much to make muscles. Come again? $2.85, just for an old wrist developer. And what might a wrist developer be? Develops your wrist. What on earth are you talking about? What are you reading, dear, a story? No, no, no. You're all going at this the wrong way. You ought to realize, by this time, the Jeep never answers a direct question directly. You have to sneak up on him like this. Jeep, how was school today? Okay, Pop. But I kept thinking about this booklet from Harry Hercules. He doesn't say how to develop your muscles. He just tells you what equipment to send away for. Golly, it all costs so much. You see, everybody at last we know. Muscles. How infantile. They are not, Peggy Allison. Just when you see me on the beach this summer, I'll show you. What sort of equipment do you need, Jeep? More to the point. Why do you need equipment? I thought muscles were supposed to grow naturally. What if you want them to look like Harry Hercules? You've got to have wrist developers, and a back developer, and a neck developer, and a mat. What's the mat for? Probably to break your fall when you drop from exhaustion. Well, it makes absolutely no sense to me. Well, it's not supposed to make sense. Just muscles. It certainly seems like an awful lot of equipment. Well, that's not all. I have to have a leopard skin, too. What for? Are you planning to join a circus? No, but you can't lift weights without a leopard skin. Why not, against the rules? Did you ever see a picture of a strong man without one? No, I can't say I have. Well, then. Well, just remember, you're going to have to manage all this on your own. I'm not going to shell out any money on this project. You won't have to, Pop. I'll think of something. That's one thing I'm sure of. Will you excuse me, please? All I ask, Father, is that you don't let Chief wear that leopard skin to school. Tell me, Jeep, what got you interested in developing your muscles? Probably been seeing too many of them Tarzan pictures. No, it was Leroy. Now, who's Leroy? Leroy Gridley. He runs a sporting goods store over by the school. Oh, is he taking this course from Harry Hercules? Uh-uh. He graduated a long time ago. Gosh, you ought to see him. Got muscles, huh? I'll say. Big ones. I've been going over to a store after school. Works out in the back room. Practices all the time. Lifts weights in the morning, noon he works out on the pulleys. When I go over after school, he lifts weights again. That young man's in a rut. Doesn't he ever get tired, Jeep? Of course not. Well, maybe he doesn't, but I do. Just hearing about this has made me so tired, I'm going into the living room and taking a nap. Are you down the solo, Jeep? Yeah, I've been calling you for the last five minutes, Pop. I wanted to show you what I made. Look. Well, hey, that's really something. What is it? Oh, don't you remember, Pop? You told me you couldn't afford to buy all that muscle-building equipment, so I made my own. Well, that's wonderful, son. Yeah, I took an old pipe we had out in the garage. Got a couple of gallon cans down at the filling station. Then I bought some cement. All I had to do was put it in the garage. All I had to do was put a can on each end of the pipe and fill them with cement. Now I want you to watch me lift it. Okay, I'm watching. Just think. In six weeks, I'll have muscles all over me. And I'll be able to tell everybody that I was right there when the first muscle started to sprout. Well, here goes. Mmm. Gosh. Is something wrong? No. Well, Jeep, that's much too heavy for you. It's going to be if it's going to do me any good. Well, if you can't lift it off the floor, it doesn't do anybody any good. Here, let me try it. Can't lift it either, huh, Pop? Well, of course I can't. It neither could anybody else. We're all you could with one hand. Well, then let him. But you're not to try to lift that again. But what do I do? Get a hammer and chisel and cut it down to your size. Got to chisel off some of the cement so I can lift this darn thing, don't I? How else am I going to get any muscles? Well, just keep hammering away at that thing and you'll get your muscles before you even have a chance to lift it. Haven't you finished that yet? Clash, no, Barbara. You don't know how heavy this is. I keep chipping off the cement, but I still can't lift it. Well, if it's too heavy for you to lift it alone, get one of your friends to come over. The two of you can lift it together. That way both of you can develop your muscles. Oh, that wouldn't be fair. Harry Hercules doesn't ask anybody to help him. Get these weights cut down to my size if it's the last thing I do. Oh, Mr. Hercules. Feel my muscle, Barbara. My goodness. Big, isn't it? Tremendous. Came in for a physical exam. What, again? Well, only Roy says when you're building yourself up, got to keep a pretty close check on things. Barbara, when Mrs. Randolph arrives, will you... Oh, hi, Jeep. Will you bring in her x-rays? What's on your mind, son? Just drop by for a physical. What, again? My very words. Oh, what's wrong with that? Nothing, but three physical examinations in a week. How am I going to know how much bigger I am unless you measure me? Well, I doubt if your biceps have grown appreciably since day before yesterday, but... Well, if you insist, come on in the office. Just measure my arm and chest pop. That'll be enough. Okay. Hold up your arm. What say? Is it bigger since the last time? I'm happy to report that your bicep has grown almost one-thirty-second of an inch. Chest pop. Okay. Now, relax. Now, take a deep breath. Amazing. It is? Your chest expansion has increased one-forty-eighth of an inch. Why? When did I tell Roy Roy? Now, how is that paragon of physical culture? He's fine. He's getting bigger all the time. He's got a chest expansion of six inches. A bully for him. What's your chest expansion, pop? I haven't the faintest idea. Bet it's not as much as Leroy's. I'm sure it isn't. Leroy thinks you ought to take up weightlifting, pop. I'll start brightening early tomorrow morning. Now, goodbye. I'm expecting a patient. Leroy says you spend too much time indoors. You tell Leroy to stick to his racket, and I'll stick to mine. Well, say, I almost forgot to tell you. I invited Leroy over for supper tonight. Goody-goody. Is it all right? Well, of course. I know what I figured, so I asked him to come early. Well, I can't wait to meet him. You might as well tell you now. As soon as supper is over, I'm going over to marry Patricia Pearson's. Oh, but Jeep's got a friend coming, dear. That wouldn't be very polite. Well, I do not intend to sit around and be bored with a lot of nonsense about weightlifting. Oh, you won't have to, Peg. We'll talk about other things. Like what? Uh, I don't know. It's positively ridiculous the way Jeep looks up to this man. Well, most people go through various stages of hero worship, dear. Aren't you pretty fond of Elizabeth Taylor in the movies? You can hardly compare them, Father. After all, Miss Taylor is an artiste. And if she was the one who was coming to supper... Yeah, anytime Elizabeth Taylor comes to our house for supper, she can talk about weightlifting all evening, and I'll be in France. Oh, yeah? He'll be along, oh boy. He probably stopped along the way to chin himself a few hundred times. Just remember, Peggy, you'll be nice to him. I am nice to everyone. Hmm, haughty, but nice. When he comes in, Bob, don't let him shake your hand. Not if you want to keep it. Hey, that raises an interesting point. How do you welcome a weightlifter? Well, if it was up to me, I wouldn't welcome him at all. I know. I'll roll up my sleeve and make a muscle out of him. There you are, my sister, Peggy. And this is Barbara Miller. How do you do? Oh, well, it's sure good to meet all you people. Won't you take that chair over there, Mr. Gridley? Well, I'd take it, Doc. Yeah, nothing like a good joke to get things started off right, huh? Where'll I put these? He brought two bags. Is he planning to spend the weekend? Oh, well, just put them down anywhere, Mr. Gridley. Excuse me for asking, but what have you got in those bags? My weights. Your what? My weights along thought we might do a little lifting after supper. Boy, will you see Leroy in action, Pop? I'm sure it'll be very interesting. Of course, sir, this isn't my real heavy stuff. It's just what I use to limber up with after a good meal. Oh, are you going to put on a little exhibition later, Mr. Gridley? Well, I figured that would be the best way of paying for my supper. Oh, no. Leroy never goes eight-points without a bag of weights. That's all? Yeah, yeah, I wouldn't feel dressed if I didn't have them along. Only time I leave them home is when I got to work out at the Y. They have their own. Yes, I guess if you brought yours, it'd be like carrying coals to Newcastle. I beg your pardon. Nothing. Would anybody like... Anybody like to feel Leroy's muscle? Mew, Peggy? I would not, Pop. Not right now, son. You, Barbara? I pass. Oh, come on, Miss Miller. Well, all right. My goodness. Like iron, huh? That's what all the girls say. They do? Oh, you ought to see me on the beach, just surrounded by girls. Pretty ones, though. The supper's ready, everybody. Come on. Oh, Mrs. Bixby, this is Mr. Gridley. Glad to meet you, Miss Buxby. The name is Bixby. You're going to sit by me. I'm hungry enough to eat a horse. Now, with all that, a horse is how about a cow? Now, this is going to be a long evening. I can feel it now. Imagine bringing a couple of tons of weights along just to entertain us. Yeah, the way someone else would bring a guitar. Frankly, Bob, I'm surprised he drove up in a car. What do you mean? It would have been more natural if he'd come swinging through the treetops. That was sure a swell feat, Mrs. Buxby. Glad you liked it, Mr. Gridley. Gridley. Bixby. You folks don't know it, but you're pretty lucky I was able to get here at all tonight. Oh, no. Yes, sir. The way my schedule is, it's hard for me to get a night off. I suppose you're very busy with your store. Oh, it isn't that, Doc. No, Leroy has to keep his muscles toned up. Don't you, Leroy? Sure do, Jeep. Mondays, we'll work out at the Y. Tuesdays, we'll play handball. Wednesdays and Thursdays, we'll coach the high school wrestling team. Friday, I'm back at the Y. Saturdays go bowling. Lance, Sakes, what do you do on Sundays? Collapse. You're a great little kidder, Doc. Oh, no. You mean you work out on Sundays, too? Oh, no, not exactly. I just get out in the country. Breathe. How's that? You know, Doc, breathe that good old country air. Well, can you afford to let your muscles go for that one day? You want to see me lift my weights now, Leroy? I'm getting good. Oh, that's fine, Jeep. If you keep it up long enough, you'll be like me. Now, there's something to work for. Which reminds me, if I'm going to show you folks some tricks, I'd better get my weights out. Well, you're sure you wouldn't rather just sit and talk? No, no, I always get kind of nervous just sitting and talking, Doc. My muscles start jumping. Well, I already see something, Pop. Will you excuse me, please? Where are you going, Peggy? Up to my room to concentrate on doing absolutely nothing. Just when Leroy's starting to warm up, you can't leave now. I couldn't think of a better time. Okay, folks. Okay, I'm ready. I'm going to start off easy, like just to show you how simple it is for a man with my physique to take this 75-pound weight here and with one hand lifted all the way from the floor right straight up over my head. All right? Here it goes. Why? Mercy alive, 75 pounds. Well, that's amazing, isn't it, Bob? Now, now I'll try it with one in each hand. Now for the final A, folks. Notice I got all the weights on the bar now. I'm going to lie flat on my back, stretch my arms out behind me, lift this bar straight up over my head, and then come up to a sitting position and hold the bar straight out in front of me. You're sure you can do it? But you worry about me, ma'am. Leroy's an expert. I've never seen such skill. I've never seen such strength in my life. We're so hard about that. Now, Doctor, you've got to admit this is mighty impressive. Sure, Bob. You couldn't do that. I don't know about that. Oh, Bob, of course you couldn't. I do believe the doctor's jealous. Gee, Bob, are you? Well, of course not. I just don't see what's so hard about lifting a couple of weights. Tell you what I'll do, Doc. Now, you take this little weight over here and lift it off the floor and over your head with both hands. Oh, Bob, do you think you are too? Just stand with your feet, spread apart a little, and bend down and pick it up. I know how to do it. Okay. Go ahead. Look out, Bob. Careful. You're going to drop. Oh, my back. I'm Miss Bixby. Put him down over here. Oh, there that's it. Does it hurt, Bob? Oh, I think there's something... This is up your tree! How did I know he'd hurt himself, Jeep? All you've got to do is pick it up like this and in one movement bring it up over your head. Uh-oh. Oh, beautiful chandelier. Well, that's the trouble with these low ceilings. Oh, gosh, Pop, it's all my fault you got to stay in bed. If I hadn't invited that Leeroy over here, it wouldn't have happened. Lucky, it wasn't even worse, son. Just a strain back. Well, after all, Father, it really isn't Jeep's fault. If you hadn't tried to show off... No, wait a minute. Well, weren't you, Father? Well, I suppose so. It's all right, Pop. At least you lifted it off the floor. Yeah, I did, didn't I? I'm stronger than I realize. Here, let me fluff up your pillows for you. I just came up to see how our invalid is doing. Oh, he's much better, Barbara. Dr. Haskell says he can get up day after tomorrow. Gee, we're pretty flowers. Yeah, who are they from? Well, believe it or not, Mr. Leeroy Gridley. No kidding? How thoughtful of him. Well, it certainly is. Remind me to call him, Barbara, when I'm able to get up. Well, there's only one thing. He didn't send the flowers to you. Well, who else would they be for? Me. Huh? Well, that's a fine thing. First he practically mains me for life, and then he sends you flowers. Oh, now don't get upset, Bob. It's only a gesture. A gesture I strongly disapprove of. Well, you have a good time gnashing your teeth over it. I've got to get back to the office. Father, do you suppose that Barbara could possibly be interested in that... that man? Well, I wouldn't blame her. I certainly didn't cut very heroic figure falling flat on my face the first time I tried to impress her. Don't you worry, Pop. You may not have muscles, but you've got brains, and that's more important. Mr. Gridley. I just passing by thought I'd drop in. Well, did you want to see the doctor? He's upstairs. Still in bed, huh? I tried to warn the old boy. Dr. Allison is not an old boy. Well, anyway, how's he doing? Well, he'll be up soon. Think I ought to go cheer him up, you know, tell him a few jokes? I wouldn't advise it. He's not in a very good mood. All he needs is a little exercise. A little exercise is what put him on his back. Hey, how'd you like the flowers to scent, huh? Pretty classy, huh? They were very nice. At first I thought they were for the doctor. Wouldn't I look silly sending the dark flowers? There for you, token of my regards. Thank you. See, I make up my mind fast. I take one look at a girl and I say, that's for me or that isn't for me. And in my case? That's for me. You came all the way over here just to tell me that. Well, yeah, and I thought if you weren't doing anything we could go somewhere tonight. Of course, it's my regular night for the why, but for you I'll skip it. What do you say? Well... Tell you what, we can go bowling. I don't bowl. How about a game of handball? I don't play handball. You're not very athletic, are you? Well, I'll change all that. I just came by to say hello to the little lady. What for? Oh, cheap. That isn't any of your concern, is it? It sure is. Haven't you done enough in this house? Poor pop line upstairs in bed. The chandelier busted. Sweet dear, don't be rude. Well, God! So how about it, Miss Millie? What time will it pick you up, huh? Barbara, you're not going out with him. Well, I'm sorry, but I'm busy tonight. Well, how about tomorrow? I'm busy tomorrow too. Next night? Really, I'm afraid I'm going to be busy every night. Uh-huh. Doing what? Oh, sitting up with a sick friend. And I'm going to be pretty busy from now on too. Huh? I'm not going to come to your store anymore. Who needs muscles? I'm going to start developing my brain. Oh, I get it. The brush off, huh? Well, call it a lack of interest in athletics. Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Gidley, I'm very busy. Okay, okay, I can take a hint. And to think I almost skipped an evening at the Y for you. Come on! She really told him that, Jeep. Boy, I wish I'd been there. And then when he asked her why she was busy every night, Barbara said she had to sit up with a sick friend. Really? I guess that put him in his place, all right. Gosh, Pop, he's such a dope. Well, maybe we're both being a little unkind, Jeep. Just because we didn't hit it off with Mr. Gidley doesn't mean he isn't a perfectly nice person if you happen to like that type. Well, I think of all the time I spent making those weights. Well, that didn't do you any harm. Matter of fact, all this muscle developing has its good points if you don't overdo it. Pop! Hmm? I've made up my mind. When I grow up, I want to be like you. Son, that's the nicest compliment I've ever had. My son, Jeep, was created and written by Walter Black and William Mendrick and directed by Dan Sutter. Lynn Allen is featured as Barbara Miller with Leona Powers as Mrs. Bixby and Joan Lazer as Peggy. Tonight's cast also included Don Briggs as Leroy and introduced to radio audiences young Martin Houston as 10-year-old Jeep. Starring in the role of Doc is one of America's finest actors and most versatile comedians, Donald Cook. And now this is Fred Collins and I invite you to be with us again same time, same station for the next transcribed visit with America's favorite family, the Allison's of Grove Falls and radio's number one family comedy, My Son, Jeep. You've been listening to My Son, Jeep. This is the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.