 Family Theater presents Cameron Mitchell and Preston Foster. The Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theater presents Stay Up for the Sunrise, starring Cameron Mitchell. And now, here is your host, Preston Foster. Thank you, Tony LaFranco. Family Theater's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives if we are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, and peace for the world. Family Theater urges you to pray. Pray together as a family. Now, to our transcribed drama, Stay Up for the Sunrise, starring Cameron Mitchell as Jerry. I had the cab driver drop me off at the corner of Woodland and Maple, three blocks from the house. I guess he thought that was crazy, but I wanted to walk up to the house from the west on Maple, the way I always used to. As he pulled away, I looked at my watch, 8.30. That was about right. It had always been around 8.30 in the summer, with the street lights on, even though the last faint orange of the day was still glowing behind the trees. I started walking west on Maple, back through the neighborhood where Shirley and I used to be 18, and no dreams of the future could ever compete with what was going on at the moment. Jerry, don't be mad. Why shouldn't I be mad? I thought you had this all straightened out with your mother. She says I can't go stead. All right, but did you have to take a date with this guy the last Saturday night before I go back to school? Tom called her. I couldn't help it. Well, didn't she even ask you if you had another date? Did you tell her this was my last weekend here until maybe Thanksgiving? Yes. And she still rammed it through? I love your mother. I dearly love her. Jerry, she's just thinking of me. Oh, yeah. You're going to be away at school for three months. She doesn't want me to sit home all that time. If you were going to be here all winter, it'd be different. Well, I'm here now, and I'll be here Saturday night. I've explained about that. Mother accepted the invitation for me. Oh, she can't even wait for me to leave. Well, I can't do anything about it. You can call him up and say you got a date. She wouldn't let me. All right, let's forget it. I mean the whole thing. You mean us? Yeah, if that's the way it's going to be. Good grief, Cheryl. We make a lot of plans. You say you want to marry me when I finish school. I do, Jerry. But that's three years away. So in the meantime, you go out with every guy you can. I didn't ask Tom to call me. Well, then call him back and tell him you're sorry. I don't date other girls, you know. Well, that's different. Jerry. Don't start that, Cheryl. If you want to cry, cry at your mother. But I don't want to go with him Saturday. Well, then don't just call him up and say you got a date. All right. You didn't make a date with him. All right. You satisfied? Wait, were you really? I said I would. Cheryl, I don't want you to get in trouble. I don't care. I don't want to go out with him. I know. I don't want you to go out with him, either. What are you smiling about? Because you said you'd break the date. You can always twist me around, can't you? What's wrong with that? You can always twist me around. Isn't that how it's supposed to be? I hope so. I want Shirley to go up the steps to the porch and then in through the front door of her house. It was about 8.30 in the evening. The street lights were on, and the last faint orange of the day was still glowing behind the trees. Mr. Johnson, how are you, Mr. Johnson? Oh, hi. Yes. I saw you standing out in front of the house. I'm the real estate agent. Name's Hill. Oh, how do you do? Didn't expect to see you walk up, but I thought you took a cab from downtown. Well, I did, but I got out a few blocks back. I wanted to see some of the neighborhood again. Yeah, I know. Mr. Spears told me you grew up. There was a couple of blocks from here. That's right. I moved to New York right after the war. Folks delivered? No, it was just my mother. She's dead now. Sorry to hear that. Thank you. Well, would you like to see the house? Fine. It's for sale as is, you know. Quite a lot of furniture. Do you happen to know whose furniture it is? Oh, yeah. Most of it belonged to the Madison's. Oh, I thought they rented the place to another family back about five years ago. That's right, but they rented it furnished. That was after old man Madison died, and the Mrs. went back to Florida. Stepson, son. Thank you. There's a light somewhere on this wall. Right here. How do you like that? No lights. I phoned the power company personally this morning. Maybe the fuse is blown. I've got a flashlight out in my car. Go get it. Maybe I can find that fuse box. Sure. Unless you'd rather come back tomorrow. No, Mr. Hill. I'd like to see it now, if you don't mind. I don't know. Be right back. Why don't you strike a match and go on into the living room? You can sit down in there, anyhow. Oh, fine. Why, it hasn't changed a bit. There's the piano we used to stand around. The big couch in front of the fireplace. Phonograph. 15 years, and it's still the same. I was right. That was the best time for all of us, and it was real. Shirley, me, Jim, Sally, Helen, Bob, all of us. Right here. Every Saturday night, that summer. Even the last one. Look at the gloomy about. Who's gloomy? Parting is such sweet song. I go sook your head. Will you, Robert? Don't worry, Jarrah. I'll keep an eye on Shirley while you're going. Yes, you will. Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. Tommy. Hi, your master's voice. Are you folks riding with us? I don't care, Helen. You want to, honey? Anything you say. Now, why can't you be like that? Oh, fooey. Well, if we're going, let's go. Well, I can't link till the others do. What's the rush, anyhow? I told you daddy said they wouldn't hold the table after 9.30. He's president of the country club, but he likes the waiters for sure. Oh, very funny. But if you don't want to stand out on the dance floor all night. All right, we'll go. Hey, folks, let's put the show on the road. We've got to be at the club by 9.30. Yeah. Come on, strong man. Let's get the good exam. Don't rip the summer formal, please. Don't you own that thing yet? Just the buttons. We'll wait for you out in the car, Ken. OK. Hey, crazy jerk. Cheryl, it's hard to believe that this is our last date for a while, isn't it? I can wait. You'll be home for Thanksgiving. Surely. They've all left. We'd better go. No, I just want to tell you something. It'll only take a minute. All right. You see, we probably won't be alone again for a long time, so I want you to know how I feel. How I feel about you right now. That's Bobby. Don't let him hunk. I just want to tell you that I don't think I'll ever love anyone as much as I love you this minute. I know. It's hard to explain, Cheryl, but I don't know. I've got a feeling something's going to happen. Something will change it or us, and I don't want it to happen. Won't, Jerry. I love you. I want everything to stay just the way it is right now. The way you look, smiling a little, your hair like that. Hey, Jerry, let's go. You know what I mean? Yes. That's how I want it, too. Mr. Johnson, can we put it on the road? Mr. Johnson. I just wanted to tell you, Cheryl, so you'd know. It's not very often a thing like this happens, a minute when everything in the world seems perfect. That's why I brought it up, because I've got such a feeling it won't last. Mr. Johnson? What? It's me, Mr. Hill. I left the key on the hall table. Would you lock the door, please? Oh, sure, just a minute. My memory must be getting bad. Sorry, I didn't hear you. Oh, my fault. I keep forgetting when you close that front door it automatically locks on you. That's right. It always did. You seem to be pretty familiar with this house. I am. I used to come here a lot. Is that why you're interested in buying it? Yeah, in a way. Well, I used to know Old Man Madison pretty well, but I never really met his messes or the daughter. Surely? That's right. She still owns the house. I know. I used to go out with her years ago. I knew her husband very well, too. Bob Shelley? Yeah, went to high school with him. Wonderful fellow. Always clowning. Sure was a shame. Yes, I never did hear just how it happened. He was driving back from winter to last winter. Late at night, roads pretty icy. Just must have fallen asleep with a wheel. Well, he was a wonderful guy. I understand he left some children. Well, little boy. By the way, you figured on moving your family out here from New York, Mr. Johnson? No, I don't have a family. I'm not married. Gay? Well, in a way. Local girl? No, she's back east. Well, it's nothing definite. I don't mean to be nosy. Well, not at all. It's a perfectly natural question. I just thought since you're planning on buying a big house. Well, I'm not even certain I'm going to buy it. Say, that's right. Stand and hear Gavin. I ought to go find that fuse box so you can see the place. As I remember, it's in the kitchen. I think you're right. Go take a look. Oh, is that a phone? Yeah, up on the landing. We keep it connected. Mr. Spears handles a couple of houses out this way, and we like to have a phone handy. Well, who'd be calling here? Maybe Spears. You knew I was going to show you the place. Hello? Yeah? Yeah? Mrs. Shelley? Oh, this is Mr. Hill. I'm with Spears Realty. That's right. Yes. Yes, he's right here. Hold on a minute. For you, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Shelley, the owner. Oh, yes, I wrote her. I'd be in town. Oh, thanks. You don't have to stay here any longer, Mr. Hill, if you don't want. Well, to tell you the truth, I'd like to look the place over by myself. Sure, that's how you want it. Sorry about the lights. I'll leave you the flashlight. Oh, thanks. Tell Mr. Spears I'll let him know one way or the other in the morning. Sure, you'll be all right. Sure, Mr. Hill, don't you worry. You go on home. I'll lock up. I think you can get back downtown, all right? Yeah, I'll be fine, don't you worry. OK, night, Mr. Johnson. Night. Hello? Hello, Shirley. Yeah, I just got in town a couple hours ago. Yeah. Yeah, no, there's nothing crazy about it. I really want the house. I guess it's the only one in the world I've ever really wanted. Are you far from here? Well, could I come over and get you? I was going to call you after I'd seen the house but, uh-huh, well, all right. Sure. Sure, I'll be here. You know something, Shirley? It hasn't changed. It hasn't changed a bit. And neither have I. How long will you be? Oh, wonderful. I'll be waiting. Bye. Operator, can you give me long distance? Yes, thanks. Long distance? I like to place a call in New York City person to person Miss Jean White, Plaza 21389. Yes. How long do you think that'll take? All right, you can reach me here, Gerald Johnson. The number? Oh, just a second. The lights are all out here. Well, it used to be a Midway 3685. What's that? Changed. Oh, all right. Hold on a second. I'll let him match. Hello, operator? Yeah, you're right. It has changed. It's prospect four, three, six, eight, five. I'll be here for the next few hours. Thanks. Bye. It's funny. Funny they changed the number. I didn't think the town had grown that much. Maybe it's that big housing development along the lakefront where the park used to be. All the trees and cars parked along the lake, bonfires down on the beach. Oh, maybe. Maybe if we all hadn't driven out there after the dance that night, it wouldn't have happened. I guess Shirley thought I was just being stubborn. Maybe that's all it was, but that did it. That was the argument that did it. Isn't it lovely? Yeah. My feet are killing me. How romantic. I'm sorry, but they are. Then go soak them in the lake. That's not a bad idea. Think I'll take off my shoes. Mom, haven't you embarrassed me enough for one night? Just getting warmed up. Love, Bert? Anyone for waiting? Like the lady said, go soak your feet, Robert. I'm on my way. Coming, Mother? I'd just like to know how you ever got a name like Shelly. Hail to thee, my spirit. Bert, thou never worked. That's Keith. Of course, but we were great friends. Crazy, God. You have fun tonight. Oh, it was perfect. It's getting late. What time? It's almost 3 30. Your mother'll be out with a shotgun. She knows it's your last night. I told her not to wait up. Yeah, but even so, I like to get your home for daylight. It'll be daylight in another hour. Why don't we just sit here and watch the sun come up? No, I don't feel much like it. Do you mind? I think it's the loveliest part of the day. Yeah, I know. I know, but it's getting pretty late. That's not the reason. Why? Why don't you like it, Jerry? Like what? The sunrise. I don't know. I just don't care about it. I think it's greatly overrated. Can't we stay and watch it? Just this once for me. All right, I'll turn that around on you. For me, let's not stay and watch it. Why? Just because I want to? No, because I don't want to. What's so hot about the sunrise? I think it's gray, and it's cold, and it's not. I think it's beautiful. OK, so next week, you can stay up, and you can see it until you're blue in the face. If I want to, I will. Me, what's all the excitement? But tonight, I'm taking you home. You are not. Oh, yes, I am. I'm going to the fifth round, Lewis, leave for the lap. Oh, shut up, Bobby. Let me take your car keys. Will you, Bob? Sure, what's the B? Don't bother, Bob. I'm not going. You're my date, and I'm taking you home. You're not taking me home because I'm not going. Oh, yes, you are, and I'm taking you home. I'm a fighter for my family. You shut up. But what's so funny? Oh, come on, Jerry, forget it. Oh, wait a minute. I just don't see what's so funny. All right? All right, Shirley, very funny. Now you're going to let me take you home or not? Why? Why don't you want to stay up and see the sunrise, Jerry? Because I don't. Now come on. I won't come on. Who do you think you are, Napoleon? No, I'm your date. Yes, and I broke another date, so you would be. Why, the big favor. You seem to think so at the time. You get out of this, will you, Robert? OK, OK. I'm not going home with you, Jerry. For the last time. This is the last time. You mean that? Yes. OK. OK, I'll write you some time. You do that. All the way home that night, and all the next day, right up until train time, I wanted to call her and apologize. But I never did. I thought it would teach her a lesson to sit by herself that afternoon, watching the clock, waiting for the phone to ring. Hello? Yes? Yes, operator. This is Gerald Johnson. New York? Oh, yes. But will you hold the wire a minute? There's someone at the front door. Yes, just a second. Shirley. Hello, Jerry. Shirley. Well, will you come in? I've got New York on the phone. They just called. Of course. I'm sorry about the lights. I think there's some candles in the kitchen. Come in. Come in, Cheryl, it's been a long time. You go ahead and answer the phone, Jerry. I'll find the candles. All right. You have some matches? Yes, answer the phone. I'll be right in. OK. Hello, operator? Yeah, I've got a call into New York. How's that? They don't answer. Are you calling Plaza 21389, Miss Jean White? Well, will you keep trying, please? Yes. Yes, I'll be at this number. All right, fine. Who is Miss Jean White? Oh, she's just a frenzy. What's the matter? Shirley, you look lovely by candlelight. You always did. You still smile the same way, too. You? We're really telling the truth over the phone, weren't you? How do you mean? About not having changed. Not about you, I haven't. Jerry. That's why I came back. Jerry, let's sit down. I want to talk to you. Anything you say. The lady you're trying to reach on the phone, is that the Miss Jean White? Mm-hmm. The Barnes's friends of mine saw her in the play when they were in New York last summer. They said she was marvelous. Yes, she's a great actress. Say, would you like me to build a fire? If you want. It'll be like when I used to come home on weekends during the winter, remember? Yes. There's already a log in the grate, and all we need is a little kindling and some paper here. I heard you were engaged to her. Who? Jean? Yes. Oh, well, bright young directors are always getting engaged to actresses. It's one of the occupational hazards. You got a match? Well, there should be some on the map. Oh, yeah. I got them. There we are. Gives us a little light, too. Are you in love with her? I, uh, thought I was. What changed your mind? I couldn't forget you. Jerry. No, let me finish, Cheryl. I think the way I feel about you has stood the test of time pretty well. How long has it been? 15 years? Jerry, that's not the point. It is, Shirley. It is. Now, listen to me. I stopped trying to figure out what being in love means a long time ago. I've gone out with all sorts of girls, and some I liked, and some, like Jean, I even fell a little in love with. But it wasn't what I felt for you, Cheryl. Wasn't anywhere near it. But, Jerry, that wasn't real. You mean you didn't love me? Well, of course I did. Then it was real, Cheryl. As real as this house, as real as we are right now. And you still feel the same way? I thought I did, or I wouldn't have come back here. Now, I'm sure of it. Why are you calling Jean? To tell her I'm going to stay here if you'll have me. Jerry? Will you, Shirley? Will you marry me? What about your work? Well, what about it? This is a good-sized town. I could start a repertory company. Oh, cheer. Well, why not? I've always wanted my own theater. You'd hate the life here. No. Not if you shared it with me. If I could only make you realize that what you're in love with isn't me. Why do you say that, Cheryl? It is you. It's always been you. That's the one thing that's never changed. Darling, you're wrong. Look, I'll prove it to you. I'll do anything to prove it. Anything? Anything you want. What is it? Will you wait a few hours before you call Jean and tell her you're not coming back? All right. Well, why? Because I want you to do something I asked you to a long time ago. I said I'd do anything. You promise? Sure. What is it? Stay up for the sunrise. We sat there in the firelight, Shirley and I talking, remembering, going back to a past that I'd never been able to forget. For a while, I lost all track of time in place. It was as if we were reliving those days all over again. And then, gradually, I'm not even sure how. It seemed that we'd begun to talk less about the past and more about what had happened to us since then. Shirley told me about her marriage to Bob, what a wonderful husband he'd been, and how greatly she and young Tommy missed him. And I told her about my work and what a tough time Jean and I had getting started in New York, even about that crazy Christmas dinner five years ago, when all we could afford between us was a chicken salad sandwich. We talked and talked about everything that had happened to each of us from that last night on the lakefront 15 years ago to this moment. And then, then I realized that the fire had become a gray bed of ashes, the candles flickering stumps, and that Shirley and I were seeing one another by the first faint light of day. It's morning. Yes. I just noticed. Do you know what's happened, Jerry? We talked it away. It's gone, isn't it? Does that make you unhappy? I don't know, Cheryl. I thought it was so real, and it was nothing but candle light. No. No, it was more than that, Jerry. A long time ago, it was youth and wonder. And those things are real enough. But, Cheryl, 15 years, something I hung on to for 15 years, and it wasn't anything but a dream. You know, I think I knew it even while it was going on. I knew it wouldn't last. Even that last night, remember? Of course I do. I wanted to keep it, Cheryl. Hold on to it. And I knew I couldn't. Remember, I told you I had a feeling that something would change it. You said I want everything to stay the way it is right now, the way you look. Smiling a little, your hair like that. You do remember. And then I said, that's how I wanted to. And all the time you knew. You knew it couldn't stay like that. That's why we fought that night. When you wouldn't stay up for the sunrise, I realized it wasn't me you were really in love with. Oh, me a little bit. But mostly it was the moment. That was what you were afraid of losing, Jerry. Yes, I guess it was. You should have had a little more faith. How do you mean, Cheryl? People don't lose moments like that. They keep them forever. Cheryl, you're crying. Goodbyes always make me cry. You're not going. Yes. But wait a minute. That's probably Jean. You'll want to talk to her. But I can't let you go like this, Cheryl. Yes, you can. You should have let me go a long time ago. No, please stay. Oh, I've stayed much too long as it is. Goodbye, Jerry. Shirley, hello. Yes, yes, operator. New York? Yes, I'll hold on. Jean? Yeah. Yeah, this is Jerry. Hey, you sound great. Where? Oh, I'm calling from a house. Old friend of mine used to live here. Yeah, yeah, sure, I'm coming back. You don't think you're going to get away from me that easy, do you? How do I what? Oh, how do I like seeing my hometown again? Well, well, I, it's changed. Or maybe I have, I don't know. I used to think there was something special about it. But I guess that was just my imagination. This is Preston Foster again. I guess you saw recently in the papers that with the consent of Congress, our president has signed an order adding two new words to the pledge of allegiance. The words are under God. So now it reads, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Under God. Those two new words are highly appropriate and very welcome additions to the pledge. What they amount to is an official recognition of the simple fact that God is the supreme sovereign of this nation, of all nations on the face of the earth. We say this is a simple fact, and yet how much recognition beyond lip service have we ever given to it? Over the centuries, we have exhausted our best energies in a feudal sea-sawing race to devise weapons that would give us temporary superiority over our enemies. And what have we finally produced as a result of all this prodigious effort? A world we can blow to pieces by pushing a button. So what have we got? A dead heat. And once more, mankind is being given a choice. The same choice, two of his spear-bearing ancestors had 10,000 years ago when they came across each other in the jungle. Either he learns to live with himself under God by following his laws or he faces destruction. It's still possible to choose, too, even today. For although there are powerful, evil forces ranged against us, we have an even more powerful force on our side, the force of prayer, daily family prayer. We can pray for guidance, we can pray for strength, and most of all, we can pray for our enemies. Say, there's a secret weapon, I'd like to have them steal from us. By the way, here's something that's no secret at all. The family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. But Family Theater has brought you transcribed, Stay Up for the Sunrise, starring Camber and Mitchell. Preston Foster was your host. Others in our cast were Virginia Gregg, Charlotte Lawrence, Herb Butterfield, and Charles Smith. The script was written and directed for Family Theater by John T. Kelly with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman. This series of Family Theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program, by the Mutual Network, which has responded to this need, and by the hundreds of stars of stage, screen, and radio who give so unselfish leave their time and talent to appear on our Family Theater stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony Lofrano expressing the wish of Family Theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to be with us next week and Family Theater will present Hound of Heaven, starring Dan O'Hurley and Raymond Burr with Loretta Young as hostess. Mr. Thomas F. O'Neill, Chairman of the Board of the Mutual Broadcasting System will be our special guest. Join us, won't you? Family Theater has broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is Mutual, the radio network for all America.