 Transcribed. Ladies and gentlemen, the railroad hour. Here comes the star-studded show train. The Association of American Railroads presents one of the best-loved musicals of all time. Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach's unforgettable Roberta, starring Gordon MacRae and his two guests, Ginny Sims and Edna Best. Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboff, paired and conducted by Carmen Dragon. Yes, tonight another great musical success is brought to you by the American Railroads, the same railroads that bring you most of the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the fuel you burn, and all the other things you use in your daily life. And now, here is our star, Gordon MacRae. Tonight we're bringing you the charming and tuneful Roberta. I'll be a fellow named John, Ginny Sims will be the lovely Stephanie, and Edna Best is Roberta. And so we're off for Autumn in Paris, in the salon of the world's most famous fashion designer, Madame Roberta. Stephanie, where are you? Right here, Madame Roberta. Look, another letter from my nephew from John. You know, for a football player, he's a very romantic boy. Is he handsome? Oh, yes, Stephanie. In America, you have to be handsome to play football. It's required. You know, John is the only relative I've ever liked. I suppose I wish deep down that instead of spending my life becoming a fashion designer, I'd spend my life raising a son like John, and a daughter like you. When is your nephew arriving? He doesn't say. There's just a copy of a song, and there's a note on it. Dear Aunt, this song will tell you why I am coming to Paris. The girl I'm in love with has just arrived there, and I'm coming after her. This song will describe her to you. I'll be seeing you sooner than you think. I'll be stating she is, please, Stephanie. I told you that I had a romantic nephew. My, that's a lovely song. I'm Madame Roberta. You're crying. Oh, darling, no. I just look at you, and I think of when I was young, so many yesterdays ago. You're still the most beautiful woman I've ever known. Forgive me. Memory is the nicest companion when it's autumn. It gives you such courage, just remembering all the golden days. Sit by me. Sing to me. Help me to remember. All right, Madame Roberta. They're not good for the heart, you know. Would you see who's in the shop, please, Stephanie? Of course. It's Stephanie, a young man. He looks a little bit like Apollo. Apollo? Oh, nothing. That's my football player. Aunt Minnie. Aunt Minnie? John, I'm so glad to see you. Hello, Aunt Minnie. How's the youngest old lady in Paris? John, this is Stephanie, my assistant. Hello, Stephanie. Hello, John. Isn't it true, Stephanie? Everything that I said about you. Those aren't shoulder pads. They're real. Oh. I know that that was my real name. Did you, Stephanie? Well, I couldn't very well be Madame Minnie. Why, take any fashion designer with a fancy name, and you'll find that she was originally Tilly, or Bessie, or Gussie. We all started out just as good old-fashioned needle pushes. Welcome to Paris, John. Oh, thank you, Stephanie. What's wrong, quarterback? You look unhappy. I am a little. I suppose it's that girl. She has big ideas about marrying someone rich and successful. Well, then we'll have to make you successful. How? Go into business with me. Oh, Aunt Minnie, I'm a football player and sort of a singer. I couldn't go into the fashion business. Well, fashion is something of a football game. You've no idea how many ends we go around. Oh, darn it, a customer. I'll go, Madame. Oh, no, no, no, you stay here. John, you tell her about football. Don't be sad about that girl, I mean. You know, Stephanie, when you're in love, it can be the most wonderful thing or the most terrible. Well, that's because when you're in love, you can't see very well. You mean love is blind? Not only love. People in love. Well, they can't see a thing. Ask me how I knew. Maybe I am. The freight train pulling out of the departure yard of a terminal headed for points beyond. And hear that. That's another freight train on its way. And still another will be starting somewhere in the United States in the next five seconds. And there'll be another and another, one about every five seconds throughout the day and night. These trains are made up of the cars of many railroads, carrying the products of many regions, delivering to every part of the United States the things that America eats and wears and uses, delivering to the factories the raw materials and the fuel which are necessary to make these things, delivering to the munitions plants, the essential materials and parts which go to fashion the weapons and supplies our fighting men must have, and laying down at the ports the tons of food and ammunition, supplies and equipment which must go with them as they go overseas and must follow to enable them to keep in the field. Each week more than 850,000 railroad cars are being loaded with freight, 50,000 cars with grain, another 50,000 with forest products, 80,000 cars with ore, and 150,000 cars with coal, 400,000 cars with manufactured goods, all in all an unending parade of the things America grows and raises, makes and uses. Freight loadings on the railroads are running 15 or 20 percent higher than they were a year ago, and the shippers advisory boards whose quarterly forecast of loadings is regarded as one of the most accurate barometers of future activity, predict a still greater volume during the last three months of this year. You will be hearing even more often the rhythmic roll of the trains, the very pulse beat in the arteries of a mighty nation at work. Two of Roberta starring Gordon Macrae is John Ginny Sims as Stephanie and Edna Best as Madame Roberta. There's one in particular named Stephanie. Wait a minute. I'm supposed to be in love with somebody else. Well, fellas, that deal isn't working out too well. I'm busy trying to learn my aunt's business. I don't laugh, don't laugh. Even a football player can appreciate a beautiful gown, especially if there's something beautiful inside it. But it's like I always tell my aunt many. Huh? What do you always tell your aunt many? Oh, just that I'm a singer, so I hope it won't upset the designs of the designers if I just burst out with a tune occasionally. You see, it's this way, aunt many. Don't ask me not to sing, I've simply got to sing In two or three, four time, I'm always entertaining I waited oh so long I felt so low so long The desire to vocalize recognized me strange Maybe you will view my efforts with pain Even so, you'll know I cannot refrain There's not a thing about for me to sing about But there's no reason I won't furnish you a song Don't ask me not to sing I simply got to sing In two or three, four time, I'm always entertaining And you can bet your eyes a juicy steak or chop I don't stop my refraining Afternoon, I croon Then I sing in the dark Sing like a lion Though I may lose the soul biotl as I grow There's not a thing I'll only sense this wet and dipping, daily dipping You sing any time you want to and don't let anybody stop you The most beautiful thing in the world Aunt Many, are you all right? Just a bit tired, John, dear It's time to rest Well, sit down, sit down here, darling You've been working too hard Call Stephanie, will you? There's something that I must do I've been postponing it, but I must do it now Of course. Stephanie! Stephanie, would you come in here? I must do something for Stephanie In my will Because you see, she'll be Madame Roberta Now, don't talk like that, Aunt Many Is anything wrong? Madame Roberta I'm just going to close my eyes for a moment Stephanie, dear, will you phone my attorney? Now, there'll be plenty of time for attorneys after you've rested Rest, please, dear Maybe I can If you and Stephanie would sing to me, John That might make me feel better Of course We'd like to She wanted it She told me that before she died That's why she tried to call her attorney But the Madame Roberta salon belonged to you, John Now, how can a quarterback be Madame Roberta? Don't you see, Stephanie, you've got to be Madame Roberta now That's what Aunt Many planned Oh, no, John You know something? I think she planned it all She wanted us to be partners She, partner But I'd be in the way What would you think if you had another girl for a partner? It just wouldn't work What girl? You know something, Stephanie? I'd almost forgotten about it About being partners? Before the smoke gets in our eyes First ladies miss Edna Best who played Madame Roberta and to our entire company Roberta with book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and music by Jerome Kern was dramatized for the railroad hour by President Lee The railroad hour is brought to you each week at this time by the American railroads Last year some 700 million people rode America's trains As you might expect, some of these folks occasionally need advice or assistance while they're traveling It is for just this sort of emergency that the Traveller's Aid Society was established Operating in major railroad terminals all across the country, courteous and to give skilled help to young and old to the handicapped and confused to the rich or poor of any race or creed Traveller's Aid is one of the many red feather services provided for you by your local community chest By giving generously to the current community chest drive you can be sure your money is going where it is most needed By means of this one campaign once a year the maintenance and growth of worthy services to the community is assured So when you see the red feather symbol in your hometown remember friends everybody benefits everybody gives Now here again is lovely Ginny Sims Thank you again, Gordon It was really wonderful being aboard the show train Well, you made a wonderful dress designer Ginny Well, I had designs on you too Well, as a football player, I made a few passes myself Say Ginny, take time out from your own show at Botany Song Shop and visit us again real soon I'd love to. Thank you, Gordon And say, what's on next week? Well, Ginny, we're all going waltzing to the music of Countess Maritza and Dorothy Warren's show will be our guest song I'll be listening. Good night, Gordon Good night, Ginny All aboard! Well, it looks as though we're ready to pull out and so until next week Goodbye The show was presented by special arrangement and will be seen starring in the Warner Brothers production The West Point Story Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboff and our music prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon This is Marvin Miller saying goodbye until next week for the American Railroad Preceding program transcribed This is NBC, the national broadcasting company