 Ladies and gentlemen, the railroad out, and here comes our star-studded show train. Tonight, the Association of American Railroads presents Oscar Strauss' well-loved operetta, the chocolate soldier, starring Gordon MacRae and his charming guest star, Virginia Haskins. Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboff, and the music is prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon. Yes, tonight, another great musical success is brought to you by the American Railroad, the same railroads that bring you the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the fuel you burn, and the multitude of other things you use in your daily life. And now, here is our star, Gordon MacRae. I suppose every lovely girl in the world has a dream hero, a dashing reckless fellow out of an operetta like the one we're bringing you tonight, the chocolate soldier. Yes, for variants, yes, for variants, when the fight are all Bulgarian, prove the man in man in battle, that a curry's nothing rattle, prove the man in man in battle, that a curry's nothing rattle, if forever, ever, ever you say. Lock your window very carefully, Nadina. They say the enemy's fire might be anywhere. Yes, Mother. They say this fire is handsome and reckless and ruthless, and wouldn't hesitate for a moment to climb into anybody's window. Now, I better rush right in and lock my window. Yes, Mother. Handsome and reckless. What am I rushing for? The war will be over soon, and Father will be coming home to you. Well, after a year, I'll even be happy to see your father, the old walrus mother. Oh, look at this picture of Alexius. Oh, isn't he handsome? Mother, he's my fiance. Besides, you're far too interested in uniforms. Oh, it's not the uniforms, dear. It's everything they put inside. My Alexius wrote me that he won the battle with Slavinsky single-handed. Oh, will I ever be worthy of such a hero? Yes, dear. The last time I looked in the mirror, where am I? You are in the boudoir of an unmarried lady. Oh, thank heaven, no husbands. What do you want? Beautiful one. Will you hide me? Hide you? My enemy? Oh, I'm no enemy. I'm Swiss. Lieutenant Boomerly. That makes no difference. Leave the way you came. Oh, I'm much too tired. I'd only fall and break my neck. I don't care what happens to your neck. Well, my neck cares. My head would be very unhappy if anything happened to my neck. Besides, I'm starving. There's not a chocolate drop left in my cartridge belt. Chocolate drops? In your cartridge belt? Where do you carry your bullets? Bullets? Oh, I never use bullets. People can get hurt from bullets. But all you can get from chocolates is a stomach ache. Well, I do happen to have some candy. Here you are. Mmm. Oh, delicious. Dear lady, you're an angel. You know when you come close to me like that, do you hear me bubbling? Too hot chocolate. This is called himself a soldier. I studied fencing, fate decidedness of you. Will you find me a chocolate? Do you want your chocolate soldier to be shot? You're not my chocolate soldier. I'll have you know I'm engaged to a real soldier. Alexius doesn't eat chocolate. He's a hero. He led the cavalry charge that won the battle of Sliwinski. You know why? His horse ran away with him. I don't believe it. Well, I was there. I saw him. He was the most accidental hero in history. Oh, no. Oh, me. I didn't realize how tired I am. I've simply gotten to get a few winks of sleep. Get up. You can't sleep here. Oh, it's so cozy. Oh, don't, please. Open your eyes. Lieutenant Vomerly, please. There are soldiers downstairs. They think the spy came in here. Mother, I... Oh, God. Isn't he good looking? Go away. Oh, he seems like such a tired dear boy. I'll just hold his hand and stroke his head. Sedena, what are you doing? Clearing up Alexius. What? He was your hero? Oh, mother. The strangest thing has happened. All of a sudden, I like... chocolate. Chocolate soldier. What does Thanksgiving Day mean to Americans? For example, we've coaxed an incredible abundance in variety of foods from every soil and climate of our far-flung country. And thanks to the shining steel rails that bind our country together, we've been able to distribute the rich produce of our fertile fields efficiently and economically to every city and town, village and farm in the United States. Yes, just as high-volume, low-cost rail transportation is essential to our unparalleled industrial output, so the all-season, all-commodity service provided by the railroads is essential if we are to eat as well as we do. Truly, the plentiful trains now converging on your hometown and bulging with all the good things of the harvest for your Thanksgiving table are moving symbols of the American dream come true. We're ready for act two of the Lawrence and Lee version of the Oscar Strauss musical success, the chocolate soldier starring Gordon MacRae and his lovely guest, Virginia Haskins. Well, I slept there all night in Nadina's bedroom, with Nadina's sighing and her mother stroking my hair and holding my hand. A long about morning, the two women gave me a house coat belonging to Nadina's father so that I could escape. I waved them each a kiss and scampered down the water stop. The soldiers climbing in our window. Now that you're both back home, you must tell us more about your adventure. Well, at the Battle of Slivenski. Oh, Alexis, we've heard all about that. Oh, they don't want to hear about war, my boy. They want to hear about romance. Let's tell them about Boomerly. Boomerly? Yes, an odd name. Well, he told us about a wonderful romance he'd had with two women whose names he refused to reveal. Ah, Battle of Slivenski. Climbed up into the room of a pretty miss who fell head over heels in love with him, hid him, protected him, and kissed him. Oh, dear. And just wait until you hear about the other one. He says the girl's mother held his hand, stroked his hair. He called her a real flirtatious old girl. And when he left in the morning, she gave him her husband's house coat to wear and said, the old walrus will never know. Wasn't that funny for the old walrus? Say, talking about house coats, I think I'll go put on mine. Uh, house coats? Come with me, Alexis. We'll talk about your wedding plans. Just think, Medina, before you know it, Alexis will be your husband. Boomerly, whose life I saved. Boomerly a boomerang. At your service, dear ladies. Boomerly, how did you get in here? My favorite way, the window. Well, get out of here, you one grateful wretch. Ah, she loves me. You monster, you charlatan. The mother loves me. Where's my coat? Who's got my house coat? The father's gonna hate me. Alexis and I have been looking everywhere for my Boomerly. Uh, how do you do? Hop off. What are you doing here? Oh, just renewing old acquaintances. The two women you told us about. My wife. And my fiance. And your house coat. Boomerly, you've been making hanky-panky. What can I say? Except perhaps. Oh, gee, why was I there? Army were soldiers running. God, they're kind of ten. I thought I was Medina's hero. I find I am merely a zero. If he doesn't want her, I do. Colonel Popov, I asked your daughter's hand in marriage. Never. Just a moment. What are your qualifications, young man? Medina's used to great luxury is. Now look at our silver. And look at our linen. Silver linen. Do you have 8,000 napkins, 7,000 sheets, 9,000 blankets, 10,000 knives and forks. A house with 200 rooms and 60 bathrooms? Oh, well, I do. Who are you, the king of Switzerland? I am the son of the largest hotel proprietor in Switzerland. I don't care who you are. Get out. But what's my answer? I'll write you a letter. Get out, Boomerly. You contemptible coward. She's wild about me. Come, we'll discuss it in the next room. Now, let's see. Pen and paper. Now, a letter that will really tell Boomerly what I think. The first one is, you came too late. How did you get in here? Back through the window, my favorite entrance. I came to collect my letter. You look thoughtful of me to save you the postage. There. There's your letter. Oh, dear Medina, how sweet you are. Boomerly, most hateful you are now to be. Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm. Mereese, the first one is, you came too late. Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm. It's too smart to please a simple maiden's heart. Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm. Don't let me see you. The delicate manner in which this letter confesses your love for me, now permit me to prove mine. With a letter? No, but it has something to do with the post office. Now I come close to you, then I put my arms around you like this, and then I... You taste just like chocolate. Oh, ladies and gentlemen, my love. Would you care for another chocolate? My hero. And a direct Lou Marrow, Marvin Miller, and our entire company for their fine performances in the Chocolate Society. By Rudolph Bernauer and Leopold Jacobson, with the American version by Stanislaw Stan. The music is by Oscar Strauss, and it was dramatized for The Railroad Hour by Lawrence and Lee. The Railroad Hour is brought to you each week at the same time by the American Railroad. Marvin? Do you know what that sound represents? Well, actually, you could describe it as the sound of a horn of plenty. But what you heard was the air horn of a diesel locomotive, and strung out behind such locomotives are the fat freight cars that provide all of us with the food we eat on Thanksgiving and every day of the year. What's more, only the railroads can bring us food we eat in the abundance and variety, and with the economy we want and need. That's because only the railroads can provide the high-volume, low-cost, all-weather, all-commodity service required for such a tremendous transportation job. No wonder, then, that the railroads are our number one form of transportation, hauling more freight more miles than all other forms of transportation combined. Thank you, Marvin. And now, folks, here again as our charming guest, Virginia Haskins. Well, Virginia, you were wonderful. Wasn't it fun dipping into Mr. Strauss' musical box of chocolates? I don't know when I've enjoyed myself so much, Gordon. Tell me, what's on the show train next week? Well, next week, Virginia, we're presenting State Fair, and Lucy Normal will be here to help us sing some of that memorable music. Ooh, we'll all be listening, Gordon. Good night. Good night, Virginia. Come back real soon, huh? All aboard! Well, dear friends, it looks as though we're ready to pull out. So until next Monday night, and Rodgers and Hammerstein's State Fair, on behalf of the other members of the cast and of the American Railroads, this is your friend, Gordon McRae, saying, Bye. Are you thinking of going on a trip by train? Then you'll be interested in reading an article in the December issue of Red Book Magazine, now on the newsstands. The article, Tomorrow's New Trains Are Here Today, offers many helpful suggestions to make traveling more enjoyable on passenger trains. The Chocolate Soldier was presented by arrangement with Hans Barge, plays of New York. Gordon McRae can be seen in Free Sailors and the Girl in Technicolor. Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboff, and our music is prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon. This is Marvin Miller, saying goodbye until next week for the American Railroads. Now, keep tuned for your Monday night of music on NBC. Tonight, The Voice of Firestone features Dorothy Warren- on the-