 Family Theater presents Grandpa's Marvelous X-Ray with Alexis Smith as Hostess. From Hollywood, the Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theater presents Grandpa's Marvelous X-Ray. To introduce the drama, here is your hostess, Alexis Smith. 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. Tonight, Family Theater takes great pleasure in presenting Grandpa's Marvelous X-Ray, featuring Ralph Moody as Grandpa. It seems to me that the very young and the very old have one big thing in common. All those folks in between don't seem to understand them. Maybe that's why us oldsters get along pretty well with the youngsters. Take me, for instance. I've got a fine, great grandson, Jojo. Well, Jojo and me are pals. You see, I live with my grandson, Big Joe, we call him, and his wife, Florence. That's Jojo's mother. Well, right now Jojo has a new baby sister, so he's kind of on the outside. Jojo, please don't slam the door. The baby's asleep. Glass mom, I'm sorry. I've got to play outside for a while, dear, until after the baby's nap. Go find Grandpa. I just wanted to get a drink of water. Well, go ahead and get it, but quietly. That's Jojo's burden at the moment. And me? Well, I have my pension from the railroad, and it helped me to run the household, so I feel I'm paying my way. And we get along pretty good, most of the time. Except sometimes me and Jojo just start to have to break away and go over to the park. That's where Jojo had himself a big time on the slides and swings, and I talked to some of the other old boys who make the park their afternoon headquarters. You ever notice that about parks? For the very young and the very old. When Jojo gets tired of scooping around, he comes over and just sits while me and the boys play cribbing or chew the rag. 15-2, 15-4, 15-6, and two pairs, 10. That's skunks you, Mr. Gresham? Oh, luck, that's all it was, just plain fool's luck. Well, now I don't know about that, Gresham. Let's look at the record. Oh, you and your dirt old record, Fred Miller. Can't you ever forget you as a bookkeeper? For good business, you gotta keep good books. Now, let's see. As I recall it, Gresham owes me for 123 games counted to today. Well, now let's check. Haven't made my entry for the days yet, but the total does appear to be 123 in your favor, town. And everyone up was lucky. Of course you're doing much better with me. Only 115 games behind. Just a little losing streak, that's all. Well, we'd better pull out of the station right now for home, Jojo. About time for that bus to come by. Ain't getting too old to walk, are you, Gresham? No, ain't getting too old to walk. Jojo and me just happened to like to take the buses, your concerned old dead head. No, ain't eat itchy today. Better go home and practice, Gresham. Come on, Jojo. Don't get lost now, Gresham. Time for our old dead heads. Jojo, now don't you talk like that. That was pretty good, though. Those old ginks are always riding me about those privilege games. But I figure I'll be back even about 1960. That is, if those old fellas live that long. It's not so far to home from the park that we couldn't walk, but Jojo gets a big thrill out of riding the bus. So we always wait for it. How much longer, Grandpa? Well, Jojo, we'll just see about that. Now, let me get out my watch. Now, let me see. Yeah, must be about four more minutes. Of course, these buses don't run nowhere on time like the railroads. Gee, that's a keen watch. Yeah, pure gold. Ever tell you about the time, J.D., give me that watch at a special dinner in my honor? Yes, you did. Well, I just finished my 20th. Well, in appreciation, therefore, J.D. Williams, the president of the line, said to me that he would... What's the matter with that cruel dog? I don't know. He's just sitting there in the alley looking at that brick wall. Yeah, likely there's a bug or something on the wall. Well, as I was saying... Look, Grandpa, he's walking out to the street. Yeah, appears to be somebody coming out the door. But is that a butcher shop? The sign says fancy meat at plain prices. I guess that's what it is, Grandpa. Yeah, look at that dog, big for something. But the woman says scat, and scat he does. I thought he's going right back to the wall. Sure enough, and look at that critter cock his head and wag his tail. What kind of a dog is it, I wonder? Jojo, I'd say that was a dog-dog, from a distinguished and varied line. Here he comes again. Well, so he does, and I'll be jiggered. Someone coming out of the store again. But that man didn't pay any attention to him at all. Nope, sure didn't. And there he goes back in the alley again to sit in front of that blank wall. He's a nice-looking dog. Hey, Jojo, what do you make of that? Gosh, Grandpa, I don't know. I guess you can just see the people come out. Jojo, I wouldn't say this to another soul alive, but that's just what I was thinking. Come on, Jojo, let's try something. What about our bus? Oh, hang the bus, boy. We've got to find something out. I ain't one to jump at conclusions, because I've been wrong a few times in 84 years. And even though Jojo's ideas seem to be the evident answer, I didn't feel like saying right off that the dog could see through a brick wall. So Jojo and me go into the store. There aren't any more customers, just the butchers there, so we order a little hamburger and wait. There you are, sir, and that'll be 74 cents. 74 cents? This here is a pretty expensive experiment. Well, there you are. Thank you, sir. Say, mister, is that your dog out there? No, sir, he is not. Mr. Stray, I've been trying to get rid of all day. I think I'll call the dog catcher if he's here tomorrow. I see. Well, thank you. Come on, Jojo. Come again, sir. Now look, Jojo, you take this package and hide it in your shirt. Inside my shirt? That's right. Now, let's try it on the sidewalk. Oh, this package is cool. Yep, there he is. Now, both of us will stand right still and see which one he comes to. Well, what do you know about that? Come here, Poochee. Can I give him some meat, Grandpa? Can I? Well, it seems like he's earned it. Boy, is he hungry. Look at him eat it. Yes, sir. That's one hungry dog. Grandpa, can't we take him home? Don't think your mother would take to the idea, Jojo. Gee, I'd sure like to have him. Could I? No, no, Jojo. But, Grandpa, he could, couldn't he? Well, he is a remarkable little dog. It'd be a good company for us. But I don't think we should just out and out take him home. He probably doesn't have any place to go. Jojo, do you think we could skip the bus ride this afternoon? I don't care, Grandpa. Thought maybe it'd be nice to walk home tonight. You know, kind of stroll along like we was airing the dog. Gee, Grandpa, I mean, he might follow us. I didn't mean nothing, Jojo. But we sure couldn't help it if that dog just took to us now, could we, Jojo? And I bet we wouldn't even have to call him. Well, let's go whistling on our way. We're the thing to do. But it hit me all of a sudden that Jojo needed that dog. Well, I've always liked to have a good dog around myself. So we walk home, the three of us. My, what a sight. You just thought that dog belonged to us all his life. We went to the house, the back way, and got the dog all settled in the shed with some water and a place to sleep. He seemed to like it. So we went into supper. How did things go today at the office, Jo? Oh, not bad. You and the baby have a good day? She fretted a little bit. But on the whole, it was a pretty good day. Grandpa and Jojo went to the park this afternoon. Well, how are the cribbage games, Grandpa? Can't win for losing. Those fellas just lucky. There are a couple of current son-in-all deadheads. Jojo, Jo, you mustn't laugh at him. Oh, yes. Jojo, if I were you, I wouldn't take up all of Grandpa's railroad talk. Hey, could I have some more meat, please? Oh, sure. Me, too. Well, you two certainly worked up an appetite today. Well, fresh air, you know, fresh air. Reminds me of the time when I went back to being on the road after a desk job. I swear, I never had such a change of appetite in my life. Jojo, what have you got in your lap? Well, Grandma couldn't cook enough food to begin... Grandpa, just a minute. Jojo, I asked you what you had in your lap. A napkin. Yes, but what's in your napkin? Oh, nothing. Let's see your napkin, Jojo. What? Food? Meat, potatoes, bread? Jojo, what on earth? Oh, I just thought I'd eat it later. Eat it later? What were you planning to do? Put it under your pillow? Uh, nothing. Just a minute, folks. I think I'd better tell them, Jojo. Uh, we, uh, Jojo and me, uh, have us a dog. A dog? A dog. Yep, a dog. You like him, Mom. He's so pretty. And he, Daddy, is real smart. Well, where did you get a dog? Well, he, uh, he followed us home from the park. Followed? Yep, followed. Where is he now? Out in the back, in the ship. He, uh, followed you there, too? Come to think of it, he did. I will not have a dirty old dog around here with a new baby. Oh, but, Mom, you should see him. Oh, mind if I find company for the boy? But this is not the time for us to have a dog. But, Mommy, doesn't have any place to go. Well, we'll call the city pound, and they'll find a home for him. But he likes us. Please, Dad? Florence, uh, why not just give it a try? One day, that's all. And if it doesn't work out, we'll call the city day after tomorrow. But I have enough to worry about. Please, Mom. Um, all right. For one day, and then we'll see. Gee, Mom, thanks. I know you won't be sorry. Jojo and I got to keep the dog for one day. I'm a little tired of calling it the dog, so I might as well let you know that Jojo and I decided the next morning to name him X-Ray because of his special talents. And we soon found out that X-Ray could do his share of tricks. See, that was a good one, Granny. Yeah. Now, now you try, Jojo. Hold out your hand and snap your fingers. Oh, sure. I can't seem to get much snap out of it. Don't seem to make much difference, X-Ray. Looky, looky there, sitting up as pretty as can be. He is, isn't he? Now, now, hold your hand out and make it go in a big circle. Like this? Look, now you see there? He rolled over like magic. He sure did. He sure did. Hey, now, now, Jojo, let's try something. Now, now you go in the house and stand right about here. Let's see. Yeah, that, that ought to be just about in front of the bookcase. And, and then first you snap your fingers for X-Ray to sit up and then you wave your hand for him to roll over. Now, now go ahead and let's see what happens. You want you now? I'll be right there. Well, Jojo disappears around the corner and sure enough, just when it would about be the time that he'd be in the living room by the bookcase, X-Ray starts staring into the wall of the house like he was a sea in something. He cocks his head to one side and by Gingo, he suddenly sits bold upright. Then he lets out a bark and rolls over just like he did before. Well, you can be sure that's the clincher as far as I'm concerned. That fool dog can see through brick walls. I'm feeling real happy about the whole thing when X-Ray, who is still looking at, or through the wall, suddenly puts his tail behind his hind legs and comes sneaking over behind me. Can't figure what's got into the critter. Oh, but then Jojo comes out closely followed by his ball. Grandpa Gresham, what kind of nonsense are you teaching this boy now? Why, we were just conducting an experiment. Well, when I find Jojo waving at the bookcase, I want to know what's going on. Did it work, Grandpa? Oh, slick as a whistle, Jojo. Gee! What works slick as a whistle? So I can see through walls. And just who is X-Ray? The dog! The dog! The dog! Now, maybe your mother wouldn't understand. You mean to say you're trying to tell this youngster that that beast can see through walls? But he can, Mom. We just proved it. Oh, this is the last straw, Grandpa. You should know better than to fill Jojo's head with such crazy ideas. Well, believe me, tonight, when your father gets home, young man, we're going to see about that dog. Oh, Mom. And no more nonsense about him seeing through brick walls. Yeah, I didn't think she'd understand. What have you got to do, Grandpa? Well, I don't know about tomorrow, Jojo, but right now I've got me a scheme. We've got a special trick to teach X-Ray, and then we head for those two old card sharks in the park. Yes, sir. I had a little scheme, and Jojo and I worked the rest of the morning teaching X-Ray a special trick. And believe me, that dog is as smart as a whip. Well, that afternoon, we head for the park. Jojo and X-Ray do some raising about, and I play some cribbing. And as usual, Tom and Fred gets lucky. The time comes for our accountant to read the books. And now, Gresham, you owe Tom for 125 games and me 170. Oh, look, that's all it is, look. Come on, admitted, Gresham. We just play better cribbage. What? Why, why, you two old coots aren't smart enough to beat that old dog sitting there. We're too good for him, Tom, so now he wants us to play his door. Oh, dog probably could play a better game. I bet he could beat you both. No, no, no, Jojo, you keep out of this. I'll tell you what to do, gents. I'll bet you my gold watch against 25 games on the records that this here dog can beat both of it your own game. Gosh, Grandpa, your watch. Sir, my solid gold watch. Well, now, this sounds kind of interesting. He's going plumb loco. What kind of a game? A game you fellas should be real good at. The old shell game. Now here are the shells. One, two, three. Now, one of you can hide this penny under any one of the shells. We'll keep the dog's head under the table and I'll bet you he can find it every time. How's he going to do that? He'll nuzzle the right one. Every time? Every single time. My gold watch against 25 games off the book every time. Well, now, Gresham, I hate to take your pretty gold watch, but I'll take you and your dog on. Yeah, good. Put him under the table, Jojo. All right, Tom, make your choice. Yes, sir. Old Tom made his choice, all right. And X-ray spotted it right off. And then Fred tried it. Then Tom, then Fred, and so on. And every single time that X-ray vision picked it right out. I was kind of worried once, though, when Fred held the penny in his hand and didn't put it under any of the shells. But X-ray notices Fred's hand. And after he licked it once or twice, old Fred has to give in and both of them called it quits. After that, after that was over, they both owed me over 100 games each. Yes, sir. That was quite a day of triumph for Jojo and me. And we went home pretty happy. Why, I even stopped at the butcher shop and bought X-ray the biggest bowl I could find. Yes, sir. We all was really living. But the next morning at the breakfast table, we were in for quite a shock. Are we going to the X-ray lights? We might, Jojo. We might. I sure hope so. Jo, remember what you were going to tell them. Oh, yes. Jojo, grandpa, we had a talk last night, and we both feel that maybe we shouldn't keep the dog. Shouldn't keep it? Oh, now, hold on. Now wait, now wait. Jojo, your mother and I want you to have a dog sometime, the right kind of dog. When you're older, you can take care of it better. But X-ray's doing all right. Jojo, your mother and I feel that right now is not the time. We have a new baby. Your mother has too much to do as it is. Besides, you're getting a little too excited about the so-called amazing talents of this dog, which might be your fault, grandpa. Yeah, I was afraid of this. I will not have that dog barking all over the place. You'll have a dog someday, Jojo. But I'm going to call the city pound when I get to the office. They'll find a nice home for X-ray. But I want him to stay here. I'm afraid it's settled, Jojo. You don't know what a wonderful dog X-ray is. If they take him away, I'm going too. Sit down, Jojo. No, I'm going to hide him from you. Then they can't find him. Jojo. Oh, dear. You shouldn't have let him keep him in the first place. Grandpa, this is all your fault. Yes, I guess it is. Well, I'll go find the boy and see what I can do. I'll try to tell him. But we're going to miss old X-ray. He could kind of see right into your heart. That was a hard day for Jojo and me. While we had almost packed up and run away three or four times, we were thinking of one plan or another, you know, like putting X-ray in the circus and being his trainers. But finally, we just kind of gave up. Jojo, X-ray and me were sitting out in the yard early in the afternoon, waiting for them to come and get him. Now, hush up, X-ray. Baby's starting her nap. I guess he wants to play. Well, I'm sorry, X-ray, old boy. We just don't feel like a frolic right now. Grandpa, isn't there something we can do? Well, looks like not, Jojo. Looks like not. Here comes Mom. Yep. Now he's a happy little group. Baby finally went to sleep. So I thought I'd get a little fresh air. You don't mind if I join you? No. It's your house. Jojo, Grandpa, listen. I don't want to be mean about the dog, but really, we just can't have one. You know, you see? He's going to wake up the baby. X-ray, now you be quiet. He's looking in the house again, Grandpa. Yeah. He's really studying something in there. Well, they can be quiet. X-ray, X-ray, what in the world got into you? I want you to go in the house, Grandpa. Look at him trying to play. Whatever he wants, make him stop barking. I will the baby into the living room, so it will be more quiet. He's sure to wake her. The baby's in there, Florence? Oh, yes. Why? What's the matter? I don't know. I'm going to find out for sure. No, that and the world's gotten into Grandpa. Gee, I don't know. I guess he thinks X-ray's seen something in the house. Oh, how silly. Good look at him, Mom. See how he's watching Grandpa in the house and go across the living room? Look at X-ray's tail wag. Jojo, I don't want to hear any more of that kind of talk. Florence. Get in here quick. The baby's smothering. Florence came and running in, closely followed by Jojo and X-ray. First time the dog had ever been in the house. The baby was getting all kind of flushed and a mite blew, but Florence pounded some air into her and she started to breathe again. Jojo, X-ray and me waited in the living room while Florence got the baby back to sleep. I sure hope the baby's going to be all right, Grandpa. Yeah, I think so, Jojo. Thanks to the old X-ray here. I wonder if Mom will believe it now. Well, we said about X-ray. Yeah, it's hard to say, son. It's hard to say. Did she go to sleep, Mom? Yes, Jojo, finally. Oh, what a scare. She was all wedged up in the corner of the crib. I can't understand how she did it. I just put her down. Oh, I'll get it. Are you sure you feel all right, Florence? Yes, Grandpa. I'm all right now. How do you do? Is this the question, residence? Yes. I'm from the city pound. You called, I believe. Oh. Oh, yes. Yes, we did. We wanted to find out about getting a license for a dog. Well, ma'am, all you do is take the dog down to the pound for the necessary shots and fill out the forms. Oh. Well, thank you so much for your trouble. You see, we thought at first we might be getting rid of him, but we've changed our minds. Small boy in valve, no doubt. All right, ma'am. Well, just don't sit there looking at me, you two. You heard what I said. Oh, ma'am, you mean we can keep X-ray? Yes, we can keep X-ray. Did you hear that, Grandpa? Yep. I heard it, JoJo. Good news for sure. I kind of think X-ray heard it too. Well, sir, from that day on, X-ray had the run of the house. Got better treatment than I did. And that dog was a comfort to all. Things was better from then on. The very young and the very old had something in common with the in-between. A very common old dog. Of course, Big Joe had a heck of a time hiding JoJo's Christmas presents where he and X-ray couldn't find them. And that things worked out real nice. We don't talk about X-ray's peculiar talents much anymore, me and JoJo. Just now and then. Like the other day when JoJo said to me... Trying X-ray to help us find buried treasure? We can tell him it was a bone. No, I don't know about that, JoJo. I kind of think old X-ray could see right through that. Our story tonight was a fantasy, or we might call it a fairy tale. I think it was a very charming fairy tale. Of course, we know that dogs can't really see through walls and that, apart from fantasy and science fiction, perhaps things like that don't happen. And yet there are wonders, events, and the solutions of problems that can't be accounted for by any natural explanation. I'm not referring to superstition, either stars and black cats and walking under ladders. There's something else that is neither superstition nor fairy tale. The great poet Lord Tennyson said, More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. And it's almost a matter of experience that heartfelt and faithful prayer is heard and in some fashion always answered. But if the prayer of an individual is so powerful, how much more the united prayer of a whole family? For hasn't he said, where two or three are gathered in my name, I am in the midst of them? It is to remind us of this, this great wonder and this great truth, that family theater brings us this program every week. For it is true today, as it was a thousand years ago, that the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. From Hollywood, family theater has brought you Grandpa's marvelous x-ray. Alexis Smith was your hostess. In our cast were Ralph Moody as grandpa, Jean Bates, Howard Culver, Stoffy Singer, Earl Keane, Jim Nussar, and Dowl McKinnon. The script was written by Roderick Peterson with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman and was directed for family theater by Joseph F. Mansfield. 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 responds to this need and by the hundreds of stars of stage screen and radio who give so unselfishly of 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 join us next week when family theater will present Charles Ruggles, Marjorie Hartford and Rod O'Connor in God and a Red Scooter. Join us, won't you? Family theater is broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is the mutual broadcasting system.