 Lux presents Hollywood the Lux Radio Theatre brings you Sunday dinner for a soldier starring Anne Baxter, John Hodiak and Charles Winninger. Ladies and gentlemen your guest producer Mr. Jesse L. Laski. Good evening ladies and gentlemen I believe that most four agencies agree that what a soldier wants most on a solo isn't special celebration or exciting entertainment but a touch of simple home life and throughout the land American homes have opened their doors and hearts to lonely servicemen on leave and from this friendly gesture as from many stimulating and amusing situations many lifelong friendships and romances and perhaps occasional heartbreak in the bottom which it is in tonight's Lux Radio Theatre play I'll leave you to find out the play itself is from the brand new 20th Century Fox hit Sunday dinner for a soldier and our stars are Anne Baxter, John Hodiak and Charles Winninger all in their original screen roles. We're lucky to have them with us because John Hodiak is busy at Metro Golden Mayor working with Judy Garland and the Harvey girls while at 20th Century Fox Anne Baxter is making the screen version of a royal scandal and Charles Winninger is busy with the Technicolor Pictures State Fair. Now if I play inspire you to fill your home with servicemen so much the better but there are many other things that you can do for those boys and girls in uniform away from home letters for instance the mail letters full of hometown news and gossip and packages full of little luxuries that make life easier away from home and I think I'm right and including among those luxuries a package of Lux Flakes letters we get from overseas and servicemen and women both suggest how hardly Lux is appreciated in all corners of the globe from the burliest top sergeant who must wander his own women to the prettiest whack who cherishes her datedness Lux Flakes may be the next best thing to Sunday dinner for a soldier now under the first act of tonight's play starring Anne Baxter as Tessa John Hodiak as Eric and Charles Winninger as grandfather Osborne we rolled in a few minutes ago for mission number 58 the Colonel called us in and told us we're leaving England tomorrow Tessa we're coming home we're coming home I'm here alone on a great stretch of empty beach I sit now watch the waves come in I talked to you Tessa just as if you were sitting beside me so darn good to talk to you will you know me Tessa will you know what I look like how long did we know each other nine hours nine hours and 20 minutes yet I do know you you and grandfathers and the kids I felt that I knew you from the minute I stumbled in on you and there have been your letters so many wonderful letters they've taught me everything I wanted to know about all of you I wonder if it'll all be just like it was when I left the houseboat where you live tied up in a corner of the lagoon with a crazy rickety footbridge going across the water to the other side I remember how we used to fly over there every day and dip our wings and you'd all wave your hands at us then there was a day we came over real low you and Mike getting out of his cat boat grandfathers grandfathers was puffing along the sand chasing that little brown hen of Mary's as usual the airplane he's dipping his wing he's dipping his wings well wave to him wave grandfathers look out and now you did it you stepped right in on Mr. Z oh that miserable hen laid at their own purpose the minute she saw I didn't have my shoes on we sure did 14 you were going to be all ready when we got back grandfathers well I would have been if that hideous hen hadn't tried to trip me with an egg on the buses due in 10 minutes here the crabs at 16 cents a piece that's $2.24 now I've got a list of things to get in town oh there's the bus Tessa I better hurry Mr. York always waits for 10 minutes and you know it you just don't want to sell the crabs Tessa dear what do people think of you go straight to Banick's fish market and if he tries I am not going to bandy words with a fish monger my pension is due today we'll have plenty of money not if we're having a soldier to dinner Sunday a week oh gee I really ought to go in town with you I guess fine you take the crabs we'll make a day of it no no I can't go Michael will go me Tessa I'm trusting you Mike remember every penny counts so don't let him buy this in foolish this time sure Tessa hey Mary find grandfather shoes will you hurry up well grandfathers looks like you and Mike's only two passengers hey how come Jesse ain't going to town with you all oh too busy I guess busiest little woman on this whole route I know why she didn't come grandfathers hmm why Michael cuz she hasn't got a dress not a decent one so that's the reason Michael would you know a good-looking dress if you saw one well I think so why we're going to buy Tessa the best-looking dress in town nah she likes wearing pants you think you could sell these crabs at Banick's fish market uh-huh why not cuz you could get a better price I could well drag them out Michael looks like we're getting into town like you wrote me grandfathers sure had his troubles with those crabs when he went into the post office to get his pension check those town kids started scrapping with Mike while he was trying to hold his own a couple of other kids stole every one of those 14 crabs but Michael and grandfathers didn't know that yes the boys took the crabs but they left the basket carefully weighted down with a couple of bricks Osburn brawling in the streets they started at grandfathers they call us fish peddlers and not a truer word was ever come along my boy and we'll convert my check into some real mulla yes sir hey the crabs we almost forgot them oh yes yes yes so we did look it's Mrs. Butterfield could anyone fail to distinguish that screech owl turn a deaf ear my boy turn two deaf ears walk faster Michael but she said she wanted the crabs what that conniving female desires is a fourth husband she's a nice lady though she came Miss Easter to marry and oh now let's duck into the bank and then straight to Norman's department store with any luck we'll shake off well they bought the dress all right but they didn't shake off Agatha Butterfield an hour later they were in the USO arranging to get that soldier for dinner I saw you come in here Mr. the witch has the eyes of a gossok if he wore a toga Mrs. Dobbs and he'd look just like one of those handsome Caesars of ancient Rome such a cute curly beard cute and curly I'll shave it off in the morning now about that basket of crabs madam the contents of this basket are not crabs their family heirlooms worth the fortune of course they're crabs and you've got to sell them to me I'm entertaining that's exactly what I shall be doing is he telling the truth Michael oh yes ma'am this is Dobson the USO acts as layers in between soldier and civilian population I believe well yes of course I am a civilian am I not well be kind enough to have a soldier at my house for the week from Sunday was certainly just fill out this card thank you I'll pass to you until you let me buy those crabs oh then take them here madam I give them to you oh I do thank you mr. Osburn thank you kindly refrain from licking my hand have the soldier at my residence at six bells Mrs. Dobson that will give the lad plenty of time to plunge off my private beach for dinner good morning ladies well Agatha how many boys for your dinner eight tomorrow night or make it ten there's a b-17 crew here fine goodness knows where the chicken farm I'll have plenty for me wait a second and I'll speak to their pilot he's inside fine I want to take a look at these lovely crabs anyway so bricks oh that horrible man that dreadful man I oh mr. Dobson where's the card mr. Osburn filled out I bet he didn't answer half the questions you'll bet I'll fix it up in just two seconds nasty old man soldier for dinner that'll show you feathers and he's got presents for everybody colored pictures and everything what's in this package brand feathers a brand new sale for Michael's boat and in this big box that's for Tessa Lordy Lordy just like Christmas grand feathers you didn't open it child open the box and see I bet it's well do you like it yes good after all we can't have you running around in pants with a soldier coming to dinner I don't think he is coming to dinner why not you said it could come run along you kids play outside yes Tessa bet you'll be your Mary all right grand feathers and it over did you say something yes sir the money oh yes yes yes well it's not as much as you may suppose prices are high and it over well here where's the rest there isn't any rest what happened to all of it how much did you get for the crabs well as a matter of fact I gave the crabs away gave them away I showed you my budget you seem to understand we could make it this month if we were careful Tessa you take things so seriously we'll get along I just don't know what to do I saw Kenneth Norman in town today a fine fellow Kenneth see him tonight like a good girl I settled that once and for all all I did was to send you in town with a basket of crabs and look what happens you spent all the money I counted on for the soldiers dinner you needed a dress I'll never wear it I should have sent Michael by himself Michael where is he isn't he here he said he'd see me at home if that young raccoon could you be so thoughtless no telling what's happened to him why Tessa Tessa where are you going I'm going to find Michael Tessa wait a minute gee thanks a lot for the lift Mrs. Butterfield how are you all doing Michael oh we're doing fine Mrs. Butterfield it's a lot of fun living on a house boat say you don't need anybody to help part time maybe at your chicken farm Luella and I manage fine but if we ever do I'll certainly send for you you're a fine boy goodbye Mrs. Butterfield goodbye and don't forget to tell that grandfather yours never to speak to me again hi Tessa in town his grandfather's home yet he's home did he buy a lot of things I tried to stop him Tessa honest oh I know we just have to remember that all his life grandfather's never had to worry about money a responsibility so we dumped ourselves on his hands now I guess it's too late for him to learn yeah it weren't for us grandfathers wouldn't have to think much about money well someday maybe we can move to a big town where I can get a job and hey what's that your hands they're all scratched what have you been doing I I've been scraping fish for Mr. Bannock here Tessa Michael he paid me 45 cents an hour I guess this won't pay for all the stuff grandfathers bought but Mike it'll be kind of nice seeing in a dress Tessa a new dress will it I'll wear it tonight and just for you well let's get on home yes that's how you got the new dress Tessa you told me all about it in your first letter remember that night you went out walking on the beach all alone you walk to that hotel they never finished building just a skeleton of a building relic of a real estate boom we used to see it from the air lonesome deserted sand slips there was magic for you in that ruined hotel wasn't there if you have closed your eyes you'd see happy people dancing beautiful clothes you'd hear an orchestra playing some swell number dance in the same like in a dream yes sir oh hello Kenner what on earth were you doing were you dancing sure I stopped by the houseboat they told me you went for a walk you always come to this gloomy old place anyway because they have such wonderful music heaven's sake Tessa now stop clowning and listen to me how do you feel fine good Tessa you know what I want to say don't you I think so I've wanted to take care of you ever since the first day you came down here Kenneth sooner or later I'll have to tell you this I just don't say it Tessa not yet come on think of the fun we could have we'd go to Miami for a honeymoon and since you seem to like hotels so much why we'd stop at the best hotel in Miami instead of that bracelet you're wearing you'd have one with diamonds my mother gave me this one clothes you'd have the pick of our store and we could live in one of dad's houses until after the war Michael and Mary and Jeep it'd be better off really we could send Michael to school in Virginia the same one I went to he'd be with boys his own age they get a housekeeper to look after your grandfather and Mary and Jeep I have the right kind of food regular hours everything they need the way you put it I'd seem selfish to refuse marry me Tessa you'll never be sorry never I'm all mixed up Kenneth I want to talk to grandfathers sure and I know what he'll say he told me this afternoon that you have a life of your own to live Tessa you do like me don't you oh yes a lot an awful lot well I think we better start walking back yeah yeah sure seems to me you sent Kenneth home awful early Tessa yes oh look only and a bush has got a bud never mind that freak bush what about him I only loved him grandfathers oh your grandma didn't love me when we got married that came later on if I could only have Mary and Jeep there's such little children well you can't expect Kenneth to fill the honeymoon cottage with other people's children they're not other people's children they're my brother and sister do you think they'd be better off well they'd have security something I failed to give them Tessa this is your one chance to be free take it I'm not so sure I would be free or if I want to be oh well Kenneth's going north tomorrow I have a whole week to make up my mind what about the children and the plans they've been making for Sunday week for the dinner for the soldier well the best thing to do is tell Mrs. Dobson we're calling it off still it would be nice to have a party case I sort of last celebration to look back on and remember yes we'll have that soldier for dinner can we manage it I don't know how but we will there's one way we could manage oh certainly not Mary's hand not Miss Easter well she'd probably be tougher in the bosons mate but there's no point in letting her pass on of old age I'd feel like a cannibal I'd rather think I'd enjoy it how else are you going to give a chicken dinner to a soldier I don't know but it won't be Miss Easter well good night grandfather's coming a bit a little while Mary aren't you asleep yet sure come on over in my bed your legs don't hurt again do they do getting better every day that's fine I've got something to tell you Mary we're really got to have that soldier for dinner aren't you glad oh yes yes I've been remembering mother and daddy we missed always remember them I've known for a long time Tessa they didn't just go away they were hurt in the automobile they died why does everything have to die Tessa because dying is a part of living dear for all we know it may be the best part it's like the books grandfather's brought you today you can't tell what's inside till you open them oh they're full of colored pictures pink castles made out of coral and starfish and wavy green grass at the bottom of the sea yes beautiful things things you could never imagine just from looking at the outside that's all we see Mary just the outside of death a cover where did they go mother and daddy sometimes I think they're right here with us but Michael gave me the money here in this afternoon I saw mother's goodness looking out of his eyes who jeep toots his whistle and laughs it's like it's like daddy teasing and having fun right now with us it's like when mother and I used to talk only it's as if I were mother and you were me I want to be like you Tessa you know so much and make everything right do I darling thank you good night Tessa good night dear in just a moment our stars will return with act two of Sunday dinner for a soldier right now I've got a question here for two of the ladies in our audience would you mind coming up here a moment me yes if you don't mind and you thank you there now what I want to ask you is how long do your stockings where not very long I can tell you why I've worn these only a few times yes I bought them last week and they just ran look hmm that's too bad how's your luck why I've had these quite a while do you remember when you got them let's see yes it was a Monday just about a month ago I wear them every other day and I always let rayon's dry 24 hours of course and no runs yet that's right heavens I'm lucky if my stockings last half a dozen times how do you wash yours oh whenever I'm doing a wash I put them in or if I haven't much I use the cakes open the kitchen does that make much difference we'll see how about you why I always luxe mine every time I wear them and that's very likely the answer to your stocking problem you see it's been proved that Luxe helped stockings last longer a famous laboratory made a series of strain tests stockings washed with Luxe flakes didn't go into runs nearly so quickly as those rubbed with cake soap or washed with strong soap in fact they lasted twice as long I'm sure you'll have better luck with yours if you change to Luxe we pause now for station identification this is CBS they Columbia broadcasting system act to a Sunday dinner for a soldier starring and Baxter as Tessa John Hodiak as Eric and Charles Wininger as grandfathers like a bridge spanning the dark Atlantic the thoughts of Eric Moore deserve all distances as he daydreams of a little family on the Florida lagoon and how he came to know them you wrote me so much Tessa how can I thank you it's as if I really had been there all that week while you planned your Sunday dinner for a soldier you wrote me about Mary in her hand how she saw that strange looking grandfathers I ran quickly to Miss Easter's coop her lucky starfish in her hand so don't be scared about grandfathers miss Easter nothing can hurt you when you've got this you just said I'm my lucky starfish when you get scared what are you telling your Mary what's miss Easter to be scared about grandfathers wants to give her to the soldier what for for dinner oh but Tessa told grandfathers should figure some other way out Mary come here this instant yes Tessa you feel my washed up with seashells now dump them out of once look Tessa miss Easter's lay neck for the soldier's cake well put it in the ice box Michael how many times do I have to tell you to beat those rugs but I did beat him Tessa I just finished grandfathers that all you've got to do well you know I I happen to find an Easter ring in the bottom drawer under some socks I thought you said you'd fix the water faucet I did fix it oh sure you fix it just fine I turned it on the whole thing flew apart the kitchen just about flooded out and you play that violin now Tessa what do you think this is here I'm trying to make this miserable shack look decent and what do you do rip and ruin every miserable rag and stick a furniture we've got oh gee Tessa we've only been trying to help don't I'm better off without your help oh what's the use oh Tessa I believe you're all scared to death of me don't be mad at me Tessa darling I'm sorry I don't know what got into me what can I do Tessa you can pick up all the leaves in the front yard yes ma'am and that's Tessa you fix the curtains while I clean up the kitchen then go pick the berries for the cake and you grandfathers I won't do a thing I promise oh yes you will you fix that faucet oh you're sure run along you kids run along and you're going into town before lunch yes and don't you dare do anything about you know until I get home I mean exactly oh there's no use procrastinating the inevitable inevitable I may be able to buy one what a chicken well you get the money to buy another chicken never mind where just promise to keep away from his Easter well then you see that she keeps away from me gosh I wish Tessa would come home now sit still jeep I've been sitting still all day I've been here by the road sitting still but we just gotta say miss Easter if somebody buys the berries we'll have enough money and they won't have to eat her up but nobody stops to buy berries and I'm hungry needs more berries I've been eating them all day and I don't feel good please don't cry jeep I want to go home look a car's coming berries berries the car's gonna stop it's miss Butterfield's car hello Barry jeep hello would you like to buy some berries Evans no gives me the hives it's all over just looking at him see what's the matter with him he's hungry for the poor little fellow he hasn't had anything to eat all day that man that dreadful man sending helpless babies to earn the very bread he puts in his mealy old mouth miss Easter he wants to put in his mealy old mouth I love her so much we just can't eat her tomorrow well I should hope not Luella yes ma'am hand me that big fire it's on the back seat you mean this one for the lemons yeah that's it here you are your poor babies Tessa says we aren't allowed to accept presents then I'll swap the chicken for the berries Luella likes them oh no miss Butterfield I don't realize no bear you like them Luella yeah yeah that's plenty Mary thank you now what's the matter with him jeep he always stands in his head and blows his whistle that's when he's happy he feels good now because we've got a chicken for the soldier tomorrow for who tomorrow the soldier looking at one for dinner are you sure oh yes grandfather signed a card for one at the USO we've been getting ready all week well goodbye goodbye and thanks thanks again and again Mrs. Butterfield you're welcome oh Luella this is terrible give them away miss Norman's fryer not that I'm thinking of that car to tow up at the USO you know yes what can I do miss Bunfield you eating those berries those children expecting a soldier tomorrow yeah but they give you the high as you be itching for a month what did you say they've simply got to get a soldier oh lordy I'll have to tell Mrs. Dobbs and exactly what happened to get her to find them another one and hand me some more berries Luella grandfathers Michael Tessa's home take it easy you kids look what I've got a chicken a chicken and look what we got we got a chicken too of what we sold the berries Tessa we sold them for a chicken to Mrs. Butterfield but that's wonderful hello Tessa I saw you in town you want I saw you but you didn't see me I was working and look what I bought don't tell me another chicken uh-huh here mr. Bannock let me clean his barrels hey where did these chickens come from he bought it with berries for the soldier and you bought the other one uh-huh would you get the money none of your business now where's grandfathers I'm right here better batten down the hatches lads she's going to blow again Michael stowaway the deck chair boy I better cover up Easter oh now wait a second child wait a second I just happened by Easter's nest and the dear little bitty seems to have disappeared what oh look at the sky it's getting blacker and I gotta find her I gotta find miss Easter Easter Easter where are you grandfathers all right I'll be back in a minute come here this instance what's that you're hiding under your jacket oh this my tobacco pouch let me see it I'll really test a chicken dead chicken oh no I wanted to surprise you is that chicken miss Easter does this bird look like miss Easter how can I tell it's been dressed well it's it's not miss Easter then exactly where did you get it as you so pointedly remarked to my grandson it's none of your business did I ask you how you got your chicken no but I've got a pretty good idea the bracelet your dear mother gave you is gone never mind the if that's not miss Easter where is Mary you'd better come in you get I begged you not to do anything till I got back oh how did I know you're all come back dripping naked flowers oh you're hopeless sometimes I think you'd even steal and if you think I'm going to tell Mary about miss Easter you're crazy you can do your own dirty work and do it now grandfathers managed to avoid the mystery of Easter's disappearance tonight Mary was in bed crying softly to herself when the old man sneaked into my room like for me to tell you a story Mary no grandfathers well well it's still raining I know young woman when I told you that miss Easter escaped her roots I fear I was guilty of a slight distortion of the truth if I had been consulted it becomes the head of the house things like this wouldn't happen as it is I've been treated like an epidemic no grandfathers I guess maybe the teacher didn't mind too much it was for a soldier but I won't be able to eat any dinner tomorrow hold on a minute that isn't miss Easter in the icebox grandfathers please don't tell any more fibs I am relating the plane unvarnished this afternoon finding myself alone miss Easter and I visited Mrs. Butterfield's chicken farm I deposited miss Easter among her other live chickens and in exchange I well I succeeded in making my way safely home with one of her dressed fouls honest honest and now since we find our galley overflowing with hens I see no reason why I shouldn't return the perloined bird to Madam Butterfly and carry miss Easter home again when when will you do it tonight now and don't you dare tell Tessa I'm a chicken thief this is our secret understand oh yes I'm going to tell the who's who around here Easter Easter where are you you feathered bean come here can't even see where I'm going can't even know your gab pull in your sales set up ain't nobody ain't nobody here but us chickens man that you Mrs. Dobson Agatha Butterfield sorry I got delayed chicken feet and I know who it is all right I found his cane well never mind now what about that soldier did you find one for the Osborne oh please we've got to get a soldier for those poor children we've got to good morning children morning brothers well it's a nice day after all rain's gone suns out in two hours our soldier should be here what grandfathers rain is made by weathermen my boy weathermen predicting sunshine the strangest thing one of the chickens is gone from the icebox gone it can't be well come and look you can't well Mary miss Easter still missing grand feathers oh don't you worry I encountered a little difficulty last night but I saw her and she just looks fine I'll get her back for you yet excuse me grandfathers our soldier maybe he's here did you see him James did you say hey come back you kids breakfast is ready let him go let him go I want to talk to you Tessa have you made up your mind about Kenneth Norman he'll be home tomorrow yes you're gonna marry him it is the best thing for everyone isn't it oh I'm sure of it means breaking up the family all families must be broken up so new ones can be built Kenneth's got good character fine family money everything's going to be fine Tessa at least everything's gonna be fine today this must be a celebration the children will never forget the soldier wasn't on that bus was he Tessa or the one after that or the one after that now there just wasn't a soldier to be found anywhere in town that Sunday only one o'clock where are the children where they've been all morning still waiting at the road grandfathers exactly what did Mrs. Dobson say when you signed up for a soldier I don't know her exact words try to remember dear please let me see she said the USO acts as layers in between soldiers and civilians he'll be here at six bells that'll give him plenty of time or did I say that he'll be on this one Tessa I just know he'll be on this one you come again Mr. York not this trip kids gosh I looked all over town for a soldier bowling alleys churches everywhere I was gonna take him out in my boat maybe there won't be any wind left by the time he comes look I am I don't know how to say this but I just can't see you kids waiting around all day for somebody who's not coming I've seen Mrs. Dobson she said for me to tell you they just can't find you a soldier anywhere grandfathers said we'd have a soldier I know but they've been some kind of a mix-up so much he's coming there on the beach soldier it's a miracle a dud blasted genuine miracle yes there was a soldier on the beach just walking along killing the time of day all of a sudden three kids rushed toward him across the sand believe me Tessa he just didn't know what to make it well hello we knew you'd come we knew it but what happened happened nothing happened we can swim from my boat when we go out sailing oh we can who's we just you and me I'm Michael I'm Mary and this one's teeth well over there on a house boat oh no I know you wave at the planes don't you was it you who dipped your wings over time well not exactly I'm a waste done on myself but I have an in with a pilot I can stand on my head and whistle you know why stand on my head sure because it makes you feel good I'll go tell grandfathers and Tessa yeah hey no no wait a minute I'll be right back I scribbled my shells to show you and we're having fried chicken for dinner three fried chicken now look you kids I'd like to oblige you but this has gone far enough whoever you were expecting well I'm not it but you are of course you are grandfathers where do you meet Tessa and here see that's a rolly underbrush it's a freak you need it's a unique freak he means it doesn't know how to make flowers here and he's here he's here well hello soldier how do you do my name is more sir Eric Moore Osborne Sergeant Chief Penny Officer like Kurgis Osborne retired I don't know what this is all about but Tessa this is Sergeant Eric Moore she's my granddaughter hello hello thank you for coming thank you very much for coming I'm sorry but I think there's been a mistake of some kind this is one day you won't have to think we're going to take care of everything aren't we children we're going to have the best time well good then is already shall we go in but just give me a second I know I wake up things like this don't happen to a leg like me just let me dream on a while look it's crying up again but look behind the cloud see the Sun the Sun's out full yes and look look the only underbrush is a blossom well so it has that's the first flower we've ever had the buds always dropped off before and what a pretty color here's it's real pretty jeep please smells it smells it must have known this is a very special day yes Tessa a very special day well come on let's get aboard let's have our dinner we'll return with act three of Sunday dinner for a soldier in a moment you've heard us tell about those washing tests a famous laboratory made on rayon slips in 90s well let's imagine you were actually at the laboratory you might have said my what lovely slips what are you going to do with them we're going to wash them now for this group will use hot water strong soap and plenty of action the way women sometimes treat their under things and the others these will wash the luxe way with lukewarm water and gentle luxe flakes as you see the slips are just alike so we'll wash each one the same number of times and see what happens so the laboratory washed each group of slips repeatedly and then why just look at those lips it's hard to believe they started out the same yet the only difference was the way we washed them those badly faded ones must be those you did by the wash day method goodness how those straps frayed I'll never do my slips that way the luxe ones look lovely and the record shows they stayed lovely three times as long yes and they still look nice as new the colors bright straps firm and that's how gentle luxe will leave your under things too they'll stay new looking three times longer with gentle luxe care undies lead a long life when they lead a luxe life now mr. laski returns to the microphone after the play will bring us to the footlights for a brief chat and I think you'll want to listen in now here's act three of Sunday dinner for a soldier starring and backster as Tessa John Hodiak as Eric and Charles Winninger as grandfathers somewhere in England a soldier waits to come home and as he waits he puts together each fragment of remembrance lives again the most important day in all his life the day he found the Osborne family or rather the day they found him I soon discovered how I happen to be having Sunday dinner with the Osborne just one of those little whims of faith that dropped me on their beach at the exact moment when they wanted a soldier more than anything else in the world any soldier where we sat down at dinner grandfathers had a big platter of fried chicken in front of him the time of course I didn't know about Mary's hen this Easter well grandfathers go ahead and serve a piece of white and a piece of dark for the sergeant I hope you like fried chicken there's nothing finer is their merry oh merry dear please now we're not going to have any nonsense eat your dinner woman I give you my solemn word the chickens on this platter are total strangers it's not who it's not who you take it is now why did you have to say that never mind never mind that sit down Tessa I'll get her merry hello Mary what's the matter has that horrible old man been beating you now child these things happen and we must oh so we haven't enough trouble and stop scratching yourself woman I got a scratch it's nothing but the hives and it's all your fault Luella you just been a visiting in our coop oh so that's where she wandered to huh leaning on your cane all the way no doubt what's that you heard me oh this is butterfair oh an old friend no a new one the Osmonds were kind enough to ask me in for dinner but that's wonderful that's wonderful stop gushing and sit down and sit on your hands you're driving me crazy scratch scratch scratch can't stay we just dropped by to leave missy serena freezer of ice cream happened to have some extra it's in the shade under your tree boy ice cream chocolate that's just wonderful Mrs. Butterfield thanks for everything and for the chicken you gave the children yesterday gave nothing was a fair exchange and I've got the hives to prove it now please get back to your dinner and you don't know how glad I am to see you sergeant thank you thank you all our grandson is show Mrs. Butterfield at the door it's a pleasure nobody just happens to have an extra freezer of ice cream hanging around the house well I did and what's more she did you bring back the freezer and don't send those poor little children with it don't hang by your eyelashes till I get there I won't but I may come over and give Tessa your cane goodbye black Miller well come on everybody pitching there before everything gets cold I think how about it Mary you change your mind about eating did it yes man those are the most wonderful seashells I've ever seen I knew you'd be interested I knew you'd want to see them now I have something for you see let's make a wish ready okay pull well what do you know Mary gets her wish do you know what it was that you'd come home safe and sound well when I do I want you to be all strong again but I'm not sick anymore and I'm not scared either everybody gets scared once in a while even soldiers I should say so Eric here what's this so you won't be afraid it's my lucky starfish and it works it works all the time you need to come back home thank you Mary I'll keep it with me always and I'll never be scared again say we're all the others well grandfathers in snoozing in the hammock and Mike's tying up his boat did you have a good sale oh wonderful and jeep's taking his nap because he's gotta and Tessa oh chess is in the kitchen washing dishes I think I'd like a drink of water I'll get one for you oh don't bother I'm pretty sure I can get one of the kitchen how am I doing oh fine is that the way you do dishes in the army sure you wash those same cups four times well I warned you before I'm dreaming you know I can't get over those kids did you know jeep gave me a swissle he wants me to have it when I'm fighting Germans made the presentation speech standing on his head he spends most of his time that way like my sister she used to walk backwards when she got excited about something your sister I haven't seen or heard from her in years somebody told me she was in Mexico getting a divorce from a third husband she seems out to set some kind of a record funny how you can drift apart what happened very well when our folks split up my mother took Alice and I went with my old man he died when I was 13 my mother married again I tried living with him but it didn't work out so I ran away where's your mother now when I enlisted she was in Chicago I had to write for my birth certificate Eric how'd you spend your furlough raising came in Miami or trying to you sure can feel alone at a time like that didn't you have any friends who could have gone home with oh sure but nobody wants outsiders around when they're saying goodbye to their folks you're going over soon aren't you yeah you don't know what a difference it makes having someone to say goodbye to I wouldn't trade one second of today for all the other good times I've ever had but we've just started soon as it gets dark we'll go down on the point and build a fire and have a picnic supper oh swell I'll be swell now come on let's get these dishes down we're going to need more wood not half enough wood here for a campfire I'll get a grandfathers I'll help Eric sit down you kids yes sir so this show the sergeant where you can find some firewood it's a pretty long walk sergeant that's well I mean that's swell not much further that's a patch of pines down the beach Eric what you told me what you mean about my folks mm-hmm some nerve unloading all that on you I wouldn't have except you homemade me feel like I belong to you what a family Tessa when I think what if the kids haven't been waiting just as I happen to walk I'd never admit was it only this noon I feel like I've known you forever it's something you don't know about me what see that old ruined hotel over there huh come on I'll show you special private hotel what do you think of it very snazzy indeed I come here all the time dancing you like the music boy what a band well what are we waiting for some people would say we're trying to dance on sand some people would be crazy I knew you wouldn't think it was silly pretending I'm going to do a lot of pretending from now on like what oh like as if your family's mind you don't know what you're letting yourself in for oh yes I do and stay just as you are I'd like it back with you you mind if we become just a little less poor what are you talking about you're the richest people I know you've got the kind of wealth nobody can take away what did you say I said you had the kind of wealth nobody could take away nobody but ourselves Eric you made me understand something I have you've made me see what's really important what makes me me without the family I wouldn't be myself I'd be somebody entirely different I don't know what if anything I'd be building but it wouldn't be any more important or beautiful and what grandfathers and the children and I built together good and bad I certainly would be someone different someone I might not like at all oh Eric thank you you're certainly welcome but you don't know what I'm talking about do you well it's this you're coming to dinner today has determined my whole life I know now how I want to live how do you well I can't tell you now Eric but I'll explain it all to you in the letters I'm gonna write to you oh gosh fire what is it Michael Mr York is here he's gonna take us all into town of the arcade come on hurry up grandfather says we're going to the arcade right now folks if you just hold those poses for one second jeep stop it now hold still yes now if the old gentleman will smile like this that's it that's it a very nice group oh dear now what the little girl is that a chicken she's got oh we've got to have the chicken that's miss Easter all right everybody look straight ahead now one two three the picture we already about five minutes thank you very much I'll wait for it there's a shooting gallery next story well what are we waiting for Tessa by all means come along all right Tessa you're next no not me I don't even know here I'll show you how that excuse me I'll have to put my arm around you like this the other arm around you like that no no no don't look at me look down the barrel through the site when you're on a target like this you of course she's wonderful nothing out bud oh yeah wait wait I've got to give you a bill what's that Eric in your wallet identification bracelet why don't you wear it oh I broke the class besides it's too small would you keep it for me sure thank you well here it is here's our picture oh gosh thanks wait a second what's that what's what don't you hear him I think they're rounding us up yeah sir back to the field there's a truck out there okay oh no not yet yes now short and snappy subject more those are orders yes sir well so long cheap goodbye Mary remember so long Mike bye Eric grandfathers good luck thanks thanks for everything Tessa goodbye Eric and right right to me I'll let you know the address I will Tessa do you mind if I oh no Eric I was hoping you wouldn't wait in front of everybody in front of the whole cock-eyed world oh my all right break it up sausage a block of the traffic Eric you think this means yes I think so if it does I'll have the pile of dip his wings again let's go Sergeant Eric here you forgot your packages cake and fried oh gee thanks well goodbye all right in the truck everybody make it snappy come on hey you guys what is it pass this around what what is it hey strawberry shortcake strawberry help yourself my girl made it and here fried chicken fried chicken holy cats yeah my girl made that too hey more she got a sister go on help yourselves make yourselves right at home hey look it's a picture the whole family boy what a family you're a pretty lucky guy more and don't I know it say Charlie yeah who do I see about my allotment check I don't know see the captain see Adam okay as soon as I get back I want to see about an allotment for my family my family come back home I'm coming back Tessa I'm coming back back to my family and now before Mr. Lasky brings our stars back for their curtain calls let's do a little figuring how many dishes do you use a day count up the plates cups saucers and glassware and don't forget the platters serving dishes in the silverware well if you're an average family of four that's over 100 a day but do you know that if you use lux for your dishes you may find you need only about half as much as you'd use of your wash day soap yes actual dish washing tests show that ounce for ounce Lux does up to twice as many dishes as other well known dishwashing soaps that's worth remembering and if you scrape and rinse dishes especially greasy ones as soon as they're removed from the table you'll need even less Lux for rich fast-working suds Lux is thrifty for dishes it's thrifty insurance against dishpan hands to for Lux flakes in the dishpan helps your hands stay soft and smooth even if strong soaps have made them red and rough and ugly they can soon be lovely again if you change to gentle Lux why not try Lux flakes tomorrow for your dishes and now here's mr. Lasky in our stars tonight we'll disprove that familiar saying three's a crowd I bring them to the footlights are three stars and Baxter John Hodiak and Charles Winniger I'm sure our audience joins in offering congratulations to all three of you thank you mr. Lasky and I'd say you were perfect in Sunday dinner for a soldier for more reasons than you're acting I understand that cooking is your favorite hobby that's right mr. Lasky I can't keep out of kitchens in the spare time what's your favorite recipe and what would you really serve for a Sunday dinner and well if it was chicken I'd fry it and garlic and olive oil put it in the oven for a little while basting it with herbs crushed up in vinegar could I have a set in second helping please how about you John what's your favorite hobby my favorite hobby eating well you two should really get together how are you at the culinary arts Charles well I'm first rate mr. Lasky you come to my house next Thursday and I'll bake you a cherry pie for Washington's birthday do we bring along an axe to cut it you know mr. Winniger was writing his element in this picture a skipper of a houseboat that's right I remember his captain Andy in the famous showboat Charlie clan the master fame yes but my boats are always tied to land when this war is over I'm going to cut my moorings and head out to sea well I hope to stick around a while Charles at least till next Monday night when we're bringing to this stage two nominees for the 1944 Academy Awards Greer Garson and Kerry Grant you couldn't miss with that combination mr. Lasky what are they playing in or delightful play they selected themselves the Columbia screen hit bedtime story in it we follow the tempestuous romance of a husband not only wedded to his actress wife but equally wedded to the stage who loves that clash with amazing results we'll all be looking forward to it mr. Lasky good night good night good night and thanks for Sunday dinner our sponsors the makers of locks flakes join me in inviting you to be with us again next Monday night when the locks radio theater presents Kerry Grant and Greer Garson in bedtime story as our war casualties mount as every day the fighting increases in intensity ask yourself if you're doing all you can to help save American lives and speed the day of victory in peace and one important contribution you can make is to preserve waste kitchen fats and greases used in the manufacture of essential war materials strain your waste fats into a clean can rush them to your butcher he'll give you two red ration points plus four cents for each pound Sunday dinner for a soldier from an original story by Martha Stevens was presented through the courtesy of 20th Century Fox producers of a tree grows in Brooklyn John Hodiak appeared through the courtesy of Metro Golden mayor producers of the Technicolor picture National Velvet heard in tonight's play were Verna Felton Patricia Lowry Bobby Larson Billy Roy Charles Seal Eddie Maher Ruby Dandridge Dickie Myers Robert Regent Janet Scott and Earl Keane our music was directed by Louis Silvers this program is broadcast to our fighting forces overseas through cooperation with the armed forces radio service and this is your announcer John M. Kennedy reminding you to tune in again next Monday night to hear bedtime story with Greer Garson and Kerry Grant flowers flowers a blaze of glorious color all summer long get in on the sensational offer by the makers of spry shortening eight packets of choice seeds for thousands of gorgeous flowers send 15 cents with name and address to Aunt Jenny box 1200 Chicago Illinois be sure to listen in next Monday night to the Lux radio theater presentation of bedtime story with Greer Garson and Kerry Grant this is CBS the Columbia Broadcasting System