 The Theatre presents Jeff Chandler, Jane Wyatt, and Gail Storm. The Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theatre presents The Kitty Story Story with Jane Wyatt and Jeff Chandler. To introduce the drama, here is your hostess, Gail Storm. Thank you, Tony Nefrono. Family Theatre's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives if we're to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, and peace for the world. Family Theatre urges you to pray. Pray together as a family. And now to our drama, The Kitty Story Story, which stars Jeff Chandler as Doc and Jane Wyatt as Jack. It spans an abomination. His work should be burned and he should be tarred, feathered, run out of town on a rail. That's what I mean. Come in, the office. Jack, why not let the book reviewers take care of it? Why should this paper's top reporter worry yourself about kitty books? Can't you see the harm in these kitty books? Farm children's stories are as old as a human race. Nobody else seems to mind them. Everybody out of step with you? Oh, Gus, look at these things. Sir William and the Dragon's Kingdom, the magic ring of King Wonder, Sir Jim to the rescue. Those things are poison. Poison? Gus, I want to do a series on them. Series? Oh, no, no, no. Why not take a real news story? We've got a swell hatchet, Myter. Bring out the human intracide. Just happened this morning. Why don't you take it? I'm serious about this. I'm going to do a series about the dangers of permitting children to read this kind of thing. Oh, you really are serious about it, aren't you? Well, tell me, what are you going to do when I tell you that you're crazy as a tick? Quit. Quit? I can always go to work for the sun. Sit down, Jack. I don't want to sit down. Whose boss here? Me or you? You. Sit down. Now, what have you got against the author of these books, this Dr. King? I don't even know the man. But I'd fight him if he were my own father. It's unfair to write the way he does, Gus. Unfair? Look at me. My father wrote the same kind of stories to me when I was a child. The same kind of stories as Dr. King writes, and just like every other kid, I believe them. I believe that someday my knight in shining armor would come riding up to my doorstep to sweep me off my feet. But he never came, and you can see why. I'm not pretty. Well, I am. In fact, you could say I'm as homely as a mud fence. No. And there are plenty more girls like me. That's why these kiddie books aren't fair. Just teach children the facts, and they'll be prepared for whatever comes along. I can't change your mind. These things are psychologically and emotionally... All right, all right. Turn it off. Are you going to let me do it, or do I go to work for the sun? Well, I guess I can give you a three-time shot in the Sunday magazine section. Gus. But I won't have any personal opinion. You'll have to be complete with research, surveys, and... Wait a minute. I think I know how you can get all the first-hand information you'll need. Remember any of your shorthand? Well, yes, some, but... Good, good, good. Go get your hat. I'm going to do a little phoning, and then you're going to play secret agent for about five days. What do you mean, secret agent? When I speak jump, woman, get your hat. And he says I'm crazy. Hurry up, hurry up. You're not working for a monthly... I'm hurrying. Oh, yes, you old double-crosser, you. Hello, Ms. Bevins? Is the doc around? Put him on. No. Where am I going to do all this undercover work? Dr. King? Dr. This is Gustav Bingman, managing editor of the banner. Well, fine, fine. Say, I wonder if you could do the banner a favor. We've got a little girl over here with the makings of a good reporter, and we thought maybe you wouldn't mind putting her on your payroll for a week, or until something opens up here. That is, if it wouldn't... if it would be at all possible. Dr. King? Yes. Well, yes, yes. Her father and I were old friends. One of those things, you know, was planned. Would you wait just a minute, doctor? Go ahead, Jack. You've got a job. And like it or not, you're going to get a story that'll put your Dr. King right out of business. Get out of here. This will be the greatest thing since the Brooklyn Grand Jury. Uh, doc, you still there? No, no, of course I'm not mad at you. She was listening. I had to pretend I didn't know you. I'd better tell you something about this, girl. Going up, going up, please. Do you know which floor Dr. King is on? 25, ma'am, penthouse. Are you his new secretary? Yes, I am. Oh. It's only for a week, though, isn't it? That's right. News travels fast in this building. Yes, ma'am. Hey, look out for the plumber. Hey, right, Jack! Hey, Jim, will you look at that. Crew's all over the floor. I'm so sorry. That was stupid of me. That's all right, lady. May I help you? I'll help him, ma'am. Dr. King's office is just around the corner and down the corridor. I'm really very sorry. Forget it, lady. It's all right. See, if I got everything, portable, cursed, gloves... Oh, I wonder what I did with my gloves. I must have dropped them at the elevator. Well, I just have to go back and see. Why didn't you look where she was going? I bet you wouldn't be griping if she was a looker. She ain't a looker. The girl he hired at Vacation Time last year was really something to see. I remember. May I have my gloves, please? Miss James? And you're Dr. King? Yes. Won't you come in? I hope you weren't expecting a beautiful princess. Do I look like the kind of man who would have a beautiful princess or secretary who would step right into the living room? I'd like you to meet my housekeeper. Mrs. Bevin's? Nothing. Come on in. I want you to meet your new roommate. Roommate? Yes. You'll be living here. How do you do? How do you do? That takes care of the formalities. Dr. King, I don't think I should... I mean, I do have a home of my own. Oh, Miss James, I keep rather difficult hours. If you're going to work the same hours I do, I think it'd be best for you to live right here. There's an extra bed in Mrs. Bevin's room and it'll only be for a week. Unless, of course, you want to stay for the full two weeks. You see, I sent my regular girl on vacation this morning. Come along, Miss James. I'll show you where you sleep. You just give Mrs. Bevin's a list of the things you'll need and we'll have somebody run over for them. Oh, nonsense. I can go over for myself. There's no reason for anyone to go to any trouble for me. Oh, and it might be wise to take a nap for a couple of hours. We'll be going to work at five. Nap? Just as I said, Miss James, we keep strange hours around here. I tell you, the man's insane. He's keeping me up all night typing silly stories. For two days now, from five in the evening to three or four in the morning... Well, I haven't had time yet, but don't worry, it'll be a great story. Oh, his story. Oh, the usual thing. Night and shining arm on the process of saving a beautiful princess. No. No, he says he can't save her for at least two more chapters. Not from dragons. In this story, it's an ogre. Do you know what he named the ogre? His name is Gus. Miss James. Gus, I've got to run. I'll try and call you later. Coming, Dr. King. Look, you can lay off that doctor business if you want to. Yes, sir. Would you get your shorthand book, please? And say, your friends don't call you. Miss James, do they? No. Most of them call me Jack. Jack? Jack. A masculine name for such a feminine girl. Oh. Thank you very much. You got your book? A letter to John Baudette, Rockaway House & Company, 10,000 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City, New York. Dear John, regarding your suggested revisions of the bravest night, I feel I must remind you our contract clearly states that I will not be obliged to kill or maim any of the characters in any of the stories I submit to your company for publication period. I have no intention of... Oh, what's the matter, Miss Jack? Am I going too fast for you? Oh, no, no. It was what you said. You mean you never write about death in any of your stories? No. No, I don't when there are so many other possible solutions. There's stuff for children, you know. Yes, but what about dragons and witches and ogres, things like that? Oh, maybe I bump off an incorrigible dragon once in a while if there's no chance of reforming him, but I think for the most part it's better to keep everything on the sweetness and light side for the kids. But why not write about things as they really are? Why always the happy endings at all? I just don't see quite... Oh, hold on, hold on. What forms a child's imagination? Well, the games he plays... And the stories he reads or are read to him. Yes. Then why in Heaven's name should I write about things as they really are? Isn't it wise to write about them as they ought to be? If it's true that my stories help form the minds of tomorrow's citizens, then I'm morally obligated to see not destructive. Write happy endings as a normal conclusion to every story, and soon the younger generation will come to expect it. Which is better, a generation expecting the best or a generation expecting the worst? Oh, I... I hadn't thought of that point before. After all, I... I may not be so much to look at, but I'll find some nearsighted woman someday and maybe raise some children of my own. When that happens, I want the best kind of world for them to grow up in. Um, where was I? Hmm? Oh, um, pardon me. Be in the letter. Oh, oh, uh, I will not be obliged to maim or kill any of the characters in any of the stories I submit to your company for publication. Well, I have no intention of changing. Good morning, Mrs. Bevin. Morning, Jack. I suppose I should say good afternoon. I... I just can't get used to these hours. Where's Dr. King? He's having his hair cut. Can I remind him this time? Hmm, strange. You can have either cold or hot cereal. What'll it be? Hot cereal's ready. Hot, then. Mrs. Bevin's, why did he pick a pen name like Dr. King? Here's your fruit juice. Oh, I suppose it's because he's a doctor. Can't think of a better reason. A real doctor? He was a pretty good surgeon, but he gave it up in favor of staying sane. I don't understand. Put him on the edge of a nervous breakdown and kept him there. So he started writing for a living. And from the look of things, he's done pretty well. You're not drinking your juice. How could such a young man do so many things? My guess would be Doc didn't have to take too much time away from studies for Dayton while he was going to school. Of course, I think he's pleasant-looking, but he's... he's not what you'd call ladies' choice. Well, I think he's very good-looking. Good-looking? Funny. Doc said the same thing about you not an hour ago. Must be love. Love? Nonsense. Oh, this orange juice is very good. Considering it's great fruit, that's quite a compliment. Mrs. Bevan's, did he really say he thought I was pretty? He did. It couldn't be love. He's only known me for three days. Doesn't mean a thing. Doc's stories, they sometimes fall in love less than a paragraph. They're Harvey and the princess were married, and they live happily ever after. So much for that. Oh, I'm a little sorry. It's finished. Finished? Tomorrow we start on the revisions. It's just about half finished. Look, it's a sunrise. Beautiful, isn't it? Oh, it's magnificent. It's one nice thing about working nights. You see so many beautiful sunrises. Yeah, it's a pretty good way of ending a working day. Doc. The other night you said you'd get married some day and raise some children of your own, and you sounded so sure of it. I am sure of it. Will she be a beautiful princess, Doc? She will be to me. Whether she is to anybody else or not doesn't much matter, does it? I guess not. If she is a beautiful princess, won't she expect you to be on a white charger? If she's the right beautiful princess, maybe. Look, we're both pretty tired. Maybe we'd better turn in, huh? I can almost hear Mrs. Bevan's from here snoring like a trojan. Just how does a trojan snore? Like one of your dragons with adenoids. Mrs. Bevan's. Mrs. Bevan's turn over. I am so sorry. I'm probably too tired to sleep. I'm much too tired. Oh, Jacqueline. Jacqueline. Jacqueline. We're friends. When you two stop your cackling while I'm calling Princess Jacqueline. Oh, Jacqueline. Is that you, Gus? Yes. Yes, what is it? Come on, my girl. Step through this door. She's coming, Chief. A few steps more. She's here. All right, boys. Slam the gate. We've got her. Now we seal her fate. It isn't the principal, ma'am. It's the money. The ransom you'll ask is so big it ain't funny. And you? I'm the plumber who treated you mean. She's the ugliest beautiful princess I've seen. I think perhaps we'd best let her go. To have her own? It ain't worth the dough. Oh, yes, yes. Please let me go. If it's money you want, I'll give you lots of money. Oh, it's more than money this girl will bring. You mean? Why, Mets? The king. It's a trap. That's what it is. You're trying to trap King Dark. The idea came from your own head. You wanted him. Career-wise, dead. Oh, no, no, no. I've changed my mind. You can't do it. I won't let you. Hear that, chief? He says you can't. You'd think her boss to hear a ramp? There's chief ogre in this ivory tower. It's certainly well within my power to try. Convict and seal his fate. For crimes against the Fourth Estate. To only write what ought to be. A most abhorrent thought to me. Oh, you can't do it. He's innocent. Please listen to me. He's committed a crime. He must be published. That's him. By Jim, he sure came fast. Uh-huh. We've got the King at last. You there inside the tower. Release my beautiful princess, or I'll come in there and intimidate you. This second raid. This second raid eminences King Dark. Thinks a beautiful princess. We've only got an ugly one. Oh, by Jim, this will be fun. Doc! Thanks, honey. Everything's all right. It was only a dream. Mrs. Bevins, would you open the blinds or turn on the lights? Oh, I tell you, it sure gave me a star. Oh, I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't do things like this. I never have nightmares. I guess I've been working you too hard. I'll tell you what we'll do. Today we'll take some time off. We'll take in a show. Eat out, huh? We'll really have ourselves a time. Be good for me, too. Would you like that? I'll go fix breakfast. Oh, I couldn't go back to sleep now. How about it? I'd like it very much, Doc. Fine. And, Doc, I'm sorry to be such a baby. Oh, forget it. Come on now. Get into your Sunday best. You and I are going out on the town. I don't think I ever had such a wonderful... No. Magn... No, I haven't. In high school? Not there, neither. High school. Seems a million years ago. A million? Now, couldn't be. Let's see, how old are you? 25, 26? Um, 30. Oh, ancient. How about you? 35. You know something? What? I've never had such a wonderful... You know, a magnificent time, either. I, uh... I guess you'll be going to work for the newspaper in a day or so, huh? I... I suppose so. Oh, we turn in here. I suppose you could get Gus to wait another week? Gus? You know Gus? Oh, uh, well, I, uh... I had quite a chat with him the other morning, you know. Oh, yes, of course. I, uh... I guess I could ask him if... if you really need me for the second week. Oh, I do, I do. Going up? Up, please. I don't know why I don't like this boy. Neither do I. Going up, Dr. King? 25 floors. It's a little too much to walk. Yeah, now we're going up. Good morning. Morning. Had a nice time last night? Had a grand time. Oh, a magnificent time. Here's your juice. You'll be one hot cereal, won't you? Please. Must have stayed out pretty late. I didn't hear you come in. Oh, we did. We danced at a dawn, and then we walked home. Walked home from downtown? It was such a lovely morning. Oh, you poor child. You've hardly had any sleep at all. I have to go down to the office and see Gus. See if he'll let me stay another week. That's splendid. Ready for your coffee? Mm-hmm. You'll be sure and give Gus my best, won't you? What did you say, Mrs. Bevans? Oh, I... I said the wrong thing, didn't I? No. No, you said the right thing. You know Gus, don't you? And so does Doc. You've both known from the beginning why I came here. Oh, child, don't feel that way. Oh, I've been such a fool, such a fool. Wait, let me explain. Hate you. I hate you. You hate me. Resign. What are you talking about? Get yourself a nougat. Okay. Gus, where is she? Doc, she went to her office. She got herself. What happened? Somebody laughed at you, Mrs. Bevans. Jack, I... Gus, you had your fun, Dr. King. Why don't you go home and leave me alone? No, Jack. You keep out of this. Honey, I don't want to go home. You don't have to worry about my writing, my Andy Kitty story, story. I don't give a hang about your story, story. And I suppose you know about that. You seem to know about everything else. No, it's not that, Jack. Will you listen to me for a minute, please? I'm not interested in anything you have to say, Dr. King. Be fair, Jack. Please. Well, just one minute. All right. Jack, what... What I want to say is that... Well, let... Jack, you're... You're the most... Without you, life just... That is to say, I... He means to say... He thinks you're the most beautiful girl he's ever seen, and he loves you with all his heart and soul. Without you, life wouldn't be worth living. So will you please become his blessing bride as soon as possible? That's what you meant, wasn't it, Doc? Will you, Jack? Had a boy. I mean, could I ever love anybody else after I... I'm so... Well, what she's trying to say is... She could never love anybody else after knowing you, Doc, and you're a big dope for not being able to see it sooner. In the finale, she says, Yeah, she'll be tickled to death to become your blessing bride. Isn't that so, Jack? Well, at least I won't have to do their kiss and farm. And they'll be married and settled down in some nice little vine-covered castle. Everybody will live happily ever after. With the possible exception of the ogre, who, from the look of things, is about to lose his best reporter. It has surely occurred to you that one of the supreme benefits which radio has brought to all of us has been a greater realization of the relation between the prevention and the cure of the more disastrous diseases which can afflict the body. It has been the medium whereby hundreds of thousands of people now know the symptoms of cancer, polio, tuberculosis, and heart troubles, the notorious killers. They're put on their guard against these killers. And the proverbs about being forearmed by being forewarned takes on a new aspect of truth. I know that some serious and honest people are often inclined to believe that all the storm warnings about these diseases may possibly make some people jittery and over-fearful. The talk of dangers simply multiply the number of fears a person has to deal with. But all in all, most of us know that the great source of fear is the unknown, not the known, and that the more we know of the nature and strategy and tactics of an anemia or disease, the less morbid our fears become. Out of knowledge comes remedies and prevention strategy. It is the same with the diseases and maladies that can afflict the modern family. Family well-being, like personal physical health, is maintained in the very first place by forestalling what is dangerous to its unity and peace and its harmonious growth. Family theater, therefore, uses the wonderful medium of radio to emphasize the place of prayer in the family. Family prayer is the first and most important bulwark against all the personal and social forces which are enemies of the family, because it relates the family to God and what ultimate power has any human set of forces against God's power. That's why we say with confidence that the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. The 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 LaFranco 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 at the same time when Family Theater is broadcasted throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.