 Great Scenes from Great Plays with your host Walter Hamden and starring tonight Miss Joan Caulfield in Little Women. Each week at this time the Episcopal families of your own community and the Episcopal Actors Guild invite you to share the dramatic inspiration of Great Scenes from Great Plays as transcribed by famous artists of stage, screen and radio. And now here is your host the distinguished actor-manager Mr. Walter Hamden. Thank you and good evening. One of the most beloved stories in all our literature is Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and with good reason I believe, although our homes today may be very different from the March family home in the story, still the laughter, the happy moments and the sad ones in the lives of Meg, Joe, Beth and Amy are mirrors of youth the world over. Tonight we are honored to have in the role of the forthright impetuous Joe, who wants to play big brother to her sisters and keep the family together, the delightful young star of stage and screen, Miss Joan Caulfield. Thank you Mr. Hamden and because I've always wanted to play Joe, ever since I first read about her in Little Women, I'm especially pleased about being with you in tonight's play. I hope it will bring back for everyone listening the same happy memories Joe brings to me. I'm sure it will Joan and we're also happy to have with us tonight Betty Caulfield as Amy and Stephen Schnabel as Professor Bear. So let us raise the curtain now on Little Women. The March family house is big and old and somewhat shabby and it rests in a dignified if slightly lopsided position well back from the tree shaded street in a small Ewingland town. When we first meet the March girls it's a Christmas Eve in the early 1860s. In the parlor a bright fire is crackling in the old-fashioned hearth casting its warm glow on the lovely faces of the four sisters gathered round. On womanly Meg the eldest. It is indeed dreadful to be poor at Christmas time. On blonde Amy the youngest. I agree with you Meg. I think it's utterly unfair for some girls to have all the pretty things they want and others nothing at all. On shy and gentle Beth bending over her embroidery. Well at least we have father and mother and each other. And on Joe, harem scarum Joe with the flashing gray eyes and the beautiful brown hair and the flyaway look to her clothes. Christopher Columbus we haven't got father Joe. Well we haven't made not while he's away at the wars we don't father said it was as bound and duty as a chaplain to be with the suffering soldiers with Christopher Columbus who said it wasn't all I wish is he could have taken me along with him that's all Joe you aren't serious. Oh am I not though when Johnny comes marching home again who ran Joe. What's the matter. I wish you wouldn't shout Joe it's so dreadfully boyish. Oh fiddle sticks it's a perfectly lovely way to express your feelings especially when your feelings are all hungry. Oh Marmy will be home soon Joe and then we'll have some nice tea and toast. I know kitten I was just mourning the perfectly bully breakfast Marmy gave away this morning. I can still smell those buckwheat cakes. Well I'm glad Marmy gave away my Christmas breakfast to those poor humble people. I wouldn't have enjoyed a bite knowing all the while that a whole family was starving. Just you wait and see Meg mother won't have to work so hard anymore and Christopher Columbus. What's the matter Joe. Well the play we've forgotten all about the play. Oh Joe not again. Oh Joe we've been rehearsing your old play every day for a week. Well you don't want it to be all bumbly and fumbly again for Marmy do you. Well we'll start with a fainting scene. You're stiff as a poker in that Amy. I can't help it Joe I never saw anyone fainting and besides I'm all black and blue now from tumbling around. From now on if I can go down easily I'll drop. If I can't I shall fall into a chair and be graceful. Christopher Columbus you can't faint into a chair Amy. People don't faint into nice soft chairs. They faint right down on the floor with a plop like this. Oh Joe. Get up Joe quick there are two gentlemen at the front door. Well let them in. How do you do. How do you do. Won't you come in. Thank you. Joe do get up. I know you you're the boy from across the street. I'm Laurie and you're the one they call Joe. Oh how bully of you. Oh excuse me. Well this is my sister Meg. How do you do Ms. Meg. How do you do. I always watch your games. Oh excuse me. This is my tutor Mr. Brooke. How do you do Mr. Brooke. How do you do. Master Laurie will explain our presence here Ms. Meg. What. Oh I am here with the compliments of my grandfather. My grandfather heard about the breakfast you gave away this morning and asked wouldn't you please as a favor to a lonely old man on Christmas accept this dinner. Oh thank you. If you should ever want to borrow my bicycle. Mr. Joe. Laurie. Oh excuse me. And the very best of Christmas's to you one and all from us one and all. Merry Christmas. Good day ladies. Merry Christmas. Oh how nice of Mr. Brooke. Christopher Columbus a whole plummy Christmas dinner. Look at that. And look here. I smell plum pudding and I smell turkey. Oh wait until Marmy sees this. Oh Meg isn't this just a brook. What's the matter with her. He had such lovely manners. Christopher Columbus a whole beautiful Christmas dinner standing here before us and you start moaning about it. Let's get the food on the table before Marmy gets here. Joe as you can see was not one for sentiment at least not yet. Joe considered herself the man of the family now that Father March was away. I was inclined to look with a rather scornful eye on such girlish fancies as manners and fashion and parties. Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe look a regular note of invitation from Mrs. Gardner for tomorrow night. Isn't that wonderful Joe. Oh oh what shall we wear. What's the use of asking what Meg when you know we should wear our poplums because we haven't got anything else. I don't see how you can go on calmly eating apples at a time like this Joe. Oh if I only had a silk dress. Christopher Columbus I forgot my dress is burnt in the back and it shows horribly. Oh dear well then you'll just have to sit still all you can and keep your back out of sight. Now let me see I'll wear a ribbon in my hair and my gloves are clean. Well they aren't as nice as I'd like. Oh mine are spoiled with lemonade. So I shall have to go without. Oh Joe you can't go without gloves I'd be mortified if you did. I can hold them crunched in my hands so no one will see. No no I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll each wear one good and carry one bad. No one will know isn't that good. Oh but Joe your hands are bigger than mine and you'll stretch my gloves dreadful. Then I'll go without. Oh all right all right you may have my glove only don't dirty it and don't keep saying Christopher Columbus and do act like a lady will you. I'll be as prim as a dish of prunes. Joe tried so terribly hard to be prim and sedate that before the party was half over she was bored to tears. Her only moment of fun came when she stuffed her pockets with cake to take home to Beth and Amy. No one could say that Joe didn't look after her family. In fact some time after the party on a particular April morning her family was very much on her mind as she hurried out of a strange looking building downtown. Oh Laurie how did you know I was upstairs. I trailed you. You had no right to Laura you had no right to. Well I just wanted to make sure no harm came to you. I'm sorry Laurie but I wanted it to be a secret even from me. Yes if you tell me Joe I can't I'll tell you one what's it about not until you tell yours. Well but you mustn't tell now not a soul. No I won't. Well I've sold a story Laurie what I have I have I've been taking my stories up to this newspaper upstairs Laurie and first he said I needed more practice and after a while he seemed to like them more and now I've sold one. Oh think of it Laurie I actually sold a story for a dollar and fifty cents isn't it magnificent. I'll say when are you going to tell your family. That's just it Laurie I want to surprise them. I'm going to buy something for Marmee with the money every time I sell a story I'll get something for somebody in the family so it'll make things easier at home don't you see. I'm so happy Laurie I'm so happy I can do something for them all at last. Now what's your secret. Well you'll be surprised when you hear it well what is it well remember the picnic we had last week and we couldn't find Meg's glove you mean the time your tutor came along with us yes. Well I know where the glove is you do. Where is it in his pocket whose pocket Brooks your tutor's pocket yep all this time yep. It's not romantic. No it's not it's not romantic I think it's hard hard my job trying to spoil everything that's what he's trying to do and I won't let him I won't. He's trying to break up our family and take Meg from us but I won't let him never never never. Well Meg I suppose your John will be coming around soon he does every day now for one excuse or another don't say my John it isn't proper or true and I've told you I don't care about him so please let's not say any more about it any more about it Christopher Columbus everything spoiled already and soon he'll be putting around asking you to marry him and you'll say yes and the family will be a shambles really Joe don't be so childish besides I can't say anything till he speaks and when he does you'll probably burst into tears and say oh yes John yes yes oh don't be silly well if you ask my advice there's mommy calling now and I'll thank you not to discuss Mr. Brook in such a silly way any more dose if in March all right but don't you go being silly and dashing off with him coming mommy mommy's running towards us something's the matter no no no you're not to get excited children you're not to get excited what's the matter mommy what's happened get better name me mommy was a telegram let me see Joe your husband very ill in Washington Hospital come at once oh no I think everything you need is packed now mother thank you make I put your shawl in Marmy I thought you would want your shawl with you yes that's dear that was very wise why doesn't Joe get back she went to Aunt Marge's hours ago maybe and March won't lend her the money now let's not get nervous children let's not any of us get nervous with the door there's Joe now Joe wouldn't ring the bell it couldn't be oh Mr. Brook won't you come in oh yes I'm very sorry to hear of this Mrs. March thank you Mr. Brook you're very kind I've come to tell you that I'm going along going along to Washington why yes Mr. Lawrence has a commission for me in Washington and I've come to offer myself as escort oh you're too true kind oh not at all I merely happened to be going to a wonderfully kind John oh Meg oh Meg do you really think so yes John am I too late am I too late I ran all the way Joe Joe child you're all out of breath you I look different don't I she's cut off all her hair oh Joe you look awful you look like a toothbrush well I don't care the man gave me $25 for it $25 oh your mother it's for the trip and March wouldn't Joe my dear dear Joe well what's everybody standing around for what are what are we all staring at I you well we got the money didn't we I well you don't think I mind about my they say the time fixes everything Joe's beautiful brown hair grew back in time and father March got well again and in time Meg forgot Joe's warning not to spoil things and said yes to John Brook and Joe began to feel a strange restlessness she had never known before I don't understand dear you want to leave us you want to go away all together it's not quite that mother it's oh mother would try to explain it to me Joe and I'll try to understand well Meg's gone now and at March has asked Amy to go to Europe with her for the summer it will be a wonderful opportunity for a man I know mother and and there really isn't enough for me to do around here mother anymore and I thought of going to New York New York oh now please don't start shaking your head mother no no your dear friend Mrs. Kirk is in New York and she's been writing and writing for someone to teach your children and and besides I'd be doing something to help and oh mother I've got to do something for the family or I shall simply die all right dear all right Joe I understand Joe went to New York and at first in the big unfamiliar city Joe was a stranger to everyone and everyone was a stranger to her and she was lonely but one evening as Joe was coming home from another of her visits to the newspaper editors she passed a certain door on the second floor of Mrs. Kirk's boarding house oh dear good evening oh you were you knocked for that oh no I mean it was my umbrella it knocked I see I was just going by and I happened to to stop for a moment your song was so pretty you are lonely lonely oh good heavens no I'm never lonely I I am new here yes I too am new here for land allow me professor bear of Vienna I'm here to teach and allow me I am Josephine March I am here to write oh so well I guess I'd better be getting upstairs I have so much to do so miss much yes perhaps some time when you have not so much to do you said that you write you will allow me to read the stories you write sometime when you're free oh you can read them right now you can read them right this minute don't you move now I'll be back in a second I don't see what is so funny I don't know what is wrong with those socks I mended them very well I think too well look these black ones mended with white wool and these blue ones with brown wool and these brown I never seem to have the wool and the socks together at the same time I can see that all your socks are a disgrace professor bear I'm sorry from now on I will mend them for you but you in return for the German you've been teaching me oh that I like I warn you I still know very little German and I warn you I have very many socks no no no well the editor of the weekly volcano seems to think it's pretty good in fact he says my stories are going over very well indeed then let me congratulate you that they go over thank you well what's wrong with everything everything the editor of the weekly volcano says it well what is wrong with it well the the characters are not from life one well they can do more exciting things that way that is true now let me see yeah here the vicious curse the editor of the weekly volcano says it's a stunning title I see here three murders one suicide two kidnappings one fire in the house one fire out of the house and and here the other one the curse of the Coventry's well the curse of the Coventry's paid the butchers bill at home and a phantom hand put down a new carpet and I expect the witches curse to send my sister Beth to the seashore for a month oh she isn't well oh forgive me no that's quite all right no I I'm not all right I'm all wrong and I'm stupid besides well I don't imagine you will ever want to talk to me again now I don't see why you should I wouldn't want to either that there might be somebody in New York more stupid than I but but I don't know who it is probably no but all right all right please don't look so mournful I forgive you you too you are very talented very kind very good very I am very hungry honestly I'll tell you what let us celebrate by having a wonderful dinner in a wonderful restaurant we will have music and wine and what's the matter when did this get here what this telegram it's for me I didn't see it here on the whole table oh no what is it what is the matter it's bad your little sister it says come at once that can't be bad you must get well you will know Joe I won't oh I want to I can't tell you how much I want to but every day I I lose a little more of life it's like the tide Joe when it turns it goes slowly but it can't be stopped oh no Beth you're too young I won't let you go I'll work and pray and fight oh there must be ways it can't be too late Joe you'll stand by father and mother I won't let you say such things oh I wish I could say I'm glad to go but I love life so please don't I don't know how to express myself and I shouldn't try to anyone but you Joe but I've just got to tell you this that all along I felt it was not intended I should live long no please don't stop me I'm not like the rest of you I never made any plans about what I do when I grew up I never thought of being married as you all did I couldn't seem to imagine myself anything but stupid little Beth trotting about at home of no use anywhere but there I never wanted to go away and the hard part now is leaving you all I'm not afraid but it seems as if I should be homesick for you even in heaven oh Beth Beth darling how am I to tell you what happened now by and by the needle with which Beth loved to embroider became too heavy and soon she put it down forever sometimes it seemed as though Joe would break down completely and so the spring days came and went the sky grew clearer the earth greener the flowers were up there and early and the birds came back in time to say goodbye to Beth and no one in the world seemed so alone as Joe was then why don't you try to write Joe writing always used to make you happy I've no heart to write mother perhaps if you just try it's no use nobody'd care for the sort of things I'd want to say now anyway we would your father and Meg and John and Amy and Laurie Joe yes mother I got a letter from Amy I know she met Laurie in Paris there well they said they're engaged I know Joe yes mother where you ever well did you if you're trying to ask me was I ever in love with Laurie mother no not Laurie not Laurie Joe mother please please I don't want to talk anymore I can't talk anymore the weeks went by spring turned to summer and summer to fall and winter came but nothing seemed to change with Joe despair seemed to have settled upon her and a loneliness but nothing seemed to shake and then it was Christmas again the whole family Amy and Laurie Meg and John father and mother were gathered in the parlor around the old-fashioned piano when there was a knock on the door Joe went to open it good good evening Miss March Frederick I mean Professor Bear am I intruding intruding oh you don't know how oh do come in come in but you seem to have a party maybe I'd better come back some other time oh no no no don't go I mean it's no party it's just the family do come in and meet them please you have been ill my friend ill you're so pale I'm afraid I've been sad but everything's going to be all right now and we have a new bride in the family new bride Miss March you are no not me my sister Amy she got married in Paris to our dear friend Laurie then you are yes Frederick Joe I I never dared to hope I try to stay away I Joe my dearest you are crying no I'm not Frederick I'm not crying at all I'm just just oh welcome home darling welcome home ladies and gentlemen I'll be back in a moment to tell you about next week's play but first an important message I know you will want to hear it doesn't matter whether your family is large or small if it's united by steadfast unselfish love it's far better able to withstand the stresses and problems of modern life and this is especially true when your family also shares a sincere love of God and lives as nearly as possible according to the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ tonight's tender and dramatic scenes from little women were chosen to show how one family found happiness and security through such a combined love in spite of being very poor in spite of a steady succession of illnesses accidents and other typical family tribulations today of course it's especially difficult to keep families together both physically and spiritually there are so many other things outside the family that are intriguing that tend to develop ever wider family separations but regardless of all the disturbing factors in our modern world families can be strong happy and secure within themselves when the entire family bases its operations on sincere devotion to each other and to God through the church if you and your family are members of some church you already know from your own experience that this is true if you're not church members may we urge you to find out for yourselves just how much strength and security you can get as a family and individually when you receive the kind of education and guidance that only the church and an experienced clergyman can give perhaps you will be able to find the help you need in the Episcopal Church you are always welcome at your nearest Episcopal Church and its clergyman is always ready and eager to give you whatever help you may require to help you know something about the Episcopal Church and how it offers you a faith with which to find security and happiness in these difficult times we are prepared an informative booklet called finding your way it will be sent to you promptly if you'll simply write your name and address on a postcard and mail it to the station to which you are listening I'd like to thank our cast for a most delightful performance and especially you Joan Caulfield for bringing the immortal Joe back to life again next week friends we shall present one of the most popular stories of all time Charles Dickens is thrilling a tale of two cities and here to play the role of Sydney Carton the man who gave his life for the woman he loved will be the well-known star of stage and screen mr. Brian Ahern I hope you'll join us and now an invitation from the Episcopal Church the Episcopal Church in your community cordially invite you to attend services this Sunday morning if you're not familiar with the location of your nearest Episcopal Church or of the hours of service you'll find both listed in your local newspaper or church directory your rector will be happy to have you join the Episcopal Church