 Mother, is Maxwell House really the only coffee in the world? Well, your father said so, and your father knows best. Yes, it's Father Knows Best transcribed in Hollywood starring Robert Young's father. A half-hour visit with your neighbors, the Andersons, brought to you by America's favorite coffee, Maxwell House. The coffee that's always good to the last drop. Here's a review of the weather in Springfield. Snow today, snow yesterday, snow the day before. It's getting pretty deep, especially around the White Frame House on Maple Street. This evening, the thermometer on the Andersons' front porch shivered down to zero. Icicles rubbed frosty shoulders on the eaves, and the snowman in the front yard settled down for a long winter night. It's the kind of night when a fella just can't wait to get home to family and fireside. That's why Jim Andersons is heading toward Maple Street at full speed, head down holding his hat and kicking up snow with every step, like this. If I ever get home, I'll never go outside again. Three more blocks. Is that you, Mr. Andersons? Oh, hello, Hannigan. Frosty night tonight, Mr. Andersons. Yeah, frosty night. How's all the family, Mr. Andersons? Oh, they're fine. How's yours? Oh, fine as can be. Don't be long before my oldest lad will be stepping into the police force just like his father. Glad to hear it, Hannigan. I passed your house a moment ago, and there was your lad, Bud, out shoveling the front walk. He's a good worker. You're a smart father, Mr. Andersons. Yes, sir, teaching your young ones the working ways. As I always say to mine, it's the toil of the two hands brings the blessings of life. Yes, that's right. Well... I'm sorry to rush you off, Mr. Andersons, but you know you're holding up an officer on duty. I'll be talking to you later when I have more time. Oh, thanks. Best regards to the family. And same to you, Hannigan. Fine time to chitchat. I don't know why I always run into him when I'm in a hurry. I think I've frozen a couple of toes. Hi, Mr. Andersons. Oh, hello, Billy. Mr. Andersons. I can't stop to talk, Billy. Have you seen Betty? Billy, I haven't been home yet. I'm on my way home now. I'd appreciate it very much if you could... She was supposed to call me this afternoon. If I live long enough to get home, I'll have her call you. She isn't home. I'll have her call you anyway. Goodbye, Billy. Could she still be at school? That's where she is at school. I call the school. She wasn't there. Try again. Maybe you got the wrong number. I tried twice. It was the right number. Try again. Maybe you got the wrong school. Mr. Andersons. Billy, I have to keep moving. Maybe she's over at Janie Liggetts. Yes, that's probably where she is. Are you in a hurry, Mr. Andersons? No, I only want to get home before I become part of the scenery. $2.50 makes $2.50. He's standing down in the corner. Three, three and a quarter. Where? Down by the tree. He's bending over. That's the mailbox. Mom, did you find a quarter anyplace? It looked like Daddy. I can't hear you, bud. Did you take a quarter off my dresser's squirt? Here he comes. I found it. That's three and a half. Margaret, I'm home. Bud, Daddy's home. I heard him. Hello, dear. Hi, kitten. Hello, bud. Hello, Daddy. Hi, Dad. What a night that wind goes right through you. I'm glad you're home, dear. Hello, honey. Nearly froze my feet making polite conversation. Dad. Down by the radiator, dear. Daddy. Cars stranded all along Main Street. Snowplow broke down. The paper says more snow tonight. Dad. Hex Smith couldn't start his car this morning. Daddy. Had to boil water to throw out the antifreeze. Dad. It keeps up like this. I'm going to... Dad. Bud, what do you want? I want to talk to you. Why didn't you say so? Me, too, Daddy. Come out in the kitchen when you're finished, dear. Dad. I'm listening, Bud. My ear is right here. A little frost on it, but it's working fine. Can we get paid now, Daddy? Pay. Our jobs, Dad. You said I'd get 50 cents if I shoveled the snow off the front walk. Oh, yes. I want to discuss that. I earned my 10 cents. I cleaned all the ashes out of the fireplace. Very good, kitten. Bud, about the... Cathy. Yes, Mommy? Did you track ashes across the dining room, Rugg? Two quarters will be all right, Dad. Now, wait. I couldn't help it, Mommy. Five dimes would be all right. Just a minute. Bud, you shoveled the snow off the front walk all right, but why did you stop at the driveway? Driveway? The sidewalk is clear. The driveway has two feet of snow. What are the pedestrians supposed to do? Tunnel through? You didn't tell me to clear the driveway. I didn't leave any ashes in the fireplace. No, you left them on the rug. Why didn't you sweep them up? Nobody told me to. Cathy, what did you carry the ashes in, a sifter? No, it was an orange cray. I did what you told me to do, Dad. I know you did, and so did Cathy. But the point is, and this is something you must remember, if you're going to be successful, you must always do a little bit more than you're expected to do. Why? Because that's the way you get ahead. Look at me. This afternoon, I spent an hour plowing through the snow to call on a prospect. Some people might have stayed in a warm office and called him on the phone. Not me, I went out there. Did you sell him insurance? Uh, no. But that's not the point. In the long run, it pays off. It's that extra effort doing just a little more than is required of you that brings success. In the living room, Betty. Have I made myself clear, bud? Sure, Dad. Cathy? I guess so. Hello, Father. Hello, Betty. Hi, Mr. Anderson. Oh, hello, Billy. I see you've found her. Yeah. Well, this looks like a delegation of two. What am I in for now? Well, my sorority's having a sleigh ride Friday night. We're going out to the lodge at Cook's Crossing for supper, and we'd like you to be a chaperone. What? Sleigh ride party in weather like this? You have to have snow for a sleigh ride, Mr. Anderson. Snow, yes, but it's cold. You won't get horses out in this weather. You'll have to use reindeer. Father, it'll be fun. That's fun? Freezing to death on a pile of hay? Nobody ever froze to death on a sleigh ride. I was always the first time. Bud, where are you going with the snow shovel? Out to shovel snow. That's logical, I guess. Hello, Mother. Hello, dear. Good evening, Mrs. Anderson. Hello, Billy. I thought I heard your voice in here. Mother, the sorority's having a sleigh ride Friday night, and we want Father to be a chaperone. Well, I guess he's old enough. Betty, isn't it enough that I pay your tuition at college, pay your sorority dues without being a chaperone in the bargain? No, Jim. Father, we had a special reason for asking you, didn't we, Billy? Sure. For what special reason would you want me to chaperone a sleigh ride? Did you decide that I'd freeze faster than anyone else? Well, Father, it's because you always like to do more than just what's required of you. That's your reputation, Mr. Anderson. It is? Your father's probably wouldn't do it because it's beyond the line of duty. Well... Oh, go ahead, Jim. Excuse me. Kathy, what are you doing on the floor? I'm picking up ashes. You'll do it, won't you, Father? Oh, all right. Here's the permit from the college. The chaperone has to sign it, right here. Here's a pen. We'll get your old raccoon coat out of the attic, and your long woolen sock. Betty, hold the paper still. Lift your foot up, Daddy. There's ashes under it. I wonder if we still have your red stocking cap. Do you mind if I put the other one down first? Here's your pen, Billy. Thanks. I knew you'd do it, Mr. Anderson. You're a solid citizen. If it's this cold Friday night, I will be. Well, I've got to go home, Betty. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, everybody. Good night, Billy. Good night, Billy. Betty, how many will be going on this sleigh ride? About 28. 14 boys and 14 girls. 28. Your mother and me makes 30. Wait. Who said I was going? Bud and Kathy makes 32. Can I go? But, Father. But, Jim, I'm not invited. Yes, you are. I invited you. I'll have to take Bud along to help with the equipment. That leaves nobody to stay with Kathy. So we'll take her along. Not Kathy. We're going on. It's out in the driveway, Kathy. Father, it is really necessary. I mean, you don't have to go. Now, wait a minute. The college only requires two sponsors for the sleigh ride. And we already have two faculty members going along. You don't have to go. A minute ago, you were twisting my arm to get me into this. Now I'm being pushed off the sleigh. I don't see it either. If it isn't necessary for your father to go, why did you want him for chaperone? Well, the truth is, we had to get someone to provide the food. Oh. Father, you can't ask your professor to buy 25 quarts of oyster stew. Oh, no. But what about this permit I signed? It says, I understand that as a sponsor, I am to expect the highest standard of conduct and any breach of conduct shall be reported. A sponsor agrees to be present at the beginning and to remain until the close of the social function. Unquote. Oh, that's just a form. They don't expect you to do all that. Betty, are you sure? Of course, Mother. Well, they may not expect me to do all that, but as I told Kathy and Bud, and as you reminded me, I'm the kind of a fellow who likes to do more than is expected of it. But Father! You're not going to sleigh ride, Bud. You asked Daddy. Kathy, stop waving the broom. Are we dead? Furthermore, I'm going to help out with the entertainment. We'll take the portable phonograph and some records. Do you have music during supper? Oh, no. They'll love it. I'll play over the waves while you eat your oyster stew. Jim. Afterwards, we can play run sheep run and spin the pan. This is my sorority. I'll be the laughing stock of the whole college. What's going on? I told you, it's a sleigh ride. Mother, please. Jim, why don't you take your name off the permit and just pay for the food? What food? Well, who are these two faculty members who are going along? Along where? You don't know them, Father. No, but I'd like to. Who are they? You can't get into this conversation. Manny Osborne, he's an associate professor of history and his date, Mary McCormick. She was president of the sorority last year. Oh, fine. Well, she's 21. A great pair of chaperones. Why don't you have Kathy and Bud? Jim, I've met Mr. Osborne. He's at least 25. A doddering old man. Don't you trust us, Father? It's not that I don't trust you, but there's simply no reason for a crowd of youngsters to go out to a lot... Hook's Crossing is a perfectly respectable place, Father. It's run by nice people. I don't care who runs it. These days, young people... Why do you say these days? Kids today are just as capable of thinking for themselves as you and Mother were when you were young. You and she went on sleigh rides and her father didn't go along. That was different. Jim, dear, be reasonable. I'm being perfectly reasonable. The last time Aunt Martha was here, she told me about a sleigh ride you went on, Father. I remember all about it. Your mother and I missed the ride home and her father had to come out in the bobsled and pick us up. Well, that would never happen to me. It makes no difference. I know these sleigh rides, and I'm going to chaperone this one, and that's final. Jumping creeper. Jim, there's no reason to get so upset. Who's upset? I remember our sleigh rides. We always had an older person with us. You, uh, really remember? Of course I do. Jim, that sleigh ride Aunt Martha told about... It was before we were married. You and I were stranded at the halfway house. We were, Jim. You and I never went to the halfway house. That was another girl. An old-fashioned sleigh ride. Wonderful. Yes, and even though Jim Anderson chaperone may not look forward to it quite as much as he did that night 20 years ago, the country's sleigh ride has certainly remained a well-loved American tradition. And down through the years, Maxwell House Coffee has grown to be as real and heartwarming a part of American living as the country's sleigh ride. In fact, in this nation of coffee lovers, our families buy and enjoy Maxwell House Coffee than any other brand at any price. Now, the reason our Maxwell House is chosen above all other coffees is for its wonderful good to the last drop flavor, and that flavor belongs to Maxwell House alone. You see, countless grades and varieties of coffee grow all over the world. But the Maxwell House people insist on the very choicest extra-flavor varieties. From the mountain plateaus of Latin America, they select fancy Manizales coffees for fragrant mellowness, superb medallins for extra-richness, choice bucaramongas coffees for fine, full body. In fact, Maxwell House buys more of these fine-flavor coffees than anyone else in the world. That's right, more than anyone. And only the Maxwell House people know how to blend these premium vintage coffees in just the right proportions to create that one and only good to the last drop flavor. If you haven't yet enjoyed that truly superb flavor, the flavor of coffee at its downright satisfying best, start serving our Maxwell House coffee this weekend. It's the one coffee that's always good to the last drop. The way to get ahead in this world is to always do a little more than is expected, a worthy principle well expressed by Jim Anderson. He's done considerably more than Betty expected him to, and is he getting ahead? Well, slowly. It's Friday night and in the kitchen Jim is directing last-minute preparations for a snowy trek to Cook's Crossing Lodge. Like this. I have everything in the car, Margaret. Did you get the extra blanket? I have extra everything. Jeannie and the gang are outside. We're leaving, Father. We'll be there waiting for you when you arrive. Goodbye. Why can't we go on the sleigh? I've locked all the doors. Where's Bud? I'm here just waiting. Why can't we go on the sleigh? There isn't room, Kathy. Can we go now? Well, do we have everything? We're ready, Margaret. I know the things you need for a sleigh ride. So I've been told. Margaret, please. We've all been ready for 20 minutes. The motor of the car is running. If you don't hurry, we'll be out of gas. Well, what are you standing here for? Why aren't you in the car? We're waiting for you. I've been ready for half an hour. Let's go. Get in the car. Come on, Bud. I get to sit next to the window. You're sure we have everything, Jeannie? Yes, Margaret. I have checked. We have everything. Just get in the car. Be sure the door is locked. It's locked. All right. Let's... What's the matter, Jeannie? My, uh, house keys. What about the keys? I left them upstairs on the dresser. Oh, Jim. Bud! Yes, Dad? You've been sitting around doing nothing. We've had to do everything. Now, help me get a window open. We have to get the house keys. Dad, I've got the keys in my pocket. Can you see anything out there, Dad? I can see the front fender. Why couldn't we go in the sleigh with Betty? I told you, Kathy, there wasn't room. Darn windshield wipers. Jim, do you have to drive with your head out the window? No, I wouldn't have to if we had radar. Kathy had to take the wiper blades off this afternoon and wash them. There was nothing wrong with that. No, but she dried them over the stove. It's like scraping the windshield with a pair of pretzels. I only tried to help. I told you to wash the windshield, not the wipers. You said we should do more than we were asked to do. Are we still on the road? Let me get my head out of here. You're getting snow in your ears, Daddy. What? You're getting snow in your ears. I'm getting it in my eyes, too. Jim. Can't see a thing. Jim. Why don't I get my head in? Why don't you roll the window clear down, Dad? It's snowing, bud. Jim, was it Dorothy Sharpe? Who? The girl you took on the sleigh ride that night. Margaret, I'm trying to navigate through a snowstorm. I can't think about something that happened 20 years ago. What difference does it make who she was? I just wondered. Of all the silly things. Some girl I knew when we were kids. When will we get there, Daddy? At the rate we're going, we'll be right on time for the summer festival. He was kidding, knucklehead. The sleigh probably made cooks crossing a half hour ago. You don't have to worry, Jim. Betty has the food. I'm not worrying about the food. Relax, dear. I'm sure we'll be there in time to start everybody home. We won't leave any couples to be picked up later. Betty said you got left once. How'd it happen, Daddy? Well, this young lady and I were in the kitchen doing the dishes, and nobody in the crowd told us they were leaving. Just you and the young lady doing dishes? Yes. What young lady? Holy cow. Let's just drop the subject, Kathy. Let her ask all the questions she wants. I have nothing to hide. There's a crossroad, Dad. Slow down. I'll read the sign. Kathy. Westbrook, three miles. I know where we are. That's the river road. Exactly a quarter of a mile ahead, the road turns right. Are we almost there, Daddy? Snow's getting thicker. We'll have to mark off a quarter of a mile on this pedometer. What's wrong with the speedometer? It says we're going 92 miles an hour. You'll get a ticket, Daddy. Speedometer's stuck. Everything on the dashboard is stuck. What in the name of Caesar? It should work. I adjusted everything on the dashboard. Oh, brother. I should have hidden a screwdriver. All I asked you to do was wipe it off. I just tried to do a little extra, Dad. No speedometer, no nothing. But start counting the telephone poles. They're 150 feet apart. When we get to eight, that's where we turn. Okay, Dad. One. Are we almost there, Daddy? Don't breathe down the back of my neck. Jim. Two. Yes, Margaret. Was the girl from out of town? Girl? Oh, Margaret. What does it matter who she was or where she came from? Three. I can count on the fingers of one hand the girls outside of you that I had more than one date with the whole time I was in college. Oh, I believe you, dear. Well, there was Ellen King. How many times did I go out with her? Four. Just once. I'm counting telephone poles. Then there was Clara Harkness. We're not with her once. It was twice, Jim. There were about four girls. You had three dates with Doris Hale. Well, what if it was three? What if it was five? What if it was 15? Where was I? That's lost. Are you counting, bud? I got mixed up. Oh, no. Now we... Oh, hold on. Oh, what happened? Nothing, nothing at all. The road turned and we didn't. But I told you to count the poles. I was till you started counting girls. Now we're stuck. Margaret, do something with that child. She only made a suggestion, Jim. Back up. What's behind us, bud? Snow. Back up. If I can, let's get out. Lighten the car. Get going, not him. What do you want us to do, Jim? When I raise the motor, everybody push. Not in the back, first brain. Push on the front fenders. Ready? She won't budge. Turn around, Jim. I know, Margaret. Let me out. I have to get the jack out of the trunk. Put the blankets under the back wheels. Jim, not our good blankets. All right. But open the trunk. Okay. I'll hand things out. Here's the record player, Margaret. Here are the blankets. Oh, it's cold out here. Yeah, it's cold every place. Hold out your arms, bud. Here. I can't see over these blankets, Dad. Where's that darn jack? Dad. The slave probably got the cook's crossing. They've had supper. Dad. What, bud? We don't have a jack. What? Mr. Davis wanted to borrow a spark plug wrench. And I gave him the whole toolbox. Bud, you didn't. I did. I remembered what you said about... I'm cold, Dad. My ears are freezing. Well, we can't stand out here, Jim. All right. Get back in the car. What a night. How did I ever get into this fool's sleigh ride? Jim, Betty said you didn't have to come along. I wasn't worried. Of course, I haven't had your experience with sleigh ride. Must be miles to the nearest farmhouse. You stay with the kids, Margaret. I'll... Dad, here comes the slave. There are the horses. Thank heaven. What a stroke of luck. Hello there. That you, Mr. Anderson? Yes, I went off the road. Are you all right, Princess? I'll throw your rope, Mr. Anderson, hook it onto the bumper, and I'll pull you out. Great. Now, you see, Margaret, my plan for this is going to work out perfectly. We'll follow the slave to the lodge. We'll all have supper together. What happened, Father? We were worried about you. Just a little mishap, nothing serious. We'll be on our way to the lodge in five minutes. On our way? Father, we're going home. The party's over. Well, don't stand with your mouth open, Jim. You'll catch cold. And, Father, you know what all the girls said. They think you're the most wonderful chaperone we've ever had. The hearty good cheer in a fragrant cup of Maxwell House coffee. That's one pleasure most Americans will count on throughout the new year. For the famous good to the last drop flavor of Maxwell House has made it America's favorite coffee. And once you try our Maxwell House coffee, taste the rich full-bodied goodness of our blend. I'm sure you'll agree it's the best coffee you ever tasted. Then just count all the truly good cups you get from each pound. And you'll say Maxwell House is today's coffee buy. This weekend then look for the big white cup and drop on the familiar blue Maxwell House tin. Select the grind that's just right for the way you make coffee. Regular, drip or pulverized. Take home Maxwell House. The one coffee that's always good to the last drop. Well, the stars are shining brightly in Springfield tonight. The snow of last night lies clean, unwrapped. The smooth is the tide of life in the Anderson household. Ah, it's good to spend an evening at home. Catch up on some reading. I have some pleasant news, Jim. Oh? I called the lodge this morning to see if there were any extra charges for the party last night. No charges? That's good news. Not only that, but the caretaker said we had a lovely daughter. And it was the most well-behaved group he'd ever seen. I could have told him that. You see, all your worries were for nothing. When was I worried? Incidentally, I remember the name of that girl. The one you took on the sleigh ride was Mary Alton. Say that's right, it was. Wait a minute, how did you remember? I was on that same party with another bore. Oh? Who was he? Oh, um, it isn't important. Hey, what's your hurry? We're having coconut cream pie for supper. Your wife must love you to go to all that work. Why, it's no work with jello, coconut cream pudding and pie filling. You mean it? Sure. With a new jello, coconut cream pudding and pie filling, you just add milk and bring to a boil. Say, I'm going to get some for my wife. You get some, too. Jello, coconut cream pudding and pie filling for red-letter desserts. Join us again next week when we'll be back with Father Knows Best, starring Robert Young as Jim Anderson with Roy Boggy's Orchestra. In our cast, Verrota Williams as Betty, Gene Vanderpile, Ted Donaldson, Norma G. Nilsen, Sam Edwards, Pat McGeehan and yours truly, Bill Foreman. So good night and good luck from the makers of Maxwell House, America's favorite brand of coffee, always good to the last drop. Father Knows Best was transcribed in Hollywood and written by Paul West. Mr. Keen Tracer of Lost Persons brings you Mystery Tonight on NBC.