 Family Theatre presents Joan Leslie and Mel Blank. That work in cooperation with Family Theatre presents Mel Blank in The Adventures of Pinocchio. To introduce the drama, your hostess, Joan Leslie. Thank you, Joni LaFranco. 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 are 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. Tonight, Family Theatre takes great pleasure in presenting The Adventures of Pinocchio, starring Mel Blank as Pinocchio. It's upon a time an old wood carver named Gepetto was given a strange piece of wood that seemed almost alive. So Gepetto decided to carve it into a little wooden puppet. They know this story, Joni. Come on, let's have some action. One morning, in his humble cottage, Gepetto assembled his carving tools and started to work. Oh, me! This is the liveliest piece of wood I ever worked on. I think I'll call this little puppet Pinocchio. What's that? Did I hear somebody laugh? How could that be? I'm all alone here. I do believe it's this piece of wood that's laughing. Perhaps my knife is tickling its ribs. A whole still bit of wood stopped wiggling. There now, all finished. Hello, Pinocchio. Well, imagine that, a talking wood carver. Hello, you funny old man. Whoever carved you out sure made a mess of it, didn't he? Why, you ungrateful little rascal. I'll box your ears for that. Oh, yeah? You'll have to catch me first. Hey, Pinocchio, come back here. Pinocchio! Well, what do you know? I haven't been born five minutes and I'm running away from home already. Halt. Halt in the name of the king. Uh-oh. There's a big soldier in the middle of the road. He's going to try to stop me. Watch me run right between his legs. Block. Notre Dame could use you, big boy. I told you to stop, didn't I? Come here. Hey, hey, let go of my snoop. That's a nose yard bird. Not a handle. Shut up, kid. Hey, mister, does this jumping jack belong to you? Yes, he does. That's my little Pinocchio. I'm here, you little scamp. I'll teach you to run away. Ow! So you keep hitting me like that, and you know what you're going to get? No. What? Splinters. Hold on there. Little boy, does your father mistreat you? Oh, yes, he does. He beats me all the time. What? He hits me. He kicks me. Oh, it's more than flesh and blood can stand. It's a good thing I made out of wood, ain't it? What do you say to that, old man? Are you mean to this little kid? Oh, no, I must say, I love the little tyke. Oh, he does not. Why, Mr. Soldier, less than five minutes ago, he was standing over me with a great big knife. That settles it. Run along home, little boy, and I'll take your cruel father to jail. Come with me, sir. Oh, please, don't put me in jail. Pinocchio, tell him the truth. Take him away! The cottage and eat all the food now to make a home run. Kettle a soup on the fire. Watch me dive into that. Oh, what do you know? The fireplace and the kettle are just painted on the wall. I've been cadoodled. Who's laughing at me? I'll come out, but I can't fight like a man, because I'm a crickety. Imagine that, a talking cricket. Well, who let you in? Nobody. I've been in this house for a hundred years. Well, spindle shanks, your lease is up. Beat it, scream, blow. Very well. But before I go, let me tell you one thing. Okay, but make it snappy. Little boys who run away will surely live to rue the day. Well, you aiming that crack at me? Well, Pinocchio, if the shoe fits, wear it. Listen, you puny little squeaking bug. One more chirp like that, and I'll throw this hammer at you. That's just what a little boy like you would do. That doesn't. Uh-oh. I can throw straighter than I thought I could. Well, that's life, I guess. One minute you're a bug, the next minute you're just a spot on the wall. Say, now I've got to find some food in this dump. Nothing in there. Nothing in there. Nope, nothing in there. Not even a crumb in there. Empty, empty, vacant. Say, this must be your mother Hubbard's cupboard. Oh, the poor little talking crinket was right. I've been a wicked little boy, and now I'm being punished for it. Oh, if I can only find a bit of food, I promise never again. Boy, that just came in time, didn't it? Who's there? It is I, Iguepeto. Oh, papa, papa, my dear, dear, Dowdy. Oh, there Pinocchio, my little one. Oh, how happy I am to see you. And am I glad to see you, papa. I'm starving. Here, I brought you three pears. Is that all, just three little old pears? Well, okay. Go ahead and peel them. Peal them? I thought you were starving. I am, but I don't like the pealings. Hey, and take the cores out of them, too. Remember, you whittled me out, so you got to take care of me. Very well, Pinocchio, but I'll tell you this. If I had that chunk of wood to carve over again, I would have made a footstool out of you. Well, Pinocchio, you've been here a week now, and you're beginning to be a better boy. That's because you've been so kind to me, papa. Every day and every way, I'm going to be gooder and gooder. Uh-uh. Careful now. Don't promise what you may not be able to do. Oh, but I will be a good boy, papa. And I'll go to school, and I'll learn how to read and write, and then I'll make a lot of money, and then I'll find new coat to take the place of the coat you sold to get me this nice spelling book, and I, you know, your long-winded little rascal. There's the school bell, Pinocchio. Oh, is that what that noise is? It's gruesome, isn't it? Well, guess I'll have to go to school. Goody-goody. Run along, Pinocchio. Well, quit shoving me. I'm going, ain't I? Take care of your nice new spelling book. Oh, I will, papa. You sold your coat to get it for me, and I'll be very careful of it. Pinocchio, or you'll be late. Trying to get rid of me, huh? Well, okay, pop. A dollar, a red dollar, I'm gonna be a scholar. See, what's going on here? Looks like some kind of a show. Right this way, ladies and gentlemen, all the great puppeteers. They talk, they move, they sing, they dance just like real people. Imagine that. Puppet's talking like people. That I gotta see. This way, folks, all the world's greatest puppeteers in the show, only Tuppet's admission. Oh, mister, I hadn't got Tuppets. What? Well, what do you know? A talkin' puppet. My boy, I want you to join my show. Oh, no, mister, I promised my dear papa I would go to school. I am a good little boy, and all the money in the world wouldn't induce me to break my promise. How much? Five gold pieces every week. I'll take it. Ooh, thank you, mister. Oh, boy, I'll soon be home and won't papa be happy with these five gold pieces. Greetings, Pinocchio. How do you do? May we have a word with you? Hey, who's calling me? Who is calling? A plague and a pox. It is only I, a poor lame fox. Well, what do you know? A fox talking. And a lame fox at that. Who's your friend, Mr. Fox? This is Mr. Cat. He is blind. Oh. Yes, indeed. Oh, have pity on me, sir. Poor fox and a blind cat. That ain't that too bad. Where are you going, Pinocchio? And what have you there, as if I didn't know? Well, I'm going home to my dear papa Gepetto, the woodcarver. And I'm taking him all this money. Oh, goodness, five gold pieces. Oh, Mr. Cat, how do you know there's five gold pieces here? You can't see, remember? Oh, yes, of course, I can't see, but I can smell the money. And it smells like five gold pieces. It does? Let me see. You've got a better smeller than I have. Pinocchio, how would you like to take home to your papa not five gold pieces but a bushel of them? Oh, that'd be wonderful, but how can I do that? Closer, my boy. I shouldn't reveal this to a living soul, but you are my friend. Berry, those five gold pieces in the field of miracles. And a tree will rise up with 10,000 gold pieces on every branch. How many branches? 100,000 branches. Wow, let's see, that's 1,700,000 simoleons. Say, where is this field of miracles? Walk straight down this road for two full days and you will come to the field at the parting of ways. Yeah, we'll meet you there, little boy, and show you where to bury your money. Oh, goody, goody, I'll start right now. Every minute I stand here, I'm losing money. So long, Foxy and Catsey. I'll see you at the field. Oh, you know what? My goodness, what a pretty road this is. Listen to the birdies sing. Well, I've been walking for a day and a half now. I must be nearly there. Stop, halt, stand where you are. Oh, look, robbers. Two men in long cloaks with masks over their faces. Oh, they're after my money. Oh, where'll I hide it? Oh, I know, I'll put it in my mouth. We've got you surrounded, little boy. Now, hand over those five gold pieces. Where are they? Oh, he's got them in his mouth. Uh-uh, where have I heard that voice before? Hand over that money or we'll take it from you. Oh, yeah? You'll have to catch me first. Oh, I'm all in. I can't run another step. And the robbers are still after me. Oh, I hope there's somebody living in this house. Robbers are after me. Who are you? I'm a child with blue hair. Let me in quick. I've got you now. Ah, this time you are... I see a beautiful angel bending over me. No, you're not dead, Pinocchio. You're safe inside this house. Oh, you're the girl with the blue hair. Hon, you, it looks good. Say, don't tell me you chased away those robbers. Yes, I rescued you. You see, I'm a fairy princess. Oh, I'm glad to know you. I'm Pinocchio, the smart little dummy. Pinocchio. Why were those robbers after you? Oh, they wanted my money, but they didn't get it. And where is your money? Uh-uh, a gold digger. I, uh, I lost it. Oh, look, my nose is growing longer. Of course. Every time you tell a lie to a fairy princess, your nose grows longer. Now, where did you lose the money? Well, uh, uh, in the woods. Wow. My nose is three feet long. Oh, uh, fairy princess, I didn't lose the money in the woods after all. I, uh, well, uh, I swallowed it. Oh, my goodness, my nose is 20 feet long. Oh, if you make my nose short again, I'll be the best little boy you ever saw. Very well, Pinocchio. I'll conjure up some woodpeckers and put them to work. Bluebell, peckers, chop down this little boy's nose. I'm not so snooty anymore. Now, let that be a lesson to you. Oh, I've learned my lesson, little fairy. You saved me from the robbers and from my own wickedness, too. I love you very much. And I love you, too, Pinocchio. You may stay here in this cottage and be my little brother. Oh, goody-goody, I sure will. No, no, no. I forgot about my poor papa. I gotta go back to him. No, you don't, because your father is on his way here. Boy, you can do anything, can't you? May I run out and meet my papa? Yes, but don't get lost. Oh, not me. I'm Pinocchio. And Pinocchio never gets lost. Any minute now, I'll see my dear papa. Oh, I hear somebody coming. We meet again, Pinocchio. Oh, is that you, Papa? I cannot tell a whopper. I am not your papa. Oh, it's you again, the lame fox. You're limping on the wrong leg. The blind putty-tad. Ah, well, Pinocchio. Oh, thank you. I, yeah, wait a minute. How do you know I'm looking well? I, uh, Mr. Fox sold me. Oh, oh, suspicious old me. Pinocchio, my lad, the field of miracles is right across the road. Have you still got your gold coins? Yeah, but it's a wonder. You know, two robbers tried to hold me up. Oh, how terrible. Yeah, one was about as tall as a fox, and the other robber was about as small as a cat. Uh, you don't know them, do you? Sounds no. Well, here we are. This is the field of miracles. Oh, boy, where do I plant my gold pieces? Right here. Dig a little hole, plant your gold, then go away. Go away? What for? I mean, so the magic tree can grow. Oh, that's right, I forgot. A watch tree never grows. But when I come back, I'll find a big tree here with thousands of gold pieces on every branch. That's right, Pinocchio. Oh, boy. There now. They're all planted. Well, let's go. Oh, we can't go with you, Pinocchio. We're going to the seashore for a little vacation. Uh, that is it. If we can dig up enough money to pay for it. Well, I sure hope you can. Well, goodbye, Mr. Fox and Mr. Cat. You're certainly going to do me good. My papa was right. When you do a good deed for somebody, it makes you very happy. But those two guys seem to be overdoing it a little. Oh, maybe this isn't the place. This is the place, all right? Hey, who's talking to me? I am. You remember me? The talking cricket? The talking cricket? But I killed you. Bad little me. And now I'm the ghost of the talking cricket? Imagine that, a talking ghost. Say, did you see a big tree full of gold pieces around here? No, but I did see the fox and the cat sneak back here and dig up some little boys' money. Oh, no, they wouldn't do that. They... Or would they? Let me see. The money's not here. The little boys who ran away will surely live to rue the day. I believe you now. I've been horn-swoggled. I've been flimflam. I've been rob. Three months in jail. Imagine that, a talking dog. Oh, boy, that'll fix it. Why don't you make it six months? Very well, six months in jail for you. Me? Yes. In this town, it's a crime to be stupid, and you're lucky if I don't give you life. Take him away. Next case. Hey, wait a minute. I'm Pinocchio. You can't do this to me. Six months, I've been away. What kind of a story can I tell a little fairy with blue hair? Oh, am I kidding? I gotta tell her the truth or get a 20-foot nose. Well, if I gotta, I gotta... A little fairy! Nobody home. That's funny. See, what's that marble stone over there? It wasn't there before. I'll go find out. Oh, no. Here lies the child with the blue hair who died from sorrow because she was abandoned by her little brother Pinocchio. Oh, little fairy, why did you die? Why didn't I die instead of you? My home's so wicked. Well, you were so good. My poor papa. Where can he be? Now that I lost both you and my papa, who'd take care of me? Oh, poor, poor Pinocchio. Come here, child. What are you doing there? I'm crying. That's what I'm doing. What do you know? A talking pigeon. Ain't there no dumb animals in this place? My name is Pouter the Pigeon. Oh, hello, Pouter Pigeon. I know your brother, Walter. I'm looking for a puppet named Pinocchio. Well, if I see him out there, hey. That's me. I'm Pinocchio. Do you know a man named Gepetto? Well, I ought to. He's my papa on my father's side. Where is he, Mr. Pigeon? Oh, he's far, far away on the seashore. What's he doing there? He's building a boat. He's hunted you all over the land. Oh, my poor pup. I must get to him as fast as I can. Are you a carrier, Pigeon? No, no, no, but I'll fly you there anyway. Hop on. Oh, thank you, Mr. Pigeon. Okay, I'm ready for the take-off. Hang on. Here we go. Wow, this bird's got rockets in his pocket. On to the seashore, Pigeon. Give her the gun. Good ride, Mr. Pigeon. You're welcome. I'll be showing you, pal. Now, where's my dear papa? Oh, I see him in a little boat, way, way out in the ocean. Papa! Oh, papa! Come back! Pinocchio! Pinocchio! Help! Oh, dear. The waves are washing him out to sea. I'll save you, papa. I'll save you here I come. Oh, I've been swimming for five days, and I still haven't caught up with my poor papa. Where is he? I think he went that way. Who said that? Oh, my goodness, a talking tuna. Even fishes can talk. Well, if puppets can talk, why can't fishes? Hey, you got a good question there, Bob. But answer my question first. Where's my papa? He's the man in the little boat. He went in that direction, but I hope he hasn't been swallowed up by the giant dogfish. Was there a giant dogfish around here? I'll say there is. He's as big as a five-story house, and he can swallow a railroad train. Now, wait a minute. If you don't believe me, look behind you. Here he comes. Help! Help! Help! It's dark in here. Where am I? You're inside the dogfish, Pinocchio. Oh, hello, Mr. Tuna. Did he swallow you too? Yeah, Pinocchio. We're heading for the last roundup. Oh, this is awful. My papa didn't raise his boy to be a dogfish's breakfast. Well, that's who we are. Well, I hope we give him heartburn. Hey, listen. Somebody's beating a drum. Do they expect us to march down? That's not a drum, Pinocchio. We're going by the dogfish's heart. Wow. Is that the old boy's heart? Sounds more like King Solomon's minds. They were coming too. The cave is the stomach, but I don't know what the light is. I see what it is. It's a candle stuck in the bottle, and the bottle is on the table. And there's a man sitting in a chair reading a paper. Say, this fish has got people in his stomach. Hey, hey, mister, is this where we catch the main street bus? Pinocchio. Oh, it's my papa. Oh, yes. Oh, my dear little Pinocchio. Imagine meeting you here. Yeah, the dogfish swallowed me five days ago. Pull up a chair. How've you been? Who's your friend? Oh, this is Mr. Tuna. Mr. Tuna shake fins with my papa. His name is Egipeto, the woodcarver. How do you do, sir? Welcome to Tummyville, Mr. Tuna. Pinocchio, how did you get here? Oh, we just followed the swallows. Oh, come on, papa. With that candle to light the way, we can find our way back. Yeah, but how can we get out of the dogfish's mouth? Easy, papa. He's got palpitation of the heart. He has to sleep with his mouth open. Come on, Mr. Tuna. Papa, everybody run and jump into the ocean. Last one in may lose a chunk of skin. Wake up! Is it morning already? Yes, and a very special morning, my son. You know something, papa? Being good is more fun than being bad. And you know, papa, I had the most wonderful dream last night. The little fairy with a blue hair came to me and told me because I'd been such a good little puppet, I'd soon turn into a real little boy. It was more than a dream, Pinocchio. Stand up and look in the glass. Okay. Say, who's that funny looking little gink? Wait, it's me. I'm a real little boy. Oh, little fairy with blue hair. Wherever you are. Thank you. Thank you. You gave me life. I gave you nothing, Pinocchio. You gave yourself the gift that made you real. An understanding heart. Goodbye. And God bless you, little boy. A few years back, I was motoring high in the mountains and came to a narrow turn with steep walls on either side. For a moment, all my attention was concentrated on guiding the car. Then suddenly, on the other side of the pass, the road swiftly broadened and I saw the whole sweep of a valley with rolling hills and a little town set like a jewel in the center. It was just before sunset and all the roofs were purple and the window panes flashing golden fire. I pulled to the side of the road, shut off the motor and watched. It was the sudden change from narrow vision to expanded beauty that made my mind capture this picture and hold it ever since. You know, becoming a mother is something like that. You can read about it, talk about it, even write books about it, just brim full of words. But the experience is quite beyond the span of words. The difference between narrow vision, a mountain pass, and the expanded beauty of the valley. Since my twins arrived, my world has been expanded just like that. And in this expanded world of mine, I'm finding out what a useful tool prayer is. All my thanks, my hopes, my dreams would be but empty sounds, but not for prayer. You can be sure that after Patrice and Ellen learn how to say, Dadda and Mama, I'm going to teach them to say, Our Father who art in heaven. At our house, in our home, Dr. Bill and I know the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Family Theater has brought you Mel Blank in The Adventures of Pinocchio. Joan Leslie was your hostess. Others in the cast were Francis X Bushman, Alan Reed, Howard McNeer, Junius Matthews, Marion Richmond, Jim Nussar, Antonio Dare. The script was adapted by Harry Lawrence, with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman, and was directed for Family Theater by Joseph F. Mansfield. 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 will present Bob Hope and Jean Cagney in the Long Way Round. Join us, won't you? Sure, as broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network, The Mutual Broadcasting System.