 Ladies and gentlemen, the railroad hour. And here comes our star-studded show train. Tonight, the Association of American Railroads presents the premiere performance of the new Lawrence and Lee play with music, The Pirate of New Orleans, starring Gordon MacRae and his charming guest star Dorothy Warren Show. Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboff, and our music is prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon. Yes, tonight another musical first is brought to you transcribed by the American Railroads, the same railroads that bring you most of the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the fuel you burn, and all the other things you use in your daily life. And now, here is our star, Gordon MacRae. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Well, sir, we have a brand new operator for you tonight. Dorothy Warren Show will be the unforgettable Suzanne, and I shall be Jean Lafitte, the pirate of New Orleans. You are liens on the old Gulf Coast. There's a walk-in, talk-in, sing-in, go. If you throw a star in your hat, then move your feet, call the jam. You'll tell you, on nights when the fog sits on the river, and the moon is aching through the clouds, Jean Lafitte walks through New Orleans town, remembering the days he was a pirate king. Gentlemen, I propose a toast to the most daring, the most courageous, the most romantic bucket of you in the memory of man, my sir. Have we no majesty on Grand Air, Lafitte? Why should we have? Show me a man whose my equal dominique and I'll be modest. All we know about you is stories, Lafitte. Which is true? Well, it depends. What have you had? Is it true that you came from Guadeloupe, then moved to the town of Gumbo Soup? I've heard a lot of people speak, that you came from the Isle of Partidique. Perhaps. And your mercantile, like the king and queen, were guests of Madame Guillotine. Your username is Dominique, you see the way with your cut-off nose. There's not the whole thing of myself. There is sail and the wind and I sail, with a good glass of ale, I've never done, but we laugh with the raiders. Travel tonight, Lafitte. Is there a Spanish merchantman waiting to be relieved of its silver? No, Dominique. I'm traveling alone tonight. All of you will remain here on Grand Air. I alone will slip in the New Orleans. Is it safe, Lafitte? Governor Claiborne has set a price on your head. There are notices all over the city. I wish to read one of those notices and laugh at it. Also, tonight, I wish to dance. Dance? He's a masked great boy with a governor's mansion. I wish to hear the latest rumors about my closest friend, Marcel. I sure wear a mask and go in the disguise of a respectable citizen. How beautifully you dance, mademoiselle. Merci, monsieur. Won't you tell me your name? Ah, this is a night of disguises. Please. It is Suzanne Martin. Suzanne Martin. It rhymes. And your name, monsieur? Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of the world. With you and my arms, I feel like an emperor. Listen to the minuetes. How lovely it is. Yes. With your bait, hope it is all the rage you know on both sides of the Atlantic. Oh? If ever I leave this city, I shall think always of the coutiliers. Through the happy dancing hour. Lovely mademoiselle Suzanne. Would you come out to the balcony with me? One cannot refuse the request of an emperor. You have no idea how beautiful you look in the moonlight, even behind the alluring mask. Monsieur must certainly be an American, for they are the only people in the world who tell lies, almost as beautifully as Frenchmen. I am everything mademoiselle and nothing. I'm homesick. Boy, home I have never had. Oh? Have you listened to the city, Suzanne? Listen to it? Ah, the sounds of the river, the street glass. Don't put it away. There is an old Creole woman with a basket of berries, balanced on her head. The city is full of music. Even the chimney sweep sinks. You know I like to be a chimney sweep, Suzanne. Must be something like flying, a bird with dirty wings, in a very strange song. Is it you who live on love? A man would wish for a home in the city of music. Where is your home, too? The governor. Perhaps we better go inside and see what's happening. My friend, I wish to warn all of you to be on your guard. Jean Lafitte is somewhere here in New Orleans tonight. As you know, I have posted notices throughout the city offering a reward of $500, for the delivery of Jean Lafitte to the sheriff of the parish of Orleans. We look here. Alongside each of my notices, the scoundrel has posted this. I offer $1,500 for the delivery of Governor Claiborne to Grand Head. Signed Jean Lafitte. Mr. Governor. Yes, young man. Let me be the first to volunteer to lead a party to capture this devil. I thank you, young man. Do not go into the streets alone, ladies. I bid you good night, Suzanne. Be careful. Tell me, where can I find you? If by chance, some evening, assume the music and the moonlight lure me back to the city. Here, I am governor's to the governor's small son. Oh, governor's governor's. I like that. I will see you tomorrow night, Suzanne. For I have high doubts that I will succeed by then capturing a man as clever, as daring, as brilliant as Jean Lafitte. Good night, Mr. Sheriff. Until then, Suzanne, I offer a toast. To the sea we shall all... We'll return in a moment with the second act of the Pirate of New Orleans. In this America of ours, which depends so much on its vast system of transportation for both commerce and defense, which form of transportation do you think is most important? That was the question a well-known public opinion research organization recently asked men and women from all parts of the country. And as you might expect, most of them answered the railroads. I think as we all are these days of the importance of national defense. And it's obvious that only the railroads have the capacity to handle the tremendous transportation job involved in the long-distance mass movements of men and defense material. In World War II, for example, the railroads haul more than 90% of all war freight and 97% of all organized military travel. Equally important is the fact that our peacetime economy is built around the railroad freight train. Now, you may have heard it said in terms of transportation haul more tonnage than railroads. But the only way you could figure that is to leave out the all-important factor of the distance the freight is hauled. In other words, you would have to count a ton of freight moved one mile across town by truck. The same as a ton of freight moved clear across the country by railroad. Actually, of course, when you count both tons and the distance, those tons are hauled. You find, according to the figures of the Interstate Commerce Commission, the city freight transportation service as all the motor trucks put together. The railroads in fact moved more tons of freight more miles than all other forms of transportation combined and did it at charges which averaged far less than those of any other agency offering a general range of transportation service. Now, those facts are mighty important to you. Just imagine what it would be like if any considerable part of the freight that now moves over the privately owned steel highways of the railroads were to travel on the public highways you use and pay for with your tax dollars. And the more of America's freight that moves over the steel highways of the railroads, the less will be the cost of public highways and the greater will be your enjoyment and safety when you use them. Now, here is act two of the new Lawrence and Lee play with music the pirate of New Orleans starring Gordon Macrae as Lafitte and Dorothy Warrant-Scholl as Suzanne. A lot of stories about Mr. Jean Lafitte but this one we know is true because it's written down in the history books. Mr. Jean Lafitte you like the ex and so is I. Go to sleep, George, like a good boy. All right. Suzanne. How did you get in here? Through the window. A friend, George, a very nice man. I'm putting the boy to sleep. Suzanne. All right, George. Well, it's a wonderful story, George. All about the marvelous things you can see and hear once you sweep your cares away and start to dream. Now tell me a speaking story. You have had enough stories for tonight, George. Just one more. Let me. As George was about time, there was a pirate. A terrible pirate? Oh, very terrible. He seemed even like himself. And when at night he wished to sweep the dream path clear, he had no place to lay his head. He wished more than anything to belong someplace in a country or in a city in a parish. So he thought that if just once he could do a special favor for the people of a city, perhaps one day they might think of him as a fellow citizen. And he boys asleep. Yes. But I am suddenly awake, sir. What do you mean, Suzanne? How you told that story with the tears inside of you. Suzanne, I... You are la fit. Does it frighten you? No, but you must leave quickly before they find you here. Suzanne, I have defended burning ships at sea, island fortresses and ugly world of oceans. Suzanne, are you all right in there? Yes, governor. Please, climb out of the window quickly. They'll kill you. I thank you for your concern, Suzanne. Go to the door. Open it and let the governor in. No. Please, do as I say. The guard said he thought he saw a shadow and so I'm checking every room. La Fit. You're serving, Governor Clybourne. What are you doing in my house? The boy. Suzanne, you permitted this. There's a price on this man's head. There's a price on your head, too, Governor. It just depends on which poster you read. Five hundred dollars, really, Governor. For my head, it's hardly the price of a haircut. Just one moment, Governor. This morning at dawn, I was back on ground tear and I had a visit from the British. Commodore Patterson offered me thirty thousand dollars in gold. The captain seen the British Navy. If I would lead their ships into the Orient harbor. Are you here to bargain, La Fit? What do you want from us? Forty thousand and an admiral's braid? My men and I will join the American forces and aid you in repelling the invasion. All we ask is an act of oblivion for all that we have done up till now. I do not make bargains with pirates. Then I bid you good night. I shall exit the way I came. Bless you, Suzanne. What happened? Everything's all right, George. The story, go on with the story. How does it end? To this story, George, I am afraid there is no ending. Naturally, General Jackson, I refuse, Governor Claiborne. There might be situations where pirates could be right and governors could be wrong. I cannot imagine such a situation, General. You don't have to imagine it, Governor. It's happening right now. Communicate with La Fit at once. What? The United States government accepts his offer. Dominique, sing this song with your flag. We are flying. Fire! I have a communication from the President of the United States. I, James Madison, do proclaim a free and full pardon to every pirate who participated in the Battle of New Orleans and do declare they are citizens of the United States in the full enjoyment of their liberty. Welcome to the Victory Ball, Citizen La Fit. I thank you, Suzanne. Just listen to the music. I am certain no dance will ever replace the minuet. How good it is. Is that the feat for the high seas dancing with Mama Suzanne? Yes, the pirate. Imagine the insolence. Suzanne, I... Don't listen to them, Jean, please. No, I shall not make a scene, Suzanne. I shall not spoil the pretty picture of dancing hours, but I do not belong here. Come with me, Jean, out onto the balcony. No, Suzanne, it is no use. My friend, I cannot say to you what I feel. Perhaps I can tell you with music. Beautiful sentiment, Suzanne. But I do not belong here. Presidents may make proclamations, but I shall always be La Fit, the pirate. Where are you going? Back to the high seas. Dominique has an idea that perhaps we might rescue the great Napoleon from the island of St. Helena. I shall wander with the winds, Suzanne. No. The man is what he is. Perhaps someday I shall find a home. La Fit. Here's Dominique. Why do you stand here on deck and gaze across the water? What are you listening for? I don't know. Distant music, perhaps. A minuet, maybe? Cadillac. The face in the fog. The wail from the river. It's Mr. Jean La Fit. Citizen of New Orleans. Matthew Wanshell will be back in just a moment. Meanwhile, our thanks to Thoreau Ravenscroft, singer to Bill Conrad, who was Dominique Yu, to Herb Butterfield, William Johnstone, and Richard Beals into our entire company. The Pirate of New Orleans was written especially for the railroad hour by Lawrence and Glee. The railroad hour is brought to you each week at the same time by the American Railroads. Marvin? Next Thursday marks the 10th anniversary of the Army Transportation Corps, which directed the movement of the millions of soldiers and the millions of tons of freight they required, both in the United States and in World War II. And since the outbreak of war in Korea, the Transportation Corps is again moving men and materiel where they are needed when they are needed. The American Railroads, which worked closely with the Transportation Corps by providing dependable mass transportation service, proudly salute this youngest of the Army Technical Services on its 10th birthday. Dorothy, you were wonderful. What's on the show train next week, Gordon? Well, Lucille Norman will be our guest and we're going to recall the wonderful days of the American Railroads. The show is called Starlight. All aboard. Well, folks, it looks as though ready to pull out and so until next Monday and Starlight, this is Gordon Macrae saying good night. The railroad hour was transcribed in Hollywood. Gordon Macrae can be seen starring in Warner Brothers About Face. A choir is out of the direction of Norman Luboff and our music is prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon. This is Marvin Miller saying goodbye until next week for the American Railroads. Now stay tuned for your Monday Night of Music on NBC. Next, it's H.C.O. Pinza as guest of the telephone hour on NBC.