 Family Theatre presents Susan Hayward, Barry Sullivan, and Phyllis Thakster. From Hollywood, the mutual broadcasting system in cooperation with Family Theatre presents Highway East, starring Phyllis Thakster and Barry Sullivan. Susan Hayward will be your hostess. 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, Highway East, starring Barry Sullivan as Bill and Phyllis Thakster as Helen. I can't hear my own thoughts in this place. What's that honey? The music is too loud at this counter. It's kind of nice though. Never had music with breakfast in Korea. Or am I still there and dreaming all this? I can hardly hear you. Speaking of dreams, you know I get some bad ones when I think of you driving all the way out to Ohio to meet me. Something might have happened to you, huh? Ah, but now we're on our way home, so it was a beautiful idea. Hey, sister. And you're beautiful. Everything's beautiful even the music. The music is too loud. I want to hear your thoughts too. I like that music. I paid for it. So pass the salt, beautiful. Are you speaking to me? Yeah. Pass the salt, baby. Here. I should have asked you for the sugar. Sugar? Yes, for the salt, Mac. You got it. Now, eat your eggs politely and don't talk with your mouth full. Don't talk to my wife, period. You don't like it? No. I don't like sergeants. So what, soldier boy? Pipe down, Louis. Ah, like that take his little teeth apart. I said pipe down. Okay, boys. You gotta be polite, huh? But I like that. Let's go, Bill. Another thing, don't eat with your knife. Bill, come on, please. Well, his manners could stand a little improved. I have to protect my hero until I get him home. Do you know what I think about those two? Yeah, what? They're two gangsters. No, darling, they're probably poor but honest fathers. With diamond rings? Retired mess sergeants, baby. Crazy fool almost ran us off the road. Must have lost control. Helen, are you all right? I saw them. Those were the gangsters from the cafe. Honey, they're gone now. Poor but honest drivers, I suppose. So, Bill, I'm skinned. Don't worry, baby. They're away up the road and really flying. One more trick like that, you get out and walk. Ah, boss, I just gave them a little scare. Well, I don't want no trouble. Los Angeles police got one day maybe two before they get on my track. I want to pull into Chicago nice and quiet, see? Then let them look. We'll make shy to my easy. Uh, what are you slowing down for? Look at that, the motor's boiling. What's the matter with it? I don't know. It needs water, maybe. Uh, maybe we better stop and cool it off, huh, boss? No, not on the highway. Your lane brain get behind a bunch of trees near the road up there. I'm on a car right. I told a garage to... Hey, look, boss, here comes my soldier boy. What about it? Hey, what's behind him? A cop, a motorcycle cop out in this country. What do you know, he's stopping the soldier. Just a minute till I make out this ticket. Yeah, but officer, I wasn't going fast. I caught you going 70. You gotta watch it, bud. Oh, that's absurd. We weren't going fast at all. You argued out with the judge, lady. Just up the road, see, to a little service station on the left. The justice of the peace is inside. Well, it's a wonder you wouldn't try to catch those gangsters. Gangsters? I'll give you some insight, dope. That ain't my job. Two of them in a big green sedan and they tried to run us off the road. Yeah, gotta be careful. There goes a nice job of speeding for you. Let me run my business, bud. Those gangsters were going like anything, too. It seems to me... I'll tell you what. If I see them, I'll give them a ticket. How's that, huh? Well, save your nickels. I didn't like that cop's voice. I didn't fall in love with his choice of words, either. I mean, he wasn't a Westerner. He exaggerates like one. 70 miles an hour, golly. You know, there's a guy from Texas in my outfit. I've got a hunch that that cop is a gangster, too. Oh, my aching cold-plated back. Bill, did you hurt your back in Korea? No, darling, no, no. It's just all these gangsters, if yours. Don't you dare laugh. I think I would, but there's the place right up ahead. And nobody but nobody for miles around. Oh, how lonely it is. I'm not full of gangsters. I'm going in with you. Oh, this is some courthouse. A gas pump has an out-of-order sign on it. Front door is padlocked. Let's try this side door, huh? Anybody here? Right here, right here. Court's in session for your convenience. He doesn't look like a Westerner, too fat. Step right up, folks. The bar of justice is just a kitchen table, but nothing to be afraid of. I don't think... Quiet, quiet. Now, what have you two been up to, speeding? We weren't speeding, Judge. That motorcycle officer didn't look very honest to me. You weren't speeding? No, and besides, I don't think his uniform was very neat. Sweethearts, slow down. Careful, lady. Back to the uniform. The law might just compound your offense. And let's see the ticket. Soldier, huh? That's right, Your Honor. Yes, sir. Speeding 70 miles an hour. Well, you see... Shouldn't be in such a hurry to get home. Now, the lesson is worth $15 and $10 for court cause. The ninth won today, but I'm going easy because you're a soldier. This is absurd. 10, 15, 25. Can we go now? Yes, and drive carefully. If you want to make the highway as safe as a widow's garden. Then you better tell your motorcycle officer to catch those gangsters that are... Gangsters? Yes, gangsters, in a large green sedan, and they try to push us off the road. Seize to meet, you'll be watching out for things like that. Our car is too old to really speed. Your Honor, what is the speed limit here? It's what I think is safe, Bob. Oh. Now court's adjourned. Fooey. You said something, lady? She said we'd better be going. Come on, dear. I thought men in the wide open spaces would at least have a drawl or something. I don't know about that, but they still know how to hold you up. There's one thing I do know positively. You know everything. Thank you. Two things. This is getting to be a very expensive world, and I'm going back to a 40- or weak bank job. Oh, the bank will give you a raise. Maybe. If they make me a guard. On account I'm learning all about gangsters. Take it easy, Bob. I'll get some water. I'll step on it. I'll join it. Knucklehead forgets to put water in the radiator. I keep telling you, boss, it was a garage. What? There's that car behind us. I'll leave him so far behind. How far will you get with no water? Stop the car, brainless. I could let him have it, boss. Shut up. Let's see. I'll be a big, lazy man from the Chamber of Commerce coming back from big convention. You're my chauffeur, and I'll play it smart, Knucklehead. Well, well, well, the green sedan, huh? Yeah, copper. It's been green all day. You've been reported for reckless driving. A little complaint that you tried to sideswipe a car. Complaint, huh? You got any witnesses? We don't need any witnesses. Out here we take their word for it. You'll see a service station along the road on the left. You better drop in and see the judge. Here's your ticket. Say, uh, would 10 bucks... 10 bucks? You think you're in the city? Save your nickel's big shot and tell it to the judge. Hey, boss, let me... Get going, stupid. You really going to pay this legitimate boss? Sure, I don't want no trouble. Like I told you. Another malifact, huh? Well, malfeasance in this glorious stage is too rampant. Let's see the ticket. Here. What's the bill, Pop? No smoking in court. That's contempt. Sorry, Pop, just to have it. And the gold lighter. What racket have you got? Me? I'm with the Chamber of Commerce. I'm a big convention man. How much, Pop, I'm in a hurry. Chamber of Commerce, you say? With nothing but law-abiding troubles on your mind, I suppose. Gold lighter, new Cadillac, and a roll of bills. Oh, it's easy, Pop. How much you want? Riding a lucky streak. And it's gone to your head. Well, it's no hair off my head, but I gotta laugh. Some of you dumb clerks do get lucky. You don't beat the law with luck. You gotta be smart. And that's not enough. You gotta have the hoodlum saint on your side. Ever hear of the hoodlum saint? Look, Pop, how much? Just a cluck with a lucky streak. A fork over $50 and another $50 for cause. What? $50 for cause and this joint? We'll make it $100 for cause and contempt. Law's respected around here. You're gonna wind up in the clink someplace. You know why? The hoodlum saint's too busy to bother with guys like you. I'll tell you why. You don't want a sermon, Pop. Here's your dough. Now, uh, give me some water. Oh, now haven't you heard? We've had a drought. I'm out of water. Of course, adjourn now. Get going. $150 in the water. How much it cost? I, uh, I scared him a little, polite-like, and he made it $10. Real knucklehead, boss. He gave me a lot of talk about the law. He told me about some guy called, uh, the hoodlum saint. Huh? Who do you suppose that is? Hoodlum saint, huh? Hoodlum saint. I remember I saw it in a movie in Chicago. See, I went to see it with a guy called a deacon. The hoodlum saint was a thief, but he went to heaven. Yeah, the deacon couldn't stop talking about him. Then you know what? The deacon goes and rats on me to the cops. Yeah, I've been looking for that punk ever since. Hey, what does this guy look like? Well, bald as an egg, fat. Bald, fat, yeah, stop. You want to go back, boss? Shut up, let me think. I didn't tell you. He socked me $100 for court costs. Jerk, that's highway robbery. Let's go back, boss. I bet he's collected some real dough with his racket. Yeah, there it's up. Funny thing, the deacon's a small-time punk. There's a $5,000 reward out for him. Me, I'm a big shot. I got a syndicate. I hire guys like the deacon. Like you, too, knucklehead. You know what I'm worth to the law? Not counting this California thing, that'll be plenty. But now, it's only $500. For a hit-and-run five years ago, and a deacon is worth $5,000. How do you like that? Let's knock him off now, boss. Remember, he ratted. Yeah, maybe it'll hurt the deacon more just to lose his money, huh? Stop, stop me. Well, what's happened now? We just passed the sheriff's law office, and I'm going in to tell him about that justice. No, honey, will you forget about it, please? You know, I gotta get that muffler fixed. Don't be silly. Did you do all that fighting and career just to let this country go to the dickens? Now, don't start turning into an average citizen now. Should I be suspicious of everybody? Just some people. Come on, it won't take a minute. Well, you go in. I'll get some cigarettes across the street there. I'll be right back after I see about getting the car fixed. Well, I'm going in just the same. Yeah, Lucy, will you get me that connection back, please? Sir, I want to ask about a justice... Hello, hello. Well, keep trying, Lucy, please. Oh, you want a justice? I want to get married, is that it, Miss? Oh, hello, hello. No, I just wanted to ask if that justice of peace is the real justice of peace. Oh, of course he is. Sales furniture in real estate if you want to settle down. Oh, I don't want to settle down. I mean, I want to report... Hello, excuse me. Yes, my dear. I phoned the steamship line and they give us reservations. Hey, yes, I'll be home for dinner. Yes, dear, early. You see, my house is on the party line. Sometimes I have connection troubles. Here, I'll show you Doc Crandall's place. I don't want Doc Crandall. I want to ask about the justice of peace back at the highway about 20 miles from here. Justice of the peace? Let's see now, about 20 miles. Oh, you mean in that old service station shop? Yes, he fined us $25 for speeding. That was rented to a couple of advancement for an oil outfit. They've been there about a week. No exhaust pipe and muffler, $20. Oh, Bill. I'm getting very expensively annoyed. What does the sheriff say? He hasn't really said. Sounds mighty funny. I'm going out there and take me a good look. You really think, well, you know, sure if they're phonies, I'd like to get back that fine I paid. Maybe you'd like to ride long, Sergeant. Sure would. Oh, can I go? Now look, Helen, you'd better not. Oh, she'll be all right, Sergeant. Won't be no trouble. I come out of the First War, a dumb mess, Sergeant. Then I drifted out here. Is that so? Yep, that's so. Been the luckiest guy in the world ever since then. Hey, there's a shack right up ahead there. Bill, look. Oh, the green sedan parked at the side. Now, you just wait in the backseat, ma'am. That makes two more gangsters. Two more? Yes, and they're real tough ones. They tried to run us off the road in that green sedan. Sheriff, look, they're getting in the car. They're leaving. And they're in a life-size hurry. Hey, Sheriff. Sheriff. Oh, it's your loose horn button. I meant to have it fixed. Oh, look. They're stopping. Kind of a smart little horn. Almost as good as a siren. I'll go up there now and just take a good look around here. Helen, get down behind the seat. You'd better do it, Sheriff. Oh, I'm too old to be scrunching around like this. Oh, no. I wish I'd taken the train. Sort of what? I can't bend down like this. I can't get my gun out. See if you can reach it, Sergeant. Yeah, ease up, Sheriff. That's it. There it is. Oh, thanks. I'll scratch around, get shooting out my window here. Oh, dear. This is embarrassing. It's just one of those things, Sheriff. I mean, I can't shoot left-handed. I couldn't hit a barn door. It's right embarrassing. Let me try a shot before those jokers get smart and rush it. They got us zeroed in. I have to open the door and come up over the windowsill. That made them duck. Now I can hold them down. Can't you do something to catch them? What if we had another gun you could cover me and I'd go up there and knock their brains together? Sheriff, we can't do it with mirrors. Say, I have an idea. Stay down, honey. Yes, but you can do it with mirrors. They're keeping their heads down, Sheriff. Now what's next? Would you please listen to my idea? Nothing moving up there. Nothing moving at all, but now I've got to get my head up again. Helen, hold your ears. That's a break. They ducked. Why won't you listen to me? Why would you keep your head down? There's a little searchlight. By each of your windows, you could jingle one of those shiny lights around until the sun reflects off its side like mid-sun mirrors. And do what? Shine it into the rear of the window of their car and every time they look up to shoot it, we're blinding them. Say, you know, you're not sure if that might work. Well, it just might. Wait, now, I see this handle. Got the reflection on the concrete. Now, if I can just work it along. There, right through their rear window. It's pretty neat, eh? That was another gun for a few seconds. I better get on my horse. I say, son! Bill, Bill, come back here. Oh, Sheriff, what's he trying to do? Well, you see, he's going to sort us around him. Say, that boy sure can run. He was a good football player. Oh, Bill! I wonder why he's crossing the road. Oh, he's dropped down behind the road shoulder. Oh, say, what am I doing here? I want to retire from this job. I'll get something. Oh, it's all my fault. This wrench looks like it might be a gun. I'll get up there and you stay here, man. All right, you jerks. Toast your guns out on the road. Ah, the boy, son. I got him from the back now. I'll give you three. One, two. Okay, now what do you want? A tumble out with your hands up. Come on, get out and knuckle that. This little wrench embarrasses me, son. Mind if I take my gun back now? Glad to be rid of it, Sheriff. See, that was mighty fine work. All right, turn around, you two. Put your hands up on top of that there car. Oh, the handcuffs. You never got me if this knuckle had to put water in the car. Oh, Bill. Baby, you're my little genius for that mirror, I guess. Son, I hate to interrupt that kiss. Was I, sir? I hate to interrupt it. But now, look, if you'll just keep an eye out here, I'll see you about this justice to the peace like I started out to do. Oh, sure, Sheriff, fine. Yeah, we tied them two punks up. Now you see knucklehead? Hey, I want a phone. I want to get my lawyer. Hey, Sheriff, need some help? Ah, yeah, Jim. Yeah, if you will just take these two man in. Do you think the Sheriff will give us back the money we paid for that fine? Honey, I certainly hope so. You know, genius, you might start thinking up something better for me Bank job? I will after I get you home. Hey, I'm having Jim send word out to my wife. She'll come out and drive you folks home for lunch. Oh, hon, nice, Sheriff. We really should be starting for our own home. Besides, I want to talk some with this man of yours. Son, have you ever thought of moving west? Oh, well, thanks, Sheriff. I was just thinking you'd be in the market for a job, you know, just out of the Army and all that. Well, as a matter of fact, you saved me an awful lot of embarrassment. Well, I don't like to be owned, people. We'd like to get back that fine we paid. We'll take care of that, ma'am. Hey, son, know anything about beef ranching or the oil business? I'm afraid not, Sheriff. Well, I own an automobile agency. Know anything? Oh, say, maybe I do, Sheriff. Is it the western general's sale? Yes, that's it. Shares everything, including autos. Uh-huh, uh-huh. Well, here's what I do know, then. I owe you something. $20 for a new muffler. Well, no, that's bad. That's real embarrassing. You see, it was a bookkeeper and error. New mufflers out here cost at least $400. $400? Maybe more. I'll have a fancy bill made up and mail it to you. Sheriff, you'll have trouble collecting. Well, I hope so. Then I'll have to extradite you both back out here. You know, Sheriff, that might not be too difficult. You really mean that, genius? If you promise not to play with the Sheriff's gun anymore. Maybe we'll make him Sheriff someday. Oh, no, I've had enough of gangsters and guns. Darling, don't you worry. When I'm made, Sheriff, I'll just use mirrors. And now our hostess, Susan Hayward. Did you know that medical insurance is a Chinese invention? Well, it is. Many years ago, the head of a Chinese family made arrangements to pay his family doctor at the end of each year. But to pay him only for those days on which there'd been no sickness in his home. Just the reverse of how it should be done, you might say. But think for a moment. Doesn't it make sense? He paid his doctor to keep his wife and children well, not to make them well. You can be sure that doctor did everything in his power to see that there were very few days of sickness in that home. Soon all of his nervous heard about his wonderful plan and made the same arrangement with their own doctors. And then, after a time, it became a national custom. You know, this custom can be applied to other things with just as much success. With prayer, for instance. If you'll do as family theater advocates, pray together as a family, you'll be doing more to ensure your family's unity than you might think. Through prayer, you'll strengthen your family unit enough to withstand any domestic ill that might arise. For it's more than a slogan. It's a promise when we say, the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer, and this world dreams of it. From Hollywood Family Theater has brought you Highway East starring Barry Sullivan and Phyllis Thakster. Susan Hayward was your hostess. Others in our cast were Jack Krushen, Frank Gerstle, Pat McGeehan, Michael Hayes, and LaRoy Leonard. The script was written by T. Benson Hoy, 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 be with us next week when Family Theater will present new neighbors starring Jeffrey Hunter and Barbara Rush. Join us, won't you? Family Theater has broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.