 Ladies and gentlemen the railroad hour and here comes our star-studded show train Tonight the association of American railroads brings you the world-famous Jerome Kern Oscar Hammerstein the second Edna Furber musical Showboat starring Gordon Macrae and his celebrated guest Dorothy Kirsten Our choir is under the direction of Norman Lubeau and our music is prepared and conducted by Carmen dragon Yes tonight another great musical success is brought to you 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 Thank you Marvin Miller and good evening ladies and gentlemen Tonight Dorothy Kirsten will be the lovely Magnolia and I will be Gaylord Ravanaugh But the leading character in showboat isn't a lovely lady or a riverboat gambler He's a great old man who never speaks but Tells a million stories There's an old man called the Mississippi That's the old man that I want to be What does he care if the world's got troubles? What does he care if the land ain't free? Don't look up Let me go away from the Mississippi Let me go away from the white man boss Show me that stream called the river Oh After the show that night the showboat sat on the silent river and sleep in the moonlight Lovely girl standing on the upper deck Hello Hello Do you live here? No, I'm just a wayfarer along the river So am I Are you one of the actresses on the showboat? No, but I give anything if I could be Why? Because you can make believe so many wonderful things that never happen in real life But wonderful things do happen. Well, I was standing here in the levee feeding blue Suddenly looked up. I saw you Why can't we make believe we know each other? Oh, yes, and we haven't seen each other for 75 years. There's a play Papa puts on just like that 75 years is too long. Let's imagine we've just met but we really have Yes, but let's just suppose we've fallen in love at first sight And if the things we dream about don't happen to be Oh, that's just an unimportant Wait a minute. Don't run away. I don't even know you Talk to you oneola honey. What's wrong, Julie? You're the only friend I have on the showboat Ma doesn't understand me and Papa was too busy with the shows. You're in love My baby lambs in love. How did you know? Oh, I can spot that look Who is he honey? I don't know He was standing on the wharf and I was standing on the top deck and he looked so different from everybody else and Beautiful Julie he said he liked me. Do you think he meant it? I don't know honey Suppose it turned out to be well, just a no-account Riverfella But if I found he was a no-account, I'd stop loving him. Oh, no, you wouldn't once a girl starts to love a man She don't stop so easy It's like you always sing and we're together on our walks. That's it. No, that's the idea We got a little problem here We got to figure out how we're going to do a show tonight without a leading lady or a leading man No leading lady. What happened to Julie Papa? She and her husband got into a little trouble with the law. So there they had to leave the showboat Julie no no no you mustn't cry. I'm giving you the chance to play our leading lady You know all the parts a bodily man captain Andy Well met a fellow on the dock looks just like a gentleman. Oh, I thought I'd take a chance and hire him temporarily Captain Andy. Ah, here's the fellow I man. I'd like to have you meet my daughter Magnolia. Mr. Uh, Mr. Ravanaugh, sir Gaylord Ravanaugh of the Tennessee Ravanaugh We better get started rehearsing. Here's a script. Mr. Ravanaugh. Yes, sir Now this is a love scene. She smiles and you fall in love with her here. I think you can do that Shall we begin? My beloved, will you be mine? Oh, no, no, nothing like it at all More feeling you love her. This isn't make-believe Miss. Nola My beloved, will you be mine? That's you know, okay gay. Thank you for meeting me Nola and the starlight and the river I can't stay long if my caught me meeting with you like you have much time Listen, I want to marry you in Greenville tomorrow, but what will my father say? It's the one who gave me the idea Nola I want y'all to myself. I want to take you to places and show your new cities and theaters all the sites Are you sure I can always mean as much to you as I do now? Always. Oh, Nola, don't you understand? Just a moment for act two. The nation's capital is a busy place tonight as the finishing touches are being put on the Preparations for the inauguration tomorrow of the new president of the United States and Commenting on this great event. Here is William T. Pharisee president of the Association of American Railroads speaking from Washington in The nation's capital tonight We await what has always been regarded not only as one of the most colorful Ceremonies but also one of the most important events in American political life For tomorrow this nation will inaugurate a new president a man whom a few brief weeks ago The American people freely elected to the highest office in the land to guide our country's destiny in the years ahead To take part in this historic ceremony Thousands of people from every part of the United States have already gathered here in Washington Tomorrow the capital will be the very hub of our nation with people here from the north the south the east and the west These people come from every walk of American life. They represent every race and every religion That is why the inauguration stands as a living symbol of the unity of our people and Even as the thousands of visitors from everywhere represent our national unity So too do the railroads that have brought them here For the railroads in the country grew up together and it is the rails of steel that tie together the vast regions of America Tonight trains continue to speed across the land bringing more people than ever before to an inauguration Tomorrow these people will participate here in Washington in the excitement and the dignity of the ceremonies of the day and Will be joined by the entire nation in wishing success to the new president of the United States Now here is act 2 of showboats starring Gordon Macrae and Dorothy Kirsten with Jack Kirkwood as captain Andy Dear Julie this letter is to tell you about the passing years as Changeable as the river when I married Gaylord Raven all it was like springtime on the river life beginning Oh Chicago is yours. No, I give it to you. You've won again luck is my middle name Oh, no, we're in the big city away from the nickels in the dimes of the showboat days You're happy. Oh gay. Why shouldn't I be I have the most wonderful husband in the world? Oh But good luck turned to bad dear Julie and the river was dark I found a note from him in your room in a boarding house Dear no, by the time you read this letter, I'll be gone There's nothing left to pawn and no friends to borrow from I'm in close in $200 This will let our baby our Kim finish her term at the condom I'm gonna stop there long enough to give Kim one last kiss Kim baby, mommy couldn't come today Now listen came here daddy's in a great hurry. He must catch a train away For a little while on business not this time While I'm going I want you to think of me once in a while Will you I think of you all the time and when I miss you I always do just what you told me What was that? Don't you remember I? Make believe. Oh, yes, that's right. I gave you a system for having anything you want Those and boys find it fun Just And Kim if I'm a little late coming back You just remember Pretend I've never gone away Will you sweetheart? That's good Best of all and no Julie the day I walked into the Trocadero in Chicago Looking for a job. I saw you there like a memory out of the past You were sitting up on the piano singing a tune. I've sung so often since because I can't get it out of my mind I used to dream I would discover the perfect lover Turned Julie and you saw me in the showboat. Yes, Julie. No, honey. What are you doing here? Looking for a job singing maybe Stand up Sing for them. No, let's sing one of the old showboat songs. All right. There's one you taught me Julie Papa Yeah, the show's leaving out in a minute and there's somebody in the audience. I want you to see Not so fast Here are customers. Yeah, a few old friends, baby. Nice show captain Andy. Oh, thank you. Thank you, my friends and here Hello, is it really gay? I'm home Why isn't that your daughter captain Andy? Yes, ma'am. That's no Do I remember when you were leading lady on this boat and that's your husband How do sir, how do you do it? I was here on this baby the day you were married My that was a real love match Well, I'm glad to see it turned out so well, and you're still happy together. Good night. Good night, dear Father, this is a nice surprise No, honey What can I say? Nothing gay. Just come up on the top deck where we used to stand and listen to the river The river It never changes no and my love never changes gentlemen and our hearty Thanks to lovely Dorothy Kirsten and Jack Kirkwood and Betty Lou Gerson Helen Strom Helen Vantile and our entire company Yes, sir. Thank you very much for their wonderful performances in Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's musical play showboat Which was based in the novel of the same name by Edna Fuerber and was adapted for radio by Lawrence and Lee The railroad hour is brought to you each week at this same time by the American railroads Marvin Wouldn't you like to find a safe convenient profitable way to help make your family's future more secure? You do that and aid America's defense effort at the same time when you invest in United States defense bonds Saving through defense bonds helps assure your long-range ambitions owning your own home or business Sending your children to college Accumulating money for your retirement and with new and improved interest features defense bonds are now a better investment than ever before By defense bonds regularly through the payroll savings plan where you work or the bond a month plan where you bank and Buy extra defense bonds whenever you can when you do you help your country and yourself Well folks it looks as though ready to pull out and so until next week when Dorothy Kirsten joins us again for the merry-whittle This is Gordon Macrae saying goodbye Gordon Macrae can be seen starring in the Technicolor production the desert song Acquire is under the direction of Norman Lubeau and our music is prepared and conducted by Common Dragon a portion of the preceding program was transcribed This is Marvin Miller saying goodbye until next week for the American railroads Now keep tuned to your Monday night of music on NBC