 remember a hallmark card when you carry enough to send the very best tonight from Hollywood the makers of hallmark greeting cards bring you James Dunn in Betty Smith's a tree grows in Brooklyn with Connie Marshall on the hallmark playhouse each week hallmark will bring you Hollywood's greatest stars in outstanding stories chosen by one of the world's best known authors they distinguish novelist mr. James Hilton good evening ladies and gentlemen this is James Hilton tonight on our hallmark playhouse we present our dramatization of a very well-known story which not only recently reached the top of the bestseller list but one fame for its authors almost overnight she is Betty Smith's and her novel a tree grows in Brooklyn is as engaging as its title in this story there's a theme with the which has always worn the hearts of fiction lovers the struggle of youth to fulfill itself and in a tree grows in Brooklyn this note is captured and held with great success we are fortunate tonight to have starting in the role of John Nolan that very fine actor mr. James Dunn and in the role of Francie Miss Connie Marshall and now Frank Goss have you a word about hallmark there are hallmark cards for every memorable occasion on your calendar for birthdays anniversaries holidays yes for every occasion that calls for remembrance for a friendly greeting a word of good cheer an expression of sympathy there is a hallmark card that says just what you want to say the way you want to say it and that identifying hallmark on the back that says you cared enough to send the very best now hallmark playhouse presenting James Dunn in Betty Smith's a tree grows in Brooklyn with Connie Marshall there's a tree that grows in Brooklyn some people call it the tree of heaven it grows in boarded up lots and out of neglected rubbish it survives without sun water and seemingly without earth it would be considered beautiful except that there are too many of it that was the kind of tree in france's backyard in Brooklyn it's umbrellas curled over around and under her third floor fire escape an 11 year old girl sitting on this fire escape could imagine that she was living in a tree that's how it seemed to francy every afternoon in Brooklyn promise tonight big wedding party people and buildings laundry garbage can organ grinders cards with flowers babies yeah you can see plenty of those in Brooklyn kitten I'm going to rise in the world and get my family out of here next year will be better you'll see next year I'm going to get your fire escape that looks out on a garden maybe even on a playground that's right Papa your ship will come in my father was a man who never held one job long I started waiting on tables when I was 12 and when I began to work I said to him well maybe your ship didn't come in pop but mine's going to you're the best singing waiter in Brooklyn I've always wanted to be a real singer the kind that comes out in the stage all dressed up well I will be yet and things are going to be different for you I'm going to see to it that you get through school yes Papa maybe nearly and I can find your ship and make it come in francy if I ever do have any luck you know what you and me are going to do we're going on a trip just you and me yeah just the two of us we'll go way down south where the cotton blossoms grow oh I love you so much I love you so much oh there's your mother hello Katie oh here you are mother they're going to vaccinate us or we can't go back to school vaccinate you watch for smallpox they're going to vaccinate nearly two both of us Mrs. Phillipson says your arm drops off and you die oh now it isn't as bad as all that baby I was vaccinated thousands of times in my youth and you didn't die well you see me here don't you but when do you have to go Monday can you go with this mama no honey I have another cleaning job Papa I'm working Monday too baby but there's nothing to it francy don't let me see you're scared after all nearly really such a baby yet and you're a big girl yes mama time will go faster I'll be over let's go out and make mud pies you still like to make mud pies all right all right nearly we'll go you sit out here on the bench don't go away now from morning to night don't these kids ever wash there's no excuse for a doctor being part of our arm for the vaccination well let's get it over with all you can go my brother's next my sleep maybe I'm gonna die come on in the house and let me see it francy it's all swollen look that's nothing at all you should have seen my arm when I was vaccinated it was twice as swollen and it was red and white and blue instead of green and yellow like yours now we'll just put a few drops of carbolic acid and some water and wash it out and in the morning it'll be much better sure and then I'll put on a nice clean bandage all around it where will you get the bandage well I'll tear up one of my undershirts now this may hurt a little but I'll be just as gentle as I can Papa I don't want to go back to that school why baby it's so big and nobody likes anybody nearly seems to like it nearly as a boy but you have to go to school I found the most wonderful school Papa it's way out and it's made of bricks and there's no fence around the yard and the playgrounds have grass in them not cement oh Papa it's such a wonderful school all right we'll go have ourselves a look at it can we move near that well no we couldn't move right now but you can't go to a school unless you live in that district well you just leave it to me we'll go out and look at that school tomorrow and I'll think of something think of it Papa what do you think yeah this is a school all right this certainly is it I've just got to go there Papa all right I'll tell you what we'll do but walk around and pick out a nice house and then take down the number then I'll write a letter to your principal saying that you're moving there and you want to be transferred to this school there's a house down at the corner it has flowers all around it that's where I'd like to live all right we'll go down and get the number it's a kind of a house you read about in books uh francy yes Papa you know what we are going to do is wrong don't you is it Papa but it's a wrong to gain a bigger good like a white lie yeah like a lie that helps someone out so much you must make up your mind that would never to do anything wrong you've got to be late never and absent never and you must never do anything to make them send a letter home through the mail I'll always be good Papa if I can go to that school here's the house 1724 I'll write to school tonight yes francy Papa you'll probably both go to jail for this oh mama it's such a beautiful school 48 blocks to walk every day I wanted to go there Katie I want her to learn that there are other worlds and those other worlds are not out of a reach windows Papa yeah they're wonderful ain't they next to having those things I like to look at them they're just to look at me Lee no one has them look at that doll she has real hair and her eyes open and shut here's the auditorium kids I'll be outside waiting for you when you're through now remember this is a Christmas party for children of all face and your Aunt Abby bought you the tickets for a Christmas present so have a good time I wish you could come Papa oh it's only for kids baby now you go in and have a good time come on nearly and she wants to give the doll as good as you think she is calling people poor where's nearly because when you were christian you were named Francis after Andy's girl but you were also named after Katie's mother your real name is Mary Francis Nolan and Connie Marshall will be back with us in a moment but first they say that to acknowledge a debt is a sign of greatness and surely there can be no doubt about the greatness of Thomas Edison this electrical genius acknowledged his debt in these words my mother was the making of me she was so true so sure of me and I felt that I had someone to live for someone I must not disappoint surely any mother must treasure words like these for the heartfelt feeling they convey and certainly it is not surprising that you should find these very words on a hallmark card just one of the many appropriate Mother's Day greetings a week from Sunday May 8th is the day so don't forget stop in this weekend at the friendly store where you buy your hallmark cards make your selection easily from the wide variety hallmark offers every card is appealingly beautiful not only an outward design and color and quality but in the perfection of saying just what you want to say the way you want to say it this Mother's Day here again is James Hilton to present James Dunn in the second act of Betty Smith's a tree grows in Brooklyn with Connie Marshall time went on as it does everywhere even in Brooklyn spring came and summer and winter again and suddenly Francie was 14 and was almost Christmas again but nothing was right about Christmas this year in Brooklyn because something was wrong with Johnny came and went almost without speaking his hands trembled badly he could hardly hold a fork when he was eating and suddenly he looked very old Katie went about quiet and quiet as though she were carrying the tragedy within herself one night Francie woke in the middle of the night song before I opened the door yeah I finished the song I guess turn out the lights and go back to bed Francie are you sick no I'm all right everything seems to be changing so I don't want things to change well how are things changing Francie it seemed to me things were staying just just the same no Papa the scales of the tea store are bright and shining like they used to be the things that used to be exciting aren't exciting anymore like selling junk and going to the delicatessen for a pickle and pretending like we used to oh I see when we didn't have enough money for food we pretend we were explorers discovering the North Pole that we were trapped in a cave with just a little food we had to make it last until help came when explorers get hungry and suffer like that for a reason something big comes out of it they discover the North Pole but what big thing comes out of us being hungry like that well you found the catch in it baby you found the catch in it you have a bad case a very bad case of growing up go on now get to bed I'm going out again well I forgot something never mind kitten it's all right you go to bed I want to walk a bit longer go on now good night good night it was your father you were asleep I had to go to the hospital they found him in the street unconscious pneumonia your father is dead you're not to cry for him he's out of it now and maybe he's luckier than we are you were one of my best pupils you wrote so pretty but these last compositions fancy all about poverty those are ugly subjects what does one write about when delves into the imagination finds beauty there fancy these stories don't sound like you they seem so sorted sorted what does sorted mean what did I tell you when you don't know a word go to the dictionary sorted sorted sorted here sorted filthy filthy Papa wore a clean shirt and collar every day of his life he shined his shoes sometimes twice a day I'm discussing your father talking about his own mug at the barbershop talking about your composition what Francis I'm surprised well behaved girl like you talking like that to your teacher the week before graduation look lovely francy I'm sorry I can't go to your graduation but with nearly graduating the same night and both of you in different schools you see your father planned that he thought you would go with me it's all right mama I can go alone Papa will be there too no Papa's dead lovely graduation wasn't it yes miss Gardner good night aren't you going in the classroom to get your book I took them this afternoon fancy you want to get your flower I haven't any flowers miss Gardner come and see look at your desk red roses who's are they look at the car it says it says Mary Francis open the car see on graduation day love from Papa Miss Gardner he sent me flowers he gave me the money a year ago and that card all written out he said when francy graduates send us some flowers for me in case I forget go ahead a little while we'll go and meet your mother and he's not when he can come like this when I needed him so much not while people live who remember what he was like and love him no no John Nolan will never be dead Francis he lives on in you and me I was wrong there is a God almost Gardner there is a God and isn't it wonderful Papa knows him and Connie Marshall in just a moment remember the day you broke your favorite doll and your mother mended it so magically when you fell from the tree and she picked you up so tenderly or later still when your heart broke over your first love remember how she put it back together again with the wisdom only mothers know whatever your memories of your mother whether she's near or far away you do want to remember her this mother's day what shall you say to her anything or everything that's in your heart and you'll find it said perfectly in a hallmark card you might choose a simple card with words of heartfelt love a beautiful card of satin and silver and sincere affection or the gay new hallmark card that opens up into a golden crown whatever your taste and whatever your budget you'll find a hallmark card that says just what you want to say the way you want to say it mother's day is a week from Sunday May 8th so before then visit the friendly store where you buy your hallmark cards for your mother's day remembrance here again as James Hilton thank you James Dunn and Connie Marshall for an outstanding night here on our hallmark playhouse you have given us a warm and tender picture of an American family it's been a great thrill for me Mr. Hilton because I've always wanted to play francy also we thank the hallmark company for me for the very lovely gift of a portfolio of the hallmark little women dolls you know I'm a collector of hallmark dolls I have the whole set of the hallmark dolls of the nation they're just wonderful and may I say there's been a pleasure for me too Mr. Hilton what Connie says about hallmark dolls really goes for all the hallmark cards you just expect hallmark to be associated with the best we do appreciate that compliment Mr. Dunn and we hope you and Miss Marshall will visit us again and please listen next week when we present a story most appropriate to the time Kathleen Norris's well-known novel mother starring Linda Darnell and the following week James service great story of baseball you could look it up starring William Frawley and after that Sir Arthur Pinero's play enchanted cottage our hallmark playhouses every Thursday our director producer is D Engelbach our music is composed and conducted by Lynn Murray Betty Smith's a tree grows in Brooklyn was adapted for radio by Gene Holloway until next Thursday then this is James Hilton saying good night look for hallmark cards that are so lonely in stores that have been carefully selected to give you expert in friendly service remember hallmark cards when you carry enough to send the very best this is Frank Goss saying good night to you all and inviting you next Thursday and every Thursday you tune in one half hour earlier and listen to the adventures of Casey crime photographer followed by the hallmark playhouse James Dunn appeared through courtesy of 20th Century Fox whose current release is beautiful blonde from bashful bend starring Betty Gravel this is CBS the Columbia Broadcasting System