 Dedicated to the strength of the nation. proudly we hail. My son is a wise man. United States Army and United States Air Force presentation. And now here is our producer, the well-known Hollywood showman, C.P. McGregor. Thank you very much and greetings from Hollywood ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to your theater of stars. We're the top most stars of stage and screen. Join us in plays we know you'll enjoy. Our star is Barbara Britton in the title of our Christmas story. My son is a wise man. We'll have the curtain for act one in just a moment. But first, here is your announcer with this message of importance. In this holy season of peace on earth, goodwill to men. Your men and women in army and Air Force uniform extend to you the people of America their most heartfelt wishes for continued happiness. Wherever stationed at home or at the far flung outposts in polar and tropical climes the most fervent wish of your service men and women is that peace and tranquility reign 12 months a year. For peace is the year round work of those who are dedicated to serving their country as soldiers and airmen. And now once again our producer. The curtain rises on act one of my son is a wise man starring Barbara Britton as the mother. It is the story of a miracle. Not an actual really true miracle mind you like the visitations of the great saints of the testament but yet one that surely Saint Francis of Assisi the patron saint of all young things must look down from his cloud and smile in his beard. You see there was a farm up in Idaho. One of those windswept dry farms where for six months of the year the dirt blows in through the cracks and gets in your eyes and then the fall the barrenness and awful loneliness and then comes the snow great swirling suds of it and the flakes fall silently laying a white mantle over cowshed and house over barn and silo until in the chill morning the surrounding world is still and white. In this house that I am speaking of a mother spoke in the cello notes of her heart. It was the day before Christmas when my son Tommy came romping into the yard. Clivity clop on his black pony spud. I stood at the window held back the curtain and as it leaped from the saddle I could see in his eyes the sparkle of some great joy. He raced across the yard remember to scrape his boots on the doorstop and then the door pushed open and there he was, my son Tommy. Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Yes Tommy? Can you guess what? I'm not in a guessing mood. Son, shut the door. You're letting in an awful draft. Okay. Look at your hands. Go to the pump. All right, Mommy. I'm gonna be a wise man. Miss Briggs says so. Use the soap Tommy. Don't wipe the dirt on the towel. Mommy, Miss Briggs at the church says I'm gonna be a wise man on the plate. I'm gonna have to wear a costume too. Can I have a costume? Tommy, you're dripping water all over the floor. Can I, Mommy? Can I? Can you what? A costume. I have to have a long white gown and one of those things you wrap around your head. You know, Mommy, you know. I haven't the vaguest idea what you're talking about. Like in the Bible, Mommy. Like in the Bible. You know, there were three wise men and they all brought French incense and dirt. The wise man, Mother. Frank incense and myrrh. Yeah, yeah, French incense and dirt. Tommy. Yes, Mommy? You haven't fed your rabbits yet. Oh, gee. Well, I'll do it right now, Mom. And Tommy, try to help your father if you can. He might need some. Oh, here he is now. Mary. Oh, hi, Dad. Hello, Joseph. It's really hot coffee. I'm nearly frozen. Of course, dear. Hello, son. Daddy, I'm a wise man. I'm a wise man. Yes, yes, you are indeed. This morning you left the pasture gate open. You forgot to put the oats and spuds bin. You're a wise man, all right. Oh, gee, Dad. I guess I just forgot. Yes, I guess you just did. Miss Briggs at the church has said that Tommy can be one of the wise men in the Sunday School play tonight. Yes, she indeed. Oh, Daddy. Can I? Can I? You can go outside, round up the cows, and you can feed your rabbits. What about Ginger, your dog? How long's it been since you fed him? Don't be too hard on him, Joseph. I'm going, Daddy, but I want to be a wise man. Joseph, let me help you off with your coat. You're very tired, aren't you? I'm very tired. Yes, yes, Mary, I'm very tired. Cream? Black. What are we going to do about Tommy? What are we going to do about him? It's the day before Christmas. I know, I know. Don't you think it hurts? Please, Joseph, tonight he's going to be a wise man in the Sunday School play. I seem to recollect that the wise men of the Bible story came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, myrrh. Mary, there isn't any gold here on this farm. The only frankincense is the smell of sweating cattle. Mary, I'm sick at heart. Oh, my dear, you're tired. Yes, yes, I'm tired. I'm sick and tired. Mary, it's the day before Christmas. In my purse, there's exactly 41 cents. We have nothing for Tommy. Nothing except what it was that brought him into this world. Love. Mary, I failed so badly. Joseph, drink your coffee. I don't want it. Mary, Mary, don't turn away from me. Look at me. Yes. Is there something, something we could sell? You see, he doesn't want very much. This morning out behind the barn he kind of got me cornered. He said to me, he said, yes, son. Dad, I'm through milking. I've stripped her. That's good, son. You take the milk into the creamery. Dad. Yes, son? Could I talk to you? Sure. What do you want, son? Well, tomorrow's Christmas. Yes. Yes, I know. Well, gee, Dad, if only I had a sled. Dad, do you know they're on the north side of the house where it slopes down to the creek? Yes. Well, gee, that's a good coasting hill. The ice is awful hard there, too. Guys, if I only had a sled, I bet you I'd go a million miles an hour. Take the milk into the creamery, son. Start winding up the separate. Kind of talk from your own son is enough to break a man's heart. All he wants is a sled to slide down from the north side of the house. He doesn't want much. Mary, it's no good. No, Joseph, don't, don't. All right, Mary, all right. Joseph, my dear, when did you shave last? Why? Please, doubly. Joseph, look at me. No into my eyes. Well... You see, my dear, what we have, we have, we have each other, and we have our son. Tomorrow morning is Christmas morning, yes. It's the birthday of Christ. He was the one who taught the principle of love. We have that love, my dear. You and I, and through him and because of him, we have Tommy. His world will come. We've given him everything we can. We'll keep on giving him everything we can. And tomorrow morning, if we can give him nothing else, we can at least say, Tommy, we love you. The season of Christmas can and often is a very depressing part of the year. To be perfect, Christmas must be within your heart, that slow-beating crucible wherein is mixed all the elements of love, faith, hope, promise, yes and despair. That night, that early night of Christmas Eve, the wind began to blow and our house was enveloped in a swirling, blinding fume of white snow. Tommy was going to be a wise man, and upstairs, in what I laughingly call my sewing room, my son stood on a chair while I knelt and began to baste up the hem of one of my old nightgowns for his wise man robe. He stood there squirming like all small things, and when I stood back to look at him, my, he was like an angel, all white and pink and very sweet. This was my son. This was my son that was to be a wise man. Tommy, turn around. All right. I think it hangs a little bit crooked on that one side. Here, let me pin it up. Ooch! Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, it didn't hurt, Mom. How's he coming, Mary? How's our wise man? Look at me, Daddy. Look at me. Well, now, are you just going to bed or are you just getting up? I'm a wise man, Daddy. Are you not? Daddy, Miss Briggs says that I have to have a sensor. What's a sensor? Why, it's a smoke pot that swings on a chain like a flower plant. Oh. We have one on the front porch. I can fix it for you, son. I can put some peat moss into it and set fire to it, and, well, St. Paul himself would say, there goes our wise man. Goodness, who's that? I'll go. Oh, it's you, Silas. Yes, it's me. Well, come in. Come in. Mary, pour a cup of coffee for Mr. Weatherby. I don't want no coffee. I didn't come here to drink no coffee. I come here to collect $1,843.48. Have you got it? No, Mr. Weatherby. I haven't. Won't you sit down and have some coffee? I'll have $1,843.48. Mr. Weatherby. Well? Do you know what day-to-day is? Well, now, that's a darn fool question. What's your language, Mr. Weatherby? It's the 24th of December. That's what it is. The date your mortgage walls do and I want my money. I haven't got it, Silas. You haven't got it? None of it? Not one red cent of it. Look, Mr. Weatherby, today is the day before Christmas. My son wants a sled. I can't buy him a sled. And you want $1,843.48. A sled costs $4.50. Get out, Mr. Weatherby, before I throw you out. Now, is he here? Wait a minute, Joseph. Mr. Weatherby, this is the day before Christmas. Ah, sentimental dribble. The day before Christmas happens to be the 24th of December. The 24th of December is a date in the calendar just like any other date. It could be the 3rd of July or the 14th of January. A date is a date, and a bill payable is a bill payable. You'll be out of here by midnight, and if you're not, I'll have the sheriff throw you out. Are you sure you wouldn't like some coffee, Silas? No, I don't want any of your coffee. I want my money, and that's all I do want. Well, Mary? Joseph. Christmas. Yes, my dear. Remember what he said. Peace on Earth. Goodwill toward men. And, Joseph, don't forget our son. Tonight he is a wise man. Part briefly from our story, my son is a wise man starring Barbara Britton to bring you an important message from our government. High school graduates, for a job with a real future, get into aviation now. United States Air Force offers you unlimited career opportunities. Under the new Airmen Career Program, you'll be trained in the job for which you are best suited and have the best chance for success. You'll get good pay right from the start, free room and board, free clothing and equipment, free medical and dental care, free retirement plan. This is your big opportunity. Look into it today. All details at your nearest U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force recruiting station. The curtain rises on act two of my son as a wise man starring Barbara Britton as the mother. Downstairs in the parlor, the old tower clock on the mantel was chiming seven as I finally finished raping my squirming Tommy in an old flannel nightgown and bassed up the hymn. When we were all finished, he was truly a Persian potentate. Now then, let me look at you. Stop squirming. Is the cord around your waist tight enough? Uh-huh. It kind of chokes me in the stomach. Well, there. All right, my boy. Off you go. I'm sorry I can't let you ride spud to the church, but I'll have to take him down to the village to get some medicine for your mommy. Oh, gee, willikers, I can walk, daddy. I'm a good walker. Thank you, Tommy. Tommy, come here. Yes? Careful, you don't trip on your gown. You'd better hold it up a little. What are you fidgeting about? Didn't you go to... Oh, sure I did. Well, it's just that this old nightgown, well, it kind of itchy scratches. Well, I guess I better go now. Joseph, don't you think it would be all right if he was to cut through Mr. Weatherby's back pasture just this once? Well, I don't see why not. Old Silas has done about all that damage he can do. But you'd best hurry across, Tommy. The moon's very bright tonight. Just try not to let him see you. All right, daddy. I'll hurry like everything. Oh, gee, willikers, where's my smoke pot? I almost forgot it. Say, so you did. Here, here we are. I put some dried moss in it, which will be just the same thing as incense. I'd better light it before you go. It should smoke for a long time. All right. We go smoking just like a chimney. Well, give your mommy a kiss and be on your way. Wise men aren't supposed to be late. Goodbye, son. Good luck. Hurry straight home afterwards, and I'll have some hot cocoa ready for you. Bye, mommy. Bye, daddy. Bye, son. It's enough to break a man's heart, Mary. And a woman's heart as well, Joseph. A mother's heart. Christmas Eve. We can't even go see our son be a wise man. You could have gone, Joseph. I'd be all right here alone. Well, it's one thing to fail as a father. It's another to fail as a husband. No, Mary, we'll... We'll just have to hear all about it when he comes back. When he comes back? To what? To a barren house and a sick mother. I've got an idea, Mary. Something we could do. What? I could go down to the ravine and chop out one of those small fir trees. A Christmas tree isn't much of a Christmas tree without decorations. We could flatten some tin cans and cut stars out of them and things. That'd help. Shall we do it, Mary? It's little enough to give an eight-year-old boy on Christmas Eve. Of course, Joseph. And while you're getting the tree, I'll rummage around in my sewing box. There might be a few pieces of ribbon or something. Good girl. I'll just be a few minutes, Mary. I'll get the axe and the lantern from the wood shed and be back before you know it. Silas, don't you think you could have waited a little while before foreclosing on the barrets? Why should I wait, Abigail? I haven't made my money by waiting. A bargain is a bargain, I say, and a debt is a debt. Yes, yes, I know, but still in all, it's Christmas time. Then what's that got to do with it? I should like to know. Christmas time is no different from any other time. Lot of darn foolishness, I should say. People going around with silly looks on their faces, spending money they haven't got, running themselves into debt. And for what, I ask her? For what? I dare say Christmas meant something to you when you were a little boy. Oh, that was a long time ago, Abigail, and since then I am glad to say that I've grown up to have a little more sense. People rushing about help the skelter, clapping each other on the back and screaming, Mary Christmas at the top of their lungs when most of them don't know where the next meal's coming from. Mary Christmas indeed. Don't mean a dad-blame thing. But it does mean something, Silas. Exactly what does it mean? Christmas is the birthday of our Lord. Peace on earth, goodwill toward men. There'd be more peace and a heap more goodwill in this world if folks had paid their just debts. There's no point in arguing about it, Abigail. I'm a practical man, and I believe in doing things in a practical way. Ah, well, as you say. Hand me my Macintosh from the peg, Abigail. I'm going out to the barn to see if the stock is all right before we go to bed. That's locked up. Everything's safe and sound for the night. I tell you, it pays to be careful. What's that? A great day? What is that? Oh, no. No, Lord, no. No, it couldn't be. Abigail! Abigail! Abigail, come here, quick! Land of Goshen, Silas. What is it? What's the matter? Come here, Abigail. On the porch. What is it, Silas? Look. Look out there. Can you see it? Where? Where? Out there. Out there. Moving across the back pasture. Can you see it, Abigail? Good heavenly days. What is it? Who is it? It's somebody in a robe and a turban. Well, it looks almost transparent in the moonlight. Oh, Silas. That smoke. What's he swinging back and forth? Back and forth. Abigail, are you mortally afraid? I'm not afraid, Silas. But I do feel very strange. What does it mean? You know, Silas, I remember seeing a picture on a Christmas card once. Many, many years ago. And the picture looked just like that one out there. Only there were three of them. It's beginning to look right pretty, Joseph. That star you're fastened at the top is as bright and shining as any I've ever seen. It doesn't look bad, does it? Joseph, I've got an idea. What is it, Mary? My medicine money. It's $0.65 in the sugar bowl, and you said you had 41 cents. That's a dollar and six cents. You could ride to the village and buy something for Tommy. Oh, no, Mary. Dr. Baker said you were to have your medicine regular if you were to get well. No, we can't do that. The best medicine in the world I could have would be the smile on Tommy's face when he found a present under the tree. I don't need any better medicine than that. But, Mary... Oh, please do it, Joseph. It's Christmas Eve. All right. Isn't that someone driving into our yard? Sounds like it. Who in the world? It's easy enough to find out. Hello out there. Hello. Merry Christmas. Gosh almighty, it's Silas Weatherby. Oh, surely he hasn't come back to make more trouble for us. Come on out and give me a hand with some of these dear things. Well, of course. I've got more here than I can handle by myself. I'm loaded down more than it greatly after the harvest. What have you got there, Silas? Oh, just a few knick-knacks and things to sort of help Christmas along its way. You take this stuff here. What are you talking about? You'll see. You'll see. Come on. Come on, hit the house with him. Mr. Weatherby, what? What in the world? What's all this? It's Christmas Eve, Mrs. Barrett. And I reckon neighbors ought to be neighborly on Christmas Eve here. Let's set this stuff down. Get the wraps off here. Where's Tommy upstairs in bed? No. As a matter of fact, he's over at the church. He's in the Sunday school play. Is he now? I didn't know there was having no shindig over at the church. They're doing the play of the nativity. Tommy's playing the part of one of the wise men. One of the wise men? Well, there'll be having four of them there tonight. There are only three wise men, Mr. Weatherby. There'll be four of them tonight. Three play acting ones and one real one. I don't understand always, Silas. Well, I don't either exactly. You see, something happened to me tonight. Something pretty blamed important. What was that? Well, I don't think I could tell you. You'd probably think I was touched in the head. But I can say it was about the most important thing that happened in our lives. Abigail and mine's. Now, we'll get this year paper off here. Great day in the morning. That's a sled. Sure it is. Anybody could see that. The best blame sled they had in the hardware store. Do you think Tommy would like it? You bought that sled for Tommy? Well, now, who else would I be buying a sled for? And I didn't forget you. This year package is yours, Joseph. This is for you, Mrs. Barrett. For me? Wait a minute, Silas. I don't understand all this. This afternoon you were over here foreclosing on my mortgage, and now you're back again with Christmas presents. I told you something happened. But I ain't saying what it was. As far as the mortgage is concerned, just forget what I said this afternoon. Don't worry none about it. You can pay me the money when you get it. That'll be soon enough. I've got to be getting promised to help Abigail fix up a little tree tonight. I don't want to keep her waiting. Well, good night. Merry Christmas to you, Joseph. Merry Christmas to you too, Mary. Merry Christmas to you, Silas. Merry Christmas, Mr. Weatherby, and to Mrs. Weatherby too. Oh, thank you very much. And God bless you. He already has, Mrs. Barrett. He already has. Good night again. Merry Christmas to you all. Mary, what in the world? What's got into old Silas? That's the first time I've seen him smile since I've known him. Well, smiley. He was laughing out loud. It's a miracle, Joseph. A wonderful, blessed miracle. What did he mean about the four wise men? I'll be blamed if I know, Mary. Wait a minute. What? Old Silas saw something. Tonight something happened. He mentioned the wise men. Tommy cut across his pasture on his way to the church. Mary, do you suppose that... I've got the same thought, Joseph. Tommy. My dear, we have a fine son. Tonight on this Christmas Eve, our boy, yours and mine, our Tommy was a wise man. Indeed, in his innocence and sweetness, he was the wisest of them all. His simplicity was the answer to the blessings that the good Lord has said, suffer little children to come unto me, for such is the kingdom of heaven. So you see that we can only humble ourselves to ourselves. We will all be wise men. Wise men in the true sense of the word and follow a star that may lead us to the realm of peace on earth. Goodwill toward men. The curtain falls in the final act of my son as a wise man. Our star, Barbara Britton, will return for a curtain call after this timely message from Wendell Niles. High school graduates, there's an important place for you in the U.S. Air Force. You can continue your education, learn a trade, get ahead, and at the same time earn good pay. The United States Air Force has openings for specialists in air transport, aircraft maintenance, research, clerical administration, radio, and many other fields. The Air Force will train you for one of these responsible jobs. Two kinds of training are open to you. You can learn on the job under the world's most skilled experts, or if you qualify, you can go to the finest Air Force technical schools as vacancies exist. You will find interesting work, job security, good retirement benefits, and opportunity for travel. This is your big opportunity. Look into it today. Get full details at your nearest Air Force base or United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station. Now, once again at the microphone, our star and our producer. Barbara, we're very happy to have you back with us again. I was hoping that we could get you to portray Mary Barrett. Oh, that was a beautiful story, C.P., and I'm very proud that I was invited to do your Christmas play. Thank you. I was afraid for a while that little Tommy, the wise man, wasn't going to get his sled. But thanks to old Silas having a change of heart, he did. And by the way, Barbara, our audience knows old Silas brought Tommy the sled. Now let's tell them what he brought Joseph and Mary. Well, Joseph came out very well. Old Silas brought him a mackinac and gloves. That was practical and merry. He brought Mary a pair of pearl earrings and a necklace to match. He was really carried away. Well, Barbara, what have you been doing at United Artists lately? Well, we've just finished champagne for Caesar. I think it will be released in about two or three weeks. Oh, you made that with Ronald Coleman. Yes, and Celeste Home. I'll be looking for it. C.P., now that we've done the Christmas story, what do you plan for your first play of the new year? Tonight comedy romance, Barbara, and ladies and gentlemen, titled Objections Sustained. Our star will be Arlene Dahl. It's a story about a motorcycle officer and a nurse. The officer gets life because he does have a license, a marriage license. Well, that should be a grand story to start off the new year. We'll be listening. Goodbye, C.P., and a very, very merry Christmas to you and to all of you. Goodbye, Barbara. And a very merry Christmas to you and yours. And now, ladies and gentlemen, I wish I could greet every one of you personally, but since I can't, this is C.P. McGregor wishing you a very merry Christmas and the happiest of new years. Barbara Beckham here for the courtesy of the Hollywood Coordinating Committee, which arranges for the appearance of all stars on this program. Scripted by Kimbell S. Sant, the music of Eddie Dunstead, the program is transcribed in Hollywood for release at his time. Wendell Niles speaking.