 The Mutual Broadcasting System in Cooperation with Family Theatre Incorporated presents Gentlemen Be Seated starring Eddie Catter, Rosalind Russell is your hostess. Things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of is Rosalind Russell. Did you ever think how narrow is the margin between success and failure? The man who makes one percent more than he spends can be successful. The man who spends one percent more than he makes is a financial failure. With families too, a narrow margin can make all the difference. Perhaps ten minutes a day doesn't sound like much. But ten minutes a day spent in praying together as a family can make the difference between success and failure in a home. That's why we of Family Theatre earnestly recommend family prayer as a daily practice in every home. For the family that prays together stays together. Rosalind Russell returns following our Family Theatre story, Gentlemen Be Seated starring Eddie Catter. But one time or another have seen a minstrel show. This is the story of one of the great old timers of minstrels, a man who believed the minstrels could never die. His name? We call him Sugarfoot Calhoun. This is the opening week for Calhoun's minstrels, fresh costumes, newly painted scenery, the old familiar songs and the older, even more familiar jokes. They're as much a part of minstrels as burnt cork and slide drum bones. As usual, Sugarfoot has the audience eating out of his hand. He's on stage now just finishing his famous song and dance routine. Watching from the wings are his son, Joe, and Lucy, Joe's fiance. They've watched Sugarfoot hundreds of times, and still his antics seem as new and enjoyable to them as if he was performing for the first time. Hey, Pop's really knocking himself out tonight, Lucy. Your dad will always be the great Sugarfoot Calhoun. The audience loves him. Oh, and how? Oh, look now, Lucy, here's where Pop does his slide towards the footlights. Watch! Always gets over. I remember the first time he did it. Oh, like fun you do. The first time that was done, Pop's grandfather was Sugarfoot. Yeah, you gotta hand it to the old man. Too bad the minstrels are washed up. He'll never believe that, Joe. No, he's just like a lot of other old timers. Can't read the handwriting on the wall. The minstrel has been through for a long time, Lucy. Only Pop won't admit it. Well, you seem to be doing all right here tonight. The house is full. Why shouldn't it be? After all, this is our hometown. Everybody knows us. Where do we get on the road again? I wish you didn't have to go, Joe. Oh, so do I, Lucy. Believe me, doing one night stands as no life for a guy who's planning to get married. Real home to go to at night, having to live out of a trunk, hop from one hotel to another. I wouldn't mind. Not too much. We'd be together and... No, Lucy, no. No, not until I'm out of this show, right there. I get a real job, a place of her own. Then we can get married and really settle down. You know, it doesn't seem right for you to quit the minstrels. You're... Well, they need you. Outside of your father, you're the best one in the show, honest. Well, look who trained me, the best guy in the minstrel business. But Pop won't rise up to what's happening. When it comes to the business end of things, he doesn't know the score. I've tried to tell him, but he's so wrapped up in the show, he can't see past the footlights. Oh, stop pacing up and down, Joe. You make me nervous. Pop, if you go into this television deal, I'm out in a limb. When I contracted for this auto agency... Joe, did you sign a contract? Well, yes and no. It's not effective until I've plunked down the 10,000 bucks. I've got five of it. Well, Pop, I was hoping you'd put up the other five for me. That's the five I'm putting in the television show. Do you have to throw away that five grand on television? I'm not throwing it away, and besides, Joe, it's already on the schedule. You know what a schedule means to Calhoun's minstrels? I can't understand how you could work hard all your life, make a big salary, and still have only 5,000 left. 6,000? I got a little extra there. That still leaves me four short. I can't figure you out, Pop. Joe, I made my money in minstrels, and I still figure it's worth putting everything I made back into the show. But you're wrong about having only that for a lifetime's work. No, Joe. Joe, I've got memories of some wonderful years, memories of a lot of friends, a lot of people we made happy. Yes, and knowing that I kept up a great tradition. All the money in show business couldn't buy that. Pop. Joe, why don't you stay in it with me? It'll be different now. No more traveling. You and Lucy can settle down. Do a regular weekly show. Weekly show? Aren't you taking the whole thing for granted, Pop? You're being taken on a $5,000 slay ride. You don't even know it. Makes me sick just to think of it. Joe, you just gave me an idea. Something I learned from my dad a long time ago. I'd forgotten all about it. Yes, sir, that's the thing to do. I'll see you later, Joe. But, Pop, how about this agency franchise? If I could... Find it into a television franchise, son. Pop, going into television is the last thing I'll ever do. Maybe you're right, Joe. Maybe you're right. Chorus once more. Give me a pick up, will you? There she goes on her toes all dressed up in a Sunday clothes. My best girl. Just like sweet Rosie O'Grady. She's just a sweet little lady. Why she calls me up now and then? Calls me down only when I'm too smart. Church's newly painted. I guess the preacher was wise from the start. What a gal, what a pal. She's another frivolous salma. That's it, Harold. It's the same old routine. Why this minstrel is a natural for television? We'd be all set even without a rehearsal. Hello, Sugarfoot. Lucy, honey. Lucy, where's Joe? Couldn't you get him here? No, I couldn't talk him into it. When I said it was just to watch the rehearsal, he figured you might be up to something so... he really made up his mind to stay out of the show, huh? Oh, Joe's pretty low about losing the auto sales franchise. He'd counted on borrowing $5,000 from you. Yeah, I know. Oh, Callie, it's hot under all these lights. How do you stand it, Sugarfoot? It's worse than footlights and baby spots. I've been feeling a little... Gee, I think... That's funny. What's the trouble? Is something wrong with you? I... I think I'll go home. Harold finished the rest of this rehearsal without me, will you? Aren't you feeling well, Sugarfoot? Don't worry about me, honey. I'll be all right. Just want to rest a little. The show will go on tonight, and with Sugarfoot, you can count on that. I came over as soon as you... What's Pop doing in bed, Lucy? You didn't say he was sick? Oh, he won't let me call a doctor either. Joe, you'd better... I could hold a doc maker right away. Joe, Joe, wait a minute, please. I'm all right, I guess. I just... I just feel a little funny here. Your heart. That's what it is, Pop. You've been overdoing it. It's caught up with you. Maybe it is my heart, son. Sugarfoot, you just can't do the television show tonight. Oh, Joe, talk to him. He has a dress rehearsal late this afternoon. I'll do it all right. Remember, honey, the name's Calhoun. Besides, it's 5,000 bucks riding on the performance. They could cancel it and tell you better. No, no, no. Everything's set for tonight. There are... there are five people listening who are interested in buying a show. One of them's even put in a bid already. Just... just because it's Calhoun's minstrels. Pop, I'm going to get doc Baker. And then I'm going to go down and talk to those television people. No, Joe, no, Joe, Joe. Sugarfoot's going to be in that show, believe me. I'm not arguing about that. Look, look, Pop... you told me I was ready to take over any time, didn't you? You said I sounded just like you. I... I do, don't I? Joe. Okay, I'm taking over, Pop. You're not well, but just because you don't have sense enough to realize it and stay in bed where you belong, I do. Quit worrying about your dough, Pop. I'm going on in your place. That's not what's worrying me. I'm worried whether the manager of this apartment building can get a television set installed in time to watch the show. Oh, Pop. I'll take care of that, too. Joe, I knew I could count on you if I needed to, and believe me, son, I wouldn't miss seeing this for... for five thousand bucks. Are you nervous, Joe? Who, me? Yeah, I guess that's a good sign. Huh. Here, I'm all made up. Now, who do I look like? Well, if I hadn't been watching you, honest, you're a dead ringer for your dad. You want to know something, honey? That's exactly how I feel. Just like sugarfoot. Not just on the surface, but clear down deep inside. Here, here, listen to this. Mandy, there's a minister handy and it sure would be dandy. Oh, my, my. You're sure enough sugarfoot, honey. And after listening to what Mr. Harris said after the dress rehearsal, I think you're gonna be the first sugarfoot with a sponsor. You know, Lucy, I've had minstrel makeup on hundreds of times before this, but somehow I feel different tonight. I wonder... Yes, Joe? This is the first time I ever wore sugarfoot's old jacket, the same one his father used to wear. Do you support... Oh, that's silly, isn't it? No. No, it isn't, Joe. I know what you mean. Now, you're sugarfoot Calhoun. Ladies and gentlemen of our television audience, the grand finale, featuring sugarfoot Calhoun and the entire company. This is it, Joe. Give it everything your old pops watch. Angels in the sky promise that by and by there's gonna be a great day. Gabriel will warn you, somebody warn you, will hear his horn. It's not far away. Hold up your hands and say there's gonna be a great day. And here's hotlips Anderson and a silver-throated cornet. I knew it. I knew it. Joe, boy, it worked on you just like it worked 25 years ago and my dad pretended he was real sick. I took over then and you took over tonight. Yep. Now you're sugarfoot Calhoun. Can you see that, grandpa? Are you watching, dad? That's one of the Calhouns. That's my boy. That's sugarfoot. Not far away. Hold up your hands and say there's gonna be a great day. Come in. This is Rosalind Russell again. You know some people think it's strange that people like sugarfoot Calhoun should immerse themselves so deeply in their work. But in show business, as in everything else, hard work is the price of success. I know it is the price that must be paid for happiness in family life. Making a home and filling it with love and understanding is a full-time job, a lifetime job. It's a work that needs God's blessing and constant help. And that's where prayer comes in. Ask and you shall receive. Remember, ask God to help. Pray. Pray together as a family, today and every day in the year. Thank you for being with us. And God bless you. Tonight's cast included Ann Tobin, George Niece, Charles Maxwell, Gigi Pearson, and Leo Cleary. Next week our Family Theatre star will be Joan Leslie in World Without End. Your host will be Robert Young. This series of the Family Theatre broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who felt the need for this kind of program and by the mutual broadcasting system which has responded to this need. Be with us next week at the same time and Joan Leslie and Robert Young will star on Family Theatre. Merrill Ross speaking.