 The Mutual Broadcasting System in cooperation with Family Theatre Incorporated presents Mr. Carousel, starring Jimmy Durante. Jeanette MacDonald is your hostess. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Prayer is a simple thing. A simple act of lifting our minds and hearts to God. A simple word of thanks, an act of love. With these convictions about prayer, Family Theatre comes to you each week. It comes with the knowledge that family prayer can give us the most powerful help to keep our families together. That's why Family Theatre is dedicated to your family, to all families. Your letters during the past two years have given us great encouragement. It's encouraging to know that listening to Family Theatre has become a habit. We sincerely hope that praying together, praying as a family, has also become a habit with you. When you gather your family together, when you make daily prayer a family practice, you'll know the joy and happiness of God's wonderful blessings. Jeanette MacDonald returns following this Family Theatre story, Mr. Carousel, starring Jimmy Durante. Brooklyn is famous for a number of things. A tree that grew there, a baseball team, a bridge, and 2,800,000 proud and highly volatile citizens. This is the story of one of them, James Delahante Clayton, and a memorable moment in his life. It's a nice balmy evening on Willow Street, and James Delahante Clayton sits on his front porch, as usual tinkering with a new music box when he has a visitor. Good evening, Mr. Carousel. Well, good evening, Mary Ann. Come on up here on the porch, I've got a new tune for you. Just got through putting together a new music box. Oh gee, a new song. No, sweetheart, an old, old one. In fact, my mother sang it to me when I was just a week taught like yourself. Now we'll wind it up and see how you like it. There it goes. There it goes. Gee, don't you mean ride, Chris? I don't understand the words. Well, if you meet somebody coming down the street, your smiles at them and say good morning or good afternoon. Just like we say to our teacher at school. That's it. Like, for instance, when I shows up at Carnegie Hall, I says good morning, Mr. Beam. That's the doorman. Or good morning, Mr. Upton. He's the manager of the hall. And they say good morning, Mr. Clayton. Don't they say good morning, Mr. Carousel? I only allow my special friends like you to call me Mr. Carousel. You're not going to forget about your promise. My promise? Yes, about taking me to the rehearsal with you tomorrow. Oh, yes. Why, of course. Are you going to sing and play your music box at Carnegie Hall, Mr. Carousel? Well, not exactly. Tomorrow my performance is along other lines. I'm assisting the world famous singer, Mr. Enrico Orlando. Now, don't you think it's about time for you to be running home and getting a good night's rest? Then you can be bright and fresh tomorrow when I introduce you to my very good friend, Mr. Enrico Orlando. Good morning, Mr. Beam. Morning, James. Good morning, Mr. Mack. Morning, James. Mr. Upton wants to see you in the auditorium. Thank you, Mr. Mack. Good morning, Mr. Upton. Looks like we'll have colossal weather for the opening night. Yeah, it should be a sellout. Oh, the accompanist is on the stage waiting for you. That's fine. Remember, I want that piano tuned right this time. Orlando complained about it yesterday. Leave it to me, Mr. Upton. I'll make that piano sound like a harp from heaven. Don't extend yourself. Just make it sound like a piano in Carnegie Hall. And be quick about it. The rehearsal starts in an hour. Indubitably, Mr. Upton. Indubitably. They all say, good morning, Mr. Clayton. Good morning, Mr. Clayton. Be, Mr. Clayton. All right, Clayton. Right away, Mr. Upton. That's what I call a sour character. Someday they'll evaporate him into a vinegar jar. That does it. This baby sounds like a harp. Well, my good friend, Mr. Clayton. Oh, hello, Mr. Orlando. I see you've been a tune on the piano. How's she sound now? I was just saying to myself, this here piano is now in tune with the angels. And why not? Has she not had the touch of Jimmy Clayton, the best piano tuner in all America? Couldn't do less for the best singer in Brooklyn and the USA. This is what you call a mutual admiration society. As they say at Saratoga, it's paramuteral. I think that is very funny, no? A couple of more months in America and you'll have yourself a fine Brooklyn accent. Well, got to give this piano the final check. The Clayton Carousel. Yep, this here instrument gets the Clayton seal of approval. She's primed like a thoroughbred, rare in the gold. Just like me. It's what they say, a power immutual. There's a lady at the stage door. She wants to see you. A lady? To see me? Yes, Mr. Carousel. That's who you are, ain't you? None of you lip beam. Just send her in. She's a very special friend. Yes, Mr. Clayton. I see you have the eyes for the ladies. Is that Jimmy? This is a special one. She's nine years old and bright as a new nickel. Say, Mr. Olander, I want you to meet her. It will be a pleasure. I told her what pals we were. You know. So I thought maybe you'd... Not sure. I understand it perfectly. You leave it all to your friend, Olander. Say, look at that house. Packed to the rafters. What a nightingale. This Olander sure can pack him in. Sure can. Well, looks like the show is getting on the road. We take great pleasure in presenting Mr. Enrico Olander of the La Scala Opera Company. Mr. Olander will offer for his first election the flower song from Bizet's immortal opera, Carmen. Mr. Olander. Am I hearing right? It can't be. Mr. Optin, have you seen my tuning kit around? From the sound of that piano I'd say it's straddling an entire octave. Clayton, get out there. Get that tuning kit of yours from inside that piano. And when you come back, keep walking until you get outside. And don't ever set foot inside again. You're fired! How uppity can you get? It's guys like him that drives guys like me to commit mayhem. Or even parasite. If his name was Pat, don't ever set foot inside here again, he said. Why, I wouldn't even put my big toe in the door or my protruding proboscis. The nerve of him. Firing me when my back was turned. Mary Ann, what are you doing out so late? You should be in bed. Oh, I just to find out about. You know what? Was it real good? Was what real good? Your opening night. Oh, that. Sweetheart, there's never been nothing like it in show business. Oh, gee, I'm glad. Did they clap real loud? Toward down the house. That's what they did. Toward down the house. If I ask my mommy, do you think I can come and see you on the stage? Well, Mary Ann, I got to thinking tonight that I'm getting a little tired of them command performances. I figured I'd get me a new kind of job. You mean give up your music? Oh, that would be awful, Mr. Carousel. Well, not exactly. Well, what would you do? Uh, be an impresario. Yeah, that's it. I always wanted to be an impresario. What does an impresario do, Mr. Carousel? Well, he, uh, he, like Mr. Upton, puts on big shows, gets important people to sing and act. My friend's been after me for years to be an impresario. After all, there ain't a big name in the music world that don't know the wake of James Delahante Clayton. Oh, golly, Mr. Carousel, then maybe you'll bring them all to Willow Street and they'll sing for us, huh? You might do that someday. Now, uh, don't you think you'd better be running along home? Oh, won't you play just one more little song in your music box, please? Lady, when you look at me like that, what can I say? Why, Mary Ann and Mr. Roberts, this is an early morning surprise. How are you, Mr. Clayton? Fine, fine, come in. Nothing wrong, I hope. No, no, nothing's wrong. Have a seat. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Clayton, for the past many months we've heard nothing but Mr. Carousel from our daughter here, Mary Ann. Oh, she's a queen, that's what she is. My greatest audience. Well, Mr. Clayton, I've come to ask you a great favor. Anything, Mr. Roberts? That is, uh, within my humble spear of influence. Well, I've been appointed chairman of the Willow Street Committee for the new medical clinic. That's just what Willow Street needs, a nice, clean hospital, yes, sir. And the committee has decided that a benefit of some sort would help raise the necessary funds. And I told him for a scario, and that all sorts of people were going to sing an act for you. Yeah? I mean, uh, well, the truth is, Mr. Roberts, that I... And I told Daddy and Mommy that everybody knows you, just everybody, and that you said you'd bring them to Willow Street to sing for us. Well, I don't think I... that I could bring them to Willow Street. Well, Mr. Clayton, if you can get the talent, I'm sure we'll have no trouble finding a place to present the benefit. Oh, James, to Carousel. Oh, gosh, won't that be fun? And you being the Emperor, scario and everything. Well, I ask for it. Uh, Willow Street will never forget this, Mr. Clayton. That's what I'm afraid of. That's what I'm afraid of. Well, say there, James Delihante Clayton, and where do you think you're going, me fine friend? You can't come in here. I'll I'm away, Bean. Got a lot of things in my mind. Got a lot of work to do. Now, hold on. So, you've got things to do, have you? Well, according to the flat Busch Gazette, there's not piano tunin' that's keeping you busy. It says here, James Delihante Clayton has turned impresario. Bean, Stanninet, you look like a cigar store Indian without his toupee. Now, step aside, I've got no time for your society gossip. It says the rise of impresario Clayton is one of the greatest success stories of this great land of ours. For only last week, he was tunin' pianos at Carnegie Hall. Let me see that paper. I was framed. And before you was framed, you was fired. Who said I was fired? I quit. You was fired. And Mr. Upton said, to arrange for you not to re-enter these sacred portals ever. Well, I got news for you, Timothee Big Maltbeam. That's just where I'm gonna put these two feet of mine. Right inside these scarce portals. And should a certain mist up and provoke me further, I shall be forced to plant one of them right where he'll be most inconvenienced. Howdy, Marianne. Oh gee, it's real. I told my teacher about the concert and she said it was real wonderful and everything. Sit down here, Marianne. I want to talk to you. You don't act like you're feeling very good, Mr. Carousel. Well, I'm not Marianne. You see, I did something that was wrong. You did? You see, when a poison doesn't tell the truth or pretends to be what he ain't, he gets punished for it. That's what my daddy always says. And so? That's why I'm not feeling so good. I know what. Let's you and me play a happy song, Mr. Carousel. Then maybe you'll feel better, huh? No, Marianne. The only way I'll feel better is to tell you the truth. You see, I was always pretending I was a big man over at the hall. But do you know what I really was? Sure, I know. You were a, uh, a whatchamacallit. Um, um, an emperor's scario. No, sweetie. I was the piano tuner. You, you mean like Mr. Godowski at the school? Well, not in the same class. After all, tuning pianos at Carnegie Hall is a little different. Oh, who am I fooling? Yep, it's the same thing. But I thought you played the piano for Mr. Orlando. No. No, Marianne. I only tuned the piano for him. Oh. And after what happened the other night, I won't be doing that anymore. You mean Mr. Orlando is mad at you? I've got an idea to roll mad at me over at the hall. Why, I can't even get in the place to see anyone. Oh, gee whiz. Oh, golly, what'll we do now? I'm gonna have to tell your daddy and mommy tonight that there ain't gonna be any concert. I could tell them if you want me to. Unless you're honey. But I'll tell them. Say, where are you going? Oh, I just remembered. Mr. Orlando will see you. Go right in. Mr. Orlando, it's just real important. Darling, believe me, nothing would have given me more pleasure to sing for your friends on Willow Street. But I have a concert in Boston. But you could sing there some other night, couldn't you? But sweetheart, I have signed a contract. You know I have given my promise and my word. And thousands of people will be disappointed. But couldn't you tell them about your friend, Mr. Carousel? I'm sorry, Bambino, but it's impossible. I'm sure my friend, Jimmy, he will understand. Well, goodbye, Mr. Orlando, and thanks anyway. Goodbye, Gracieman. And I promise one day I'll recall Orlando's sings just for you alone. Goodbye. Hello? Yeah, this is Mr. Clayton. What's that? You want your piano tuned? Did you try Mr. Kodalski on Bay Street? He's not home? I see. Okay, okay, I'll help you out. What's the address? 6800 Willow Street. Yeah, yeah, I'll be there right away. Bye. Now I know how Officer Flannery must have felt when he transferred him from Times Square to the Bronx. I got to call the tune of the piano here. Huh? You're Mr. Clayton? Yeah, yeah, that's me. Now where's the piano? Come this way. Go right in, they're waiting for you. Wait a minute. Waiter joins jammed. Hello, Mr. Carousel? Mary Ann. Clayton, we thought you'd never get here. And Mr. Roberts, what is this? It's the Willow Street Clinic benefit. But someone wanted a piano tuned. I did. Mr. Orlando. And I refuse to go on until it is tuned by none other than my friend Jimmy. Keep talking, I'm still in a fog. Oh, there is no time to talk. People are waiting to hear Enrico Orlando sing. But I thought you was due to sing in Boston. I was, my friend. But a little angel who whispered in my ear about a very good friend who was very unhappy because he could not keep his promise. Tell me, did that angel look something like this little lady here? Exactly like her. But how did you get out of going to Boston? I tell the concert manager there, in my country it is very bad not to listen when the angel, she talks. Especially when this angel, she comes from Brooklyn. And you know what this concert manager, he say? No, what? He say, we in Boston also believe in angels, but who will sing instead of Enrico Orlando? I tell him, I have talked with my very good friend Arturo Hernandez. One of the great voices since the Bobber of Figaroa. Bobber of the Seville. That Bobber sure gets around. So it is arranged that Arturo sings in Boston. And as we say here in Brooklyn, everything is a parry-mutual. Call it G. They're playing your song, Mr. Carousel. And what else? Well, what are we waiting for? Let's put the show on the road. A one, a two, a three. This is Jeanette MacDonald again. You know, a home isn't just a house or four walls or a room. Home means understanding, affection and love. It takes all these to make a house a home. It means mother and father and children living, working and playing together. Yes, and praying together. Children must be taught to pray, you know, and they learn best by seeing and doing. A picture is worth ten thousand words, and the daily picture of father and mother, brothers and sisters, praying to God for the help they need will remain forever in the memory of a child. The toys of Christmas and the little family pleasures will soon be forgotten, but one memory the children will carry through life is the memory of a God-respecting, God-loving, prayerful home. I know because I come from such a home. That's why, week after week, we bring you this message. Pray together as a family. A family that prays together, stays together. This is Jeanette MacDonald saying, God bless you. Ed Coleman's and Fred Howard. Next week, our Family Theater star will be Moreno Sullivan in Violets for Courage. Your host will be Robert Ryan. This series of the Family Theater broadcast 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 this same time when Moreno Sullivan and Robert Ryan will star on Family Theater. Tony LaFranco speaking. Mutual Broadcasting System.