 The Mutual Broadcasting System, in cooperation with Family Theatre Incorporated, presents, transcribed, A Daddy for Christmas, starring Pat O'Brien, Linda Johnson, and Bobby Jiscoe. Shirley Temple is your hostess. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. When I was a little girl, I went to see the doll for Christmas. It wasn't very expensive, so even a previous doll in my collection. But I kept that doll and cherished it, after my other Christmas toys had disappeared. From someone I loved, someone who loved me. No matter how high the gifts are piled, any Christmas tree is there which can have love around it. That's why it's so important for us to make our home's places of love. Not just Christmas Day, but every year. And one thing is certain, where daily family prayer is a practice. Family prayer will bring love and goodness and understanding. The best Christmas gift any family can receive. Shirley Temple will speak again, following our Family Theatre play, A Daddy for Christmas, starring Pat O'Brien, Bobby Jiscoe, and Linda Johnson. Most people look on Christmas as a special season. With me, well, I guess it's a special. As long as I live, Christmas will be extra special for me now. But in early December last year, when I took Stevie to the toy department, the business department store, I had no idea, told Stevie again, how extra expensive that place is going to be. Bob's got wheels rolling across the up. When he was across three. Tell him something, I think. For everything in the store. But okay, pick me. Soon as that little girl gets through. Now, Santa Claus. Oh, well, well, nice little boy. Can we go and tell Santa what Christmas? You know. Uh-huh. You know what I want? Uh, Santa. You took him when you were in the Wilson's department store. Oh, well, right. I remember you now. I was getting you all mixed up with another nice little boy, I know. Mommy calls me a little scamp. But you're a nice little scamp? I'll tell you what, Santa. I left my notebook across the street. So, uh, how about you giving me that list of all the things all over again? Just, uh, what's your address? Stephen Hunt. Twenty feet, eight-hundred feet. All right, Stephen. Now, what do you want for Christmas? Well, I want the slag. Bicycle? With two wheels? With three wheels. Oh, that's a bicycle. What is a bicycle? What's a bicycle? With three wheels? Uh-huh. One bicycle with three wheels. And I want a scooter? A pony? A wife? And I want a daddy. He didn't come back for a while. I don't think Stevie remembers him, but... But all his friends have daddy. I don't want a daddy, too. I'm afraid a dad is a lot of Santa Claus' men, darling. Son, let's, uh, let's check that address again. What? Twenty-two, twenty-eight? It was a lonely Christmas Eve with Stevie and me. Christmas was opening our doors for my late husband. He had to get out of the car. But my job is secretary in the lawyer's office. I see my line and I'm just a pony. Stevie and I lived in a mate over two-and-a-kindness, and one corner of the town was welling, and the entrance was off the driveway. Mrs. Ross and my line lady, we took care of Stevie when I was at work. She's wasting a lot of time without evening or the Christmas day. Stevie and I were alone. Stevie kept re-arranging the Steve Ops packages at the sort of our little Christmas scene. I like Stevie. I like the bed. I set the bed, not to the window. I love him. He's a Santa Claus. He climbed up the bed. So long as he climbed up to the street. He was there. So real. He's Santa Claus. He climbed up the bed with a great big bag. Pop. He climbed. He climbed. Even when I was... Christmas, Merry Christmas! Santa! Mommy, it was you? Oh, please, lady. Don't tell me you don't believe in Santa Claus. I'll believe anything now. Why'd you bring me? Why'd you bring me? Wait, let me put my bag down first. Well, I was just flying by in the rain, dear. And I saw what a nice Christmas tree you had and decided to drop in. Well, I couldn't find it, Tim. So the house boy decided to use the door. Who's he holding? Oh, over there. Oh, I sent him back to the North Pole. So I got some more toys. What did you do? Well, let's open the door. So we're not receiving. We're a nice little one. I will. Oh, Mommy, no. Santa Claus remembered. Can I write it? Can't... Nothing. I'm just happy. Really asleep now. That, uh, Santa suit must be awfully hot. Would you like to take it off? I'll say. There. Now the beard. Oh, that feels better. Why, you... What's the matter? We're young men. Is that bad? No, but... But I just thought Santa Claus was older. I mean... You? You mean you thought Santa Claus was older? Well, I hope you're not too disappointed. My name's Joe Regan. Mr. Regan, won't you... Joe. Won't you please sit down? Tell me, why did you do this? Not that I don't appreciate it. Oh, I hate to. After all, I'm Santa Claus. And a swell little kid with a pretty and nice acting. He's up to me and says, Santa, I want a bicycle with you. What kind of a Santa Claus am I? I didn't come through. But why... Why Stevie? There must have been some... The boys and girls who ask you for presents. Why Stevie? Well, maybe it's because... He asked us for presents. On the daddy. Oh, no. That's going too far, Joe. I mean, Mr. Regan. No, no, don't get too far. I'm afraid Stevie won't get his daddy for Christmas. You don't think... Oh, no, of course not. But already, I like you a good deal. Well, I like you too, but... We sound like the kids. Couple of nice kids, I'll have you know. Joe, you're crazy. We'll start daisies the most. Oh, you're very nice, Joe. But that tricycle must have cost a lot of money. You'll have to return it. I won't take that bicycle with three wheels away from Stevie. You do it. Oh, no, I couldn't. He already loves it. All right, you win. He keeps the tricycle. One round for Joe Regan. But about that daddy business, uh-uh. That's out. But it wasn't out. Sometimes to see me and sometimes to take Stevie who adored him for an outing. We were married shortly before Easter. And we were lucky. We found a little Fernie's house in an inspection of the city. And I talked Joe into quitting the job he had in a furniture factory where he did a lot of labor. Into taking a sales position with the Jensen Hardware Company. Strangely, Joe bought this and insisted he preferred working with his hands but he finally gave in. After all, the new job is something of a future. The best part of it all was for the first time in his war-born life, Stevie began to know what a home was. You're out. I am not. That was a foul tip. You're out, you're out. All right, that's the umpire. Jimmy, wasn't that a foul tip? Uh-uh. You struck out. Boy, you kids are ganging up on me. It's my bat. And keep mother waiting. Last one. So long, Jimmy. So long. Every day. Well, how about it? Doesn't the monkey's uncle get a kiss? Two little boys around the house. But what mother objects to that? There were other times, however, when Jimmy was an old little boy to me. Much more. Honey, why did you marry me? What? Why did you marry me? Well, how can you ask a question like that? Well, I guess... Well, when I used to... How did I... I used to tell you, Stevie needed a father and that was my main sales talk. Joe, I married you because I love you. I need you. You should know that. Oh, yes, of course. But the way you do it on that kid, well, y'all... I love you so much. I guess I did almost from the start. When I was Santa Claus? Well, that's when I fell in love with you. Just as soon as Stevie told me he wanted a daddy and I looked at you, realizing I had a chance. And when I got to know you, you were everything I wanted. Well, with everything I wanted. At least that's what I thought until late one afternoon in August. Hello, Mary. What's the matter? Joe, the lights won't go on. They're on next door and I checked the fusee. You didn't forget to pay the bill. Right, I did forget, honey. I didn't have anything to pay it with. I thought they gave you a second notice. No, we budgeted. Why didn't you have anything? I was fired last Thursday. The boss didn't think that I... You haven't been working a week and you didn't tell me? I'm sorry, honey. I didn't want to worry you. But you've been leaving the house the same time every morning. I didn't want you to know until I got something new. You seemed to take it for granted. I was doing so well. I just didn't want to worry you, that's all. No, don't do anything to worry me. Just have the light company turn off our lights without notice. I'll have them on again tomorrow. But how? I said I'd have them on tomorrow and that's enough. Don't speak to me like that. Well, stop putting me through a third degree. Now I suppose you want to know why I got fired. Well, let's speak because I'm a lousy salesman, that's why. You're the only one who thinks I'm a personality kid. Don't worry, Joe. You'll get something better, something with a real future. And about the bill, I've got some money saved. I said I'd pay that bill. He paid the bill, all right. By paunting two pieces of his very fine leather luggage. That was our first quarrel. A couple of weeks later, Joe was in the yard cutting the lawn when Stevie came home from school. Hi, Stevie. Hi, school. All the kids have cowboy boots. Can I have them? Well, let them see. Let me think about that little Stevie. No. No, we might as well start in being frank about these things right now. Come here, son. Jimmy's got cowboy boots with red and yellow. Stevie, I want you to listen to me. There are times when our family doesn't have much money and we have to get along without some of the things we'd like to have. Some other times we'll have a little extra money and get some of those extra things. Then I can't have those cowboy boots. I'm afraid not, fella. Not right now. Yes, you will, honey. We'll go downtown and get you some cowboy boots Saturday. Mary, I didn't know that you... I'm going to get some boots. I'll tell Jimmy. You shouldn't have told me to get those boots just after I said we couldn't afford it. All the other youngsters are wearing them and I don't want him to know we can't afford it. You've got to learn some time. Well, there are things we can't have just for the asking. Well, he's too young to learn now. All right. But how can we pay for them out of my unemployment money? I got a little money from my folks this week. They sent it to help outfit Stevie for school. Oh, I didn't know. The way his shoulders drooped when he turned for me to walk into the house, I wanted to run after him and cradle his head in my arms like I do my other little boy when he's hurt, but I didn't. Weeks passed and Joe couldn't seem to find a job, at least not the kind I wanted him to have. But, Mary, every time I think I can get a job, you say it isn't suitable. What do you want to live like anyway? Joe, it's not me I'm thinking of. I just want to be sure Stevie gets all the things he needs. I see. I'll keep looking for the career job so Stevie can get all the things you think he needs. He tried, but that was all. Finally, I spoke to Mr. Emerson and he offered me my job back. I thought Joe would raise the roof, but... So you're going back to work, huh? Just until you get something good again. Oh, I guess that's best. No need for Stevie to do without things because I can't provide them. That's all he said. Somehow, I'd have felt better if he'd objected. He even insisted I didn't take the job. So I returned to work for the first time since we were married. The third evening after work when I came home, the house was strangely quiet. Joe! Joe! Stevie! Stevie, honey, what's the matter? Daddy, daddy! What about daddy? Honey, did he leave anything? A letter from Mommy? Oh, here it is on the table. Dearest Mary. I know you'll think I'm a quitter and despise me for leaving this way, but it's going to be hard enough saying goodbye to Stevie. And I'm afraid you might change my mind and we'd all be worse off. I can't stay. Can't marry because I can't be the things you want your husband and Stevie's father to be. I'll never do big things. In fact, I don't especially want to. I don't want to be anything more than just an ordinary guy. Bus driver, mechanic, something like that. That's the whole story. Goodbye and good luck. And if by some strange chance I do get ahead, I'll try to make up for this. I promise I'll love you always. Joe. That's how Joe walked out of our lives, less than 10 months after he had entered. At first I didn't see how I could bear it, but life must go on. Then of course there was Stevie. I've written all Joe's relatives, all his friends, but they haven't heard from him either. Poor Stevie. He's tried to keep up a brave front, but many times at night I hear him crying himself to sleep. Sometimes, at first, I cried in bed too. Then I started telling myself, at least this way, Stevie won't grow up under the influence of a father utterly lacking in ambition. And I got some satisfaction in knowing that when Jimmy Webster got a fair lined out aviator cap, my boy got a fair lined aviator cap too. That is, I did until last Saturday, when Jimmy came over to our house. Thanks for all cookies, Mrs. Regan. Thank you, Jimmy. You'll get some as soon as they're finished. When's Mr. Regan coming back? I don't know. Jimmy, does Stevie talk about him much? No. He don't talk about him at all. I wish he was my dad. Jimmy. I guess that's wrong, but Mr. Regan always played with us kids. Showed us how to throw a ball, right way to hold a bat, things like that. My dad hardly even talks to me. I don't think he even likes me. Oh, your daddy loves you. But why do you suppose he's always getting you all those nice presents and those swell clothes? If he loves me, why doesn't he act like Mr. Regan? Jimmy, you've got to love your own father. If he doesn't seem to pay enough attention to you, remember he's a very important man and he has to keep busy. I wish Mr. Regan was home. He's like the only dad I ever had. It was then I finally realized the terrible thing I had done to my Stevie and to Joe. And I'd had the nerve to nag him for not giving Stevie the things a father should. I'd even held up Jimmy's father as an example. Poor Joe. He must be feeling lonely too. I suppose he was at the department store Santa Claus again this year, somewhere. Wonder what he's doing tonight. Christmas Eve. I could almost scream the way Stevie keeps looking out the window. Stevie, don't you think it's time you went to bed? Just a little. The flowers will still come. What can I say? Oh, Joe. Joe, if I could only reach you now to tell you I've learned my lesson. And I don't care if we're ever rich, what kind of work you do. What counts is you're good for me and Stevie. What counts is you, you and Joe. It's Christmas. I hope so, Stevie. I hope so. But if it were going to, he'd be here by now. It would be like Joe to come back tonight for Stevie. Maybe if he comes back for Stevie, I'm getting this day for me. Oh, Joe. Mommy, what's the matter? Nothing, honey. Nothing at all. Okay, it's off to bed with you. Are you crying because Santa Claus didn't come? Never mind. It's time. I'll get it. Merry Christmas, merry Christmas. Don, I knew you'd come. I knew. It's Santa Claus. Santa Claus. Oh, watch it, my beard. Santa Claus's whiskers are coming off. It's Daddy. Daddy, daddy. Hello, son. Mommy, Daddy, Santa Claus. Yes, dear. Daddy, Santa Claus. You're back this day, aren't you, Joe? Yes, I'm back. And, Merry, I'm sorry I left the way I did. I was a coward. From now on, I'll try to be the kind of a guy you want. No, dear. From now on, just be yourself. That's the kind of guy I want. Oh, Merry. Oh, enough of this. More stuff. I gotta go about my business. Stevie been a good boy? Perfect. Just like his daddy. Well, that's too bad. Well, let's see what we got here. Oh, a racer. With big rubber tires. Thank you, Santa. Daddy, daddy. What is it, fellow? I know where you've been. You do? You've been up at the North Pole making toys. You know, I couldn't have thought of a better explanation. That's the only one I ever want to hear. This is Shirley Temple again. You know, poets often have the gift of expressing our feelings far better than we can ourselves. Here is a poem I think you'll like. It's called The Flight of Prayer. Who knows what wonders happen when we pray, what forces stir, what golden blessings run toward us and glad feet each time we say in all sincerity, Thy will be done. We cannot follow with our mortal sight the flight of prayer. We cannot hope to chart its secret course. But suddenly a light dawns and the weight is lifted from our heart. For prayer has powers that we know not of to heal and comfort, to provide and bless. All the resources of eternal love move to sustain us in the hour of stress. Clothing us safely round with life and power in even the darkest and most urgent hour. Thank you for being with us and God bless you. This transcribed production of Family Theatre Incorporated was directed by David Young. Next week our Family Theatre star will be Margaret O'Brien in Blessed Are They. Your host will be Dick Hames. 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 when Margaret O'Brien and Dick Hames will star on Family Theatre. Tony LaFranco speaking is the Mutual Broadcasting System.