 Ladies and gentlemen, the Railroad Hour. Here comes our star-studded show train. The Association of American Railroads presents the great Broadway musical hit Irene, starring Gordon MacRae and his guest star Eileen Wilson. Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboff, and the music is prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon. Yes, tonight another great musical success is brought to you by the American Railroads, the same railroads that bring you most of the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the fuel you burn, and all the other things you use in your daily life. And now, here is our star, Gordon MacRae. It's Marvin Miller, and good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, we're bringing you the story of one of the loveliest young ladies in the history of the musical stage. Her name? Irene. Eileen Wilson is here to play that unforgettable gal. I'm a fellow named Donald Marshall. My hobby is collecting money, and the whole thing opens right in the middle of a party at my Fifth Avenue mansion, and you're all invited. As you all know, our latest fad here on Fifth Avenue is genealogy. That means, of course, tracing our family background, climbing up our family trees till we find William the Conqueror. You know, sometimes you climb your family tree, Bob, and all you find is bark. That's called barking up the wrong tree. In the art of genealogy, we find the pedigree of your family tree, and if it's what it ought to be, the tinder bloom. If you want to find an uncle or a cousin or an aunt, we knew your tree when it was a plant. We can make their arms worth show. I'm glad to see you're taking an interest in this new hobby. It's so important to know who people are. Oh, I don't know. Oh, breathing always shows. Incidentally, I have a business problem to discuss with you, and you've got to help me, Don. Sure. I've put a lot of money into a new shop, Maudisse. Madame Ducey, I brought her from Paris, but nobody's heard of her yet. What can I do? Well, the secret of this business is to get good-looking young girls through wear clothes where other people will see them, and then they inquire who made them, and the ball is rolling. Well, it's a rather delicate subject to suggest to a gal that she changed her modeste. She might think I didn't like her clothes. I guess I'll think of something. I beg your pardon, Mr. Marshall. Yes, Clarkson? There's a girl from the shop about the seat cushions. You remember, you complained they were made too small. I'll be right out, Clarkson. Excuse me, Bob. Of course. I don't know what they're complaining about. These cushions seem okay to me. Well, hello. Mr. Marshall here wished to complain about the cushions. Clarkson? Yes, Mr. Marshall. You can go. But the complaint? I have no complaint. Oh, yes, sir. What's your name? I'm just a girl from the shop. Irina O'Dare. I know your name. It's Marshall. Do you know that you're one of the loveliest girls I've ever seen? Aw, not in this old shirt waist and this 98-cent hat. I hope you don't mind, but I've been peeking at all the really lovely girls at your party. Those gowns, oh, they're so dreamy. Gowns don't make any difference. Oh, yes, they do. I had a gown once. It was Alice Blue. One of the women who comes into our shop gave it to me. It was just the cast off. But do you know that originally it cost $85? Imagine that. I took it home and pressed it and fluffed it up. Gee, I felt like a princess. Where is the gown now? It's gone. I wore it out. It just faded away. Oh, I wish you could have seen me in it. It was so wonderful. I even used to put it on a hanger. Once I had a gown, it was almost new. Oh, the dangerous thing, it was sweet. Don't forget me not to face you in there. When I had it all, and it wore, and it wore, I sweetly took it when I first wandered. A lot of difference to a girl. Even if I do live on 9th Avenue, I love beautiful things. Say, I've got a wonderful idea. My mother said I should be careful when strange young men get ideas. Don't worry about that. Listen, I'm going to see that you get not $85 dresses, but $300 dresses. Huh? You're going to look like a million dollars, and it won't cost you a penny. Gee. Now, listen closely, Irene. Have you ever heard of Pygmalion and Galatia? They have bought Bill T. He was a sculptor, and she was a statue. But she was so lovely, so fascinating, that he fell in love with her. He decked her out in the most beautiful raiment, and she came to life. And they loved each other forever and ever. Oh, I don't believe it. You're going to deck you out, Irene, with gowns and jewels and hats and slippers. You're going to be Cinderella. You're going to be Galatia. Gee, where? How much do you make a week at the shop? $15. Well, you're making $25 a week right now. And all you have to do is wear beautiful clothes, go to parties, and tell everybody you bought them in Madame Lucy's. It's like a dream. Remember, it's our secret. We'll start the ball rolling tomorrow. Hey, Bob, I think I've got an answer to your problem. The girl in this very tenement house was a model for clothes and hats, and it was her ruin. She got used to fine feathers and wanted to be a fine bird. Well, you know what she turned into? An old crow. Having enough experience with your old man, he had to get a job in a distillery. Oh, daughter, did he love his work? Made. Never hurt him until it killed him. Yes, mother. Well, where are you going now with that black look on your face? Just out to sit on the fire escape. Gee, I guess all a gal can do is dream. If I shut my eyes and my ears, this isn't a fire escape at all. It's the rampart of a castle. We build our castles in the air and bid the world go by. So half the time we're living here, we're dreaming in the sky. In dreams twelve hours through the day, a shamer can't be more. If every girl... Those aren't garbage cans over there. So that is his Mrs. Bihuli's washing flapping in the wind. It's Mr. Marshall, Don, on a white horse, come to serenade me. Be that gal a-tea-gal. Madam Lucy, slippers, stockings, hats and gloves, underthings, overthings, everything. For Madam Moselle Irene O'Dare, design a gown. Beautiful gown this town has ever seen. Madam Moselle O'Dare, do you have a color preference? Oh, yes, blue. She's sensational, such poor, such greedy. Oh, yes, you always said that yourself. Breeding always shows. Which O'Dare family is that? The O'Dare. Oh, you don't mean it. Well, I tell you she's so fascinating that I'm positively falling in love with her. All the other men at this party seem to have the same idea. Listen. Gentlemen, gentlemen, please, one at a time. Oh, I'm having a lovely time. Oh, that is, it should be Miss O'Dare that we all think you're the loveliest girl in the world. Gentlemen, I thank you. I only hope that at midnight I don't turn into a pumpkin. I mean in just a moment. Slightly more than three months ago, shortly after the outbreak of war in Korea, the nation's railroads pledged themselves to an extensive program to meet increasing transportation needs. Since that time, the railroads have worked energetically to increase the supply of cars to meet the demands of national defense and the requirements of our expanding economy. As a first step, the railroads have on order 110,000 new freight cars to make a substantial increase in the size of their car fleet. These cars, bought at a cost of more than $500 million, are enough to keep all the car builders busy for an entire year. And before these orders are filled, others will be placed. Another part of the railroads program, a part designed to increase immediately the number of freight cars available to perform transportation service, is a speed-up in the repair and rebuilding of cars they have. In the past three months alone, the railroads have made heavy repairs to or virtually rebuilt more than 100,000 cars. This means that railroad shops have been turning out first-class cars at a rate of more than 35,000 a month. In this way, the railroads have not only kept pace with current repair needs, but have also made a substantial reduction in the backlog of cars awaiting repair. To repair as many cars as they have, as fast as they have, the railroads have extended shop working time and expanded shop forces. In these and many other ways, the railroads have been continually improving their plant, expanding their capacity, increasing their ability to provide the kind of transportation service which is so essential to the economic well-being and the military strength of the nation. This act, too, of Irene, starring Gordon McRae as Donald Marshall and Eileen Wilson as Irene. Say, Don, business is booming. Every woman in town is buying her clothes at Madame Lucisse. And all because Irene has been the toast of every party. Well, I'm happy you're happy. Oh, you have no idea. I'm in love with the girl, too. I've asked you to marry me. You have? What does she say? She said she'd let me know. But meanwhile, I've been investigating a family tree. What did you find? I had the top genealogy expert make out a chart, paid him $500. It proves she's an aristocrat. $500? If you'd paid a thousand, they would have said her father was the Prince of Wales and her mother was the Queen of Romania. Oh? You don't approve of genealogy? Oh, what good is a fancy family tree? Makes you feel like a potato. Best part of you is underground. Well, here is the O'Dare history. All on this scroll. Let me have it. I'll be right back. Irene! Oh, Irene! I'm right here, Mr. Marshall. Well, you having fun? Oh, yes. I wish it could last forever. I've kept a diary, so if anything happens, I'll have something wonderful to read about at least when I'm an old lady. You know what I have here? A history of your family. Dear, does it tell about Pop and the distillery and about Uncle Gus and the Jersey Cots? No. It's all about queens and princesses in Ireland. It's all poetry. Like a fairy story. And I'm in it. Sure you are. Just listen to this. Once a king of Normandy wed a queen of Arcadee Then they settled on the sea Shameless came then Kathleen Sham was born and then Eileen Michael came before A little bit of salt and sweetness, Irene A dainty slip of rare completeness Manor is a magnet, is in eyes of youth inviting Clancing by with glancing, either flush of her exciting siren The soul who captures has to charm them Careful, beware by her set Pop she goes down, she goes, everybody's pet Near or far, there you are, captured in the net Of liberty, which Irene, oh dare Irene, a little bit of salt and sweetness, Irene A dainty slip of rare completeness Manor is a magnet, is in eyes of youth inviting Dancing by with glancing, either flush of her exciting siren The soul who captures has to charm them Careful, beware by her set Now she's there, followed by herself Pop she goes down, she goes, everybody's pet Of liberty, which Irene, oh That's so nice. I wish it was true. I wish it was for real. I hate masquerading when I'm with you. But I'm the one who made it all up. That pig guy? Pig Balian. Yeah, him. Did his gal ever have to go back and be a statue again or could she keep on pretending she was a girl and keep on being in love with him? I think he was the one who had to pretend because she was so very beautiful, Liddy. Well, he never thought he was worthy of her. What's up, Bob? The party's almost over and I would like the last dance with the most beautiful girl here. I'm awfully sorry, Bob. I've promised it to Don. Oh, I always said the last part of a party was the most fun of all. Sorry, Robert. Sorry. We should just visit them though I may have the intuition You're not so much to me that I should care But now you're coming around or else you wouldn't smile And I know to spy your attitude you show a little gratitude and make the weary waiting worth the while Bob dives up any affections you would care to show We'll make a lake on the snow I want you to know and make the... Mother, how did you get here? That fine Irish cab driver who snoozes on the corner of 8th Avenue told me wherever you'd been high enough to me fine lady So this is why you quit your job in that shop to mix with these swells I'll come home with you right now, Mother Well, I should think so Get out of those fine feathers and come back to Roost on 9th Avenue Irene Don't say anything, Don, please Well, it certainly changes the whole picture I certainly can't marry you now Well, nobody asked you to I'm afraid all I can say is Good night, Irene Do I have to make a nice song title? Do you know something? I have a better one Good morning, Irene Every single morning Do you hear that, Mama? Mr. Pigmalion here is asking me to marry him It's sure sounded that way Oh, you have lovely ears, Galatier Oh, the chance preserves us Look at those two Ah, they're in love Oh, yes, Mama And it's just like in a fairy tale Mr. Verna Felton, Lamont Johnson and Bruce Payne into our entire company Irene with music by Harry Tierney Book and lyrics by Joseph McCarthy and James Montgomery was dramatized for the railroad hour by Lawrence and Lee The railroad hour is brought to you each week at this time by the American railroads When there's a big job of transportation to be done, America depends on the railroads And there's a big job to be done right now and for the future That's why the railroads are working so hard to increase their capacity They are buying new freight cars more than 100,000 of them More men are putting in more hours in railroad repair shops And one result is that about 35,000 cars are getting heavy repairs each month They are buying more locomotives and are improving their tracks and terminals and signals These and other improvements along with the more efficient use of the better railroad plant show why you may depend on the railroads to provide the great bulk of service the nation needs Now here again, friends is lovely Eileen Wilson Thank you, Gordon with sure fun being aboard the show train Oh, you were the loveliest shop girl that ever enchanted a millionaire But you know it isn't fair What isn't fair? You're still lovely and I've got three bucks and 46 cents in my pocket Well, you can be a millionaire again next week Same time, same station What do you have scheduled? I'll be listening Good night, Eileen All aboard Well, it looks as though we're ready to pull out And so until next week, goodbye Eileen was presented by special arrangement with the Tams Whitmark Music Library Eileen Wilson can be seen and heard in your hip parade for Lucky Strike Gordon MacRae will soon be seen starring in the Warner Brothers production The West Point Story Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboff prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon This is Marvin Miller saying goodbye until next week for the American Railroads And I'll keep tuned to your Monday Night of Music on NBC