 Ladies and gentlemen the railroad hour and from Hollywood here comes the star studded show train. Tonight your railroads through the Association of American Railroads present the charming operetta The Cat and the Fiddle. In our star studded cast you will hear the host of our series Gordon McRae, two famous guest stars Miss Risa Stevens and Mr. Adolph Monju and a great cast of Hollywood feature players. Our choir is under the direction of Norman Lubov and the entire production is set to the music of Carmen Dragon's Orchestra and 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 the things you use in your daily life. And now here is Gordon McRae. Thank you and good evening ladies and gentlemen this is Gordon McRae helping to bring you another in our series of musical comedy successes. Tonight the railroad hour show train presents The Cat and the Fiddle a musical love story by Jerome Kern and Otto Harban. As our first guest tonight we are extremely happy to present one of the most charming ladies of the Metropolitan Opera Miss Risa Stevens whose lovely voice will be heard in one of the songs she is supposed to have written in her role as Shirley Sheridan a young American composer. Evening is that a Victor Florescu also a composer but my music is of the more serious type as you will hear when I sing one more. Also on our guest list is the popular Hollywood motion picture star Mr. Adolf Manjoo. Mr. Manjoo plays a producer of musical shows who seems to prefer Shirley's music to mine when he says that man should be put away preferably behind bars where I won't be able to ring his neck. Our story opens in Paris in the spring it is dusk and the setting sun is reflected in the river saying which flows by the cave Altair here vendors are busy selling their flowers their vegetables their old books and maps along the street comes Pompano a vendor of music selling songs of love many other lovers whose lips have met as Pompano strolled by singing my accent that but Pompano tells not only by the accent ma'm Zell he tells by the look in the eye. The look in the eye? The more Americans in Paris always have the look of hope that something will happen. Dumping? But yes romance. And don't Frenchmen have a look of hope? Ma'm Zell Frenchmen do not hope they know it will happen. Breathe the air look around you romance is everywhere and while you sit here on your bench waiting I have the charming American song for you here I sing it. She didn't say yes she didn't say no she didn't say stay she didn't say go. She only knew that it's final there and then she knew he sat beside her there. Ma'm Zell knows it. Ma'm Zell wrote it. Me no. Me yes. See right there Words and Music by Shirley Sheridan that's me. Incredible. We'll take the music away. I'll show you. She didn't say yes she didn't say no she didn't say stay she didn't say go. She only knew that and then she knew he sat beside her there. At first there was a smiley she took one smiley little look and something so what did she do? I leave it to you. She didn't say yes. She didn't say no. She didn't say stay. She didn't say go. She only knew that he spied her there. And then she knew he sat beside her there. For my intrusion but I just heard that song you sang. You have a fine talent for music. Thank you. But what a pity you choose to cheapen it with such a vulgar commercial style. Well really. But your voice the way you looked. I'm sorry I know I'm a perfect stranger. But you're not your Victor Florescu the prize student in composition at the Conservatory. Oh you study there too. No I had to stop. I guess you'd call it a lack of woman's tuition. Was I not right maamze. In Paris in spring it always happened. And now Pompino calls. La nuit. But I did not go far. This was the first romance of the new spring season for Pompino. And it was still too young to trust without a guiding hand. I leaned against a nearby straight lamp to see if I could be of further help. I'm afraid our friend Pompino was a little too deep for me. What did he mean it always happened. Oh just something silly Mr Florescu. I I'm glad I met you because I heard your symphony. It was very impressive impressive nothing more. Well it was very sad and unhappy. You see I tried to make it true to life just as I'm trying in the new opera I'm composing but life isn't always sad. It can be thrilling and exciting and wonderful. Oh it is when I look at you only twice before if I ever felt like this the first time I heard Beethoven's nine and then once in the Alps when I saw sunrise and now tonight when I first saw you smile Mr Florescu back home that would be called a line. You're afraid of life aren't you. Oh no just cautious for all I know you may get a feeling like the sunrise over the Alps every afternoon only with a different girl. Oh you know that isn't true. Come have dinner with me. Oh you see the opportunity quickly don't you. It hasn't had a chance to not even once as yet. Is that so bad. I suppose not for a modern man and aren't you a modern girl. I try to think I am and let me see you to your hotel. No that's not very modern I know we'll have dinner at my house now you're getting futuristic and even from 3,000 miles away I can hear my aunt Hester in Boston going very well then if you insist and propriety I'll do the most proper thing I know in place of a proper introduction I'll write to you I'll bombard you with letters until you say I may call could anything be more proper well right to me if you wish but you must send your letters to the American Express office why you are cautious no just practical I can stay at my present address just two more weeks then I'm applying new quarters you can write me your address later when you answer my letters you will answer won't you perhaps but if you lose interest just stop writing I understand lose interest oh that would be like losing interest in life itself in fact I should go now and write the first letter oh boy oh boy oh I know what you're thinking aunt Hester but you didn't see the look in his eyes ah you loveable romantic rascal you've done it again however the young man went away without learning young lady's name luckily Pompino knew that Mr. Victor Florescu lived at La Petite Maison so leaving my lamppost quickly I approached me surely and said that ah pardon ma'am Zelle you are looking for leaving quarter how did you know who you just told Mr. Victor but that was just between him and me in the lamppost I was the lamppost oh Pompino the greatest guide in all Paris knows just the charming pension for you la Petite Maison flowers dirt sunshine a place beloved by artists and musicians and most reasonable oh that sounds wonderful but I can't move there for two weeks so Pompino arranges that rooms be held for you here is the cart with the address on it oh you're very my pleasure oh this has been such a wonderful day good night and thank you Pompino bonsoir ma'am Zelle do not forget la Petite Maison now Pompino has truly brought the lovers together in two short weeks they will be living across the court from each other in La Petite Maison just as I was about to give myself a hearty pat on the back I saw Mr. Victor returning I beg your pardon ma'am Zelle I oh it's you my apologies Mr. you have forgotten something perhaps well as a matter of fact I have I neglected to ask the young lady her name won't be no can tell you that miss you it is Sheridan miss Shirley Sheridan Shirley oh very lovely it fits her but the Sheridan part I think she should consider is just temporary I wonder if she has ever thought of changing it for sure a girl does not think of changing her name every thousand miles as if it were motor oil perhaps but I have a feeling I will change it for her one day that is if I ever see her again you shall never be yours leave everything to Pompino oh Pompino how can I thank you you can buy a song from me when I have written myself see see composers in Paris must be a dime a dozen I would rather watch the other fellow strolling down lovers lane watch him getting soft and mellow with love life on the bridge Pompino that's a very charming melody but aren't the words a bit sardonic dirties my philosophy let the others fall in love while I sit back put loose and fancy free watching the parade I watch her closely cling to his man is sad on the fiddle in just a moment but first here is a bit of information that will interest you no man is better known for results in the field of research than Charles F. Kettering of General Motors speaking of railroads and the research that goes into the Mr. Kettering said and I quote no matter what other forms of transportation do or what new ones come into being the railroads will remain the backbone of transportation and he added the amazing progress made by the railroads in their first century is only a promise of what they will do end of quotation the progress of which Mr. Kettering spoke is the product of research carried on not only in the laboratory but out of the great proving ground of the railroads themselves plus the investment of billions of dollars in the better cars and engines tracks and signals and all the other improvements which research and invention have devised and right now to realize the promise of the future to which Mr. Kettering referred the railroads are carrying forward an ever-increasing and expanding research program and now back to the captain of the fiddle starring Reese Stevens Adolf Marjou and yours truly Gordon Macrae and here is Pompineau to continue our story in two weeks just as I had planned Shirley and Victor were leaving across the court from each other at la petite maison before they had a chance to realize it Victor had colors Mr. Jules Daudet their great theatrical producer and Odette the famous prima donna I happen to be under Victor's window just listening to the music of course as he played one of his new compositions Oh yes Victor, n'est-ce pas Jules? Well frankly Odette, frankly what Mr. Daudet? I'm anxious to hear your smallest criticism. Oh Victor darling please. I'll be happy to give you my criticism for rescue very happy. Jules be calm. Why should I be calm? I'm a producer and in my meager experience of some 20 years in the theater I have discovered that for some reason audiences do not pay money to listen to funeral music as I've told you before I write only what I feel then feel better you've got to lighten that score with some brighter numbers the score stands exactly as I have planned it Victor darling Jules this can all be worked out and we'll have a wonderful show Victor, Shirley go back to the piano and play that number you wrote for me in the third act I'll play two on my fiddle Very well. Oh Jules, Jules listen to me. Victor will do better I'm sure he's just in a mood two weeks ago he met some little American girl and instead of working he began writing long letters to her so when she finally answered one I simply destroyed it before he saw it. Funi will forget all about her. You know composer. Yes, too many of them. Sing the words Victor darling while I play. Very well. I wanted to. It has beauty but such somberness can only induce mass melancholia. Listen to that. That's all I need new neighbors with a passion for trash. Is that the sort of thing you want Monsieur Daudet? Not bad in fact just the sort of thing I want. Then you're in the wrong studio. Very possibly. Of what Daudet? As Monsieur Daudet left Victor's room the spot where I had been lulling under his window was suddenly quite uncomfortable. Follow Daudet across the court because I noticed a bench outside of Shirley's window that would be a much better place for me. The rest of course. I settled myself just as Daudet knocked on Shirley's door. I have my name is Jules Daudet. The producer? Yes but don't hold it against me. Oh I should say not. I'm Shirley Sheridan. You are quite as lovely as the tune you were playing. Did you compose it to Miss Sheridan? I'm afraid I'm the guilty party. I'm looking for some songs like that for a new operator I'm producing. Would you mind playing it again? I'd be happy to. With dancers in Latin American costumes as they dance they'll sing. Just the spirit that needs to be injected into the score that headstrong young composer has written. Injected? But I couldn't do that Monsieur Daudet. I know how a composer would feel having someone else alter his score. There goes the happiness boy across the court again. That's the composer whose upperette I'm considering, Victor Florescu. Florescu? Yes, he has loads of talent but egotistical. Thinks no one composes anything good but himself. You should have heard what he said about your composition. He didn't like it. He called it trash but no matter his show will not be produced without lighter music. He'll argue but Odette is used to calming him. Odette? Yes, the star of the show. Of course, she has a personal interest in very personal. And he has a personal interest in her? Definitely. Although it's apparent he doubles elsewhere from time to time. Oh, he doubles, does he? Well, Monsieur Daudet, I'll write as many songs for Victor Florescu's operetta as you can use. I'm something of a dabbler myself. Lesser genius than Pompineau would have given up hope to see his favorite romance fall so far as sundered. I did not know how but I was sure that someday, somehow, I would bring those two together in happiness in spite of themselves. So, on the night that Shirley was to play her music for Victor at Daudet's apartment, I quite coincidentally was standing near his window enjoying the view of the lovely boy. Oh, Joe, I'm so nervous about tonight. But you needn't be, my dear. When Victor hears your songs, well, not even that mad genius could resist your charm. Ah, Shirley, my dear, if I was sure that no one else had a claim on your heart, I would. That will be Odette and Victor. You can depend on him for bad timing. Now, don't worry. If Victor won't permit your numbers in the show, there will be no show. Hello, Odette, come in. And Victor, how are you? Well, where's this composer? Let's get it over with. I promised I'd listen, so Shirley. Good evening, Victor. Ah, you two know each other? Well, that makes it all the better. Yes, it gets better and better all the time. Now, what's the matter with him? Jules, please, no quarreling tonight. Oh, Shirley, this is Banbozell Odette, Ms. Sheridan. Ah, how do you do, ma Moselle Sheridan? I'm always interested in Jules' protege. He's so generous with them. I'm sure you speak some experience, ma Moselle. I wish somebody would tell me what's wrong with everybody. Oh, nothing's wrong, Jules. Darling, should I begin my additions to the score? Of course. Sit down, Odette, Victor. I'll stand, naturally. This is not my own composition, Mr. Florescu, but a rewrite of one of yours. I'm sure it's a great improvement. Oh, I tried to make it a little happier, more optimistic. As I remember, you thought life was wonderful and exciting. I'm glad you found what you were looking for. Florescu, would you mind letting her get on with the thing? All right, Shirley, my dear. Perhaps Mr. Florescu would join me. I'd be Victor Charmed. Thank you, Mr. Florescu. What do you think, Victor? Unfortunately, Mr. Odette, that is also my opinion. Easy commercialized emotion sickens me. Good night. That man should be put away. Preferably behind bars, where I won't be able to ring his neck. Victor. Oh, forget Victor, my dear. Frankly, I'm not at all sorry they've left us. Come, my dove. I have a bottle of Napoleon Brandy. I've been saving for just such an occasion. What does the most beautiful composer in all Paris say to that? What does she say, Jules? I don't quite understand. She wanted to stay, but thought she should go. She wasn't so sure that he wasn't even sure that she'd be good. She wanted to wrestle, cobbled and pressed. A powerful appog of somebody's heart. She loved to be on. What did she do? She now decides to watch over someone he watches. Come, I'll take you over, my pigeon. My bicycle is here. Bicycle? It's Andem, with home for two. Have you never bicycled through the bois in the moonlight? There's always the first time. Let's go. You are comfortable? Yes, but not very happy. You and that young composer, you're having trouble, huh? Oh, Pompano, I don't understand. I fixed his music and did all I could for him, and did he appreciate it? No, he laughed at it and left with Odette, that cat with her fiddle. You must not jump to conclusions. Perhaps there is a reason, a very simple one. If you will, but go to him and give him a chance to explain. Well, I, I... Oh, but of course, if Mamoiselle insists on being stubborn, I... No, no, no, Pompano, no, no. Take me to him. Take me as quickly as you can. Nothing matters, nothing matters except for love. Mamoiselle, and there is Victor's door. Go quickly, quickly, off the stairs with you. Please let me in. The video is on the other side of the court. Madame, has Monsieur Florescu come in yet? He'll like a storm and then ride out again like a hurricane. Bag and bagger. Bag and baggage? He's... He's ready for life. And if any male come for him, tear it up. Most warm and gentle. Most warm, Madame. I'm just so... Here's a bit of news which means something to everybody who uses transportation. And in this country, that's all of us. The other day, the Association of American Railroads completed arrangements to build a new railroad research laboratory. It's going to be located on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology at Chicago. From this laboratory, much of the widespread engineering and mechanical research of the industry will be directed. This new development is completely in line with the long-time practice of the railroad industry. For many years, research has been carried on by and for the railroads in the laboratories of universities and technological institutions. And manufacturers of railroad supplies and equipment. Research has been carried on to on the railroads, which in addition have served as the proving grounds for the testing and trial of ideas no matter where developed. There are two things we should keep in mind about all railroad research. One is that railroads don't make things to sell. They buy things, all sorts of things, from manufacturers and use them to produce transportation service. As a service industry, therefore, railroads receive the benefits of research done by almost every manufacturing industry in the country. And another thing to remember is that the railroads which serve you can never shut down to retool for next year's models. So everything new that is introduced on a railroad must work right along with what is already there during a necessary period of transition. That's why progress on the railroads is and must be an evolution, a growth, not a revolution. This new research laboratory to be built by the Association of American Railroads on the Illinois Technology Campus is another forward step in a long continued cooperative program that is going forward today more actively and on a broader front than ever before. You will see its results more and more in the new equipment coming into service on the railroads in ever increasing numbers. Just as one part of what Mr. Kettering called the amazing progress of the railroads. The show train will return in just a moment after a brief pause for station identification. Now back to the captain of fiddle starring Riza Stevens, Adolf Maju and yours truly Gordon MacRae. And here's Papineau continuing the story. For days I searched all Paris but I could find not one trace of Victor. Then one day as I was passing Shirley's window, I heard her talking to Dodek. No, Jules, my mind is made up. I'm sailing for America on the first boat I can get and I won't allow any of my songs to be used in in Victor's score. You're throwing away your big chance, my dear. I'm sorry, Jules, but that's Pineau. Come in. Mamsel. Oh, what is it, Pompano? Mamsel, you must give up this thought of going to America. Oh, I'm sorry, Pompano, but there's no reason for me to stay. Just because your composer has vanished, all you have to do is get him back. Well, he'll never come back. But of course he will. He composed his operetta, no? Yes. And Monsieur Dodek wants to produce it if some of your songs are used, no? Of course I do. Then let it be produced. Pompano, what are you talking about? Mamsel, angry lions could not keep a composer away from hearing the opening night of his first operetta. Oh, Pompano, I think you might be right. You're a genius. Naturellement, the greatest genius in all Paris. Shirley, I'll give it the most brilliant opening this town has ever seen. For once it appeared that Pompano, the greatest student of human nature in all Paris, was wrong. At the opening of the operetta, Shirley and I stood in the lobby, watching every member of the audience. But nowhere did we see Victor. Patiently we waited all through the show. Oh, Pompano, what a pity Victor can't hear how everyone loves his music. Ah, Mamsel is too generous. They like your music too. But listen, they're going to do the finale now, and I didn't touch one note of it. It's all Victor. You for the manner in which you have received tonight's operetta. Actually, there are two of them. But I can only guarantee producing one. I won't go up there. This one is standing in the wing, where he has been standing all evening. Monsieur Victor Flores. Victor! Victor, Pompano, did you hear? If you enjoyed tonight's production, it was because of my collaborator. For it was she who supplied the happiness that is in it. And if she is in the audience, I beg her to come up here and stand beside me where she belongs. Are you out there, Shirley? Yes, Victor, yes, here I am. Oh, I can't go up there. Yes, Pompano. Shirley, my darling, are you coming? Yes, Victor, yes. Dear my dear. Right up those steps. Oh, thank you, dear. I've lost you, but what ifs I'll get out of you and Victor. Shirley, my darling, kiss me. No, no, no, in front of this whole audience. Why, even your aunt Hester would approve this time. I'm asking you to marry me. Oh, Victor. All right, you two. Save that clinch till later. Sing. Greatest romantic genius in all Paris. Slipped out of the theater. Mission completed. So, Gordon McRae giving a special boat of thanks to our guest stars this evening. Mr. Reese Stevens and Mr. Adolf Manjou. And to the other members of tonight's cast for their fine performances in our production of The Cat in the Fiddle, which was adapted for radio by Mr. Don Ettinger. Next week, our star-studded show train will arrive on the same tracks at the same time. On board will be the Metropolitan Opera soprano Ms. Dorothy Kirsten and Kenny Baker to join me in bringing you the famous Sigmund Romberg operetta, The Student Prince, with our chorus under the direction of Norman Lubov and the music arranged and conducted by Carmen Dragon. Well, it looks as though we're ready to pull out. So until next week, goodbye. And remember, during the coming week as always, the American Rarrows will provide for you the dependable low-cost transportation which is so essential to the American way of living.