 From Hollywood, California, the Lux Radio Theater presents May Robeson, Warren William, Gene Parker, and Guy Kibby in Lady for a Day with Leslie Howard as guest producer. Lux presents Hollywood. Lady for a Day, a play rich in pathos and humor, telling the touching tale of a mother's sacrifice for her daughter's happiness. Stard, as they were in the film of the same title produced by Columbia Pictures Corporation, are May Robeson, Warren William, Gene Parker, and Guy Kibby. And between the acts, we'll hear a real-life lady for a day, Miss Florence Farley, Lewis Silvers, conducts our music. This program comes to you with the good wishes of the makers of Lux Flakes, those thrifty flakes that go so far and do so much for you. Why, one large box of Lux Flakes will do your stockings nearly a hundred times unless the water's hard. You know that's nearly three months, or it will do your underthings for two months. And in hard water, a little extra Lux softens the water and gives you an abundance of suns. Lux is your thrifty, safe care for silks, rayons, cottons, linens, and woolens. For everything, safe and water alone. Tonight, finds our producer, Sasselby DeMille, in New York City, in connection with the opening of his new film, Union Pacific. Later on, we'll hear from Mr. DeMille, but taking his place is one of the screen's most versatile, popular, and distinguished personalities. Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to welcome his guest producer, Mr. Leslie Howard. As Mr. DeMille knows only too well, I'm an exceedingly tardy individual. In fact, I've just managed to escape from Mr. Selton's studio to be here in time. And so, if you hear any strange sound at this point, I'm sure it's just Mr. DeMille in New York breathing a great sigh of relief as he hears me responding right on the dot. Well, to tell you the truth, this astounding punctuality finds me rather in awe of myself. Leslie Howard, ladies and gentlemen, has actually reached an appointed spot at an appointed time. The happy excitement of being here is disturbed by one thought only. The supposition that I'm taking the place of Mr. DeMille. You see, one can't just take the place summarily of Mr. DeMille at the microphone any more than he can be replaced when it comes to producing pictures like Union Pacific. But we can settle down to a job and attempt to do our best. And that's exactly my intention here, abetted by the highly efficient staff of the Lux Radio Theatre and our four brilliant stars with whom it's been my delight to work all this week. May Robeson, Warren William, Gene Parker and Guy Kibbey. You know, years ago, I cherished the fine thought that when I was pleasant to this side of 40 or 45, I'd retire with a handsome fortune and proceed to have a splendid time doing exactly what I pleased. Well, I soon learned that not only would I not have a handsome fortune at this age, but I also realized that so long as life remains, artists will persist in creating. You just can't retire from creating. And no one embodies the spirit more completely than Miss May Robeson, who just observed her 75th birthday and her 56th anniversary as an actress. She's now starring for Warner Brothers in Family Affair, and tonight she's heard as Apple Annie in our play based on Damon Runyon's story. Guy Kibbey comes to us as the gentleman called Judge. My old friend, Warren William, repeats his excellent characterization of that typically runyonesque individual, Dave the Dude, and the exceedingly lovely Gene Parker, who soon stars in the Columbia Picture Parents on Trial. She plays Louise. Oh, by the way, how about an apple? You know, I think we can get some right over there. You see, there's an old lady sitting in the corner there, setting up her stand. That is Apple Annie. Let's just take a walk over there and get this play of ours underway. Broadway. A crossroad of the social world. Broadway, where the clerk rubs shoulders with his boss, where the upper Bronx meets Lower Park Avenue, where the pleasure-seeking mob throws dollars to the theater box office and dimes to the corner cripple. It's a rainy spring night, just after curtain time. One of Broadway's well-known beggars holds her accustomed position at the corner of 47th Street. Her old bedraggled dress hanging wet about her scuffle shoes. Slung about her shoulders is a basket of highly polished apples, which she holds up to the passes by. Apple. Her thin voice rising above the roar of the crowd. Anyone who wants an apple? Evelyn Annie. Oh, Mr. Law, I suppose you want to see my license again. Is that it? Oh, not tonight, Annie. I'm on traffic duty, no. Oh, oh, by the way, Annie, Dave, the dude is looking for you. He's over at Missouri Martins Club. Does he want an apple? Well, I guess so. Well, they think I'll have one myself, Annie. That big one there looks fine. Thanks. Yeah. Come around to the house sometime, officer. I got a lot of loose jewelry and silver hanging around loose. All right. Night. Night, Annie. Good night, you big turkey. Apples. Hello, Smiley. Oh, hello, Annie. Say, Dave, the dude wants to see you, Annie. He's over at Missouri Martins Club. Yeah, I know. Has he got a big bet on, huh? How's the pencil business doing? Oh, it's terrible. Looks like everybody's broke. Ah, quit yapping. Go over to the Thelma Theater. They got a big hit over there. Yeah? Well, thanks. Oh, don't forget Missouri Martins. The dude said it was very important. Oh, you dude. Oh, hello, Missouri. Sit down. You're waiting for somebody, dude? Yeah. Apple Annie. I got a big poker game on. One of the biggest I've ever sat in. Where is it? Up at the hotel. But I can't go to no game without buying an apple from Annie. Send a couple of the boys out looking for her. Achieve, really, your good luck charm, ain't she? I never made a big bet yet without a Missouri. And I ain't gonna start tonight. Oh, wait a second. There's Happy and Shakespeare. You're two stooges. Hey, Shakespeare. Happy. Over here. Hi, dude. Hello, boss. Did you find Apple Annie? No. I told you not to come back without her. Well, we can't go scouting all over the town. Yeah, we told everybody we seen. Ah, shut up. What are you gonna do, boss? We're gonna wait here till she shows up. You got a superstitious boss, Jen. Yeah. But I'm a first-class monkey. If I can see how you can win pots by buying an apple off an old day. All right, so you're a first-class monkey. Now shut up. Okay, okay. Oh, dude, if you can't find your apple, here's something else for good luck. There. Ah, cut it out, Missouri. Well, yeah, this is a public place. Yeah. He needs apples, not lemons. Oh, shut your face, Happy. Yeah, what? Apple Annie's outside. Oh, she's here. Come on, Happy. Shakespeare, get going. So long, dude. Good luck. Didn't keep you waiting, did I? Oh, no. Give me an apple quick. Here's a buck. Never mind the change. Oh, bless your heart, dude. How'd you do last week? Okay. But why were you Saturday? I couldn't win a race. Saturday, sir. I wasn't feeling so good Saturday. Well, take care of yourself. Sure, dude. You die on me, and I'll be all washed up. Ah, don't you worry about me. Ha, ha, that girl. You're like a mother to me, Annie. You know that. Now, don't go get drunk on that buck. Me? You're crazy. I never drink. Well, I do not. Hey, hey, boys. Yeah, what do you want, Steve? Oh, I got the car here. You're going to use it? No, not tonight. Here, here, take Annie wherever she wants to go. Come on, boys. So long, Annie. So long, dude. Good luck. Well, where's it going to be, Annie? Oh, but to the hotel, Marbury, thank you. To Marbury? Are you going kind of high class, ain't you? Well, all right. Park the apples in the back seat. Hello, Hotel Marbury. Delivery entrance. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. I'll watch out for your package. Send it right up when it comes. Welcome. Who is it? It's me, Annie. Oh, come on in. All right. Well, Oscar, did you get the stationery? Sure. Don't I always get it? Classiest stationery in the house. Look at that letterhead. Hotel Marbury. Thanks, Oscar. Hey, when do you expect another letter from the kid? There's a mail boat coming in from Spain tomorrow. Okay, I'll watch out for it. That's a good boy. I'll be waiting outside the hotel. And I'll pay you the end of the week. Yeah, don't forget it. You know, if they caught me stealing letters for you, I'd get fired. Oh, no. Oh, no. You ain't going to fire, don't you? They can't fire you, you know. And don't forget, will you, the name that'll come under, Mrs. E. Worthington Manville, here to the Hotel Marbury. I know, I know. Now, I've got to write to her. Would it be all right, all right if I did it right here? Yeah, sure. Sit right down over there. There's pen and ink on the desk. Thank you. Now, let's see. My dear, adorable daughter of the week. The social season at Newport is finally over. And I'm all tired out. The reception I gave to a Lord Ferncliffe was a big success. It breaks my heart, Louise, to think that I've been separated from you all these years. But the doctor says an ocean voyage would be fatal for me. Oh, oh yes, I'd love it. Oh yes, your stepfather thought he might make the trip to Spain this year. But he is so busy with affairs of state, he can't leave the country. Now, now, the young man you wrote me about, Count Alfonso Romero's son, Carlos, sounds perfectly darling. I hope he loves you, as much as you say you love him. And as much as I love you, my darling. Oh, oh, I forgot about the money order. You will notice your allowance this month is $5 short. Such a funny thing happened. I sent Henry my new chauffeur to get the money order. And somehow he made the mistake. I'll make it up to you, dear, next week. Good night, my darling, your own loving mother. I'm over here. Have you got it? Did you get the letter this morning? Yeah, I got it all right. Well, what's the matter? Why Oscar? Where's your uniform? I ain't got one anymore. They, they didn't fire you. They can't fire you. They can, eh? Well, they did. I caught me swiping the stationery for you. Oh, oh, dear. Well, where's the letter? Where's the letter? Here. Oh, gee, Oscar, I'm so sorry. Eh, a lot of good that does me. I told the boss I was sorry, and look what had got me. Oscar! What's the matter with you? Oscar, she's on her way over here. So what? She, she's coming to New York. She's bringing Carlos and the Count to meet me. Yeah, well, now maybe you're satisfied. I told her you couldn't get away with it forever. But she'll find out I don't live here. She'll find out I'm not Mrs. E. Worthington Manfield. So what? You can give her a nice red apple. Oh, Oscar, Oscar, you've got to help me. Oh, help yourself. I've got to find another job. Oh, Oscar, no, don't. Oh, Oscar. I told you, Oscar. Oh, Annie, Annie, hey, Annie, what's the matter with you? Joe, Harry, somebody give me a hand here, will you? Annie's pulled a faint. And every time I've got a big deal coming up, you guys can't find Annie. Yeah, but, boys, shut up. What did you look? We looked all over the place. Shut up. I don't want talk. I want action. Hey, dude. Yeah? That crippled guy's smiley shit. What for? Hello, dude. Ah, listen, smiley, I'm busy. It's about Annie. Oh, well, what about Annie? I've been looking all over town for her. She's in an awful jam. Yeah, what kind of a jam? Well, well, you see, for years, she's been swiping stationery from the Marbury and writing her daughter that she's high up in society. Got her? Yeah, she's got a daughter over in Spain in a, in a convent since she was a baby. Well? Well, now she's going to marry a count or something. Well, listen, what's this, a racket? Oh, no, dude, honest. Well, where's Annie? Where does she live? Well, she's got a basement room. First Avenue, 314. All right, come on. I'll go over there and see her myself. If it ain't my old friend, come in, gentlemen, come in. Well, I thought so on a bet, huh? No, she ain't, dude. She, she just acts kind of funny like. The butler will take your things, gentlemen. You didn't know I had a butler, huh? You got lots of butlers. Millions of them. Where have you been, you old buzzard? Been looking all day for you. Oh, so good of you to come down for the hunting season. You know, everybody's coming down for the hunting season. Well, let's get out of here, dude. It gives me the creeps. What's wrong, Annie? My daughter's coming over here to visit me. Isn't that lovely? She's coming over with a count. Going to marry his son. Wait till she gets a look at me. It's going to be funny when she finds out her mother is Apple Annie. Well, why don't you laugh? It's funny, I tell you. Apple Annie from Schubert, Alice. Apple Annie from Schubert, Alice. All right, Annie, take it easy. Hey, Shakespeare, put her over there on that cot. Happy, you'll get a doctor. A doctor ain't going to do no good, dude. No, what have you got butler? Well, I got an idea. I was talking to some of the boys who worked Broadway. And we got it figured out that if we could get Annie a suit at the Marbury for a couple of weeks. Annie at the Marbury? Get out of here. Oh, okay, Joe. Did you hear that, Shakespeare? Annie at the Marbury. Well, yeah, that's swell. What? Hey, yeah, that society friend of yours brought me Kent. He's got an apartment at the Marbury and he's out of town now. Oh, yeah? Well, what about it? Can you picture me going to Rodney Kent and saying, lend me your apartment for Apple Annie? He'd throw me out on my ear. Yeah, that's what I was saying. He'd throw you out on your ear. The only thing is he's a nice guy. Oh, sure, boss. But he ain't no sucker. No, boss. Oh, all right. We'll send him a wire and ask. Swallow. This is going to be your room. Count goes over there. Your daughter in the room across the hall and a boyfriend up front. Got it? Dude. Dude, I can't believe it. Me? Here in a suite at the Marbury? Oh, how can I thank you, dude? Well, you can shut up about it. Okay, dude. Hey, dude. In here, happy? That goes, dude. What's the matter? Yeah, Shakespeare says you wanted to see us, too. Yeah, come in, Louis. Come in, Longchin. Oh, where's Harry? Yeah, boss. Did you get in touch with Missouri Martin? Yeah. She's bringing over some high-class clothes and a hairdresser and a masseuse. Good. Dude, a hairdresser and fine clothes and a masseuse? Is that for me? Well, a masseuse won't do me no good. Hey, dude, what is this? What are you wasting your time around here for? Ah, keep your trap shut. For years, Annie's been lucky to me, hasn't she? Well, she's in the gym now. What kind of luck would I have if I passed her up at a time like this? Are you going to try to palm her off as a society dame, huh? Well, it's only for a week. The Count and his son are going back on the same boat. Well, what do you think? Personally, I think it smells. Ah, shut up. I don't want to hear any opinions. No, I don't think it'll work, dude. Me, too. It's like libel or something. Sure, we're libel to land in the can. Yeah, I'm getting out of here. No, you're not. You're all going to stay. I'm turning the mob over to Mrs. E. Worthington Manville. Uh-huh? And that goes for you, too. All of you. Mrs. E. Worthington Manville? She's a plenty. Yeah, she's a lady now. A lady? Yeah, and you're going to treat her like one. Now, look. Shut up! Shut up! Annie, come here. Yes, sir. You're a lady, Annie. See? And if any of these mugs... Anyway, if they don't treat you like a lady, you've got my OK, my personal OK, to poke them in the snout. The curtain falls on the first act of Lady for a Day with its original screen stars, May Robeson, Warren William, Jean Parker and Guy Kibby. During our brief intermission, we bring you the Browning family. As the scene opens, it's the night before May Day, and there's great excitement at the Browning household. Dott has been chosen Queen of the May Day Festival at school. And now we find her trying on her dress while her sister, Midge, watches her. Dott is singing as she turns in front of the mirror. For I'm the Queen of the May, Mother. I'm the Queen of the May. Your dress is just elegant, Dottie. You're a dream in pink. Oh, isn't it divine? I sort of float it. I'll say you do. Hey! Don't let that dog in. Kibby, Kibby, keep away. Oh, look out. He'll jump on my dress. Call him away. In front of my dress. Well, let me see, dear. Oh, why, that's not so bad. It's not so bad? Oh, Mother, it's ruined. Oh, no, it's not. I'm going to wash it right away. Oh, Mother, you can't wash it. Of course I can. I'm going to use Lux Flakes, and it'll turn out beautifully. Are you sure? Of course. This dress is luxible, you know. Well... Now you just trust the Lux Queenie. Everything's going to be fine. So Lux Flakes saved the day. Lux Flakes are the world's largest selling package soap for fine fabrics. And for a very good reason, too. Lux has no harmful alkali. Remember that. No harmful alkali in Lux to spoil colors or fabrics. Lux is the safe way to wash everything safe in water alone. So keep the generous, large-size box in the home all the time, won't you? And now our guest producer, Leslie Howard, is ready to raise the curtain on the second act of our play. We continue with Lady for a Day, starring Mae Robson, Warren William, Jean Parker, and Guy Kibbey. Apple Annie, the good luck charm of that gambling gentleman, Dave the Dude, has been transformed into Mrs. E. Worthington Manville. In a borrowed suite at the Hotel Marbury she reigned supreme. But now a sudden blow has fallen. In her letters to her daughter, Apple Annie mentioned a Mr. Manville, who must, of course, be produced. After making the rounds of the better pool rooms, Dude Stooges have chosen a gentleman for the romantic role. He's known as Judge Henry Blake, judged by the divine right of self-appointment. So Happy comes up to me and he says, Judge Blake, he says, Dave the Dude wants to see you. Yeah, Happy was right, I do. At the moment Happy says this, it so happens that I'm at the club having a game of a skill. In fact, you might say that I'm in the midst of a very profitable enterprise. You mean you were taking over a suckered pool. I mean I am matching my skill against a stranger in town from Providence. When Happy says, Judge Dave wants you and I put aside ready money to rush to your aid, my friend, only to find you a sconce in this palatial suite at the Hotel Marbury, which incidentally is not bad, not bad at all. I am prompted to ask you, Dave, what's the racket? All you gotta do is be a husband, a rich and aristocratic husband for a week. A husband? Rich and aristocratic? That suits me admirably. Ever try to be in a husband, Judd? I'm notorious for it. How'd you make out? Pityfully. And I can never tell why. There were such charming women the four I married. But I might ask, whose husband am I to be? You ought to be the ever-loving husband of Apple Annie. Apple Annie? Reposterous, most preposterous. Or the husband of an Apple vendor, practically a mendicant? Now listen, dude, this is asking too much. After all, I have my self-respect. Good evening, gentlemen. There she is now. There, who is now? Apple Annie. But I see a charming woman, rest in the height of fashion. Why, she's terrific. And, eh, the judge says how glad he is to be your ever-loving husband. Why, thank you, Judge. You're so obliging. The pleasure I assure you, my dear and charming lady, is all mine. Shall we take a stroll through the park and talk over our plans? No, no, Judge. I'll tell her and get fitted to a suit. My dear young man, what's the matter with the suit I'm wearing? Man, that's what I've been trying to figure out. What's those bulges in the pockets? Bulges? Bulges? Oh, dear, yes, yes, yes, of course. Just a billiard ball or two. I must return these to Joe's pool palace at once. Well, how do you think it looks, happy? Okay, I guess. Dude, I'm afraid you're playing an abominable trick on that poor old woman. I what? She's floating on air. It's a shame, dude. A miserable shame. When the plan fails, it's going to break her heart. Who says it's going to fail? My dear dude, her daughter's boat docked today. Do you realize the number of reporters who cover incoming ships? Reporters? They'll want to know all about the count, why he came to America, who his friends are. That means me and Apple Annie. The papers will be full of it. Yeah, reporter, give us right eye for a story like this. I told you you couldn't get away with it. Why didn't you think of that before? Why didn't I think of it? Man, this is a fine time to be telling me. What am I going to do? Don't ask me, it's your party. Well, you got it now. You better see those reporters stay away. Now, what do you expect me to do? I don't know, kick them around a little less. I don't care what you do, just do it. But get rid of those reporters. Okay, okay. But you better call up the commissioner, dude. Get them to reserve a couple of nice sales for us. Southern exposure. Do you see her yet? No. There's an awful bunch getting off. Oh, dude. Dude, I'm so frightened. Yeah, what about? Oh, I don't know. There isn't any chance of anything going wrong, is there, dude? No, of course not. I know I'm foolish, but how do I look? Okay, swell. I can hardly believe it. Just thinking a little while, I'll have my baby in my arms. Yeah, sure you will. And everything's going to be great. Look, look, look, there she is. Where? There. She sees me. She recognizes me. Louise. My baby. My Louise. Let me look at you, dear. Oh, you're beautiful. You are too, mother. I'd have known you anywhere. You're just as I pictured you. Ahem, ahem, ahem. Oh, Louise, dear, this is, this is your stepfather. Oh, how do you do? My dear child, my little daughter. Mother's written me so much about you. I know I'm going to love you. Oh, thank you, my child. Thank you. Oh, Carlos, come here. Mother, this is Carlos. How do you do? Carlos. Yes. Oh, I like him, Louise. You are very kind. And this is Carlos' father, Count Alfonso Romero. Signora. The Count, how do you do? Very well, thank you. It's a pleasure, my dear Count. We've been looking forward to your visit for some time. Thank you. Well, I guess so. Oh, dear, how stupid of me. Louise, dear, this is your uncle David. My uncle. I never knew I had an uncle. Oh, wife. Of course, dear, he's father's brother. Mother, I'm so glad. How are you? Mother, you never wrote me a word about him. Well, that's because brother David's been the black sheep of the family, so to speak. Oh. Hey, David. Yeah, I guess so, sure. Well, shall we go? My car is waiting, Count. Folks went today, huh? No, sir, just for a ride, sir. They'll be back soon, I imagine. Okay. Here you are, butler. This checks for you and this is for expenses. Thank you, sir. Remember your orders? Yes, sir. A name is not there for any. It's Mrs. E. Worthington-Manville. I've been working for her for years. No matter what anyone asks me, I know nothing. As a matter of fact, I'm to be completely damned. Hmm. Think you can do that? Should be a sense. Shut up, happy. Now, get this, butler. I don't want no slip-ups. Oh, no, sir. If you do, your family better send for the body. I have no family, sir. And you'll have no body, either. No body? Yes, sir. Here, come on, happy, let's go. I don't want to be here when the gang gets back. Uh-uh. Too late, dude. Yeah. New York's exciting. Oh, hello, Uncle David. Hello, Mr. Mandarin. Where have you been? We missed you terribly. Well, that's something. You mustn't be so strange. Everyone's so crazy about you. Did you know Carlos and I decided to name all our children after you? Yeah. Oh, come in here, Carl Alfonso. Thank you. Oh, hello, Brother David. Hello, McGuire. Has everybody met Mr. McGuire, David's secretary? Oh, me? Yeah, yeah. My secretary, everybody. Oh, how do you do? How do you do? I'm glad he's here, dude. I thought you'd like him to handle the invitations to the reception. Sure, sure. That's a good idea. Huh? What do you mean, reception? We're having a reception for the folks day after tomorrow. The night their boat returns to Spain. Well, well, isn't that just dandy? You're quite surprised, aren't you, Brother David? Yeah. Who's come on, Brother Henry? Oh, just a few of our friends. It should be a small affair, about 100 or 150 people, perhaps. Hardly a handful. Of course, I should look to you, Brother David, to help us as much as you can. Oh, of course, of course. Matter of fact, I'd like to have a little talk with you before you do anything about it. A couple of things I'd like to straighten you out about. Oh, by all means, Brother David. Now, just step outside a minute. We'll settle everything. No, no, Brother Henry. This way, please. Oh, yes, yes. Excuse me, folks. I think I'll be right back. It's lovely out here, isn't it? Look at the stars up there. The city down there. We're halfway to Heaven, Carlos. Caridamere. Carlos. Yes, darling? Has your father said anything yet? No. Well, we do, darling. Suppose he doesn't like Mother or Dad. Suppose he doesn't give his consent. Well, we do, darling. Oh, don't be worried, darling. It will be all right. He's very fond of them. Really, he is. It's just that he likes to be very formal about things like this. Oh, darling, I'll die. I'll simply die if anything happens. Oh, nothing is going to happen. And hello, Mother. I was in my room and I couldn't sleep. You don't mind if I visit with you for a little while, do you? Of course not, darling. Oh, it is my fault. I have taken up so much of Louise's time. I feel I've been terribly selfish. Oh, no, you haven't. You've been very sweet. Well, I'll go and talk to Father if you will excuse me. Good night, Mother. You, you don't mind my calling your mother? No, dear. I want you to, my son. Thank you. Good night, Louise. Good night, darling. He's a lovely boy. Oh, he is. Mother, I'm so happy. My baby. Mother. Yes, sweetie? You don't think anything can happen, do you? Happen? Well, I guess I'm just foolish, but maybe it's because I'm wishing so hard. Mother, did you ever wish for something so hard that, yes, dear, I understand. But nothing's going to happen, dear. Nothing. I promise you, darling. Reception. You found yourself in a swell apartment and you began to believe it. Well, for my though, you're still a penny-andy pool shark. Well, after all, my dear, do you? Now, shut up. Don't get excited. Brother, you shut up, too. In spite of your protest, dude, I must speak. Regardless of how you feel about me, in the vernacular of the gutter, we are now in the hot seat. The reception, my dear dude, is inevitable. I don't know what stops me putting a slug in you. You better not wait too long, brother David. They don't let you carry your rod in jail. Jail? Me? What for? A little matter of abduction. I've been told it's against the law. What do you mean abduction? Don't you read the papers anymore? Look at the headlines. Police on trail of three missing reporters. Three ship reporters who disappeared mysteriously last week of stale not been found. Police suspect kidnapping. Wait a minute. Who are those guys? Who are they? Didn't you tell me to get rid of any reporters around the ship? Well, we did. Well, what'd you do with them? I got them down on Long Island, but we can't keep them there forever. What happens when this thing's over? They're gonna squawk their heads off. Well, forget it. Oh, square it later. I'm more worried about this reception. Now, look, judge, you go back in there and tell Annie to hold things off. Oh. Wouldn't you also like to have me go out and step on some flowers and kick a lot of babies around? What are you talking about? Perhaps I'm just a sentimental old fool. But please don't ask me to deliberately break that old woman's heart. Stop it. You're breaking mine. Well, then tell her to the count. Dude, you don't understand. The old boy came to America to find out something about Annie, something about her background. All we've done is to show him the sights and it doesn't look good to him at all. Oh, yeah? He wants to meet some of our friends or else. What, uh, but where are we gonna get the people? If you have a reception, you're gonna have high-class people, don't you? That, my dear dude, is very simple. Yeah? I really surprised you to know that in my own simple way I've found the solution. Now look, in reality I am Judge Henry G. Blake, exponent of Poole. Well, Penny Annie Poole, if you wish. Yeah, go on. Yet to count Romero, I am the Honorable E. Worthington Manville, celebrated statesman. What about it? Well, is there any reason why Louis the Lug, for instance, can't be the Ambassador to Turkey? What? And Willie the Weasel, wouldn't he make an excellent Secretary of War? Secretary of War? If Missouri Martin were introduced to me as a society leader of New York, I wouldn't be inclined to doubt it. Judge, I think you've hit it. Sure, why not? I'll tell that gang of mugs the first one that opens his yap gets slugged. Hey, where's my address, boys? How long, boys? I'm going over to the insane asylum, meet a few sensible people. Hey, come on, Judge, give me a hand with this. Grab that other phone. You get Boyle's pool room. I don't know that number. Ha, ha, that was a swell idea, Judge. Swell. We'll marry Apple Annie's kid over Buster Suspender. Hello, my good man. Would you mind connecting me with Butch Branigan? Hello, let me talk to Harry the Horse. Yeah? Yeah, who is it? Oh. Oh, hello, Annie. Can I come in, dude? Sure, sure. Sit down, Annie. Well, what's the matter? I'm scared. I'm terribly scared. Oh, come on. Everything's going to be all right. It's a cinch. It's got to be all right, you. It's just got to be all right. Annie, we're all rooting for you. Come on. Go back to the hotel and get some rest. You know, I've lived all my life for that kid. I'd have given up long ago if it wasn't the thought of her that kept me going. I wanted her to have everything. All the nice, sweet things of life. The things that passed me up. I wasn't so bad myself once, dude. I knew what it meant to act like a lady and to be a lady. And live with decent people. Then? Then the kid's father died. He wasn't much good, but I guess he meant well. We were over in Spain. I was penniless. I had to leave the kid. She was just a tiny baby. I always meant to send for her someday, but it... Well, it didn't work out like that. And then? Then it got so that I was ashamed to send for her. But she's here now, dude. She's seen me. And she thinks I'm swell. She told me yesterday that I was everything she ever dreamed of. And that's why it's so important. She's got to leave here thinking I'm like that. Because if she doesn't... If she doesn't... I'll die, dude. I'll die. For station identification, this is the Columbia Broadcasting System. Well, we've just completed the second act of Lady for a day. And now adhering to an established customer, the Lux Radio Theatre, I'll call for a short intermission, after which we'll go into act three. This appears to be an excellent time to do a little checking up on our regular producer, Mr. DeMille. He's in New York, where he says he has a particularly interesting young lady waiting to talk to us. So let's take a flyer to New York. Mr. DeMille, come in. Greetings from New York, ladies and gentlemen. After hearing Leslie Howard pinch hit for me, perhaps I should stay aboard the little 1869 train that's hauling us across the continent and continue to greet the hundreds of thousands of Lux listeners. Who've poured from deserts and mountains to the railroad stations and crossings to welcome the group of Hollywood stars we took to the opening of Union Pacific at Omaha. And I wish you could have seen what Omaha did for us. It was the Omaha of 1869 that greeted us with an old wooden stockade around the railroad station, false fronts on the houses and stores to make it look like the Omaha of our picture, the whole city in costume, women in sunbonnets and calico, men, thousands of whom had grown beards, wearing beaver hats and frock coats, motorcycle police dressed as old-time Western sheriffs, mounted police and National Guard, dressed as infantry and cavalry of 1869, and of the 250,000 people on the streets, nearly half of them must have been dressed as pioneers. And all along the Union Pacific trail, it was a thrill to look into the eyes of so many fine Americans and be met with the warmth and hospitality of old friends. This, I know, is largely due to the friendship we've built up through the Lux Radio Theater. Our guest tonight on our transcontinental stage was really a lady for a day, a day which began early in March, but a newspaper photographer was sent to take a picture of a fashion show. It was not a Park Avenue fashion show, but one planned by girls in a poor tenement neighborhood, Tenth Avenue girls, who designed, made and modeled the clothes they wore. A newspaper man recognized in this lovely girl the opportunity for a living drama. And so, 16-year-old Florence Farley, through the generosity of the New York Journal American, was given a chance to become a lady for a day, a chance to go to Hollywood, equipped as a great lady, with the understanding that she would come back to Tenth Avenue and resume her life in her own work-a-day world. But that fashion show was the beginning of great things for Florence Farley. It certainly was, Mr. DeMille, but I never suspected it then. You see, when a photographer came, I resigned in an address I made to model in a show. That photographer was sensitive to sweetness, Florence. Whatever it was, he surprised me, because I'm just another girl. I live with my grandparents and brothers and go to high school and play with the kids in a block. But you wore Cinderella slippers for a while. Mr. DeMille, I wore more slippers than I've ever owned before. I've never paid more than $2 for shoes, and suddenly I was choosing expensive sports shoes and street shoes worth 20 times what I could pay for them. And I had a gorgeous dancing slippers with brilliant colored stones in them, and expensive street clothes and knitted sportswear and... Oh, oh, oh, you're leaving a man way behind. But I know you had to go places and all that finery. And I suppose the first place you went was a nightclub? Yes, my first nightclub, where I met Dorothy Lamour and I danced with Franchitone. Oh, gee, it was wonderful. But now, when I danced with the boys in a block, they apologized for not being Franchitone or Earl Flynn or Fred Astaire. But really, they're awfully nice kids. The first night I was all dressed up, one boy played Sir Walter Rawley and put his coat down on the sidewalk for me to walk on. But you can't tease a girl with red hair like mine too much. I'll take that as a warning. While you were in Hollywood, didn't you make a screen test and appear in a Paramount picture? Yes, I did, and I found time to have a bicycle ride with Bob Hope, too. Well, there's hope, there's life. And now, after being a lady for a day that lasted from March or to the end of April, I'm back home and that's just how it was planned. And although it was marvelous, I'm honestly glad to be back. You see, Grandma and her family thought I need me. I helped with the dishes and I washed my own clothes. And because I've always loved the Lux Radio Theatre, I'd like to tell people that at home we think Lux Flakes is simply swell for dishes and clothes and quite a number of things like that. I know I won't use anything else in all my grand clothes because I want them to last just as long as they possibly can. You picked the right product Florence and the right program. But one more question before you go. What do your friends think of you now that the great adventure is over? Gee, Mr. DeMille, they're just as good pals as ever. Besides, for playing marbles and hopscotch, the sidewalks of 10th Avenue are the best I ever saw. I've enjoyed your visit very much, Mr. DeMille. We've enjoyed it too. More happy days to you, young lady for a day. Well, now here we are back in Hollywood again with a thank you for Mr. DeMille and Ms. Farley. And now for act three of Lady for a Day, starring Mae Ropeson as Apple Annie, Warren Williams Dude, Gene Parker as Louise and Guy Kibbey as Judge. It's the evening of Apple Annie's reception and the dude has lined up a noble array of celebrities. In Missouri Martin's Cafe, they are having a rehearsal in manners. Machine guns parked at the door and no loud swearing. But the police department is still hot on the trail of three kidnap reporters. At headquarters, the inspector talks the captain over the coals. That's what you said yesterday. I tell you, we've got to find those three reporters and we've got to find them quick. Look what the papers are doing to us. I've done everything, Inspector. I've covered every angle. Excuses, nothing but excuses. Look here more, the commissioner wants those reporters. The mayor is on his tail about it and the governor's on the mayor's tail and they're all on mine, so find them. Inspector. Well? I think we've got a lead on those three reporters. Yeah? A cub reporter on the press just came in. He says he saw three guys being pushed into a cab down on dock number 69. When? The same day the reporters disappeared. Go on. He was right close to them, see? And he heard one of the guys doing the pushing say something about the dude. The dude? Dave the dude? That's what I figured, so I checked on the dude right away. He's down at Missouri Martin's and here's the hot stuff, Inspector. Every mug in town is down there with him. Boys, I don't know what this means, but it's big. Throw a squadron around that cafe. Cover the front and back and all the side streets for 10 blocks around. But I haven't enough man. Well, get them. Cover that territory with a blanket. I don't care if you have to use every man on the force. This is big. Now, party up, partners. Just like the way you're going to do it tonight. It's time, Mrs. McSweeney. How are you, Count Alfonso? Did you like it? Delighted, Mrs. Darlport. Oh, no, no. What's your message? No, no, listen, you mugs. I ain't having this rehearsal because I like it. The reception takes place tonight. And if we don't practice right, we'll have to ball the whole thing up. Hiya, dude. Sorry I'm late. Oh, hello, Missouri. Got your girls ready? Oh, Seth. What have you got doped out for me personally? Well, you are the social leader of New York City, Missouri. What are you trying to do and insult me? I'm part of the family. That's what I am. Gents. I want you to meet the ever-loving wife of Dave the Dude Manville. Huh? No, I'm known as Missouri Manville. Just rode in from Newport on the fast freight. Look out, dude. Missouri's closing in on you. Give us a kiss, dude. Ah, cut it out, man. All right, now let's get going. Yeah, yeah. We've got a lot of rehearsing to do. Hey, long chin. What are you? A tiny general of the United States. No, I... Know your speech? Well, not exactly. But I'll make it. Okay, that's the first thing you all want to do, learn your speeches. All right, let's get going. Looks like they'd like to meet you. Well, well, what's the matter? Hey, you. Cheesecake. Is this too much for you or something? No, I can do it. All right, only cheese. Oh, no, what? Well, I'm as good as Louis to lug any day. If he's Ambassador, I ought to be King. Yes, sir, but Secretary of the Interior is bigger than Ambassador. Oh, yeah, you can't kid me. A Secretary is a Secretary. Okay. I'll make you the President of the Board of Aldermen. How's that? President? I like it. Hey, Judge, we've got a new President of the Board of Aldermen. Check. All right now. Go ahead. Oh, oh, look at him. Look at him happy. These guys are driving me crazy. You're not doing them any good either. Hey, wait a minute! Quiet! Boys, I don't mind telling you you smelled a high heaven. Yes, sir, if you tried, you couldn't be any worse. What's the matter with you guys? There's nothing so tough about this society, right? All you gotta do is use your head. Actors do this kind of stuff every day of their life. Now, don't tell me you ain't got as much brains as actors. No, no, come on. Let's practice and practice hard. Hey, dude! Hey, dude! Listen, dude! Listen, will you do cops are here? I told you... Huh? The cops? What cops? The cops. Hello, dude. Hello, boys. Well... Hello, Captain. What's going on here? Nothing you'd be interested in. No, looks kind of funny, doesn't it? Your whole mob up here at one time? Well, anything wrong with a fellow having his friends up? No, nothing wrong in that. Okay, everybody, rehearsal's over. You know where to go. Oh, no, everybody's staying right here. Oh, listen, Captain, we gotta date someplace. We gotta get out of here. Sorry, dude, but the commissioner's got a date with the mayor and the governor. And nobody leaves here until we find out what's going on. Oh, listen, there's nothing crooked about this whole thing. You'd laugh your head off if you heard the story. Yeah, I'm laughing right now. Oh, wait a minute. I'll... I'll give you the real lowdown. Look, you believe in fairy tales, don't you? What? No, no, it's no use. I'll hang before I let you give me the horse laugh. You'll hang all right if we don't find these three reporters. Yeah? Hey, look! You want those guys bad, huh? Yes, sort of. I'll make a deal with you. Take me to meet the mayor and the governor, and I'll let you have all three of them. Yeah? Yeah! All right. Cassidy, keep all these mugs right here. Come on, dude. Your honor? Yes. Come in, Captain. Oh, so this is Dave the dude. Yes, your honor. Well, here he is, governor. I guess we can rest easy now. Yes. Come over here, please. Now, now, wait a minute. Before you start on me, I'd like to say a couple of words. Oh, would you? No, no, look, governor. Look, your honor, do you believe in fairy tales? What's that? Well, well, would you believe, for instance, that a long time ago, there was a high-class doll, maybe somebody whose name you'd recognize who's come down in the world and is fighting her way back, just for a week. What is all this? No, no, no, wait. Give me a chance. Me and her boys aren't pulling anything for me. You got us all wrong. We're just doing a favor to you. Judge, something's wrong. Where is everybody? Now, don't get excited, Annie. I know, but it's after nine o'clock. Yes, I know. Well, I just heard Shakespeare. The boys are down at Missouri Martins. They're having a little talk with the police. Police? Henry. They're not coming here, are they? The police? Oh, no, no, of course not. Oh, Henry, now don't fool me. Tell me the truth. Now, don't get yourself all worked up, Annie. You've got to keep your head. But if anything's going to happen, I've got to know. Shh. What will I tell Louise? What can I tell her? Leather. Leather, what's wrong? Oh, Louise, darling. Darling, I just heard the Count say he didn't think there was going to be any reception. Isn't anybody coming? Louise. Leather. If you should, I mean if anything should happen. What do you mean? You couldn't ever hate me, your mother, could you? Oh, darling, please don't say things like that. All right, dear, I won't. Is the Count still in the drawing room? Yes. I want to see him. Annie, Annie, where are you going? I'm sorry, Carlos, but you must see that this whole reception is... Well, it is what we would call... Count Romero. I'd like to talk to you for a moment, please. Oh. Please, sit down. Thank you. Count Romero, you know there's nothing in the world I want more than for Louise to marry your son. He's a dear boy. Even in the short time you've been here, I've grown very fond of him. Well... Louise loves him, loves him deeply, and I'm sure he loves her, too. Ever since she was born, I've lived for only one thing, her happiness. When she wrote me, she had found someone she loved. I think I was the happiest mother in the whole world. Mother, darling, what is it? Tell me. Count Romero, you came to America to find out something about... about her family, about me. Oh, but really, I... Oh, I don't blame you. You had that right. After all, you knew nothing about me. It would have been terrible if they got married and you'd found out that I was... that I was some common person, someone you were ashamed of, someone that even Louise would be ashamed of. Mother, that's silly. That's why I wanted to have a talk with you, Count Romero. I wanted you to know all about me. First thing I must tell you, Count Romero, is that I am not... His honor, the mayor of New York! The mayor? The mayor? Why? Why, it really is the mayor. Louise! Which is Apple Annie Duke? They're already your owner, come in this way. But remember, it's Mrs. Manville. Go ahead, Mayor, do your stuff. Trust me, Dave. My dear Mrs. Manville, so good to see you again. Why? Why, your honor? The last time I had the pleasure of seeing you was at your very lovely party at Briar Cliff. I shall never forget it. It was brilliant. Oh, thank you, thank you. I presume this is your very charming daughter, Louise. Louise? Yes. How do you do? So happy to see you again, Mrs. Manville. Dude, dude, how did you do it? It is the mayor. And these are real society people. You ain't seen nothin' yet, Annie. Listen. The governor! The real McCoy! Oh, how do you do? Dude, dude, come over here, will you? Will you and tell me? Nothin' to it. You see the mayor and the governor, believe in fairy tales. You know, Annie, maybe there is a sandy clause after all. She can't hear you, Annie. She can't even see us no more. Well, the wedding was swell, Annie. Yes. Well, I gotta beat it. Oh, thank you, dude. And God bless you. Ah, come on. Hey, Missouri, how about some dinner? Ah, dude, it's the first time you ever asked me. Okay, come on. Well, goodbye, Annie. I'm sorry our arrangement had to be temporary. Oh, thank you, judge. You've been marvelous. I wonder if you'd do me just one more favor. Well, I'm sorry, Annie, but I'm just a little short just now. Oh, no, no, no. It isn't bad. I want you to write a letter for me. In a few weeks after the children are home, write a letter to Louise. Just say her mother died suddenly. Say that her end was peaceful, and that her last words were, God bless the children. I get it, Annie. I get it. Brilliant. Mrs. E. Worthington Manville is dead. Long live Apple Annie. Say, Annie, I'll be needing an apple tomorrow. I'm sitting in on a big game. That's all right, dude. You know where to find me, corner of 47th Street and Broadway. Annie, old time. And you'll hear me calling. Curtain calls on Lady for a Day with Mae Robson, Warren Williams, Gene Parker and Guy Kibby. In a moment, our stars return for their curtain calls. But first, let me tell you what a very great actress once said about hands. I mean Sarah Bernhardt, the immortal French actress. She said, hands are so important to a woman's charm. And that's true, isn't it? When you play bridge, when you shake hands, when you reach out in a gesture of sympathy or love, wherever you are, your hands express your charm. So keep them soft and lovely looking, won't you? You can, you know, even though you wash dishes every day. The soap you use has a lot to do with it. Luxe flakes are kind to your hands. Unlike many soaps, luxe has no harmful alkali. Absolutely nothing to dry the natural oils in your skin and make your hands rough and red. Luxe helps your hands stay soft and smooth and lovely to look at and to touch. So buy the generous large-sized box of luxe flakes tomorrow for your dishes. And remember, a little goes so far. Luxe is frifty. And now I see our guest producer, Leslie Howard, returning with our stars. Time now for a brief accounting from our ever-loving principles. Mae Ropeson, Warren Williams, Gene Parker and Guy Kibbey. As fine a group of players as ever kicked around the delicious idiom of author Damon Runyon. Sire of those other stalwart characters, Sam the Goneff, ex-Jockey Kirk, no-nose Cohen. As for me, I say the things have come to a pretty pass. Now, what could possibly be eating the old doll? What's the matter with me, Warren? Dukie, you got my. Dukie? That's just it. Here you are, Mr. Leslie Howard, who has modulated some of the purest King's English I've ever heard on stage or screen, making a noise like something out of Runyon. Dukie. Oh, it's very discouraging. Very discouraging indeed. Leslie, you might make a better impression if you talk a la gone with the wind. You know, that ashly drawl to sort of match a nice long hair. Oh, so you prefer your ham-servant style. Mr. Kibbey, what about you all? And I all agree with Muzzy Mae. Well, where on earth did you of all people acquire that Runyon patois? Well, I tell you, I became a devout follower of Mr. Runyon in company with a few million other Londoners when his stories made such a tremendous hit over there a year ago. Well, of course, the obvious happened. Some of the choicest accents you ever heard from Cockney to Cambridge were all engaged in spouting the Argo. If you think I'm silly, you should have heard them. Still, Leslie, after seeing you in Pygmalion as professor of phonetics, I think you're entitled to all the acrobatics you care to practice with the English language. I know you co-directed that picture, didn't you, Leslie? As well as being the star. You still want to co-direct? Muzzy, he not only wants to, he's going to. In gone with the wind? Oh, no, no. After the wind has gone. No, I have another picture lined up. You see, guy, this is a picture which they're permitting me to try a hand at co-producing. Oh, had enough directing, eh? Hardly were, and the directing comes later in England. It's a picture called, but wait a minute, who's interviewing who around here? Oh, I don't think it makes a bit of difference. The point is, we're all having a swell time, which makes it so much harder to say, good night. And as one who used to hold Cecil de Mille on her knee and tell him stories, I'm sure he'd say what we all think about your work tonight. Congratulations, Leslie. Leslie. Thank you. Good night. To Apple Annie and her associates. I thank you. A highlight in radio dramatics comes to this stage next Monday night. In just a moment, Leslie Howard will announce it. Featured in tonight's cast were Lou Merrill as happy, Margaret Brayton as Missouri Martin, James Eagles as smiley, Wally Mayer as Steve, Frank Nelson as Carlos, Chester Clute as Oscar, Ross Forrester as Shakespeare, John Gibson as police captain, David German as Harry the horse, John Fee as the mayor, Walter White as Count Alfonso Romero, Joe Frans as Murphy, Earl Gunn as inspector, and Edgar Norton as a butler. Leslie Howard appeared through courtesy of David O. Selznick, Miss Robeson through Warner Brothers, and Guy Kibbie through Metro Golden Mayor where he's just completed its a wonderful world, starring Claudette Colbert and James Stewart. Warren William is seen shortly in the Edward Small production, Man with the Iron Mask, and Louis Silvers is from 20th Century Fox Studio where he directed music for Rose of Washington Square. Be sure to listen to the new Lux Daytime Radio program, The Life and Love of Dr. Seussin. The makers of Lux Flakes bring you this enthralling story about the love and problems of a young attractive woman doctor every afternoon, Monday through Friday. Look in your newspapers for the time and station. The Life and Love of Dr. Seussin comes to you in addition to the Lux Radio Theater. Here's our guest producer, Leslie Howard. During the coming week we're going to be pretty busy around here with the hope that what we have to offer will bring all of you back with us next Monday night. The play is our adaptation of that highly successful picture, The Life of Emil Zola, the story of an author's fight for humanity. And we're very glad that the same magnificent actor who created the title role will play it again for us, Mr. Paul Muney. And with Mr. Muney you'll hear that splendid artist, Miss Josephine Hutchinson. And our sponsors, the makers of Lux Flakes, join me in inviting you all to be with us again next Monday night. When the Lux Radio Theater presents Paul Muney and The Life of Emil Zola with Josephine Hutchinson. Mr. DeMille will be back the Monday after next. So it appears that you will have me on your hands again a week from tonight. We'll try and make it interesting. Good night. Soft lights and sweet music, heard on tonight's program, is from Face the Music. The announcer has been Melville Roy. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.