 Family Theater presents Dennis Morgan and Jean Lockhart. From Hollywood, the mutual network in cooperation with Family Theater presents transcribed 20,000 leagues under the sea starring Jean Lockhart. To introduce the drama, here is your host, Dennis Morgan. Thank you, Tony LaFranco. Family Theater's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives. If we are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our family, and peace for the world. Family Theater urges you to pray. Pray together as a family. Years before their appearance, Jules Verne foretold the submarine, the balloon, the airplane, the telephone, the long range projectile, and many other inventions. But perhaps his greatest writing achievement was the complex but very human character of Captain Nemo, a tragic star of 20,000 leagues under the sea. In this man we glimpse Homer's Ulysses, Shakespeare's Hamlet, and ourselves, our dreams, our disillusionments, above all, our instinctive yearning for good. These are the things that make Captain Nemo and his great adventure timeless. And so it is with pride and pleasure that Family Theater presents Jean Lockhart as Captain Errona in Jules Verne's beloved classic, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It does not need new continents, it needs new men. Is Pierre Errona. I am an assistant professor in the Museum of Natural History in Paris. The year is 1866. Delving into the unknown as I do, there is little that surprises me, and yet today in this modern life, unbelievable newspaper headlines shock the world. Extra, extra, steamer attack by sea serpent, read all about it. For another ship attack, Navy to sea monster, extra, extra. I was in my New York apartment at the conclusion of my most recent scientific tour, and had planned to return to Paris with my valuable collection of specimens when... Professor Errona. Yes, qu'en c'est, what is it? Commander Farragut of the United States Navy to see you, sir. Commander Farragut? Professor Errona, this is a great pleasure. Oh, well, believe me, Commander Farragut, the feeling is mutual. In fact, I'm somewhat overcome. To have a man of your reputation seek out an obscure professor. Quite the contrary, sir. My government would like to see France represented in the expedition in pursuit of the monster. You mean you wish me to? I am holding a cabin at your disposal on the President Lincoln, sir. We leave Brooklyn Pier in three hours. You have a fine ship, Commander. Yes, we're well armed, Professor. Ah, yes. Didn't I see a breech-loading cannon atop your folksel? You did, sir. But my best weapon of all, Professor, is Ned Land. Huh? Oh, Ned, come over here, if you please. All right, Commander Farragut. That's your service, sir. Professor Errona, Ned is known all over the Seven Seas as the Prince of Harpooners. If and when we track down the sea monster, he'll show you some real action. To prove a real test for your talents, Mr. Land, it's a fabulous beast, indeed, that can stove in the side of a ship. You're speaking of a Scotia, I'd say, kid. Huh. Beg in your pardon, Professor. If there should be a sea monster that big, that mighty, then Ned Land wants to be the man of Harpoonet. That's the way our voyage began. A strong ship, pan-picked men, and a vast curiosity and determination to end this terror of the seas. On and on we went, past the Marquesas, the sandwich islands, across the Tropic of Cancer, and headed for the China Seas. And then... The Harpoonet, sir. The monster's running circles around us. We can't get near enough for me to use my harpoon. Let the hell my head is yours! It's no use, Commander. The monster's going twice as fast as we are. I know it, sir. There's only one thing left to do. Stand and fight. Up to the focus of cannon, man! Aye, sir! The folksal gun was loaded and slew to the position. The President Lincoln was running at half-speed now, and the sea monster seemed content to follow at a certain distance, as though mocking us. The gunner, steady of eye, grave of face, took long and careful aim, and then... Fire! Watch out, sir. The monster's closing in on us. That shot made him mad. He's going to ram us! I trust that the state of your health is improving, Professor Aronar. Where... Where am I? Abort my submarine, the Nautilus. Submarine. Who are you? You may address me as Captain Nemo. Mr. Land. Captain? Submarine? Then you are... I am your sea monster, oh Prince of Harpooners. Captain, how do you know so much about us? You told me, Professor. You were somewhat delirious for a while. Thus I learned all about yourself, your servant Conceal, and... Ned Land. I also know that you are from the frigate President Lincoln, which deliberately invaded my privacy. Attacked me. You are prisoners of war. By rights, I should place you back on deck and submerge for getting your existence. Or you... you wouldn't dare. That wouldn't be civilized. I am not what you so glibly call a civilized man, Professor Aronar. Then... Then what is to be our fate, Captain Nemo? I am not altogether heartless. I do have a certain sense of pity for any living thing, but of course you must live under my law. Give your word to cause no trouble, nor try to escape. Stay with you? For how long? For the rest of your life, Mr. Land. Do you know what you ask, Captain? We never to see our country again. Our friends, our... our families. You'll see for yourself that I am not all together heartless. Our families? You'll see far more fascinating country underwater. Renouncing the world is not so painful as you seem to think. But you're simply offering us the choice between life and death. Just that. Then we... we have no choice. Captain Nemo, we will abide by your wishes. It won't be as bad as you think, gentlemen. You, Professor, will find your own published works in my library. You will marvels undersea that even you haven't dreamed of. You will live in the best of quarters, enjoy the finest food. Yes, but without freedom. There is always a price, sir. Be glad that yours is no higher. We were fed, housed in comfortable quarters, and we slept. But little did I dream of the wonders that tomorrow would bring. Right after breakfast, Ned and Concey were taken to their permanent quarters while I was escorted to a luxurious suite, adjoining the quarters of Captain Nemo himself. As I stared about me in amazement, I heard the strains of a pipe organ in the next room. And venturing in, I found myself in a magnificent drawing room and the captain at the keyboard of the organ. Good morning, Professor Arana. You seem somewhat surprised to learn that I practice the arts as well as the sciences. I must confess, Captain Nemo, I expected to find you a musician of such inspired music. Inspired? I see too that you have priceless works of art on the walls. A Madonna by Raphael and a Virgin there by Leonardo da Vinci. A Nymph by Correggio. And an Assumption by Murillo. I see that the professor of natural history has not neglected his cultural training. Even a museum professor can have taste, sir, and a zest for life and appreciation of beauty. I like you, Professor Arana. I like courage and a quiet man. Native pride. Do you have no answer for this turn of events? I must admit, I don't know what to say. Then say nothing, but watch instead. I have another wonder to show you. I go over here to press a lever. Great heavens! The whole side of the submarine is sliding back. We're doomed! Do not fear, sir. We are protected from the sea by several layers of heavy glass. Behold. Behold the army of the sea, Professor. The fish seem to float in liquid light. Do they not? It's unbelievable! The troll, the bandit mullet, the Japanese compass, the beautiful mackerel all sewn by the hand of him who created all living things. Him? Then... Believe in God. Look out there, my dear Professor. In the face of such wonders, how could I possibly not believe in such a deity? But I don't understand. You gave up the world. Nearly because I forsook man does not mean I forsook God. In the sea, I sense the weaving of creation on every hand. This philosophy. How can you forget man? How? And why? Why? It is mankind which has forgotten not I. They've forgotten her God by making unjust laws, tearing one another to pieces destroying. Professor. You and your friend shall accompany me on my next hunting expedition. If you will kindly don these indiorubber diving suits and weighted boots, we'll soon be off on the hunt. In diving suits, Captain Nemo dreamed wonders, Ned. I can believe that, sir. We've now arrived at the forests of the lost island of Crespa, gentlemen. You have your suits on. Now please put the helmets in place. I am about to close the waterproof door. We were in utter darkness. The Rukirol apparatus began operating the moment our helmets were fixed firmly in place and I breathed with ease. Now, I was about to step into a completely new element. The sinister unknown led by a man who for all I knew was mad. A second door located in the out of the shell of the knot of the slid bag. And in another moment I was treading the floor of the ocean. How can I describe the sight that met my eyes? A fantastic dream? No. More like an emotion. Yes, an emotion. That's it. I moved through unbelievable beauty. No longer feeling the drag of my clothing and my heated shoes. The water acted like a prism for the early morning sun so that we walked in the radiance of the seven solar colours. I could see the silver sand shimmering away to a distance of 150 yards and dotted with star shell, flowers and rocks and shells and pulpy of every shade and formation. But what if my colleagues could see me now? They wouldn't believe it. I'm approaching the old Spanish galleon but here friends, look, look as I open this gigantic chest. There. Look. Goal. Plenty of it. Sparkling, glinting and cold salt water. My eternal bank. I fill the small chest we brought along. And now my dear professor we'll go to my pearl beds. Captain, all these riches we saw today. You can use only so much. What good is the rest unless you help your fellow men? Professor Arana, you are my guest. An onlooker. I do not desire your advice. Oh, but it seems such a waste, sir. With so much need in the world. Enough! Yes, there is need. I am and never shall be one with us. Captain, look out there, a diver. He's looking in at us. Oh, yes. Yes, we're near sure. But what does he want? You ask the question, professor. You shall have your answer. Even as I watched, a crew member in a diving suit appeared outside the window and gave the native diver the small treasure chest taken from the Spanish galleon. The swimmer returned to the window, humbly saluted Captain Nemo, I turned and looked at Nemo. What more do you want of me, Professor Arana? A confession written in heart's blood that though I hate the world, I love my fellow men. I couldn't answer him. If ever I sought tragedy burned across a man's face, I saw it in Nemo's. I could now understand his bitter philosophy, his moods blowing hot and cold, like, like destroying searing winds. And then, a week later, Ned Konsey and I saw another side of Nemo's nature. He had sighted a mysterious man-a-war, the ship fired at us. They're firing at us. Let me out that pair of shoes. Stand back, Mr. Land. Ship come an accursed nation. You recognize me, don't you? Fear me. Now, my vengeance. Fire! No, Captain, no! The war seemed to disintegrate. Captain Nemo watched it sink. An archangel of hatred. Then he turned and entered his quarters. I followed him as though hypnotized. I saw him uncovered a picture on the far wall, a portrait of a young woman and two beautiful children. Before this little group, Nemo spread out his arms and then... Almighty God, enough! Enough! After that catastrophic occurrence, the Nautilus moved in more and more of a dream world and then Ned came to me with his plan. We're escaping tonight, Professor. Escape? Are we inside of land? I just took the Reckon. There are hills 20 miles to the east of us. 20 miles? It might as well be 200. You know very well that I'm not a swimmer, Ned. You won't have to swim, sir. We'll take the small boat. I'll get 10 tonight. Heavens knows I'm with you, Ned. Lay your plans. I'll meet you at 10. I went to my quarters, dressed in my stout of sea garments, collected my notes and settled down to await the appointed time. And then music from the hands of a tormented soul longing to break its earthly bonds. Such music as could only come from Captain Nemo himself. And then my heart froze in terror. He was in the drawing room, in order to make my escape. I made my way to the drawing room. The room was in the greenish half-light. Nemo sat before the paper, playing as though music would its last avenue of expression in life. I held my breath. I passed in back of him. I reached for the far door. Captain Nemo arose and came straight toward me. I slammed the heavy door, bolted it and ran to meet Ned. Professor, is that you? Yes, let us go. We have service to take on fresh air. Put in a storm. A storm, nothing. It's a maelstrom. Wake you to the small pond. Now the waves were caught in the maelstrom. We're going down. You're safe, Professor. Quite safe now. Can't see. The same, sir. And he hasn't had two. He brought us through the maelstrom safely. We're in a fisherman's hut on the Lofoten Islands, Professor. The Nautilus? We're in the middle of it and went down, sir. And it's no better than she deserved, if you ask me. If anyone could survive such a storm, Captain Nemo could. At least, I hope so. You hope so? Yes, Ned. After travelling 20,000 leagues under the sea with Nemo, I hope he lives on to conquer his hatred for the world. Forget vengeance in his love for the oppressed. As Ecclesiastes questioned 6,000 years ago, that which is far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out? I hope that Captain Nemo can find his answer. This is Dennis Morgan again. When I was a kid back in Wisconsin and a shiny jackknife was my never-failing companion, I used to carve my initials in lots of places. The smooth patch on an old apple tree, the inviting boards of a neighbor's fence, the stout benches at the ballpark. Every smooth place was a fresh temptation. I was much older before I realized that that urge made me and every other kid in the neighborhood do this is a universal urge everyone has to save something of oneself from oblivion. Of course, it takes different forms, but essentially, it is a desire to be noticed, recognized, appreciated, thought of some importance, perhaps, remembered, or even loved. I suppose it's another inkling of immortality. You know the pyramid builders of ancient Egypt 5,000 years ago were moved by something of the same urge. The boasts of those ancient kings that you find carved inside can be easily translated for the modern day simply as Kilroy was here. But there is nothing as dead as an old pyramid unless it be the marquee lights of last week's smash hit. As I look back now in my maturity, as every thinking man does, I realize that a man doesn't have to leave a beautiful painting, a bit of sculpture, or a great pyramid to be forever remembered. It is prayer that saves a man from being nameless in dark oblivion. It is prayer that makes him longest remembered. For through prayer he carves his name not in granite that will vanish as dust, but in the loving heart of an everlasting God. Family theater leaves you again the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. From Hollywood family theater has presented 20,000 leagues under the sea starring Jean Lockhart. Dennis Morgan was your host. Others in our cast were Bill Woodson as Nemo, Whitfield Conner, Jack Lloyd and Michael Hayes. The script was adapted from Charles Verne's classic by Virginia M. Cook with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman and was directed and transcribed for family theater by Joseph F. Mansfield. This series of family theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program, by the Mutual Network which has responded to this need and by the hundreds of stars of stage screen and radio who give so unselfishly of their time and talent to appear on our family theater stage. Welcome to you our humble thanks. This is Tony Lofrano expressing the wish of family theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to be with us next week when family theater will present Outnumbered starring Mitzi Gaynor, Scottie Beckett and Jean Routh. Join us, won't you? Family theater has broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.