 Your Coca-Cola bottler presents Claudia based on the famous play and novels by Rose Franken Brought to you transcribed Monday through Friday by your friendly neighbor who bottles Coca-Cola Relax and while you're listening refresh yourself have a coke And now Claudia David are you home for lunch today? Say that reminds me mother. I better be on my way going out for lunch I'm going over to the theater to take Claudia out for a bite. I don't want that daughter of yours starving herself She won't Much of a vacation for you is it David on the contrary. I'm practically a bachelor But more of a vacation could a husband ask good deal more your kind of husband at least Now I know where Claudia gets it mother David stop talking riddles. She's just like you Always worrying about the other guy once and for all. I'm having a delightful vacation Peace and quiet have it your own way this afternoon. I'm going to spend with Fritz Might even get around to buying a cow. I have pails buckets and the butter churn already Good Wonder how it's going at the theater. I'm shortly to find out Hope it's going well Hope Claudia's really able to do the part and make a success of it. Why shouldn't you? You stop worrying worrying about me worrying about Claudia. Why don't you worry about yourself for a change? Because I'm not the worrying kind now if you really want to know how the rehearsal is going. I'll tell you Right now a little birdie whisper it in your ear. Yeah, Claudia and I don't need little birdies. They're very modern We prefer mental telepathy. Let me eavesdrop on your telepathy. Let me see now Everything is going beautifully beautifully Claudia and Victoria Manners are rehearsing their big scene right this minute and Claudia is acting circles around mismatch. There's mismaners like it Oh, she loves it. There's nothing a leading lady loves more than playing with amateurs But with Claudia Victoria can act to the hilt. So she loves it. Hope you're right and let me add Jim Barney Is absolutely delighted at the way things are going he's saying to himself Barney old man You're a smart one. You were positively inspired when you decided to cast Claudia not in that park Why look at her the kid's talented the kid's wonderful. You are having delusions of grandeur Oh, come on now, mother a little faith a little confidence in your offspring Well, I'm so sure everything's going smoothly that I'm not the least bit concerned more power to you Well, after all doesn't Claudia know her part by heart She did last night. Oh, she does this morning No, sir that wife of mine can stand up to anybody eyes of a lover Strangely distorted but not the eyes of a husband now get along with you You don't have to stand around here holding my hand. All right. I'm on my way David see the cheats at the decent lunch Still worry you are a nag. I just don't want you to miss Claudia too much You eat a decent lunch yourself I've given you my word that everything's going smoothly at the theater and at this very moment Barney is applauding Claudia's big Look Claudia Victoria, you're not here for the fun of it. It's supposed to be working Supposed to be a couple of actresses getting paid for this So now let's try this scene over again and try to do it right from the beginning. Mr. Barney Here's Claudia from the beginning. I'm ready miss manners I know this is all very new to you my dear But the first thing to learn is not to cross in front of another actress when she's talking you understand But I thought mr. Barney time. All right. Let's get going. I don't have all day to spend with you, too This isn't very easy for me Jim. There's no criticism of Claudia But it takes a little while to train somebody new in the theater. Sorry if I I see that's all right my dear All right. All right. Let's go All right, dear Could I talk to you a minute louder people are going to pay 3 30 to see only want to hear you too Stephanie could I talk to you a moment, please? Yes, and why not? I've been wanting to talk to you for days Look for the last time you two are both in love with the same man I'll look a little bit less friendly a little more like two hens fighting over a rooster. Give it more room All right, try it again Jim. Don't you think it'd be a good idea? I stood up when Claudia comes all right Stand up do anything you want but act let's go Stephanie could I talk to you a moment, please? Yes, and why not? Oh, Jim It's much better when I'm standing up and Claudia. Would you please stand still during my lines? Must walk walk on your own. Oh To women no playwright should ever write a play with a scene for two women in it. All right, Claudia. Try it again Stephanie could I talk to you a moment, please? Yes, and why not? I I mean, I I've been wanting to I I've been wanting to talk to you for days. I thought you knew your part I knew it when I came as to Barney, but we've done it so many times. I'm forgetting. There's no need to get upset We have all day for you. Would you mind if we started it again for the beginning? Of course not darling Jim understands No, I understand. I don't know what's gotten into me. I All right, I'm ready and this time I'm going to do it right Stephanie could I talk to you a moment? Yes, and why not I've been wanting to talk to you for days louder, please I suppose you know I'm in love with guy. Oh, you're so young my dear Just because a man kisses you just because you happen to be in love with a man that doesn't mean that Claudia will you please stand still during my speeches? I haven't moved or two steps closer to me than when we started You'll just have to learn how to control yourself trying and trying very hard. What are we stopping for now? I'm doing my best Jim, but she's upstaging me. I am Now it's time to break for lunch. I'll send out for some sandwiches. I'm awfully sorry, but that's all right, my dear I thought I knew this scene perfectly Well, I'm just going out in the court a second. I'm expecting Listen Victoria, you've got to stop writing that kid. Are you in love with her or something? Shut up. You want everybody to hear you? You must be in love with her. I don't know what else she's doing here She's acting her part and acted at darn well too until you started getting jealous. Can you blame me? Frankly no She's so bloody sweet. She kills and she'll kill the audience too. So just leave her alone This is my plea Jim, and I intend to keep it that way no matter what here she comes Let's get out of here and have a bite to eat and Victoria for once gives someone a break take your nails out of her Oh good. They're going we can be alone David kiss me kiss me quick Hello darling hold me tight David Oh How's the rehearsal going? Beautifully just beautifully It's going just the way Victoria Manners wants it to go Which is not so beautiful probably my fault. I'm doing everything wrong. I walk when I shouldn't I forget my lines I know them. I know I know them. I'm terrible. Are you as terrible as all I am I'm worse maybe I should have stayed at home with the baby instead of thinking I could be an actress all of a sudden Being home with a baby is more all of a sudden, isn't it? Well, it Comes more naturally to me. Well, come on. We'll have some lunch. I don't want any darling Well, you have to eat mama said so Sandwiches are being sent in but I I don't feel like eating David at home last night. I was so sure I could do this scene right and I thought I was doing it All right, but I don't know today. It just fell apart Victoria tells me one thing and Barney tells me another and I I can't remember everything they're telling me David, I wish I could go home with you. What them What would you do at home? I wouldn't do anything. I Suppose you'd like that better. I love it. Well Well, you certainly have changed for the sensible Maybe you're right. I don't know what made me think I should take this part. Oh, I wish I hadn't Spoiling everything I can't even be with you on your vacation. Oh Maybe you're right Maybe you should have stayed at home with the baby Maybe you aren't cut out to be an actress not everybody is you know Tough business a very tough business. I guess it's like everything else not all beer and skittles Never particularly like beer and skittles before What are skittles well, they're Well anyway, you can develop a taste for them You can get out of the play before it's too late, you know, all you have to do is talk to Barney What would I say? I'll just say you don't think you can do the part But I know I can do it. I do the scenes perfectly with you. It's just that Victoria manners then tell Barney you're unhappy not enjoying yourself As long as you're not enjoying yourself. You don't see any point of doing it. It's not the money So that a person can't go through life. Just just doing the things a person enjoys Besides, I love the theater. I love the theater. It's just that I hate Victoria manners and she hates me Well, that's reason enough to quit Even for me, you just told me you're terrible in your part. I am And I take off my hat to you because Because what because you're honest and darned few women are honest. Oh, I knew that a long time ago I found it out in the butcher shop What's that got to do with taking off your hat to me? It's got to do because you realize that you have anything on the ball and you the courage to admit it a Lot of women wouldn't have the sense to recognize it and duck Are you seriously suggesting that I turn in my part and and and that Victoria manners Crow over me like a rooster and a barnyard of hands might be the easiest way to save your face Thank you, David. Thank you very much You've given me a wonderful idea You're welcome I'm going to make Victoria manners face drop like a poached egg. That's what you mean a drop day And if you think I'm a quitter you married the wrong person really and if you think for a moment I quit you're you're crazy you're crazier than this whole bunch of actors Well, I I wouldn't give Victoria manners the satisfaction of my quitting wouldn't you I'll tell you something else You're a great big Adorable wonderful dope and I love you know what have I done now don't act so innocent darling You're not so much of an actor. I know you've got me angry now Just so I wouldn't throw in the towel you wouldn't have any way. Well, I guess maybe I wouldn't have it's pretty close to it though David why do you bother coming to my rescue all the time because I promised mama that Rehearsals was going well, and you wouldn't want me to go back on my word to mama. Would you the last thing? At least the next to the last what's the last the last thing? I'd want is to be a weak-kneed yellow-livered quitter. You'd be ashamed of Well, I'm not worried and David the first and last thing I do want It's for you to love me It's as long as you do. There's nothing can beat me nothing at all Hey, all of a sudden. I'm hungry hungry. I wish I had time to go out to lunch with you Well, you can you can eat Victoria manners instead With your help David and it will be a pleasure Good times don't always have to be planned in advance. Sometimes they just happen You're in the mood for company. So you call up a few friends and say come on over You always feel free to do that if there are refreshments on hand with coca-cola in your refrigerator hospitality is easy and Since the 24 bottle case is still only a dollar such hospitality is within everybody's entertainment budget Mr. King have you ever directed a play? Oh, sorry, mr. Barney can't help you out on that. Oh, it's too bad I feel as if I'm running a hand fight instead of a rehearsal and Claudia is the losing hand cheer up. It'll get better now. You've been reading tea leaves. I've been eavesdropping It's more reliable. Maybe I was wrong to give the kid the part Victoria manners There's no easy later to handle when she's threatened Claudia you can do it She wants to be in this play awfully badly. She's been bitten by the theater bug a good long time It would have to be some bite to survive this it is You know, I guess most of us have been bitten by that same bug even the people you'd least expect like Jared Tucker for instance does he want a part in my play who knows at least who knows till tomorrow See you then mr. Barney. Yep. I'm back to work Every day Monday through Friday. Claudia comes to you transcribed with the best wishes of your friendly neighbor who bottles coca-cola So listen again tomorrow at the same time And now this is Joe King saying or of war and remember Whoever you are, whatever you do wherever you may be when you think of refreshment think of coca-cola Or coca-cola makes any pause the pause that refreshes and ice-cold coca-cola is everywhere These broadcasts are adapted for radio by mania star and the entire production is supervised and directed by William Brown Maloney and now here's a word from your friendly neighbor who bottles coca-cola