- mchale, this is the day i kill him. - all right, whoa! whoa! temper! temper! captain, temper! and jane wyatt (children giggling) with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in father knows best. - [jim] the most what? - just most. i'm the most. no, it's most popular. i'm the most popular boy. - you? - yeah, how do you like that? - well, boy, what a job of ballot box stuffing you must have done. - i didn't stuff it. i was too busy bribing voters. - [kathy] hi, daddy. - ah! - [kathy] bud, what do you get for doing that? - oh, i get to get up on a platform

- and then they'll give me a solid gold tin loving cup, and you'll have a famous brother. - [kathy] hey! - [bud] it's quite an affair. the gay 90s picnic, that's what the committee decided to call it. - i suppose you'll have to grow a handlebar mustache. - no, but we're going to rent gay 90s costumes, you know, high hats, parasols, bustles. - oh, you'll look cute in a bustle. - sure i will, especially when i'm up there dancing the waltz. - oh! - a lot of cowgirls can dance with bustles on. it's not like fighting a rear guard athlete. has lost its collective mind. - bud! - we're going to have a midway, and game posts, and a brass band, and pink lemonade, beer for the men, root beer, that is. and the whole thing is going to be decorated in bunting. - well, it sounds very fancy. - yeah. by the way, what's bunting? - don't you know? - no, i just voted for it 'cause i didn't want to admit i was stupid.

- 11 dollars? oh, for goodness sake! how much bunting do you need? - that's not for bunting. i need a pair of white buck shoes. - - white buck shoes?ng. well, that's not gay 90ish. - i don't ca. see,t's what all the gu are wearing. - bud, we can't throw 11 dollars away on every whim of yours. besides, how long do you think they'd stay white? - oh, mom, i'd wash em every day. - i'verd that before. - well, what do you think of our popularity winner? - well didn't he tell you? through some nefarious juggling of the ballot box, bud was voted most popular boy in his class. - oh, how wonderful. bud, that's wonderful. - so there's another reason i need the white buck shoes. you want me to look decent when i go up and get my award don't you? - white buck shoes! (laughs) how long do you think they're going to stay -- - dad, we've been through that. you don't seem to realize how important this is. all the guys will have them,

and get my award. this may be the only time in my life i'm popular. - well, your popularity's fading fast around here. i can tell you that. how much are the shoes? - $11.98, plus tax. - 11 my gosh, when i was a boy a pair of shoes only cost -- - dad, times have changed. i'll give up my allowance for three months. i'll do anything. i just got to have these shoes. - well, he's not only the most popular boy

smart, comfortable. - oh, no, i didn't want black and white. i want the all-white bucks. - yes, well these are much easier to keep clean. - oh, well, i don't care if they are. i want white bucks like you have in the window. - oh, those. well, they're hard to keep clean and they're on their way out. besides, i don't have your size. - you don't? well, i've got to have them. what sizes do you have? - well, the biggest i have left is an 8a, and you take an 8 1/2 b or even a c. - well, let me try them. - oh, no, you couldn't wear those. they'd give you nothing but trouble. - let me try them anyway. i have very flexible feet. - now here's a good wearing shoe, very popular with the -- - no, get the white bucks.

talk you into buying these? - he didn't talk me into it. these are exactly what i wanted. besides, they feel good. i like them just this way. i don't like to slop around in my shoes. - ll, you take those back and get a larger size. - well, they don't have a larger size. - oh, so that explains it. well, here. you take them back. you can't wear those, they'll ruin your feet. - no they won't. they feel real good, very comfortable. - then why are you walking pair of shoes has to be broken in a little. - now wait, let me see where your toes come to. - you know where my toes come, rit at the end of my feet. - and two inches beyond the end of those shoes. - well i insist you take them back so take them off before you scuff them all up. - well i can't take them back now. i got to write my acceptance speech for my award. - acceptance speech? - well, it's not really a speech. you see, i want it to sound like i'm just making it up on the spur of the moment.

- for you that shouldn't be hard. - then i kind of mumble off some pretty stirring stuff, you know, kind of humble but brilliant. - uh huh. (affirmative) - hey, maybe you could help me write it. you're pretty good on speeches. - oh, no, i'm afraid i'd be so overcome your brilliant humility that i just uldn't think of a thing to writ - thank you. i am overcome. , thisreat honor you have bestowed onto me, am (clears throat) speechless. i had no idea i was this popular. i am emotionally choked up. oh!

boy, am i hot. we've been decorating the park out there and it must be 190 in the shade. i hope it cools down for the picnic tomorrow. - how are your feet today? - feet? - ill think you should have taken those shoes back. you better not wear them tomorrow. they'll spoil all your fun. - not wear them tomorrow? mom, that's the main reason i got them. - i can't stand to see you suffer. i think your father has some white shoes up in his closet. why don't you go up and try them on? - wear dad's shoes? are you kidding? besides, there's nothing wrong with these. - well, if you need any adhesive tape, there's some in the medicine cabinet.

- hey, bud. - no, my feet aren't sore. - got blisters? - no, i haven't got blisters. - then why are you putting all that tape on? - well, haven't you got anything better to do than stand around asking a lot of bonehead questions? - i'm just interested in your welfare, that's all. that's why i asked betty to work on your speech. - oh, thanks. now you can go take care of somebody else's welfare. - what they should have elected you was most popular grouch.

- oh, yeah? well, i got to see that. i'm going to look pretty cool, huh? - well, the coat's a little large isn't it? oh, think it's all right, but if this hot weather keeps up you'll probably have it off after the first five minutes anyway. - you smell like moth balls. - yeah, is there anything you can do about that mom? - well, we could hang the suit out to air, just slip it off. hello, dear. - [bud] oh, hi, dad. - [kathy] hi, daddy. - hey, maybe i could sprinkle some of betty's cologne on to counteract the moth balls. - you cannot. - bring the vest, will you kathy? for you. i hope it will make you sound a little more human. - oh, great, thanks. it's kind of short isn't it? - that's what a speech should be. isn't that right, father? - she's right. say as little as possible and get off fast, especially if you want to keep on being popular. - i don't know about that. this is my big moment and i want to make the most of it. what's it say? - i feel very re that you have selected me for this award. good. - but i definitely do not deserve it.

falling so short of those qualities. - ho, ho, wait! you've got me so undeserving, they'll want to take their votes back. - you said you wanted to sound most and humble. - well, yeah, but you make it sound like it's true. i don't want them to believe this stuff. look, this is my big moment, and it has to be handled just right. - that's the best i can do. - dad, could you help me with this? - okay, but later on, not ght w, huh? i canearn it by tonight. i want thito go real good tomorrow, dad, real good. - well, all right. - you get the idea don't you, dad? humble, yes, but brilliant and captivating.

- i wonder what the voters would say if they could see him now? - i'll say one thing. they couldn't get anyone else to fill his shoes because he's bound and determined to fill these shoes himself

- isn't this fun? th is the best celebration we've ever had. - yeah, let's sit down and not walk so much. look, pop the balloon!

don't miss now. (balloon popping) you did it, you did it! - a winner, a winner! - oh, isn't it cute! - hey, we need some more guys for the three-legged men's race. - oh, come on, i want you to win a race for me -bud] well, i don't feel like running today. co on, don't be an old stick in the mud. they need you. (crowd chattering) - what's wrong with you today? i thought you were a fast runner. - too much root beer i guess. - hurry up, bud, and get loose. ey're going to start the dance, and we don't want to miss that. - dance? well, i don't really care for dancing. - oh, don't be a wet blanket.

do you have to take such crunchy little steps? let yourself g - joyce, don't you think we ought to t out the rest of this dance? it's kind of hot. - oh, no, i love this song. the box lunches. come on, i want to make sure you get mine. bud, where are you? bud, they're getting ready to give out the awards.

or we'll be broiled by this heat. - oh, i know but they're very, very funny. - oh, there's bud. see him? he's with his girl, joyce. - he doesn't look very happy. - he looks like he's been in a wrestling match and lost. no, i can't. here, but you can have this stuff. i don't want to lug it up on the platform with me when i get my award. - come on, bud, let's hurry. - no, you go ahead, joyce. i've got to sit in back of the stage with the award winners anyway. - can i have this piece of cake? - sure. - bud, you don't look very happy. do your feet hurt? - no, of course not. they feel great.

girl's scholarship award, that's you jenny. you can sit right over there. boy's scholarship next, george. right over here. activities winner, ray, sit over there. and most popular girl, carole, right there. bud, bud? whs bud? oh, here he comes. now remember when you hear your name called, come out on the platform as quickly as possible. good luck. you'll be the last one called out. - good. - oh, i'm nervous. i hope i can think of something to say and not just stand up there like a dummy. have you thought of anything to say, bud? - oh, well, i'll just try and ad lib something. - oh, cut it out. i'll bet you guys sat up half the night memorizing a long speech. - (giggles) is that what you did?

- shh! they're starting. - [voiceover] so it's with much pleasure and pride, -that we climax this day of festivities with the awarding of prizes to those students who have made outstanding achievements during their junior year at springfield high. now our first award our first award goes to the student who has attained the highest scholastic record as well as demonstrated the most scholarly attitude miss jenny novacek. (clapping) - i'm very thrilled to have won this award, and i consider it a very great honor, and i'll try very hard to be worthy of it.

an overwhelming surprise that i'm at a loss for words. i'm reminded of those immortal words by william cullen bryant. - both boys so far had on coats. i think bud better have his too. here, kathy, take it to him. - oh. - and his tie and collar too. he can stand the heat that long. - my feelings of gratitude in fact, i feel like the little boy -- - listen to that windbag ray. i'm just going to say whatever pops into my mind. what a phony! - bud, mommy says you should put these on so you'll look decent. what's the matter, your feet hurt? - no, my feet don't hurt. go back and sit down. - but seriously, i am very appreciative

- thank you, ray. - the old windbag is finally through. wish me luck. -[voiceover] that brings us to the last of our awards, the popularity winners. here, according to the vote of the junior class, is our most popular boy, bud anderson. - boy? but i'm not ready. (clapping) they were supposed to call you up before me. - oh, your shoes. - oh, no! (clapping) - bud anderson. - what's the matter with the little dope? why doesn't he come out? - [voiceover] bud anderson. - he had his shoes off, and hean't g them back on.

these shoes are too small. - no, they aren't.

- push harder, bud. - it's no use. they w go on

that's too bad. you seud's aery fine, deserving boy, and we're sorr that he's not here to receive his trophy. at bris us to our last award, carole bostic. carole? - thank you,ery, vy much i really feel i don't deserve th honor. - ohwe can't let him miss out on this. he's worked too hard for this momen

cking feet. th would be fate worsthan d - the or boy's back there feeling just awful. - wait! empty that lunchbox. i have an idea. here, put these in there. that's it. kathy, won't you take these around to bud? put the top on that. now, hurry, run. - hurry. - remind me of the many friends i have the junior class. thk you. - thank you. (clapping) now that bris to a close our awards for this year. i'm sure that we all feel -- - oh, no, no, wait! there's one more. mean, he'll be here in a -- see, there he is now.

ladies and gentlemen, our ightly late but most popular boy, bud anderson. (clapping) - thank you. i had a big, long speech all written out, rts out now. (laughing) i don't know why anybody voted for me, but there's some people ithe audience i'd sure vote for. th're the kind of people who are always there when you need them, and who go right on liking you no matter what stupid things you do. (audience laughing)

thank you. (clapping) and jane wyatt ith elinor donahue, billy gray and lauapinrech - hello,ear! (door closes) - mother, have you ever heard of molly danfield? - well, the name sounds familiar. - she's the most magnificent woman. she s over at the colle today, gave an illustrated talk to the wholetudentody. she's a frontier nurse. - that must have been interesting. - yeah, she works at a mission school