. - [voiceover] robert young and jane wyatt (children laughing) with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in father knows best. - [jim] good morning. - hi. i see they've induced governor bradbury to come here to dedicate our new city park next saturday. how'd they talk him into that? - by naming it bradbury park, that's how! (laughs) - what a corny dedication program they're going to have. "after the mayor presents the governor "with the keys to the city, a citizen,

. - [voiceover] robert young and jane wyatt (children laughing) with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in father knows best. (soft music) (restless movement) - [margaret] jim? - did that wake you up? - no, i haven't been asleep. i've been thinking about betty, how quickly time has passed. seemed like only yesterday she was a college freshman. - yea, now she's about to graduate (laughs).

and jane wyatt. with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin,

ah, come on home, ed. and jane wyatt, with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in father knows best. -but mommy, all the kids would laugh at me if i wore this dress to school.

robert young and jane wyatt with elinore donahue, billy gray and lauren chapin in father knows best. - and wouldn't you know it, i was the first one he called on to recite. well, i didn't even know the chemical formula, let alone- - excuse me, diane, but you're supposed to be- - oh, hi george, sit down, sweetie. - so anyway- - how are ya, betty? - fine. - i got up and stood there like a goon! - diane. - well, i felt i had to say something, so i started to recite the gettysburg address. well, everyone screamed. - diane. - but professor hart didn't bat an eye. he just let me go right on and finish it,

(laughing) - [voiceover] robert young and jane wyatt. with elinor donahue, billy gray and lauren chapin in father knows best. (joyful instrumental music) - i feel like a real square with all this corny joke on my car. - if the student council sponsors the safe driving campaign

- [voiceover] robert young and jane wyatt (giggling) with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in father knows best. - you wanna see me, mom? - [margaret] i certainly do. i had a talk with the dean of men at the college today. - you did? why? - yeah? what about? - your english grades. evidently you're doing fine in all your engineering courses, but you're very shaky in english. - ohhhh, maybe a little. (audience laughs) but how important is that really? i'm good in all the subjects that count. i'm gonna be an engineer, not a writer. - [margaret] bud, you have to be able to express yourself no matter what you do. and besides, if you flunk english, you can't graduate and you can't get an engineering degree. - i'll pass english, don't worry. - [margaret] not the way you're going you won't. now the dean suggested that we hire a tutor to help you in english. - a tutor? mom, that's for kids. - oh, not necessarily. - mom, i see teachers all day long. i don't want to have too face one every night too. (audience laughs) some old fuddy duddy. - [margaret] it won't be. it'll be a student.

[laughing] -[voiceover] robert young, and jane wyatt, with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in father knows best. - [bud] look eddie, i'll make you a package deal. the radio, the tennis racket, the binoculars, the shoes, and the guitar, i'll give you the whole works for fifty bucks. (single guitar note) (audience laughs) - [eddie] needs tuning. - okay, i'll tune it! now, come on, stop stalling around. i'm practically giving you this stuff for fifty dollars. you couldn't go out and buy these things for three times that much. - you sure it's okay with your folks to sell these things? - it's okay, it's my stuff. i even bought some of it with my own money. we got a deal, huh? - don't get grabby, i'll give it to you when i count it. how come you're so anxious for loot? you've been dipping into the till down at the gas station? - no, it's nothing like that. this is a big business proposition.

"and a horse that would leave "a sweet guy like you must be some kind of a nut." and jane wyatt. with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in "father knows best". - [margaret] hey. - [jim] hi, honey. what do they make lipstick out of nowadays? lead and linseed oil? - not on me, bud's painting his car. - hi, dad! i've got a little deal i'd like to talk over with ya. - [margaret] well not in that chair, bud! - bud, why don't you use a spray gun to paint your car instead of dobbing it on with your shirt and jeans? - [bud] who can afford a spray gun with my pitiful, measly, little allowance? i can't even afford a -- - bud? - oh, too late. (laughing) - [bud] i'm sorry, mom, gosh. - [margaret] just leave it. - [bud] but it's not my fault, it's dad's! - my fault? - yeah, if i had a bigger allowance, i could put my car in a paint shop and then i wouldn't get paint on my hands, and then i wouldn't dirty mom's refrigerator.

and jane wyatt with elinor donahue, billy gray and lauren chapin in father knows best. (margaret sings) - [margaret] fronk are you all right? - oh, si i'm all right. this lawn sure gonna a lot of work. in bad shape (laughs). - are you sure you're all right? you know you look like you're out here singing away, but now you look worried. - oh it's nothing sometimes a man just feels a little lonely. - lonely? - maybe i get a little sad with senor anderson with so fine a wife and family and i... (laughs) but it's no matter. maybe you should find a nice girl for yourself and get married. - i have found her, but it's a no use. she hardly know i'm alive. - oh now i doubt that. - [fronk] oh it's true, espera. besides i'm not good enough for her. she is too much beautiful and have too much sense to take a second look at me. would i want a kind of a woman dumb enough to take a second look at an hombre like me? (laughter) - of course not! i got pride you know! (laughter) - fronk... -[fronk] besides i've got work to do. - that's probably why he's been so sad and listless lately and

. - [voiceover] robert young and jane wyatt with elinor donahue, billy gray and lauren chapin in father knows best. - oh that's very good betty, you say you've got the seventh highest grade in the class. - well i had planned on being the highest. - well after all, being seventh in a class of 50 is pretty good. - pretty good is the story of my life. i've never come first in anything. - oh i don't know, you were the first one born into this family. beat the other kids by a mile. look at my school record, i'm always second best. second beset on the debating team, fourth best on the tennis team, played second lead in the operetta, ranked 11th best in the scholarship. - well i'd say that's actually an enviable record. - well it's just not good enough for me. i'm getting sick of being a jack of all nothing. an alsoran. someday, somewhere, at some thing and i don't care what it is. i'd like to be the best. numbero uno, just once. and if i were you, i wouldn't go around mimicking a mediocre maude like me. (phone rings) - hello? yes she is. who's calling? just a minute. it's george caster. - oh

(clapping) and jane wyatt. with elinor donahue, billy gray and lauren chapin. in father knows best. - [betty] yes, i know how you feel about young girls wearing fur. but i'm not a young girl anymore. i'm practically middle-aged. - [jim] oh, no doubt about that. but you know money doesn't... - i know, grow on trees. all i'm talking about is some little, old rag to wear around my neck. i wouldn't care if it was rabbit or caterpillar fur, even. of course, a man in your position wouldn't want his daughter going around in anything as cheap as that. (audience laughs) the point is i'm the only girl i know that doesn't have some kind of a fur. - well, i'll be darned. - well -- - margaret! - well, what's the matter? - well, this is the oddest letter i've ever seen. - well, what does it say? - margaret! - who's it from? and i want you to hear this. in fact, i want all of you to hear it. it concerns one of us, but i don't know which one. i have a letter here from st. louis, addressed to one of the andersons. - [bud] which one? - i don't know. that's all it says. one of th

- [voiceover] robert young and jane wyatt (children laughing) with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in father knows best. (soft music) (restless movement) - [margaret] jim? - did that wake you up? - no, i haven't been asleep. i've been thinking about betty, how quickly time has passed. seemed like only yesterday she was a college freshman. - yea, now she's about to graduate (laughs). - i'd give anything to have her win that scholastic achievement award. - wouldn't that be a fine topper for four years of college? - it would certainly make up for a few disappointments she's had. like being nosed out for senior class president. - well, she can't win all the time. besides, betty's had plenty of honors. student council, associate editor of the annual. she'll finish in the first 10 in her class. no, she's not losing any sleep over this. (loud noise) - [betty] help! - what's that? (dramatic music) - [betty] help! (dramatic music) help! (dramatic music) - [jim] betty! (dramatic music) (switches light on) (commotion and dramatic music) hey, come on. - [margaret] here. - here, here, yo

ferris) voiceover: robert young and jane wyatt. (children laughing) with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin, in father knows best. - now men, we're playing a tough schedule, but that's no reason we can't come through with flying colors. and we have speed, savvy, and plenty of beef, for the most part. that's the kind of combination that wins football games. alright, a team and b team get on the field, we'll run through those new plays. (team cheers) - what are we supposed to do, play ping pong? - coach can't see us for the muscles. - i'd give my front teeth to be on the team. - oh, football isn't everything. but it's way ahead of everything except women. hey, want to double date with eileen and me friday night? - what's the catch? - she may have a house guest and i have to dig up a date. - oh, blind date? no sale. - [steve] eileen says she looks like brigitte bardot. - sold! - excuse me, fellas. hey brad! run down the other end of the field, sharpen up on those place kicks. - how do you get this guy to notice you? - it's

our comfortable living room, dreaming in front of the fireplace, - [voiceover] robert young and jane wyatt (kids laughing) with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in father knows best. (lively music) - shall we wrestle the best two out of three falls, errol? (audience laughing) - give me a chance, you've already thrown me once. let's make it three out of five. - okay, three out of five. watch out for my half nelson. - i'm watching. (audience laughing) (growling) - ahh. ahh. (audience laughing) - give up? - no, you gotta pin both shoulders. (audience laughing) - now say uncle. - uncle! uncle! (audience laughing) - kathy! - [kathy] yes, mommy? you have to get ready for dinner. - oh, alright. (errol gasping) - will you come back tomorrow after school, errol? - well, i guess so. but not for wrestling. (audience laughing) - [kathy] well how 'bout football? - sure. i'll see you tomorrow. - [kathy] yeah. (audience laughing) - mother, if you're not careful we're gonna have a lady wrestler in the family. - we've got to de-emphasize sports around here. - [kathy] what's the idea makin me c

(audience clapping) - [voiceover] robert young and jane wyatt with elinor donahue, billy gray and lauren chapin in "father knows best." - [kathy] come on daddy, hurry up, - well i don't mind having my picture taken, but not in this silly hat. there's a limit to what a man has to put up with. - [betty] oh, this won't hurt you, and you want to make a trip to hawaii, don't you? for free? - sure, it would be great, but just sending our picture into a contest won't do it. - it has to daddy. all my life i've always wanted to go to hawaii and we just have to win this. come on daddy, you go out by the barbecue and sit by mommy. - why does it have to be a barbecuing picture and have me looking like a clown? - [jim] but why? - [betty] i'll tell you why, the ideal family photo. the ideal families are always pictured around a barbecue. okay, now everyone try to look pleasant. - [kathy] bud, come on. - oh, you haven't taken it yet. - [betty] come on, get in there now. this is for you. come on get in there so i can see you and bud let father hold the fork. - well what am i going to hold? - you can hav

(audience laughs) (audience claps) (cheerful music) - [voiceover] robert young and jane wyatt (children giggling) with elinor donahue, billy gray and lauren chapin in father knows best. - well, if i had a chance of being nominated for the campus queen finals i wouldn't be sitting here, i can tell you that. - [boy in sweater] tell us judy, where would you be? - i'd be at school right now biting my nails while the votes are being counted. aren't you even excited? - well of course i am but there's nothing i can do about it now. it's in the hands of the fate. if i'm chosen one of the finalist, then i'll be chosen. - well i still think we should have stuffed the ballot boxes. - excuse me, i'm sorry. - well you ought to be, farlet. do you realize what you have done? - it was just a mistake. - well i demand satisfaction. i appoint you as my second. - right! what should our weapons be, cream puffs at twenty paces? - no, wait. there may be extenuating circumstances so we'll let the guilty party speak on his own behalf. well. - yes. - well come on man, out with it. - i'll get your hamburgers. - d

(audience applause) - [voiceover] robert young and jane wyatt. (children giggling) with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in father knows best. - [margaret] mildred. - hello, margaret. hope i'm not too early to pay a quick social call. - oh, come in; this is a surprise. - you have no idea what a real surprise i have for you. - well come in; sit down. excuse the state of the room. - betty here? - no, she just left for school. - too bad. i'd like to see the look on her face when she hears the news. - well, mildred parker, what are you talking about? - remember that hollywood star contest we sent betty's picture in to? - the donna stuart twin contest, oh i certainly do. you know, i always felt just a bit guilty that i even considered letting betty be a contestant. mildred, is that why you came here this morning? something about that contest? - i would say that you now have a celebrity in the family, margaret. - what? magazine is happy to announce that the picture of ms. betty anderson submitted by the women's club of springfield has won

robert young and jane wyatt with elinore donahue, billy gray and lauren chapin in father knows best. - and wouldn't you know it, i was the first one he called on to recite. well, i didn't even know the chemical formula, let alone- - excuse me, diane, but you're supposed to be- - oh, hi george, sit down, sweetie. - so anyway- - how are ya, betty? - fine. - i got up and stood there like a goon! - diane. - well, i felt i had to say something, so i started to recite the gettysburg address. well, everyone screamed. - diane. - but professor hart didn't bat an eye. he just let me go right on and finish it, and then he gave me a zero. (laughter) - look honey, you're supposed to be- - oh honey, that tie! stripes with a checkered jacket, really. you know, after we're married, i'll have to have better control of these things. what i'll do is i'll have full inspection every morning (laughter) before he leaves for the bank. alright, george, you can put your eyes back in their sockets now. - look honey, you're supposed to meet professor hopkins- - oh my goodness, i'm supposed to meet professor hop

audience laughs) (audience applause) (joyful instrumental music) - [voiceover] robert young and jane wyatt (kathy giggles) with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in father knows best. - that's what i said, famous. we are on the verge of becoming a famous family. - [betty] well, why? how did we rate that? - what did we do, daddy? - well, i'm not exactly sure. all i know is, we're going to be written up in a magazine. - [betty] really, what magazine? life? look? - glamour? - hardly (chuckles). - probably true confessions. (jim chuckles) - no, you're all wrong. it's the insurance executives sentinel. - [betty] oh, great. (audience laughs) - oh, now don't knock it. that's read in the homes of thousands of insurance men. - that's what i mean. - furthermore, an article like that could do me some good in my business. - well, why did they choose us for the article? - well, partly because we're such a model family. mostly because the editor's a friend of mine, fred mcclure. - yes, i remember him. he was here at the house once. - that's right, the year the convention was in springfield.

. -- captions by vitac and jane wyatt. (giggling) with elanor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in father knows best. (upbeat music) (honking) jim: look out! hi, everybody! kathy: hi, daddy! bye, daddy! remember me? kathy: sure daddy, i could never forget you. jim: how about a kiss to pay for your room and board, and laundry? (laughs) okay, paid. (door slams) hello, honey. what's burning? hello, dear. jim: oh, cornbread. margaret: it's a cake. jim: is it a pancake? margaret: it's a birthday cake! i mean, well at this point i really don't know myself. betty: mother! mother have you seen my - oh hi, father. jim: hi, princess. betty: father! before you say another word, i want you to answer just one question, and i want the truth. am i getting fat? jim: all i can say is there's never too much of a good thing. betty: oh no! margaret: in simple language, you told her that she was growing into a hippopotamus. jim: i said that? margaret: ralph said she's gaining weight. jim: oooh...why doesn't he mind his own business? (whin

charlie claps) (people in crowd whistle and cheer) (orchestral music) - [voiceover] robert young and jane wyatt with elinor donahue, billy gray, and lauren chapin in father knows best. - mighty good breakfast honey. i may put you on steady. - father, would you take this no good radio back to ebert's radio shop? - i can't now, i have to go to work. - on saturday? - even saturday. i also have to welcome my new neighbor. oh, honey, do you remember walter cameron? - walter cameron? - well, anyway, i knew him in school, a wonderful fellow. his son tom, a young lawyer, walt wrote and asked me if i'd sort of help the boy without the boy knowing about it. it seems he's, um, pretty independent, doesn't want any favors from his dad's friends. - well, that sounds commendable. - he doesn't know that i was instrumental in him getting this office, hmm. - [betty] oh, it will just take you a second - [jim] sorry princess, i'm late now. - [betty] to take this radio back for me. - [jim] goodbye. (laughter) (door slams) - okay, what's wrong with the radio? - it's disintegrating i think. - oh my goodness, it's bra