TV-G | 30min | Comedy, Drama, Family, Music, TV Series | Episode aired 22 April 1964
Richard decides to drop out of high school, and Patty, in turn, decides to drop him.
Director: Stanley Prager
Writers: Sidney Sheldon, William Asher
Stars: Patty Duke, William Schallert, Jean Byron
Richard decides to drop out of high school, and Patty, in turn, decides to drop him.
Director: Stanley Prager
Writers: Sidney Sheldon, William Asher
Stars: Patty Duke, William Schallert, Jean Byron
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00♪
00:02What would you like for dinner tonight?
00:03Oh, I'm afraid I can't make dinner, Nat.
00:05Really?
00:06Yeah, I'm chairman of a new committee
00:07they're forming to help dropouts.
00:09We may be meeting late.
00:10What's a dropout?
00:12Now, what do you think it is, son?
00:13A parachutist coming down on enemy territory?
00:16♪
00:17A dropout is a student who quits school.
00:20Oh boy, how can I get to be one?
00:22Just keep up the grades you've been getting.
00:24Seriously, that's no laughing matter.
00:26Thousands of students are dropping out of high school
00:28before they get their diplomas.
00:30It's a terrible waste.
00:31Kathy, where's Patty?
00:32Oh, she's coming out, Natalie.
00:34Say, Kath, I just got an idea.
00:35How would you and Patty like to serve as student advisors
00:38to our anti-dropout committee?
00:39I'd love to, Uncle Martin, and I'm sure Patty would.
00:42Why don't you ask her?
00:44Yeah, that's a wonderful idea,
00:45having students on the committee.
00:47I think I'll bring it up at the meeting tonight.
00:49Two of you could talk to students at their own level.
00:52Fine.
00:53Patty, we'll be late.
00:55I'm ready.
00:56Let's bus, cuz.
00:57Patty, how would you like to serve on a committee
00:59to help stop school dropouts?
01:01Oh, gee, Papa, I'm afraid you picked a bad time to ask me.
01:05Why?
01:06Because I'm dropping out of school next week.
01:08Excuse me.
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02:50Will you stop writing and speaking to me?
02:52Why should I?
02:56Patty, I don't understand you.
02:58You were looking forward to going to college.
03:00We'd plan to go to the same college, share the same dormitory.
03:03I know.
03:04Well, then what is it?
03:05It's Old Noodlehead.
03:07Who?
03:08Richard the Chicken-Hearted. He's dropping out of school next week.
03:12He can't drop out of school. He's going to be a doctor.
03:15He changed his mind. He decided he'd rather be a millionaire.
03:18He's starting next week.
03:20Patty, you've got to stop him.
03:22I've tried every argument I can think of, but I can't budge him.
03:26So I figured I'd trick him.
03:27By quitting school?
03:29I'm not quitting school.
03:31But I can't let Richard know that.
03:33When I tell him I'm dropping out, he'll be so shocked he'll bring him right back to his senses.
03:37I see.
03:39That's a marvelous idea.
03:41I got it from our family motto.
03:43If you can't lick him, out-think him.
03:49You want to check?
03:50No, I'm waiting for someone, Harry.
03:52Bring me another soda, only this time make it a cherry soda.
03:56They say American kids are soft.
03:59And while you're at it, bring me another sandwich.
04:02Another cheeseburger on a bun with the Russian dressing, tomatoes and mustard?
04:06No, make it an egg salad on pumpernickel with mayonnaise and hot peppers.
04:11An egg salad on pumpernickel with mayonnaise and hot peppers.
04:14Right.
04:15It's your stomach.
04:16What do you mean by that?
04:17Nothing, I'll bring it right away.
04:18I don't want to make you late for dinner.
04:27Oh, hi, Marsha.
04:28See you later, Marsha.
04:29Oh, hi, Patty.
04:30How'd you do on the physics exam?
04:32Who wants to be a physicist?
04:33I didn't do so well either.
04:35Are the kids over there waiting for you?
04:37Old faithful.
04:38Long as the odds are.
04:42Hi, Richard.
04:43Oh, where have you been?
04:45Oh, my third soda.
04:46I got tied up, I'm sorry.
04:49What's going on?
04:50It's all set.
04:51I'm going out Monday to look for a job.
04:53Doing what?
04:55Oh, anything.
04:56Just so I start near the top.
04:58That's where the money is.
05:01Have you told your father yet?
05:02Not yet.
05:03He's got a very low boiling point.
05:05He's a real screamer.
05:07Does your father act like that?
05:09No, he's the quiet type.
05:11Gets that real hurt look on his face.
05:14I'll take the screamer any day.
05:16Parents are funny.
05:18They keep saying it's your life,
05:20but they keep telling you how to live it.
05:22But nobody's going to tell me I have to finish school.
05:26No one can force you to get an education.
05:28Right.
05:31Richard, I've been thinking about what you said about
05:35school being a waste of time and who needs it.
05:38Yeah?
05:39And I've decided to drop out too.
05:42You?
05:43You?
05:44Drop out?
05:46You're kidding.
05:48No, I'm serious.
05:50I figured if you're going to drop out,
05:52I'm going to drop out.
05:54You would do that for me?
05:58Patty, that's the most wonderful thing I ever heard of.
06:04So I figured if I told him I was dropping out of school,
06:07he'd say,
06:09I won't let you do it, Patty.
06:11No, sir.
06:12You feel that strongly about it?
06:13I'm going to continue school.
06:15I'm going to go to college and become a doctor.
06:18And you told him?
06:19Yeah.
06:20What did he say?
06:22He said it was the best news he ever heard in his life.
06:25I can't understand why he's quitting.
06:27Last week he spent a whole evening talking about
06:29how excited he was about being a doctor.
06:31Yeah.
06:32He said he was going to join the WHO.
06:34Who?
06:35The World Health Organization.
06:37And go to some remote jungle in Africa
06:39and help all the poor natives.
06:41That doesn't sound like a boy
06:42who's interested in becoming a millionaire overnight.
06:44I know.
06:45He's changed his whole basic personality.
06:48In a week?
06:49Well, you can't explain, Richard Popo.
06:51You just have to accept him.
06:53I'm not accepting any youngster who drops out of high school.
06:56Our society is getting more complicated every day.
06:59Without a high school diploma,
07:01no one has much chance of getting ahead.
07:03Now, that's what I told Richard,
07:04but I couldn't get through to him.
07:06His head is made of solid oak.
07:08You know, maybe I could get through to him.
07:11Would you try?
07:12Why don't you ask him here for dinner tomorrow night?
07:14Well, that's great, Popo.
07:16Um, if it's okay with you.
07:18Of course it is.
07:20Fortunately, there's a sale at the supermarket.
07:28May I have another piece of cake?
07:32Uh, while you're at it.
07:34Oh, certainly, Richard.
07:36That makes four.
07:37But who's counting?
07:41Popo, guess who I ran into today?
07:44Dr. Fair.
07:45Oh?
07:46Yeah, he's receiving some kind of a medal
07:48for Doctor of the Year.
07:51That's wonderful.
07:54His family must be terribly proud
07:56when you think of all the people he's helped
07:58and lives he's saved.
08:04I guess the medical profession
08:05must be just about the greatest one there is.
08:08Dedicating yourself to your fellow man.
08:12Uh, could I have another glass of milk?
08:14Certainly, Richard.
08:17Oh, by the way, Natalie,
08:19I ran into, uh, old Tim Newton today.
08:22Tim Newton?
08:24You remember Tim Newton,
08:26my old boyhood buddy?
08:28Oh, Tim Newton, of course.
08:31How is he?
08:32Oh, he's in terrible shape.
08:34What's the matter with him?
08:35Well, he's been having a very hard time of it.
08:37You know, Tim dropped out of high school
08:39before he finished.
08:41He got a job instead.
08:43Things went along fine for a while,
08:45but then he began to find that the good jobs
08:47were going to the men with high school
08:49and college educations.
08:51Everybody was moving up the ladder of success but Tim.
08:55That's terrible, Uncle Martin.
08:57When I saw him, he just lost another job.
08:59He'd been replaced by a machine.
09:02What's he do, Mr. Lane?
09:04Oh, odd jobs.
09:07They have a machine that does odd jobs?
09:10Boy, I sure love to see it.
09:18I guess it must be pretty rough getting anywhere
09:21without a high school education.
09:25Old man Blair dropped out of school
09:27and he's having a pretty tough time of it.
09:29That's just what I was saying.
09:31What does he do?
09:32Nothing.
09:33That's my point exactly.
09:35He's retired.
09:37He made about $20 million,
09:39bought a house in Florida,
09:41and now he doesn't know what to do with himself all day.
09:49Hey, there's a great new picture at the Orpheum.
09:51Seven empty coffins.
09:56Why don't we just stay in tonight, Richard?
09:58That's a good idea.
10:00You all go on into the living room.
10:02I'll sit at the table.
10:03Okay.
10:04Ross, you can help me.
10:06I didn't eat that much.
10:07Why don't I give you the money instead?
10:09Of course.
10:11Why don't I help Mom with the dishes?
10:17Richard, I've been wondering,
10:19which college were you planning to attend?
10:21Winoka.
10:22Oh.
10:23I've changed my mind, though.
10:25I'm not going to college.
10:26As a matter of fact,
10:27I'm dropping out of high school next week.
10:29Really?
10:30School's a drag.
10:33Well, I, uh...
10:34I can understand that.
10:36I suppose if you're getting low grades,
10:38it's just not very interesting.
10:40Low grades?
10:41I have a B-plus average.
10:43Oh.
10:44Well, are you having trouble with one of your teachers?
10:46No.
10:47They're okay.
10:48You don't like the school?
10:49School's pretty good.
10:51Weren't you going to be a doctor?
10:52That's before I grew up.
10:55Who wants to be gotten out of bed in the middle of the night
10:57to take care of some neurotic
10:59who has a stomachache?
11:03Well, if you feel that way about it,
11:05then you shouldn't be a doctor.
11:07I'm not going to be a doctor.
11:09Well, that's too bad, Richard.
11:10I think you would have made a fine one.
11:13It takes too long to build up a practice.
11:15I want to start making money now.
11:17Is that so important?
11:19You bet it is.
11:20I want to make a lot of money,
11:21and I want to make it fast.
11:24What about all the sick natives?
11:26I was just talking.
11:28They don't really mean anything to me.
11:31Look, if you people got me here
11:34to talk me into staying in school,
11:36you're wasting your time.
11:39If you think I'm going around with a boy
11:40who's only interested in money,
11:41then you're wasting my time.
11:43Well, nobody said you had to go around with me.
11:46That's right.
11:47And I won't.
11:49Well, that's fine with me, too.
11:56I'm sorry.
11:57I'm sorry, too, Richard.
11:59We're all a little upset about you
12:00dropping out of school, you know.
12:02Look, maybe if we discuss...
12:04There's nothing to discuss, sir.
12:06Isn't your family going to be terribly upset?
12:10Well, for a while, I guess.
12:12But they'll get over it.
12:14Will you?
12:16I wish everybody would stop acting
12:17as though I'm committing some kind of crime.
12:20Don't you think it's a crime to waste human intelligence?
12:23I'll be using my intelligence.
12:26Let me ask you another question, Richard.
12:28Do you honestly think it's more important
12:30to use your intelligence in making money
12:32than it is to use it in developing a skill
12:35that would help people who badly need your help?
12:38I think money is more important.
12:41I see.
12:43Well, there's nothing more for me to say then, is there?
12:46No, sir.
12:48I guess not.
12:50Will you say goodbye to Patty for me?
12:53Of course.
12:55I probably won't be seeing you people again.
12:59Thanks a lot for the dinner, Mrs. Lane.
13:01You're welcome.
13:03Well...
13:05Goodbye, sir.
13:20Richard said I was listening.
13:23How could I have been so wrong about him?
13:27I was actually planning to go into the jungles
13:29and help him with the sick natives.
13:31Do you know who's sick?
13:32Me.
13:33I should have my fuzzy head examined.
13:36Patty, do you think that Richard could have
13:38some special reason for needing money
13:40that we don't know about?
13:41Sure.
13:42Greed.
13:44Let's just forget it.
13:46Richard's father owns a big construction company.
13:49There's no excuse for this.
13:52I'm just gonna see how fast I can forget about Richard.
14:05Hey, look at this.
14:07What is it?
14:08What's the reason Richard's dropped out of school?
14:13Two million dollars.
14:15To Martin.
14:16His father's gone broken, he didn't want anyone to know.
14:19Patty!
14:20Imagine him going to work to help his family.
14:23And all the terrible things that were said.
14:26What's wrong?
14:28Nothing's wrong, I have wonderful news.
14:30Richard's father has lost all his money.
14:39Now that we know the truth,
14:40what are we going to do about it?
14:42I know what I'm going to do.
14:44I'm going over to Richard's house on my hands and knees.
14:47Can I watch?
14:48Every time he needed me most, I walked out on him.
14:51You didn't know Patty?
14:53All that talk about how he was interested in money
14:55and didn't care about helping people.
14:57He's the most generous boy I've ever known.
15:00It must be killing him to give up medicine.
15:02They must be desperate if they're allowing Richard
15:04to quit school and go to work.
15:06Isn't there anything we can do, Uncle Martin?
15:09I don't know, Kath.
15:10Richard's father's in the construction business.
15:13I think he's used to pretty big jobs.
15:15At a time like this, I'm sure he'd be grateful
15:17for even a small job.
15:19Well, cement walk in our patio is cracked.
15:23We don't really need a new walk,
15:25but I guess to help him out,
15:27we can let him put one in for us.
15:29Let's.
15:30And weren't Harriet and Marvin talking
15:32about putting a wall around their garden?
15:34And Sam and Celia said their driver was full of holes.
15:38Call Papa, please.
15:40All right.
15:41What's his name again, Jonathan?
15:43Right.
15:44I want to finish this stretch from here to Flagstaff
15:46by the 15th so we can move the crew up to Utah
15:48and get started on the project up there.
15:50You see any problems?
15:51We should be able to do it, Mr. Harrison,
15:53now that we're out of that turnpike contract.
15:55The suckers that take that over
15:57won't get more than a million or two profit out of it.
16:00The Utah deal is five times as big as that.
16:05Harrison?
16:06Hello, Mr. Harrison.
16:07This is Martin Lane.
16:09Say, listen, I'm sorry to bother you so late,
16:11but I need a favor.
16:12That's all right.
16:13What can I do for you?
16:14Well, I have some cracks in my patio walk.
16:18Cracks in your patio walk?
16:22Yes, now I know you don't usually handle jobs that small,
16:25but I wonder if you could come over and take a look at it.
16:28He wants me to come over and take a look
16:30at the cracks in his patio walk.
16:32What for?
16:33What for?
16:35I'd like you to repair them as a special favor.
16:38He wants me to repair it as a special favor.
16:41He must be broke.
16:42I'd be glad to come over and take a look at it.
16:44I certainly appreciate that, Jonathan.
16:46Tell him about Sam and Celia.
16:48Oh, and some friends of mine have holes in their driveway.
16:53One of his friends has holes in his driveway.
16:56He sounds like he has holes in his head.
16:59Could be.
17:00His daughter goes with my son.
17:03Why don't I come over there tomorrow?
17:05I'd appreciate that.
17:07Invite him to dinner.
17:08Could we give you dinner?
17:10Could we give you dinner?
17:12He wants to give me dinner.
17:14Ask him what they're having.
17:16What do you...
17:18What do you say we make it after dinner?
17:20Say about nine.
17:21Fine.
17:22I'll see you then.
17:24Bye.
17:26You're going over there?
17:28Yes.
17:29Poor devil.
17:30He and his friends must be pretty hired up
17:31to go around asking for charity.
17:33That newspaper game must be pretty rough.
17:38There.
17:39What have you got there?
17:40Some fudge for Richard.
17:42What has he done wrong now?
17:44Ha, ha, ha.
17:45Just for that, you can't come visit us in the jungle.
17:47Promise?
17:49I bet it really happens.
17:51Why not?
17:52You can make anything happen if you want it badly enough.
17:55Maybe I'll become a nurse so I can help Richard.
17:58I can see me now at his side while he's operating.
18:01There's an emergency.
18:02Calling Dr. Harrison.
18:03Dr. Harrison, please.
18:05I'm rushing down the corridor.
18:06There you are, doctor.
18:07There you are, nurse.
18:09He should stop bleeding.
18:11You're the only ones in the world who can save him.
18:13Scalpel.
18:15Scalpel.
18:18Forceps.
18:19Forceps.
18:24Oh.
18:25Looks bad.
18:27Yes, it does.
18:29Good heavens.
18:31Do you know what's wrong with this patient?
18:33Yes.
18:34He has lumps.
18:36And he's not the only one.
18:40There's Mr. Harrison.
18:41Come on.
18:42And remember, they're a very proud family.
18:44No matter what he does, he's doing us a favor.
18:47Otherwise, they'd never accept it from us.
18:53Good evening, Martin.
18:54Hello, Jonathan.
18:55I certainly appreciate your taking the time to come over here.
18:58That's all right.
18:59I figured it must be pretty important to you or you wouldn't have asked me.
19:02That's right.
19:03Come in.
19:05You all know Mr. Harrison.
19:07Yes.
19:08Hello, Mr. Harrison.
19:09Good evening, Mr. Harrison.
19:10Hello, everybody.
19:12Would you like some fruit?
19:14No, no, thank you.
19:15Is Richard here?
19:17No, he isn't.
19:18Would you believe it?
19:19I haven't seen that boy since yesterday.
19:22Neither have I.
19:24Maybe he's run away from home.
19:27No.
19:28Oh, he would have asked to borrow the car.
19:32Well, how's the newspaper game?
19:35A little slow?
19:37Slow?
19:38Well, I suppose at this time of the year, there's not too much happening.
19:43Sure, a lot of businesses are seasonal.
19:46The trick is, is not to let it get you down.
19:48Well, that's a wonderful philosophy.
19:50When things get tough, we just can't quit.
19:53That's right.
19:54That's a wonderful spirit.
19:56I'm glad you feel that way.
19:59If you'd like to take a look at the patio, it's right out this way.
20:02I'll be glad to.
20:06You'd never know it.
20:07He seems so well-dressed.
20:10Keeping up a front.
20:13Poor man.
20:14You can always tell.
20:16I'm glad we're able to help him.
20:18So am I.
20:19So am I.
20:27Well, what do you think?
20:29Oh, you've got cracks all right.
20:31I'll send a man over to repair them.
20:33That's really nice of you, Jonathan.
20:35Glad to help you out, Martin.
20:37Mr. Harrison, as long as you're helping us out, here's a few more jobs we have for you.
20:42What's this?
20:43Oh, walls, cracking ceilings, walks.
20:46This neighborhood's in terrible shape.
20:48There are enough jobs to keep you busy for months.
20:50I don't do this kind of work. I'm a construction engineer.
20:53Oh, we know that.
20:54But you see, these people are very good friends of ours,
20:57and they would appreciate it if you would help them out by taking on this work.
21:01Well, if it would really help you out.
21:04Oh, it will.
21:06Well, then I'll send a crew over tomorrow.
21:08That's really a load off my mind, Jonathan.
21:11It's a load off my mind, too.
21:12Now Richard won't have to quit school.
21:15What did you say?
21:17I said now Richard won't have to...
21:21Uh-oh.
21:23He hasn't told you yet.
21:25Richard's quitting school?
21:27Well, he was thinking about it.
21:30He never said a word to me.
21:33He's a very proud boy.
21:35If he has any problems, why doesn't he come to me?
21:38I'm a warm, understanding father.
21:42What would you have done if he told you?
21:44I'd have killed him!
21:46Why would he do a crazy thing like this, dropping out of school?
21:49Well, he was trying to help you.
21:51Help me what?
21:53Well, when Richard heard you lost all your money,
21:56the first thing he did was go out and get a job.
21:59Lost all what money?
22:03The two million dollars in the paper, I suppose.
22:05In what paper? I didn't even notice it.
22:08All my small losses go through one of my holding companies.
22:12You... You mean you're not broke?
22:16Me? Broke?
22:18I'm too rich to go broke.
22:20Why would Richard think you lost your money?
22:22Because I have a big mouth, Mrs. Lane.
22:26Richard is always asking for something.
22:29A new car, a bigger motor.
22:31Why don't I buy a yacht?
22:32It's crazy with these kids today.
22:34In our day, give us a top and a string and we have a good time.
22:38The other night, Richard asked me to increase his allowance.
22:42Now, he didn't say increase it, he said double it.
22:45Just then the phone rings and it's my superintendent.
22:48And he tells me that we're losing... How much was it?
22:51Two million dollars.
22:53Two million dollars on this little turnpike job.
22:56So I turned to Richard and I said,
22:58there you are, I've lost two million dollars and I'm wiped out,
23:01and you're asking for a bigger allowance.
23:04It was a joke!
23:09Oh, he'll never make a businessman.
23:12On that tax loss alone, I'll make money.
23:16Mr. Harrison, I don't think Richard wants to be a businessman.
23:21He wants to be a doctor.
23:23And he was willing to give all that up when he thought you were in trouble.
23:26Boy, that crazy kid never said a word to me.
23:29When I get home...
23:33Yes?
23:34Yes?
23:37I'll give him enough money to buy his own hospital.
23:47Hi, Arthur.
23:48Hey, now, you look great.
23:51You all set for the little old basketball game?
23:53All set for the little old basketball game.
23:55I bet old Marblehead's mad, isn't he?
23:57Mike cutting in on his girl.
23:59Oh, hi there. I was just telling Patty you're a loser.
24:02Just couldn't hang on to her, could you?
24:05Well, you can't win them all.
24:08All set, baby?
24:09All set, baby.
24:11Bye.
24:13See ya.
24:23You fine?
24:24Yeah.
24:26Let's get moving. Seven Empty Coffins goes on in ten minutes.
24:30Okay.
24:32Poor Kathy.
24:34Remind me to do something extra special nice for her tomorrow.
25:02You've only seen the sights a girl can see from Brooklyn Heights
25:05What a crazy pair
25:07But they're cousins
25:10Identical cousins
25:12And you'll find
25:14They laugh alike
25:15They walk alike
25:16At times they even talk alike
25:18You can lose your mind
25:20When cousins
25:22Are two of a kind