MUSIC:

CHORDS:

ANNOUNCER:

"The Guiding Light" .....

MUSIC:

CHORDS:

ANNOUNCER:

..... brought to you by Wheaties, "Breakfast of Champions."

(OPENING COMMERCIAL)

 

DONOVAN:

I assume, Prentiss, that you're a member of the Clean Plate Club.

PRENTISS:

You bet I am, Gregg ..... also the clean bowl club, if you know what I mean, and I think you do.

DONOVAN:

Sure, Ed. After all, who'd want to miss that last delicious spoonful of milk, fruit, and Wheaties?

PRENTISS:

Can't think of a soul, Gregg.

DONOVAN:

Me either. And y'know, Ed, that's mighty important, I mean that Wheaties are so bloomin' good you want to eat every last spoonful.

PRENTISS:

You mean with the Government asking us not to waste any food.....

DONOVAN:

Yeah, the world food situation is critical, and we Americans don't want the less fortunate peoples overseas to starve.

PRENTISS:

I'll say we don't.

DONOVAN:

So if we take only as much food for each meal as we can eat, and then eat every bit of it, we'll be able to send more overseas.

PRENTISS:

Thereby helping to prevent widespread starvation.

DONOVAN:

And it's important that we choose our food with care, especially when it comes to wheat products.

PRENTISS:

Wheat being mighty precious .....

DONOVAN:

Yeah, we want full value from the wheat we use. And that's where Wheaties come in.

PRENTISS:

You mean because Wheaties are flakes of one hundred-per cent whole wheat.

DONOVAN:

And besides that, they're so doggone delicious that I don't see how anybody could stop before he'd finished that last spoonful of Wheaties, "Breakfast of Champions."

MUSIC:

THEME:

ANNOUNCER:

(LEAD IN) And now, "The Guiding Light."

CLARE:

(FADING IN) Well, if everyone's finished eating, let's go in the living room.

TIM:

Swell dinner, honey.

RICKI:

Yeah, swell dinner, Mom.

CLARE:

Thank you, gentlemen. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

LUCILE:

Well, I enjoyed it too ..... even if I did contribute to the cooking of it.

CLARE:

Yes, what am I doing, taking all the bows? Your contribution was just about the whole meal.

TIM:

Come on, Mother. You don't mind if I lean on you a little, do you?

LUCILE:

Oh, not at all.

TIM:

(FADING, BACK) My legs are a little wobbly with the load I'm carrying.

RICKI:

(FADING SLIGHTLY) My legs are wobbly too, Dad.

CLARE:

(ON) Ricki.

RICKI:

(SLIGHTLY BACK) What, Mom?

CLARE:

(RATHER LOW) Here, dear. Take this.

EFFECT:

PACKAGES EXCHANGED:

RICKI:

(ON) Is it time now, Mom?

CLARE:

Yes, it's time for you to give Daddy his presents ..... Do you know your little speech, what Grandmother told you to say to him?

RICKI:

Sure.

CLARE:

Well, all right ..... let's go.

BUSINESS:

SLIGHT PAUSE:

TIM:

(FADING IN) It's cooled off a little this evening. It was pretty hot in the ball park this afternoon.

CLARE:

(LOW) Tim.

TIM:

(SEEING THE GREEKS BEARING PRESENTS) Oh.

BUSINESS:

SLIGHT PAUSE:

CLARE:

All right, Ricki. |

RICKI:

Here, Daddy.

TIM:

Well! What's this?

RICKI:

Happy Father's Day from Mimsy and Me and Mom and Gran, your loving family.

EFFECT:

PACKAGES EXCHANGED:

TIM:

Well, what do you know?

RICKI:

Open it ...... It's a token of our little affection.

LUCILE:

Oh, my ..... our little affection! (LAUGHS)

CLARE:

(CONTROLLING HER MERRIMENT) Mother! ..... Yes, a little token of our affection.

TIM:

Well, say is this a surprise! I should say I will open it.

EFFECT:

PACKAGE OPENED UNDER:

LUCILE:

(CHUCKLES)

RICKI:

What are you laughing at, Gran?

LUCILE:

Why ..... uh ..... nothing, dear. Your father ..... he looked so surprised. I .....

CLARE:

Yes, didn't he look funny? ..... You did such a nice job of surprising him, Ricki.

TIM:

Well, look at this necktie! Isn't it a beauty!

RICKI:

There's something else, Dad.

TIM:

Yes, I see there is. I wonder what it could be.

EFFECT:

TISSUE PAPER:

TIM:

Hm ..... (NONPLUSSED) Why, it's ..... uh ..... it's a ..... uh .....

CLARE:

(QUICKLY) A folder for your desk ..... to keep your letters in.

TIM:

Yes, I ..... uh ..... can see it is.

LUCILE:

(CLEARS HER THROAT) Ahem!

RICKI:

I made it at school, Dad.

TIM:

(INCREDULOUSLY) No! You made this fine folder for my desk?

RICKI:

Sure ..... I made it.

TIM:

Well, sir, that's just about the finest piece of work of its kind I've ever seen. ..... And you made it? ..... All by yourself?

RICKI:

Yes.

CLARE:

Isn't it nice?

TIM:

I should say it is! ..... Come here, guy. (HUGGING HIM) Hm ..... Thank you very much, son. I ..... I certainly appreciate this.

RICKI:

Mimsy gave you the tie. But she had to go to bed.

TIM:

Well, they're both just about the best presents I've ever received. And was I surprised!

RICKI:

Did I say my speech right, Gran?

LUCILE:

Yes, you certainly did, child. I don't know when I've been so entertained.

CLARE:

Mother handled the production of the presentation speech, Tim.

TIM:

So I gathered.

CLARE:

I understand the original version was somewhat longer. It was cut a little when we decided to celebrate Father's Day today on account of you're going to New York.

TIM:

Well, thank you all from the bottom of my paternal heart. This is by all odds the best Father's Day of my life ..... We had a great time at the ball game, didn't we, kid?

RICKI:

I'll say. Are we going to go again some time, Dad?

TIM:

You bet we will.

CLARE:

Well, you have about a half hour more to enjoy each other's society, you two men ..... and then you must go to bed, Ricki.

RICKI:

In a half hour?

CLARE:

Yes, dear. So make the most of your time. I'll call you when the half hour is up.

MUSIC:

BRIDGE:

EFFECT:

SPLASHING OF WATER IN BATHTUB:

CLARE:

All right, Ricki ..... get out of the tub, now. This bath has gone on long enough.

EFFECT:

SPLASHING ABATES:

TIM:

Yes, you'll be waterlogged if you stay in there much longer.

RICKI:

What's "waterlogged"?

TIM:

It means that you're full of water.

CLARE:

Step out, dear.

EFFECT:

WATER ..... BIZ OF RICKI GETTING OUT OF TUB:

BUSINESS:

SLIGHT PAUSE:

RICKI:

I can dry myself, Mom.

CLARE:

All right. Take the towel. But hurry. It's getting late.

RICKI:

I will. (SLIGHT PAUSE) Dad?

TIM:

Yes?

RICKI:

Does the shortstop have to be the fastest man on the team?

TIM:

Yes, just like I told you. He has to be fast as a cat.

RICKI:

Why does he?

TIM:

Well, he has a lot of ground to cover out there. Most right-handed batters hit to the left side of the field. That means he has to do a lot of running back and forth, scooping up the ball.

RICKI:

Will I be a shortstop when I get big?

TIM:

I wouldn't be surprised.

RICKI:

And scoop the ball like they did today?

TIM:

Well, it'll take a lot of practice to do that.

CLARE:

All right ..... now your pajamas.

RICKI:

You don't have to tell me, Mom.

CLARE:

Well, just keep busy.

TIM:

Hug me good night now, fellow. I'm going downstairs.

BUSINESS:

SLIGHT PAUSE:

RICKI:

Good night, Dad.

TIM:

Good night, son. And thanks very much for a fine Father's Day.

RICKI:

That's okay.

TIM:

(FADING) See you downstairs, honey.

CLARE:

Yes, Tim. (PAUSE) My, you had a good time with Daddy today, didn't you?

RICKI:

Sure ..... He's a good old Dad, isn't he, Mom?

CLARE:

Yes, Ricki, he's ..... he's a good old Dad. (PAUSE) All right. (FADING SLIGHTLY) Come along into your room. (PAUSE) (FADING IN) We'll have to skip the reading tonight, Ricki ..... it's so late.

RICKI:

Okay.

BUSINESS:

SLIGHT PAUSE:

CLARE:

Well! It's ..... it's okay, is it? You don't mind my not reading to you?

RICKI:

Naw! (ECHOING TIM) I've had a big day, Mom. It's time to turn in.

BUSINESS:

SLIGHT PAUSE:

CLARE:

I see ..... Time to turn in ..... (SLIGHT PAUSE) Come on, my ..... my little red-headed hero-worshiper ..... Kneel down and say your prayers.

BUSINESS:

SLIGHT PAUSE:

RICKI:

Our Father who are in Heaven. Bless Mom and Mimsy and Gran, and bless my Dad and ..... (INTERRUPTING HIMSELF) (SLIGHT PAUSE) Mom, Dad's my real father, isn't he?

CLARE:

Why, ..... yes, he is ..... Now finish your prayers.

BUSINESS:

SLIGHT PAUSE:

RICKI:

But Mom when I was a little baby you went to the hospital. And you saw me and you said: That's the nicest little baby I ever saw. And you took me home with you ..... Didn't you?

CLARE:

(A LITTLE TENSE) Yes.

BUSINESS:

SLIGHT PAUSE:

RICKI:

You adopted me?

BUSINESS:

SLIGHT PAUSE:

CLARE:

(MORE TENSE) Yes, dear, I adopted you.

RICKI:

Well ..... (SLIGHT PAUSE) Dad didn't adopt me. He's my real father. ..... (PAUSE) Mom, who's my real mother?

BUSINESS:

PAUSE:

CLARE:

(QUIETLY AND DELIBERATELY) Your real mother is dead, Ricki. (SLIGHT PAUSE) She died while you were still a little baby.

RICKI Oh ..... (SLIGHT PAUSE) But you're my mother now, aren't you, Mom?

BUSINESS:

SLIGHT PAUSE:

CLARE:

Yes, dear, I'm your mother. (SLIGHT PAUSE) Go on with your prayers.

RICKI:

Bless Mom ..... and Dad and Mimsy ..... and Gran (FADING UNDER CLARE) and Jonathan. And help me to be a good boy. Amen.

CLARE:

(OVER RICKI) God forgive me for what I said ..... but that's the way it's got to be!

MUSIC:

BRIDGE:

ANNOUNCER:

You are listening to "The Guiding Light."

(CLOSING COMMERCIAL)

 

DONOVAN:

Friday, you know, is "Round Up New Customers for Wheaties" Day. A day when I give you some extra good reasons why you should try this famous "Breakfast of Champions."

Now I can't think of a better reason for urging you to try Wheaties ..... with summer and vacation coming on ..... than to point out that Wheaties are ready-to-eat.

Yup, Wheaties are ready-to-eat. Which means that the kids can help themselves to breakfast whenever they happen to want some.

All they have to do is shake those golden flakes into a bowl, top with milk and fruit, plug in the toaster ..... and breakfast is got. Which is a big help when Junior suddenly decides to get up at the break of dawn to watch the guy next door fix his motorcycle.

Easy to fix ..... and mighty easy to eat ..... that's Wheaties. And they're nourishing, too, being flakes of one hundred-percent whole wheat.

So I hope you'll jot down Wheaties on your week-end grocery order. That General Mills product, Wheaties, "Breakfast of Champions."

MUSIC:

THEME: