-Boy I sure am glad this
is good old Saturday.
It's my favorite day.
-Got any big plans for it?
-Well, not really plans.
I guess me and the other
guys will play some football,
climb some trees,
fly some kites,
have some wrestling matches,
and dig for buried treasure,
and play leap frog, and
run, sheep, run, and follow
the leader, and then slide down
Hickory Hill on our stomachs.
-Sounds like a
pretty full schedule.
-Before you go out, be sure
to straighten your room.
-Oh, jeepers, mom.
Not today.
-Why not?
-On his day off, a fella
likes to take things easy.
[theme music]
-Oh, my sister
writers her husband
just received a promotion.
Isn't that wonderful?
-I'm glad somebody
got some good news.
Mine is ghastly in the extreme.
-Well, what's wrong?
-My magazine editor has had
one of his more appalling
brainstorms.
My newest assignment
is an article
to be entitled "Changes
in the modern child."
He believes that
children of today
have different behavior
patterns than they
did or years
ago, and I'm the one
he picks to write about it.
-You know, John, I think that's
a rather interesting idea.
-Well, I'd agree with
you if I could approach
this intellectually,
but listen to this.
"I want this article written
from a child's point of view.
Spend a Saturday with
a group of children.
Make yourself one of them.
Join in all their
activities and keep
a record of your experiences."
Now, I ask you.
-I can't tell you.
-Why couldn't he have given
me an easy, safe assignment
like spending a day with
the headhunters of Borneo?
-But dear, you have a perfect
setup for your observation.
Just arrange to spend
a day with Dennis
and all his little chums.
-Eloise, that might change
the course of history.
-I think it might be great fun.
You haven't anything
else planned.
-No, Eloise, no.
I haven't turned my editor
down yet, but this is it.
Here, you take the letter.
I haven't seen it.
I refuse to subject myself to--
[phone ringing]
-I'll get it.
Hello?
Oh, good morning, Mrs. Elkins.
Today?
At : ?
Oh, yes.
Yes, of course, I'll tell him.
Goodbye.
That was Mrs. Elkins.
-Oh, speaking of trouble,
what did Mrs. Elkins want?
-To remind you of
her club luncheon.
Today.
-Luncheon?
-Yes, to raise funds to start
a refuge for homeless cats.
It's a big affair,
$ a place luncheon.
-Refuge for homeless cats-- $ ?
That's enough money to send
a cat away to summer camp.
-Well, you'll just
have to pay it, dear.
You've already accepted.
-You know, Eloise,
on second thought,
that new assignment might
be interesting at that.
-I thought you'd decided
to turn that down.
-Well-- well, I don't
think it would be fair.
It wouldn't be ethical.
After all, I am a journalist,
and a good journalist
shouldn't be stumped
by any subject.
-You're a dedicated
man, and I admire you.
I'll call and
cancel the luncheon.
[music playing]
-All right, Dennis,
then it's all settled.
Today I'll be your playmate,
just one of the g*ng.
-OK, Mr. Wilson.
-And at the end
of the day, we'll
have a weenie roast in my patio.
You like that, won't you?
-Oh, sure.
I'll like that part.
-Good.
Now you round up
the g*ng, and I'll
meet you in front of my
house in a few minutes.
-OK, Mr. Wilson.
-Goodbye, Alice.
-Goodbye, Alice.
-Goodbye, Mr. Wilson.
-So long, John.
-Bye.
-Dennis, you didn't
seem very enthusiastic.
That is not a very
nice attitude.
-The only one I've got.
Grownups just don't fit in
when we're playing games.
They spoil the fun.
-I don't agree with
that at all, Dennis.
Grownups aren't monsters.
-I'm surprised at you.
This is a chance
to help Mr. Wilson,
and we want you to do it.
-All right.
But the next time Mr. and Mrs.
Wilson come over to play cards,
can I play too instead
of getting sent to bed?
-No, I don't think you'd better.
-Why not?
You say it's all right for
grownups to play with me,
so why can't I play with them?
-Well, this is a different.
-Boy, it sure is funny.
Every time
something's different,
it's good for the
grownups and bad for me.
[music playing]
-Well, fellas, I
suppose Dennis explains
our arrangement for the day.
-Yeah, he told us.
-We're stuck with you.
-I didn't say that, Seymour.
-We're going to have
a lot of fun together.
Now what should we do first?
-Whatever you'd like
to do, Mr. Wilson.
-Yeah, just tell us,
like grownups always do.
-No, no, Tommy.
I'm not going to
be a grownup today.
I'm going to be a boy, like you.
And please treat me like one.
-We'll try, Mr. Wilson.
-Oh, and don't
call me Mr. Wilson.
-What'll we call you, then?
-Well, call me by the nickname
I had when I was a boy.
-What's that?
-Tubby.
Well, you see, when I was
small, I was kind of chubby,
and they--
-You're still chubby.
-Well.
What do you fellas usually do
first on a Saturday morning?
-Well, mostly we fool
around in the park.
-Oh.
Uh, why do you prefer the park?
-Well, because it's
real nice there
with all the grass
and trees and stuff.
You know, like being
out in the country.
-I see.
-What you writing, Mr. Wilson?
-The name of Tubby.
-What you writing, Mr. Tubby?
-Not Mr. Tubby.
I'm just plain Tubby.
That didn't sound quite right.
[ice cream wagon music]
-Hey, her comes the ice wagon.
Who's got some money?
-I only got a nickle.
-I only got nothin'.
-Well, don't you
worry about that.
As the new boy in the
crowd, I'll stand the treat.
-Hey, did you hear that, fellas?
Maybe this isn't such
a bad deal after all.
-That's right, all of us.
There we go.
-Cones for everyone.
We're going to be
over in the park.
Drive around later.
Oh, boy, welcome to the g*ng,
Mr. Wil-- I mean, Tubby.
Writing articles
about us kids is
going to be lots of fun for us.
-Ah, well, there you are.
-Kevin!
Chris!
Hi.
I want you to meet
a friend of mine
who's playing with us today.
-Hi, fellas.
-How do you do, sir?
-Oh, never mind the "sir."
Today I'm your
pal, Tubby Wilson.
-You'll like him once
you get to know him.
-He's loaded.
-Well, what do we play first?
-How about some leap frog?
-OK.
Come on, Tubby.
-Oh, well, I better
not join in that game.
I'm a little heavy to
leap over you lads.
-OK.
You be the frog and
we'll leap over you.
-Well, I'd better not.
-But you said you wanted
to be one of the g*ng
and do everything we do.
-Well, all right.
Where do we go?
-Oh, boy!
Come on!
OK, you boys, I'm first now!
-I'm second!
-I'm third.
-I'm fourth!
-I'm fifth!
-I'm last!
-Well, Seymour, you
had a little trouble.
-You're the most fattest
frog I ever leaped.
[ice cream wagon music]
-Hey, here comes the
ice cream wagon again.
Don't you hear it?
-Yes, I hear it.
-Are you still the
new boy in the crowd?
-I suppose so.
-Oh, boy!
Did you hear that?
Good old Mr. Tubby's
buying ice cream again.
Ice cream for everybody!
[music playing]
Oh, boy, Tubby.
If you keep buying us ice cream,
you can put in your article
that boys eat about
a gallon a day.
-At least.
-Hey, looks who's coming.
-Jeepers, it's that
dumb old Margaret.
-And that silly old Lillian.
-I'll try to get this
over with in a hurry.
I don't imagine it would be very
interesting for our article.
-Oh, no, no, Dennis.
Let everything happen
naturally, and remember
that I'm one of you.
I want to take part
in everything you do.
-Hello, boys.
Fancy finding you here.
-Are you lost, Margaret?
-No, I'm not lost.
-Then why don't you get lost?
-Oh, don't be so
snippy, Dennis Mitchell.
Look at my lovely new jump rope.
Wouldn't you like to
jump rope with this?
-Ah, go chase yourself.
-You're cute, Tommy.
-Hey, we got no time for girls.
-You've got all day,
and that's just how long
we're going to stay here
until you jump rope with us.
-I'll try to get something
going so you can get in on it.
Will you go and leave
us alone if one of us
jumps rope with you?
-How many times?
- times.
-All right.
Which one?
-Him.
-Mr. Wilson?
-Oh, he's not Mr. Wilson today.
He's just one of us fellas.
Tell 'em who you are.
-I'm Tubby.
-Say, he jumps pretty
good, doesn't he?
-Yeah.
He's only fallen down twice.
-I like to watch
his stomach jiggle.
-What are you doing there?
-Oh, look what you made us do.
-Oh, I'm sorry.
I have to talk to
that gentleman.
What's the idea of
taking my picture?
-It's not every day I see a
man your age skipping around
like the Queen of the May.
Crinky will love this one.
-Crinky?
Good heavens, do you
work for the newspaper?
-On a freelance basis.
It'll make a swell gag sh*t.
"Man jumps rope."
It's almost as good
"Man bites dog."
-Oh, no.
I'll be the laughingstock
of the town.
I'll buy the film form you.
-How much?
-$ .
-You must be kidding.
-$ .
-For a sh*t that's funnier
than monkeys in a barrel?
-All right, $ .
-OK, it's a deal.
-By the way, how much Crinky
pay for a picture like this?
-$ .
So long, athlete.
-Being a child in this day and
age has definite drawbacks.
"Today's children have such
a great amount of energy
that splitting the atom
seems quite unnecessary."
-How about playing catch with
me, Mr. Wil-- I mean, Tubby.
-No, no.
I'm making notes now.
-But this is one of the
things we do, and you said.
-Dennis, I don't have
to do all of those games
to be one of you.
I have to sit on the
sidelines, sort of,
and observe, make my notes.
-But we need you.
-Chris and Kevin
went to the moves.
-And Seymour's
mother called him.
And besides, it's more fun
when it's three-cornered,
so we need you.
Unless you'd rather quit and
just be Mr. Wilson again.
-Oh, no.
No, no.
I bargained for a full day.
I'm certainly getting it.
Just for a little while.
-Oh, boy!
Swell!
Tommy, you get out there.
Now, you get right here,
and I'll get out here.
[music playing]
Here comes my curve!
You missed it.
-I realize that.
-Better fish it out
before it get's soaked.
-Well, why don't one
of you fish it out?
-No, we got a rule.
Whoever misses it has
to chase the ball.
-Oh, now you tell me.
Well, all right, all right.
-Don't feel so bad.
We all get butter
fingers sometimes.
-Yeah.
We know you weren't
clumsy on purpose.
You know, when Mr. Quigley was
coaching that peewee league
last year, he was
going to catch one,
and it landed right on his head.
-Boy, you should have
seen the lump it made.
-Oh, you're a great
comfort to me.
I don't even see the ball.
-Well, just get in
there, and then you'll
feel it with your toes.
-Oh.
-No, a little bit over that way.
-Well, hello there, boys.
-Hi, Sergeant Mooney.
-Well, greetings to
you, September morn.
-Oh, very amusing.
-I see you're cooling your
pink little toesies, eh?
No,
-No, no.
I am merely--
-I hate to tell you
this, but it'll cost you
$ . for each pink little toe.
-What!
-Yeah, there's a $ fine
for wading in the fountain.
-But I'm not wading
in the fountain!
I'm here looking--
-You're in the
fountain, aren't you?
-Well, yes, but--
-With your pants rolled up?
-Yes, but--
-You're wading.
$ , please.
-Why, you!
I--
-He was just trying to fish
our ball out, Sergeant Mooney.
-Yeah.
He missed it with both hands.
-You mean he was
playing catch with you?
-Yeah.
He's been playing
games with us all day.
Leap frog, catch.
-Well, what do you know?
Congratulations on your
second childhood, Wilson.
-Now see here, Sergeant--
-I thought you were
the kind of guy
that never had a very childhood.
-Can I pay the fine now, or have
you further, hilarious remarks
to make?
-You'll have to pay it
down at the station.
And if you want
to play some more,
you can ride me back
there piggyback.
-Ohh!
You--
-Hi, fellas.
-Hi, dad.
-Hi, Mr. Mitchell.
-Where's your friend,
mister-- oh, hi, John.
-Hello, Henry.
-What are you doing in there?
No trouble, I hope.
-Oh, no.
No, no trouble.
Just a $ fine for
wading in the fountain
in the park, that's all.
-You were wading
in the fountain?
Golly, you are a kid
today, aren't you?
-Henry, I dedicated this day
to researching that article,
and I'm going to do it right.
-Well, I admire your
fortitude, John.
How's it going?
-Who knows?
I can't stop playing
games and paying fines
long enough to
organize my notes.
[ice cream wagon music]
-Tommy!
Hey, look who's coming.
-Yeah, Tubby,
looks who's coming.
-I hear it, I hear it.
Oh, that was a
delicious lunch, Eloise.
Now the name Tubby does fit me.
Furthermore, it
was a free lunch.
That's quite an
advantage when you
consider what this
morning cost me.
-Before the day's
over, you'll be
known as [inaudible]
bankrupt boy.
-Really, I'm getting
a great insight
into how the child mind works.
-Well, that's good, dear.
DENNIS (OFFSCREEN):
Hey, Mr. Wilson!
TOMMY (OFFSCREEN): Come on out!
-Your playmates are calling you.
-Let's see, have
I got everything?
My notes.
Uh--
-Bang bang!
I got you, Tubby!
You're dead, Tubby!
Bang bang!
Come on, Tubby!
-Well, back to my research.
-Careful, Matt.
-Matt?
Oh, oh.
Shucks, Miss Kitty,
don't you worry.
I can handle them varmints.
-Bang bang!
You're dead!
-Well, here I am, fellas.
What are we doing now?
-We're going to go ride a burro.
-A burro?
-Yeah, over at
Mr. Sawyer's barn.
-He never has let
us kids ride it
because he says we're too
little and might get hurt.
But if we have a great big
kid along, like our friend,
good old Tubby here, then
he'll let us ride it.
-Well, that sounds like fun.
Yes, indeed, a nice,
inexpensive afternoon.
It'll be a pleasure
not to spend any mon--
[ice cream wagon music]
I hear it.
Wait right here.
Wait right there, fellas!
-Hurry up!
We want to go ride the burro!
-Do you think Tubby will
want to ride him, too?
-I hope not, Tommy.
It would be an awful
swaybacked burro if he did.
-Hold it!
Hold it!
Hey!
-Well, how many this time, Mac?
, ?
-None.
I want to make a deal with you
before those boys bankrupt me.
-Huh?
-Here.
I want you to take his
dollar bill all for yourself,
and go and work some
other neighborhood, right?
-Oh, I couldn't do that, Mac.
It wouldn't be honest.
-What?
-Oh, not for a buck,
it wouldn't be.
Make it $ , I'll quit
for the afternoon.
-All right.
I'll still be ahead
the way those boys eat.
One, two, three.
-Sure is taking him a long time.
-He can't hurry, Tommy.
When you're as old as him, you
have to sort of creep around.
-Yeah, he's a creep.
-Bad news on the
ice cream, boys.
The fellas all sold out.
Gone home for the day.
-Boy, I sure am
glad to hear that.
-Me, too.
I was afraid you were
going to buy some more.
-What?
Afraid?
I thought you all wanted--
-We ate so much ice cream
today, we've had it.
-Our stomachs are
not as big as yours.
-Come on, let's
go ride the burro.
-$ , wasted.
[music playing]
-Ride 'em, cowboy!
-Hang on, Seymour!
-Bang bang, you're dead, Tubby!
Bang bang!
Bang bang, you're dead, Tubby!
Bang bang!
You're supposed to fall down.
-If I fall down once
more, I'll never get up.
-Ah, stop sh**ting him, Seymour.
-Yeah, Seymour.
You've been riding
long enough, anyhow.
It's my turn, now.
-Oh no, not, again.
Three hours of this
would k*ll anybody.
-Come on, Seymour.
I'll help you down.
-Do I have to?
-Yes, you have to.
Hold my apple, Mr. Wilson.
-Oh, all right.
-Ah, how come you guys get to
ride twice as long as I do?
-Well, we're twice
as big as you are,
so we get to ride twice as long.
-Oh.
-Hmm.
An example of child logic.
I, uh, better make
a note of that.
-Come on, Mr. Wilson.
-All right, all right.
Just a minute.
Ahhh!
-Mr. Wilson, your pants.
-Wow!
-Oh!
This is the end!
-So I told Tommy
and Seymour to be
in your backyard at o'clock
for the weenie roast, right?
-Well, yes,
o'clock will be fine.
-This sure has been a
swell day, hasn't it?
-Well, I must admit,
I'm glad it's over.
That darn burro.
You know, if you hadn't
loaned me your sweater,
I never would have made it home.
-That's OK.
I hope you don't catch cold.
-Oh, thank you.
So long, Dennis.
-I better keep my sweater now.
-Well, uh, I guess I can make
it to the door from here.
-See you at the weenie roast.
Hi, Miss Elkins.
-Hello, Dennis.
Oh, Mr. Wilson, I'm
so glad to see you.
I hope I'd find you at home.
-Oh, I'm sorry I missed
the luncheon today.
Press of business,
as my wife explained.
-I understand perfectly.
I put you down for a
$ donation anyhow.
-$ !
-Yes, I knew you'd want
to give at least that
much for such a worthy cause.
Oh, poor little
homeless p*ssy cats.
Oh, sad little strays.
-Well, I'll, uh,
I-- I'll send you
the check in the mail later.
Goodbye.
-Oh, no, I wouldn't
think of putting you
to the expense of
a postage stamp.
I'll take the donation now.
-Uh, $ -- uh, $ , you say.
Uh, $ , $ , $ .
-Yes, thank you, Mr. Wilson.
You're a generous man.
Oh, it's deductible-- oh!
Disgrace-- what a color.
-It would amaze you, Alice,
the things I have in my notes.
I think my article will
be quite authoritative.
-Oh, I'm sure it will be.
-I wrote down everything.
The things we did, the
things the boys did,
examples of child logic,
et cetera, et cetera.
-You certainly
researched this, John.
-Thoroughly, Henry.
And you know what I found out?
Children today
haven't changed a bit.
-How do you mean?
-Well, today they're
jet pilots instead
of cowboys, spacemen
instead of Indians.
But deep down inside, those kids
are just the same as we were.
-Poor kids.
My heart bleeds for them.
-They have the same enthusiasms,
the same motivations,
everything.
It just, uh, costs
a little more.
It's all right here.
-John, come help me carry
the food out, will you, dear?
-Oh, we'll all help, Eloise.
-Oh, thanks.
-No use lighting
the fire yet, Henry.
Let's wait till
the boys get here.
-Oh, all right.
[music playing]
-Boy, I'm eating nine hot dogs.
-Me, too.
-Me, too.
-Hey, Mr. Wilson hasn't even
got the fire started yet.
-It's already to light, though.
-Boy, whoever laid that fire
out sure wasn't any boy scout.
That'll never burn.
Here, I'll show you how to
make a real hot dog fire.
[music playing]
-Hello, boys.
-Hi, mom.
-Hi, fellas.
-Hi, dad.
-Oh, I see you got
the fire started.
That's good, good.
-I had to build it
practically from scratch.
-From scratch?
Why, I had that fire--
-Whoever laid that fire in the
first place did it all wrong,
dad.
-Sorry, John, I tried.
-Well, I'm glad an
expert came along
to do it right for us, Dennis.
That's a very good fire.
-It's easy when you know how.
-Yeah.
-I helped him.
I helped!
-Yeah, Seymour found a lot of
old paper on the table over
there, and he wadded
it up good for me--
-Paper?
The table?
My notes!
You b*rned my notes?
-Jeepers, is that what all
that old paper was over there?
-My whole article b*rned, and
after all I went through today?
Oh!
-Hey, don't worry, Mr. Wilson.
You can still
write your article.
-How!
-You can spend the whole day
with us kids again tomorrow.
-Yeah!
-More ice cream.
-We're gonna hike clear to
the top of Pine Mountain.
-And play leap frog
all the day down,
hunt Indians, and
explore a big cave.
Won't that be swell?
-Oh, no!
Ohhhh!
[theme song]
04x11 - Wilson's Second Childhood
Watch/Buy Amazon Merchandise
Follows the Mitchell family – Henry, Alice, and their only child, Dennis, an energetic, trouble-prone, mischievous, but well-meaning boy, who often tangles first with his peace-and-quiet-loving neighbor, George Wilson, a retired salesman, and later with George's brother John, a writer.
Follows the Mitchell family – Henry, Alice, and their only child, Dennis, an energetic, trouble-prone, mischievous, but well-meaning boy, who often tangles first with his peace-and-quiet-loving neighbor, George Wilson, a retired salesman, and later with George's brother John, a writer.