-Hi, Mom, I'm home!
-I never would have known
it if you hadn't told me.
You're early, what
happened at school?
-Miss Perkins let us skip
geography so we could come home
and get jobs to make money
for the picture fund.
-But, what's the picture fund?
-For pictures, we're
going to buy pictures
of George Washington,
and Abraham Lincoln,
and hang them in the
wall in our room.
-Oh, good, fine.
-Hey, I know what I can
do to make some money.
I'll wash all this
stuff for you.
-No use for my mom to get
dishpan hands when I can get
l them for you, for about $. ?
-Oh, no, it's much
to breakable, Dennis.
But I tell you what, I
have some change over there
on the counter.
You can take a quarter of
it for the picture fund.
It's a gift.
-Well, jeepers, Mom,
that wouldn't count.
We're not supposed to
have people give us money.
We have to work for it.
I've got to go find
a job someplace.
-Oh, I see.
-It's to develop our
characters, Miss Perkins says.
-Well, Miss Perkins
is absolutely right.
I'm sorry I offered
you the quarter.
-That's OK, Mom.
I'll take it anyhow.
I can use it for
ice cream, thanks.
[music playing]
[honking]
[honking]
-Oh my goodness!
Henry!
-George, that is
you, isn't it George?
-It certainly is!
How do you like my new car?
-A Winton, you can't
hardly come by those no more.
-But how did you--
well, I mean, where?
-You are now looking
at the car that's
going to win the
big road race Sunday
with George Wilson driving.
-And Henry Mitchell
riding as mechanic.
-My goodness, a race!
-It says the senator
himself is going
to be there to
present the trophy.
-in person.
-He's quite a horseless
carriage buff, isn't he?
I read about his
old car collection.
-Senator Washburn is
head of the whole state
group of horses carriage clubs.
We're just one chapter.
-And I don't mind
telling you I expect
to be named president of our
chapter Sunday afternoon.
-Oh, everybody there
will vote for you, dear.
I know I will.
-Well, it isn't a
matter of voting, dear.
-The senator makes
the appointment.
He usually picks the
winner of the race
to head up the
chapter for this year.
-And by the time we get
through feeding dust
to all those other cars
from here to Blairville
and back, I don't think
Senator Washburn will
have any trouble
picking a precedent.
-Well, if we're going
to feed dust to anybody,
we better get back to
work on this motor.
-Oh, yes Mitchell.
[honking]
[backfire]
[honking]
-Does it run, Mr. Wilson?
-Does it run?
Oh, here Mitchell,
try this wrench.
Why, we've had this car
up to miles an hour.
-Wow, I didn't know because
I've never seen a car like this
before.
-Well, you were
born a little late
for the models, Dennis.
-Don't feel too badly, son.
So was I.
-Hey Dad, I know
how I could make
some money for the
picture fund at school.
-Yeah?
-I'll help you do whatever
you're doing there.
And you could pay me
whatever you think I'm worth.
-You wouldn't make much
money that way, son.
-I've just got to
make some money, Dad.
Hey, how about running
some errands for you?
Do you have any
errands I could run?
-Not right now, son, besides,
I remember an errands
I sent you on yesterday
afternoon that
didn't turn out too well.
You were two hours late getting
back from the drugstore.
And without my shaving lotion.
-Well, gee, dad, I just forgot.
-Son, you're getting old
enough now not to forget.
If you promise to do
something, just do it.
-OK, what do you want me to do?
And how much will you pay me?
-Dennis, your father
is absolutely right.
Never make a promise unless
you intend to keep it.
Remember that.
Never break a promise.
-OK, Mr. Wilson.
Say, do you have any errands
I could promise to do?
-Well, no Dennis, I'm sorry.
Right now all I'm
interested in is
getting this car
in good condition.
-Mr. Wilson, when it's
in good condition,
may I have a ride in it?
-Oh, Dennis, I think
that might be arranged.
-Hey, guess what Tommy?
Mr. Wilson's going to take me
for a ride in this some time.
-He is?
Boy, I wish he'd take me, too.
I'd even pay for a ride in
a swell old car like this.
-Pay for it?
You would?
-Sure, because a pony ride
in the park costs a quarter.
And this is a heck of a lot
better than that old pony.
-How much would you pay
for a ride in this car?
-How long a ride?
-Well, around the block?
-That's not very long.
-Well, how much would you pay
for a ride out to the lake?
Yeah, tomorrow maybe?
-Clear to the lake?
-And we could have
a weenie roast.
And I'll get mom to
furnish the weenies.
And you could even ride in
the front seat going out.
How much?
-Boy, that'd sure
be worth a lot.
I bet you my mom would give
me a whole dollar even.
-OK, I'll fix it!
-Hey, Mr. Wilson!
I've got a keen idea!
How about taking us kids
out to the lake tomorrow
for a weenie roast in
this swell old car?
-Now, hold on, young man.
You're pressing pretty hard.
-Yes, we're trying to
get ready for the race.
And we-- wait a
minute, Mitchell.
That might be a
good idea at that.
-Hmm?
-A drive up to the
lake and back tomorrow
would be a good tune up, a
sort of trial run for the car.
At the same time, we can
give Dennis and his friends
a nice little outing.
-Well, I'm for that.
-Oh, boy!
Thanks, Mr. Wilson!
Come on, Tommy.
So far, I've got you
signed up, and Kevin
and Chris Combs, and
Froggy Watson, and--
FEMALE VOICE
(OFFSCREEN): Dennis!
-Uh oh, here comes
that dumb old Margaret.
-Let's cross the street
before she gets here.
-No, wait, Tommy, I
got to talk to her!
You know, her money's
just as good as anybody's.
Come on!
Hey, Margaret!
-Hi!
-Listen, Margaret, what are
you going to be doing tomorrow?
-Tomorrow?
-Yeah, Saturday, Dennis wants
you to go on a weenie roast
up to the lake in Mr.
Wilson's swell old car.
-With you, Dennis?
-With me, and Tommy,
and lots of other boys.
You want to go?
-Oh, dear, mother always said
the boys would flock around me.
But I didn't expect it so soon.
I hardly know what to say.
-All you have to say, Margaret,
is do you want to go or not?
-All right, Dennis, I accept.
-OK, sign right here.
And go get $ from your mother.
That's what it costs.
-$ !
You mean I have to
pay to go with you?
Well!
-You don't have to go if
you don't want to, Margaret.
I've just about got the
car filled up already.
Here!
So
-I'll go.
Where do I sign?
-Right here, now go
get $ for your mother
because girls have
to pay right away.
-Oh, dear, it's the
woman who always pays.
-Yeah, and in advance.
Now go get $ from your mother!
Come on, Tommy!
Let's go get some more kids.
[music playing]
-Look out!
Stand back, everybody!
Jump, Wilson!
Jump!
-Oh, it's you, Brady.
I thought I recognized
your gentle voice.
-Say, when does this misguided
m*ssile go into orbit, Wilson?
-k*ll it, Mr. Wilson.
-If I had a stick I would.
Oh, you mean the motor.
-Hi, Mitchell boy, so this is
the clunker you guys are going
to break down in at
the starting line, huh?
-No, this is the
classic Winton
that we're going to
win the road race in.
-Win it?
Against my little
Kissel Car Oh, stop.
-Don't you worry about us, Jack.
We'll do all right.
-You'll find out
when the race starts.
-Well, you guys better bring
along plenty of muscle.
Like Edgar A. Guest
used to say, it'll
take a lot of shoving for
this heap to make it home.
-Oh, my goodness,
Brady, you ought
to be on television so
we could turn you off.
-Ah, don't talk silly.
You'll be eating dust when
Senator Washburn hands me
that trophy tomorrow.
-Tomorrow?
You're a little
mixed up, aren't you?
The race is day after
tomorrow, Sunday.
-Haven't you guys heard from
Krinkie at the newspaper?
-Alice and Mrs. Wilson have
been downtown all afternoon.
We've been out here
working on the car.
-Yes, haven't we heard what?
-The senator sent
Krinkie a wire.
He'll be busy Sunday
on state business
so he'll be here
tomorrow instead.
The race has been
moved up a day.
-Oh, no.
-Well, what difference
does it make?
You guys will get your lumps
a day earlier, that's all.
So long, losers.
-Oh, this is a mess, Mr. Wilson.
You've already promised to
take Dennis and the kids
to the lake tomorrow.
-I'm just afraid that Dennis
is going to be disappointed.
-You mean, the
weenie roast is off?
-I'm sorry.
But it just has to be.
You know how important
this race is to me.
-OK, Mr. Wilson.
It's your car and your decision.
I just hate to face
Dennis and break the news.
[music playing]
-Sorry.
-But Mr. Wilson promised!
-I know it, but
things just didn't
work out right, that's all.
You understand, don't you?
-Sure, I understand.
-Good boy.
-If a kid breaks a
promise, it's terrible.
But if a grown-up
up breaks one, it's
just because things
didn't work out right.
-I wouldn't put it that way.
-How would you put it, Dad?
-Well, I'd-- I don't know.
-Dad, I've already sold
tickets to all my friends.
What am I going to tell them?
-I'm afraid you'll just have
to refund the money to them.
That's all.
Wait a minute!
Supposing I took you in the
boys out in my car tomorrow?
-That wouldn't work out.
They want to go in
Mr. Wilson's car
because it's so old
and funny-looking.
Yours is just a
plain old new one.
-Well, we all have our
disappointments, son.
You're just going to have
to learn to handle them.
-Handle them?
Gee, I'm having enough
trouble learning
how to handle arithmetic.
Mr. Wilson just came outside.
Now, do you all know
what to say to get
him to change his mind
about the weenie roast?
-Yeah, I do, Dennis.
-Me, too.
-Naturally, I do.
I'm going to be a great
actress when I grow up.
-Do you really think we can make
him change his mind, Dennis?
Your Dad said he was
awful stubborn about it.
-Mr. Wilson's not
stubborn, Tommy.
Sometimes he just gets
the wrong idea in his head
and it gets stuck up there.
-In my opinion, he just
doesn't like children.
-Of course he does, Margaret.
Anyhow, the good
side of him does.
-Are you sure he's
got a good side?
-Sure, I'm sure, Tommy.
He yells, and hollers,
and makes a lot of noise.
That's just because
he doesn't want
people to know how good
his good side really is.
-Why don't you come
along and help us?
-Because he's already
turned me down.
I'll listen behind the fence.
-OK, we'll try
real hard, Dennis.
-We will be very
sad and pitiful.
-We'll clap him.
[music playing]
-Oh, well, hello.
-Hello, Mr. Wilson.
My goodness, this is
quite a delegation.
I suppose you've
come to persuade
me to change my
mind about tomorrow.
-No, Mr. Wilson.
We came to tell it's OK.
And I hope you win
your race tomorrow.
-Really?
Well, that's very
nice of you, Tommy.
-I would be there
to root for you.
But I don't want all the people
at the race to see me cry.
-Cry?
-Yeah, I'll be crying
all day tomorrow.
I sure did want to go
on that weenie roast.
-So did I, but-- well,
you do understand
the race is more important?
-We understand, Mr. Wilson.
Although our little
hearts are heavy,
we wouldn't stand in the
way of your pleasure.
-Well, thank you, Margaret.
-The trip to the lake would
have meant a lot to me.
I have weak lungs.
And I cough all the
time. [coughing]
A day in the open air
would've done me good.
-I'm sorry we can't go.
-Oh, don't think
of me, Mr. Wilson.
Go in the race and win.
I'll just stay home
and cough. [coughing]
-I had no idea you had
your heart so set on this.
Well, perhaps I could--
oh, no, no it's too late!
-Seymour has something to
say too, don't you Seymour?
-Yes, I have
something to say too.
-Well, go ahead.
Say it.
-I forget what it was?
Dennis, what did you say to say?
-Oh, so that's it.
Dennis is behind this maneuver.
-No, he's behind the fence!
-I should've known.
All right, now, go on.
Get out of here.
Shoo!
Scat!
-Boy, his bad side is
sure sticking out today.
-Dennis, come over here.
Let's have this out.
-So, you tried to
get those children
to play on my sympathies, huh?
-Sort of.
-Dennis, when you
have a point to make,
make it face to
face, man to man.
-All right, Mr. Wilson, I
think you should take us
on that weenie roast tomorrow.
You promised.
-At that time, I didn't know the
race would be on the same day.
-But you said nobody should
ever break a promise, remember?
-There are exceptions
to everything, Dennis.
-Then you won't take us?
-I'm sorry.
It's quite impossible.
I suppose that means
we're no longer friends.
-Oh no, Mr. Wilson.
I still like you, When I
grow up, in want to be good,
and kind, and honest,
just like you used to be.
-What is it, George?
Can't you sleep?
-I just can't seem to
get myself comfortable.
Oh, I know.
It's this confounded blanket.
-More likely it's your
confounded conscience.
-I suppose you think I'm
a fiend, inhuman form.
-No, George, you're
still the same man
I promised to love, honor,
and obey years ago.
-Of course I am.
-I love you.
And I'll obey you.
But after what you've
done to the children,
I'll find it very
difficult to honor you.
-Oh, fiddle sticks,
and good night!
-Happy dreams, dear.
-The bailiffs will
bring in the prisoner!
-What is the meaning of this?
Why am I--
-You will address the
court as your honor.
-Your honor, what
am I doing here?
-You are charged with a very
serious crime, more serious
than robbing a bank.
You are charged with
breaking a promise.
-Oh, so that's it.
Now, see here, if--
-The lawyer for the defense
will please step forward.
-I am here to see that
justice will prevail.
Take the witness chair you
nasty old promise-breaker.
-I will not.
I know my--
-Proceed, counselor.
Is it true that on the
day before this, known
as yesterday, you
promised to take
sweet, innocent
children to the lake
in an old car known as a Winton?
-Well, yes, but--
-And then the next
day, known is today,
did you break that
promise in order
to take part in a
silly old road race?
-Well, only because
Senator Washburn--
-Ladies and gentlemen of
the jury, the prisoners
own words prove that he's
incompetent, immaterial,
and just plain mean.
I rest my case.
-Yeah!
Hooray!
-Your honor!
This isn't a fair trial!
The jury cheered!
-That's OK!
So did I. And now I'll
pronounce sentence!
-Sentence, but somebody
should defend me.
I demand a lawyer!
All right, if you
have to be technical.
The lawyer for the defense
will please step forward.
-Hear I am, your honor.
What do you have to sya
in defense of your client?
-Nothing, he's an old stinker.
-Tommy!
You're my lawyer!
-You're his lawyer.
You're supposed to say
something good about him.
-If I have to say something
good about a sneaky old man who
breaks promises I quit.
I won't be a lawyer anymore.
I'll be a cowboy.
-Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury,
it's time for your verdict.
-Guilty!
-Swell!
The executioner will
please step forward.
-The executioner!
-George Wilson, I sentence
your promise-breaking head
to the executioner!
-No!
No!
No!
No!
No!
No!
No!
-George!
George, what is it?
-Oh, never mind
what it is, Martha.
I'll be back later.
My robe.
-Look, Mr. Wilson, what
are you doing here?
-Mitchell, I came
over here to tell you
that I've been a
selfish old windbag.
We're forgetting about that
race and taking those children
on that weenie roast tomorrow.
-Gee, that's swell.
But you don't have
to come dashing over
here in the middle of
the night to tell me.
-Oh, yes I did, otherwise
I'd never get any sleep.
Goodnight Mitchell.
[music playing]
[cheering]
-All right, last stop.
Everybody out.
-Well, the old car got us out to
the lake and back, Mr. Wilson.
You know something?
I be we would have
won that race.
-Oh, Mitchell, why did
you have to bring that up?
I'd almost forgotten
about that race.
-Sorry.
-And I just thought I'd give you
a chance to turn green, Wilson.
To the winner
belongs the spoils.
-Congratulations.
-Too bad you guys
couldn't have been there
to see me win the race.
It was a breeze all the way.
-yes, the wind
hasn't d*ed down yet.
I suppose you got the
presidency of the club.
-Not yet, but it's in the bag.
Charlie and Krinkie we're
talking after the race.
Probably planning to break the
big news in tomorrow's paper.
-Well, hooray for you.
-Well, you'll never receive
a trophy of your own Wilson.
So feel free to have
another look at mine.
-You're a generous
man, Mr. Brady.
-Hey, Mr. Wilson!
Mr. Wilson!
This man was outside
looking for your house.
He says he's a senator!
-Why, Senator Washburn, this
is an unexpected pleasure.
-The pleasure is entirely
mine, Mr. Wilson.
-Oh, senator, I'd like you to
meet my wife Martha, my friends
Alice and Henry Mitchell,
their your young son, Dennis.
And, of course, Mr.--
-You don't have to introduce
Charlie to me, right Chuck?
Well, I'm afraid,
I don't quite, uh--
-You know.
You gave me this.
-Oh, yes, of course, the trophy
winner, yes, uh, Mr. Bagley.
-Brady.
-Yes, of course.
Now, Mr. Wilson, in case
you're wondering why I'm here,
it's about the presidency of the
new horseless carriage chapter.
-Say, how'd you
know where I was?
-Now, after the race,
I asked Mr. Krinkie
why your car failed to appear.
And he told me how
you had carried out
a previous commitment to
take a group of youngsters
on an outing.
-We had a swell time.
-I'm sure you did, son.
And it was a swell thing
for your friend to do.
Now, you know, Mr. Wilson,
I've always loved the old cars.
But I have a great
deal more interest
in the children of this
community who will someday
grow up to be
responsible citizens.
And I hope vote for me.
Now, because of your
unselfish attitude
towards these children,
I here appoint you
this year's president of
the horseless carriage
of this district.
-Me?
President?
-Are you sure you
picked the right man?
-I'm positive.
-Well, show some more
of that sportsmanship.
Congratulate me.
-Congratulations,
Wilson, see you around.
So long, senator.
-Goodbye, Mr. Bailey.
-Well!
-Mr. Wilson!
Mr. Wilson!
I've got a keen idea.
Why don't I get a picture of
you to hang in our school room
with George Washington and
Abraham Lincoln's, and then
we'll have three presidents?
[music playing]
03x26 - Horseless Carriage Club
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.