[music playing]
-I borrowed a few stamps
from you, OK, Dad?
-Stamps?
Oh, sure, who are
you writing to?
-New York, you know what I'm
going to do with this letter?
I'm going to get in show biz.
-Show biz, huh?
-Yeah, you and Mom are sure
going to be proud of me, I bet.
Here, you can read all
about it in this ad.
I've got to go mail the letter.
-Big money in show biz.
Have your own flea circus.
Send $. in stamps for training
booklet and live fleas!
Dennis!
Dennis!
[MUSIC PLAYING
-You're a monster,
Dennis Mitchell.
How could you do this
to poor little Pamela?
-I didn't mean to hurt
your old doll, Margaret.
I saw her just sitting out
in your yard all by herself.
So I decided to make her famous.
-Make her famous?
-Sure, if my rocket
had worked, she
would have been the first
doll to reach the moon.
-You sent my darling
child up in a rocket?
-Just a little one that was left
over from the fourth of July.
I tied her to the
stick, and lit the fuse,
but it never got off the ground.
-I'll get you for this, Dennis.
I'll tell your mother.
That's what I'll do.
-Please don't blab, Margaret.
If you don't, I'll give you one
of my frogs, the prettiest one.
-I don't want your
disgusting old frog.
But there is something
you could do.
-Yeah?
What?
I'll do it.
-I have to go to my
dancing lesson now.
But I'll be back in an hour.
I won't tell your
mom if you promise
to come over and play house
with me for the rest of the day.
-Jeepers, I hate playing house.
-I'll be the mother.
And you'll be the father.
And you can help
me bathe and dress
all our precious children.
-Wash your dolls?
Do I have to?
-Unless you want me to tell.
-OK, I guess I have to.
-Now, wheel the children home.
You fathers need a lot practice.
-Boy, I wish somebody would
send me to the moon in a rocket.
-Come over here, dear.
I want you to see something.
Isn't that cute?
Our son's beginning to
take an interest in girls.
-Well, it's finally official.
Our son's growing up.
-It happens so
suddenly, doesn't it?
-Yep, one day they're throwing
rocks at little girls.
And the next day
they're throwing kisses.
-You never threw rocks at me.
-I was smarter than most kids.
-I'm glad his attitude
about girls is changing.
I'm not upset about that.
-Why should you be upset?
-Well, it just means we're
getting a little older.
-Well, I don't feel any older.
Do you?
-Now that you mention it, no.
-I appreciate the thought
behind it, Uncle Ned.
But you don't have to do it.
-But I want to do it, Martha.
Until George settles
that estate back east,
I'm the man of this house.
-Of course you are.
-Poor George was
so upset last year
when Mrs. Hawkins won and got
her picture in the Garden Club
journal.
-Mrs. Hawkins, I give up.
How does everything
as sweet as a flower
manage to grow around a
sour old woman like her?
Well, you just leave
everything to me.
[MUSIC PLAYING
-Good morning, Mr. Matthews!
-Oh, good morning Mrs. Hawkins.
-Are you planning to
do a little gardening?
-In my nephew's absence,
I am taking his place
in the early jonquil contest.
-Oh, well I'm
sorry to hear that?
-Afraid my competition will
be too much for you, eh?
-No, not at all.
But it does seem a bit unfair
that I should triumph over
two members of the same family.
-You seem very
confident, Mrs. Hawkins.
-Well, I have reason to be.
For one thing, my bulbs
are already planted.
-What?
-But this is the opening
day of the contest.
This is the morning
of the opening day.
-What you're forgetting is
that a day begins at midnight.
-Do you mean to say
that you were out
at midnight planting bulbs?
-Exactly, and I am
entirely within the rules.
-Well, let me tell
you something.
The contest isn't over yet.
And the prize goes to the one
who's jonquils bloom first.
Yes.
-As I remember, that's
the same boast dear
Mr. Wilson made a year ago.
Now you're putting your
foot in your mouth too.
-Is that so?
I'll put my foot in my
mouth anytime I want.
-Well, there's
obviously room for it.
Goodbye, Mr. Matthews.
-That old catawampus
I'll show her.
Oh, oh, my sacroiliac.
Martha!
Help!
-You can't do this to me.
It'll ruin my life.
I'll leave town.
I'll just be a wanderer of
faraway places, Africa, China,
Minnesota.
-That suits me just fine.
And you can take that
salty redhead with you.
-Helen, wait don't go.
Give me another chance.
-Oh, stop whining, Jerry.
I've had it!
-Hi, Jerry!
Want a lick?
-No.
-Boy, Helen, sure
took off in a hurry.
Did she sit on a bee?
-No, she didn't sit on a bee.
Stop asking dumb questions.
-OK, Jerry, I'll stop.
-I'm sorry, Dennis.
I shouldn't take it out on you
just because I'm a broken man.
-You don't look broken.
What's busted?
-What's inside, where
it doesn't show.
Helen's left me.
She says she never
wants to see me again.
-Boy, I guess that dumb old
Margaret would say that to me.
Why did Helen get mad at you?
-Oh, she got mad just because I
was talking to the girl that's
working down at the
ice cream parlor.
-The ice cream parlor?
Boy, that's the kind of
girl I'd like to have.
I was just over there.
And I could have got this
free if I'd a had a--
-Why don't you
run along, Dennis?
A fella likes to be alone
when he's suffering.
-Are you suffering much, Jerry?
-Life just isn't worth living.
All that's left for
me is to get on a ship
and sale to the
south sea islands.
-If you go to the south
seas, would you write to me?
-Would you really
like to hear from me?
-Yeah, I started I'm
starting a stamp collection.
And I sure could use
some from the south seas.
-So long, Dennis.
-So long, Jerry.
[MUSIC PLAYING
-How does it feel
now, Uncle Ned?
-As though I've been stabbed in
the side with a hot corkscrew.
-I'm terrible sorry.
-I'll never plant
those bulbs know.
That nasty Mrs. Hawkins
will b*at us again.
Her jonquils will bloom first.
-It is a shame.
-She'll have her picture
in the Club Magazine.
Standing there with
her silly smile,
holding up her early bloomers.
[laughter]
-Well, what's funny about that?
-Oh, nothing, I was just
thinking of something else.
Never mind Uncle Ned.
I'll try to find the time
to plant those bulbs myself.
-You'll do nothing of the kind.
I'm not going to have two of us
around here with sprained back.
-Hi, Mrs. Wilson, how's--
-Hi, dear.
-Boy, when you want
your back scratched,
you really get it scratched.
-Uncle Ned sprained
his back, dear.
Would you say with him?
I want to get a
hot water bottle.
-Does it hurt much, Uncle Ned?
-Dennis, I am
completely miserable.
-I bet you're not as completely
miserable as Jerry Simmons is.
He's completely,
completely miserable.
-I am not interested in
anybody's misery but my own.
-You know Jerry.
He's the one that was kicking
the football for me yesterday.
He got in a fight
with Helen Franklin.
And he feels awful.
-I tell you, I am not
inter-- kicking a football?
That Jerry fellow, is that
the one with all the muscles?
-Yes, sir, Jerry's real strong.
-I wonder.
Dennis, would you do me a favor?
-Sure, Uncle Ned.
-See if you can get Jerry
to come over here, will you?
I might be able to help him.
And he might be able to help me.
-OK, see you later, Uncle Ned.
[MUSIC PLAYING
-Oh, I was very much
concerned when Dennis told me
about the rift in your romance.
I know how painful a
thing like that can be.
-Yeah, like I'm all busted up.
-So I said to
myself, I must do all
I can to bind this
young man's wounds.
I must find a way to
help make him forget.
-That's awfully nice
of you, Mr. Matthews.
But it's not use.
There's nothing that
will make me forget.
-Oh, yes there is
Jerry, hard work.
-Hard work?
-Physical labor, you must
devote yourself to toil.
Keep your body so
active that your mind
won't be able to think.
Oh, I urge you to try it.
-Well, what kind of work?
-Well, I could
hardly-- uh, yes, I
have a strip of ground running
along the fence there, see.
I'd like to have that
all dug up into a flower
bed, some beautiful
bulbs planted into it.
But, no, I-- yes, yes, I'd
be willing to let you do it.
-Well, that's awfully
nice of you, but--
-And what's more, I'll
even pay you $ . an hour.
Oh, no, please, I insist.
It would be worth
it to know that I
helped mend a broken heart.
-OK, I'll try it.
-Jerry, you've made
a wise decision.
I'll show you where
I want you to start.
Yes, follow me.
Now, there's the spade, Jerry.
And this is the
section all along here.
So dig right in and you'll
soon find blessed relief.
And don't hold back, Jerry.
Remember, the faster
and the harder you work,
the sooner your mind
will be at rest.
-Hi, Jerry!
Want a cookie?
-No thanks, Dennis,
I'm too busy.
-Boy, Mrs. Wilson sure
does make good cookies.
I could eat a dozen of them.
-How many have
you eaten already?
-Oh, about a dozen.
Is Jerry going to plant
the bulbs for you?
-He is, Dennis, yes.
-How much are you paying him?
-$ . an hour.
-Isn't that kind of
cheap, Uncle Ned?
-Dennis, Jerry was very
grateful for the opportunity.
I pointed out that
the work would
make him forget all about Helen.
-You're a real,
kind man, Uncle Ned.
-Yes, thank you.
And I want to thank you
for bringing him over.
It was a big help.
-You're welcome, Uncle Ned.
MARGARET (OFFSCREEN): Dennis!
-Uh oh, now I'm
going to need help.
-Hi, Dennis.
-You better go on
home, Margaret.
You'll catch cold running
around in your underwear.
-This is what we wear at
dancing school, silly.
You're so hopeless
about the finer things.
Now come along.
I'll change my clothes.
And we'll start playing house.
-Gee, I can't play house
with you, Margaret.
Uncle Ned needs me here.
Don't you, Uncle Ned?
-What?
Well, I-- oh, yes, yes, yes,
I need him here, Margaret.
-Yeah, me, and
Jerry, and Uncle Ned
are planting a lot
of stuff in the yard.
-You promised to play
house with me, Dennis.
Won't you let him go, Uncle Ned?
-Oh, I'm sorry, Margaret.
I can't spare him today.
-Yeah, and I can't
go if Uncle Ned says
I can't, because he's a grownup.
-All right, Dennis,
but I'll be back.
-Thanks a lot, Uncle Ned.
-Glad to do it.
You help me, and I help you.
-Us men have to stick
together, don't we?
-You're so right.
-Jerry, you've just
got to work harder.
Concentrate on the flower bed.
Make your mind a perfect blank.
At your age, that
shouldn't be difficult.
-I'll try, Mr. Matthews.
But I just can't forget Helen.
-This is fun, Jerry.
I like to watch you work.
-Be my guest, Dennis.
-Sure is better
than playing house
with that dumb old Margaret.
All she wants to
do is fool around
with a bunch of old dolls.
-Jerry, you stopped again.
-I'm sorry, Mr. Matthews.
What Dennis said
reminded me of Helen.
She's a living doll.
-Well, really, if everything's
going to remind you of Helen,
you're never going
to forget her.
And I'll never get
the bulbs planted.
So concentrate.
-Yes, sir.
-And, Dennis, if you
must talk, please
don't say anything to
remind him of his lost love.
-OK, Uncle Ned.
I'll help you
forget, too, Jerry.
As soon as you finish
working for Uncle Ned,
we can go over in the
park and fly my kite.
I got a new one.
-Now what?
Did something
remind you of Helen?
-Yeah, the kite.
-Kite?
-Her last name is Franklin.
You know Ben Franklin?
He's the guy that--
-I know all about him.
I had no idea that he
was going to foul me up.
-I'm sorry, Mr. Matthews.
-All right, well,
I think we might
as well give this
whole thing up.
It's no use.
We're so far behind
now in the competition
that we'll never
win the contest.
And I certainly have tried.
-Mr. Matthews!
Here's the beast you sent
to destroy my jonquil bulbs.
-That's just Fremont!
What are you talking about?
-Don't you act innocent with me!
This animal dug up
every one of my bulbs
and scattered them
all over my yard.
You see the mud on his paws?
I caught him red-handed.
But I'll b*at you yet.
Here, take this, this
trained bulb snatcher.
-Man's best friend,
oh, wonderful.
Jerry, we're not trailing
in the competition at all.
We're going to start
even with Mrs. Hawkins.
We've got to get those bulbs
in the ground right away.
[whimper]
-My little boy.
-I'd sure like to help you, sir.
But it's just no use.
All I can think of is
that I've lost my girl.
How can I work?
-Could you work if you
had your girl back?
-Boy, could I. If I had
Helen right here beside me,
I'd work my brains out.
-Uncle Ned, maybe if you
and me go talk to Helen,
we could get her to
get up with Jerry and--
-Why that's a brilliant idea.
And I have great
powers of persuasion.
Yes, I see non reason at
all why I couldn't-- oh!
-So I'll eat this on the
way to Helen's house.
And I'll eat twice as
much for dinner, OK?
-Well, if it's that
important to you, all right.
-Oh, it is important.
We've got to get those bulbs
planted so Mr. Wilson can win.
-Do you think you
and Uncle Ned can
talk into seeing it your way?
-Sure, we'll get her to make
up with Jerry because she's
a real nice girl Girls
can be nice, you know?
-I'm glad you're
discovering that, good luck.
-Bye now.
-He's really made
that big discovery.
Girls can be nice, he says.
-That was obvious
this morning when
he was so attentive to Margaret.
He usually runs from her.
-Well, I'm glad to see it.
Poor little Margaret's
been chasing
him so hard for
so long she really
deserves a little kindness.
-I stand before you,
dear child asking,
nay, imploring, for you to give
this dear boy another chance.
-Gee, I don't know Mr. Matthews.
-Now, now, please.
Why not think of me as
kindly old Uncle Ned?
-Jerry feel awful, Helen.
He'll never get that flower
bed dug up if you don't--
-I'll do the talking, Dennis.
The flower bed,
it's not important.
-It isn't?
But I thought you said if
Jerry didn't plant those--
-Never mind.
I'm interested here
only in the happiness
of two very fine young people.
-Is he really
broken up about it?
I mean, really?
-Boy, you ought to see him.
He looks sick.
-He should look sick.
-Nothing brings greater
happiness than true love.
The tender passion that makes--
-He wants that Dizzy
Maybell, he can have her.
-Heck, he doesn't like her.
He can't stand her.
-He can't?
Are you sure?
-He told me so himself.
He just goes in there for
hot fudge, that's all.
He says life is just
nothing without you.
-Gee, poor guy, I guess
I was pretty mean to him.
-And give Jerry another chance.
-I'll go see him right now
and tell him I'm sorry.
-Good, oh, good, Helen.
I knew you'd see it my way.
-Your way?
-Yes, of course, I
was just suggesting--
-Oh, excuse me, Mr. Matthews.
I wasn't listening.
Come on, Dennis!
I'll race you over there!
-You watch the dirt
fly now, Uncle Ned.
-Oh, I tell you, Dennis.
We've done it again.
Look at that boy work.
-Yeah, he'll get your bulbs
planted real fast I bet.
-Yes, oh, Dennis, why don't
you run back to the garage
and get the bulbs?
They're in a large, square--
-Sure, I know where
Mrs. Wilson keeps them.
-Helen, look our for
that flying dirt!
Come sit here and
keep out of the way.
-Oh, don't worry.
I won't get any dirt on her.
You stay right here where
I can see you, honey.
-Fine, that's fine.
Now that we have that settled,
let's get the digging finished.
-Yes, sir.
-Good.
It's no use, Mr. Matthews.
I'm going to knock
it off for the day.
I'm so happy I
feel like dancing!
-How can you knock it off for
the day without it finished?
It's got to be
finished-- what is this?
Stop it.
Stop it.
Here, Helen, attention,
now, you two young folks
are planning to be married?
-Yes, sir.
-Right, right, so the soon this
young man starts earning money,
the sooner you can
afford to get married.
-He's right, honey.
I got to get real busy.
-As soon as you finish
this strip here,
you can start
putting in the bulbs.
-Here they are, Uncle Ned!
-Oh, thank you,
Dennis, thank you.
-You're right, Mr. Matthews,
about me needing money.
So as soon as I finish here, I
got to get myself a real job.
-What?
-Hey, I know where you
can find a job, Jerry.
They were putting up a sign
when I was there this morning.
$ . an hour, it says.
-$ . an hour!
That's wonderful, Jerry!
-Where is it, Dennis?
-At the ice cream parlor.
-Well, I better get down there
before somebody else does,
honey.
-The ice cream parlor!
You're not going to
start that again!
-Start what?
I just want to get the
job so we can get married.
-You don't want to work there.
You just want to be there so
you can be with that Maybell!
-I do not!
I just want to get the job.
-You don't fool
me, Jerry Simmons!
Go on.
Go ahead.
You can spend the rest of your
life with her for all I care,
because our marriage is off!
-Well, all right, that
suits me just fine.
Goodbye!
-If you're going to the south
seas, don't forget to write!
-Well, well, well, what
am I going to do now?
-Maybe I could plant those bulbs
for you if you show me how.
-Thank you Dennis.
That's very kind of you.
But I don't believe
you could do it.
This is a very particular job.
-I'll plant those bulbs
for you, Mr. Matthews.
I owe it to you.
It's partly my fault that
Jerry didn't get it done.
I sort of drove him away.
-Well, do you know how to do it?
-Oh, yes, sir.
I like planting things.
I plant our vegetable
garden every year.
-Really?
Well, Helen, I
accept your offer.
And remember this,
hard work will
make you forget all about him.
Now, you make the holes
about that deep, you see.
And about that far apart.
Put a bulb in each hole.
And cover them all with dirt.
-Yes, sir, that's easy.
-Here's the trowel.
And I-- oh, oh, my back I think
I'd better go in and lie down.
-I'll go with you, Uncle Ned.
I'll help Mrs. Wilson rub it.
[MUSIC PLAYING
-You know, Dennis, my back,
it feels so much better.
-Me and Mrs. Wilson are
good rubbers, all right.
Mr. Matthews, I'm all through!
-Oh, oh, Helen, that is fine.
That's just the
way it ought to be.
I certainly do appreciate that.
-Hey, look who's coming back!
[MUSIC PLAYING
-Helen, honey.
-Well, I couldn't live
with you mad at me.
And I'm not going to take the
job at the ice cream parlor.
I'll find something else.
-Oh, I'm glad!
-Come on, let's go for a walk.
-Oh, wait, I forgot
one, Mr. Matthews.
-Oh, well, now,
Helen, it's all right.
It's OK.
Don't worry about it at all.
-Might as well finish it right.
I can't wait to see these bloom.
-No, wait, what are you doing?
Helen, you're planting
it upside down.
-Upside down?
This is the root here isn't it?
I mean, this ends goes down?
-No, no, this is the
top of the bulb there.
The root there,
see, the root there.
See, you plant it that way.
-Why?
You didn't?
-Yes, sir.
I planted them all
that way, of them.
-Now, they'll never come up.
-Come to think of it, my onion
sets never came up either.
-Now Mrs. Hawkins will
win again this year.
Oh, of all the unfortunate--
-I'm sorry about the
flowers Uncle Ned.
But this day hasn't
been all bad.
-What do you mean?
-Turned out swell for me.
I didn't have to play house
with that dumb old Margaret.
Well, see you tomorrow!
[MUSIC PLAYING
- , Fremont!
Fremont!
Here boy!
Here boy!
Oh, that's my little Fremont.
That's my little boy.
Now, you listen to me.
Bulbs, jonquils, go get them,
the way you did this morning.
One block down the street, the
second house, big flower bed,
dig them up.
Dig them up.
[barking]
-Mom, I'm home!
-Well, we were just
going to look for you.
-I've been over
helping Uncle Ned.
-We have a little
surprise for you.
-Yes, since you've been
such a good boy all day,
Mom invited one of your best
friends over for dinner.
-And you can stay up until
o'clock and watch television.
-Oh, boy, swell!
Tommy, hey, Tommy!
Where are you?
-It's not Tommy.
It's me, Dennis.
And I brought are baby to
spend the evening with us.
-Margaret, oh, good gravy.
[MUSIC PLAYING
03x32 - Dennis' Lovesick Friend
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.