-Boy, sure is a swell
picture of Mr. Wilson.
-First Mockingbird of Spring
seen in John Wilson's yard.
How about that?
-He built a nest
right in his tree.
-Spring's really here, isn't it?
-Yeah.
And you know what me and Tommy
want to do some night, mom?
Sleep in our tree house.
Can we sleep in our
tree house, mom?
-Oh no, not again.
-Last year you rolled out
and nearly broke your neck.
No tree house.
-OK.
Hey, can we camp out in
the backyard some night?
In Mr. Wilson's tent if
he'll let us borrow it.
-Well, I guess
it'll be all right,
if it's all right
with Mr. Wilson.
-I'll go ask him right now.
You know something?
I bet Mr. Wilson'd like
to sleep in our tree house
some night, like his
grandfather always did.
-His grandfather?
Where'd you get
that information?
-I heard Mrs. Elkins talking.
She said all Mr.
Wilson's ancestors
are bananas and lived in trees.
I'll ask him about that.
That's real interesting.
-Don't bother Mr. Wilson!
Come back here!
[theme music]
-Oh, it's so nice to have
a mockingbird around.
-I love them.
-It couldn't have happened
at a better time, Eloise.
That little mocker
is going to get
me elected president of
the Bird Watcher Society.
-Mr. Timberlake is really
retiring this year, is he?
-After years.
That's something
else that bird'll do.
Help me get
Timberlake behind me.
-Oh, so that's why you
invited him over here today
to see the nest.
-What else?
If I can get Clarence,
Timberlake, and Dorceman,
that Elkins woman
won't get one vote.
-Oh, you slick politician.
-Hi, Mr. Wilson.
Boy, that sure is a swell
picture of you in the paper.
First mockingbird of the
season. that's terrific.
-And there he is,
right up in my tree.
-So, can me and Tommy
borrow your tent today
so we can sleep out in
our back yard in it?
-Oh, well, uh, sometime, Dennis.
But not today.
See, it's packed under a lot of
stuff up in the attic and I--
Oh.
[chirping]
[whistling]
-Boy, that's swell, Mr.w isln.
You sound just like him.
-Hail to thee, blithe spirits.
Ah, Wilson.
You are to be congratulated.
The first mockingbird of spring
has chosen to live with you.
-Oh, yes, I am fortunate,
Mr. Timberlake.
-There's his nest,
Mr. Timberlake.
Right up there, see?
-Uh, I'll show him, Dennis.
I'll show him.
-What a splendid nest.
An excellent location.
He'll be safe from all harm.
-Oh, I assure you, no harm
will come to him in my yard.
I'll be extremely
vigilant, as any candidate
for your high office should be.
-Well spoken, Wilson.
I'm sure if you're
elected, you'll
be a staunch guardian for
our little feathered friends.
-Oh, I will.
I certainly will.
And I'm sure that
Mrs. Elkins, too,
will do her best if elected.
-Well, she'll try, I suppose.
But it will be extremely
difficult for a woman
to fill your shoes.
-Well, Mr. Timberlake!
I thought I thought I
saw you come in here!
-Hello, Mrs. Elkins.
-Mr. Wilson.
Dennis.
-Hi, Mrs. Elkins.
-Is there something we can
do for you, Mrs. Elkins?
-No, thank you.
I just wanted to
tell Mr. Timberlake
that when I'm elected
president of our society,
I'll follow his policies toward
our dear little birds exactly.
-That is so comforting
to hear, Mrs. Elkins.
Well, Mr. Timberlake
knows how I feel.
And when I'm elected--
-Did you see Mr.
Wilson's mockingbird?
It's right up there.
-Yes, it's lovely.
But not Mr. Wilson's bird, dear.
The birds belong to all
of us who love them.
-Indeed they do, yes indeed.
And they're so
exquisitely sensitive
to love and affection, too.
-Absolutely, Mr. Timberlake.
Now, you take that bird there.
He could just as well have built
his nest in Mrs. Elkins' yard,
but he knew where he
was loved the most.
Here.
-Now, Mrs. Elkins,
by week's end there
will be dozens of
them in town, and I'm
sure that you'll have nests
in your backyard, too.
-Well, of course I will.
I love them so.
-Your little old cat Tinkerbell
sure loves birds, all right.
She's always chasing them.
-Mrs. Elkins?
You have a cat?
-Yes, I do, Mr. Timberlake,
but I'm getting rid of it.
I've already made
arrangements to give it away.
-A wise decision.
Well, I must be running along.
It's been so nice, Wilson.
-Must you rush off?
We've hardly had time to--
-I'll walk out with
you, Mr. Timberlake.
And, Mr. Wilson,
when I'm elected,
I'll put you on a committee.
-Well, we'll see who's elected.
Let's just say, may
the best man win?
-No, Mr. Wilson.
May the best woman win.
-Miserable.
I consider this a
profitable day, Eloise.
I think I've got
Timberlake's backing.
-I hope so, dear.
[chirping] Listen.
Isn't that beautiful?
-Lovely.
A fitting lullaby for
the next president
of the Bird Watcher's Society.
Good night.
-Good night, dear.
[chirping]
-Oh, it's : .
Eloise.
Eloise?
-What is it, dear?
-He's still at it.
Every time I get to sleep,
that bird wakes me up.
-I know.
And every time he
wakes you up, you
wake me up to tell me about it.
Now lie down.
[chirping]
-Morning, John.
Isn't this a beautiful day?
-Oh, hello, Henry.
-Boy, oh, boy,
you writers really
have the life, sleeping
until : in the morning.
I wish I could do that.
-As a matter of fact,
I hardly slept at all.
Laid awake all night
listening to that mockingbird.
-You mean you stayed awake
just to listen to it?
Boy, you must love it.
-I don't love it at all,
and I didn't stay awake.
I was kept.
Forget it, Henry.
-Boy, is he grouchy.
Well, I hope you sleep
better tonight, John.
[chirping]
[chirping]
-Oh, shut up and let me sleep!
-Was I snoring, dear?
-Oh, no, no, Eloise.
Oh, I'm sorry to wake
you up, but that bird
is driving me out of my-- How
can you sleep with all that?
Oh, I give up.
-Made a little surprise for you.
Thought it might
make you feel bad.
-Mm, my favorite cake.
Mm.
Well, I have a
little surprise too,
for that confounded mockingbird.
-Firecrackers?
-Left over from the th of July.
If there's one thing birds
hate more than anything else,
it's noise.
DENNIS (OFFSCREEN): Mr. Wilson!
-We've got a surprise
for you, Mr. Wilson.
-Yeah, a surprise.
We've been digging all
morning, in my backyard.
And look what we got
for your mockingbird.
Worms.
-Oh, fine, just what
I've always wanted.
A can of worms.
-We'll leave it right
here, Mr. Wilson.
-Now that little old
mockingbird will never
have to leave this yard again.
Not even to eat.
-Oh, for crying out loud.
-Here, birdy,
birdy, birdy, birdy.
Cheep, cheep,
cheep, cheep, cheep.
-Oh, brother, what
a narrow escape.
Dennis almost caught me
lighting the firecracker.
-Oh, fine.
-I just had time to put them out
and shove them in my sweater.
-In your sweater?
Oh, John, you shouldn't--
-Eloise, I told you
I put it out first.
You don't think I'm silly
enough to-- it's still lit!
[chirping]
-I guess he isn't hungry yet.
The worms are still here.
-He's sitting up
there on his nest.
-Oh, Dennis, I'm
glad you're here.
Say, how would you boys like
to make a quarter, a piece?
-OK.
-Swell.
-Well, you know that
big new drug store?
-You mean the one across
the railroad tracks,
on the other side of town?
-That's the one.
Well, they have a special
kind of hair tonic.
I, uh, I wrote it down.
I want you to get
a bottle for me.
There you are, and here is
a quarter for you and you.
-Thanks, Mr. Wilson.
-It's a pretty long
trip, but we'll hurry.
-No, no, don't hurry.
No, it'll take you about an
hour, but take your time.
Don't hurry.
-OK.
Come on, Tommy.
-Well, you won't keep me
awake tonight, loudmouth.
In about five minutes,
you'll think a w*r down here.
-Jeepers, Mr. Wilson,
what are you doing?
-Please, please,
don't interrupt me.
I'm busy, Dennis.
I-- Dennis!
What are you boys
doing back here?
-You forgot to give us the
money to pay for the hair tonic.
-And whatcha making all
the noise for, Mr. Wilson?
You'll scare the
mockingbird away.
-Yeah, birds get
scared of noise.
-Uh, well, not
mockingbirds, Dennis.
They don't mind noise at all.
-They don't?
-No.
They don't.
As a matter of fact, some crows
were bothering our mocker,
so I frightened them away.
-Boy, you sire did.
No crows up there now.
-Well, you two boys
run along and play.
-What about your hair tonic?
-Well, I've changed my mind.
Forget it.
-Boy, he sure as flipped.
-You know, Eloise, I believe
that b*ating on that pan
actually drove that
raucous bird away.
-We haven't heard a
single chirp all evening.
-What a relief.
Now we can leave the window open
and get a good night's sleep.
Good night, dear.
-Good night, dear.
[chirping]
-Oh, no.
At least I'll keep
some of that noise out.
[chirping]
-Here's your juice, dear.
-Yeah.
-Anything new in the paper?
-No.
-Oh, you sound like a bear.
Didn't you sleep
at all last night?
-I hardly slept a wink.
I tried counting sheep,
but it didn't work.
They didn't have wool.
They had feathers.
-Oh, poor John.
-Well, when I finish
with the paper,
I'm going to do what I should
have done in the first place.
I'm going to get a ladder,
get the nest out of the tree,
and throw it away.
-Oh, you better not let Mr.
Timberlake catch you at it.
-Oh, I shall use
every precaution.
But I've got to get
rid of that bird.
[doorbell]
-I'll see who it is.
-Oh, good morning, Mrs. Elkins.
-Good morning.
-Mrs. Dudley.
-Good morning.
-May we see Mr.
Wilson for a minute?
-Why yes, of course.
Come right on in.
-Dear, Mrs. Elkins and
Mrs. Dudley to see you.
-Good morning, Mr. Wilson.
-Well, what do you want now?
-That's not a very cheerful
greeting, I must say.
-I don't feel very cheerful.
-John's terribly tied.
Our mockingbird kept
him awake all night.
-Really?
Oh, you must hate
that bird, Mr. Wilson.
-Oh, not at all.
I'm devoted to it, as any
true bird lover would be.
Its singing didn't
keep me awake.
I have a touch of indigestion.
-Oh.
Too bad.
-Would you ladies
care for some coffee?
-No, thanks.
We won't be staying long.
-Would you make
some for me, dear?
-Oh, of course.
-Well, very cheerfully,
what do you want?
-Well, I would like to set up
my tape recorder here and record
the song of spring's
first mockingbird.
-For the club's archives.
-Well, of all the nerve.
I see through your
little scheme.
You want to record
my mockingbird,
play it at the club next
week to get you more votes.
Well, just forget
it, Mrs. Elkins.
-Very well, Mr. Wilson.
But when the other members learn
that you have deprived them
of such a wonderful
record, they certainly
won't elect you president.
Come on, Mable.
-Confound it!
Wait a minute.
You've got me over a
barrel, haven't you?
-What a crude remark.
-All right, set
up your recorder.
I know when I'm licked.
-Thank you.
-We'll put it near the
door, so that the cord
will reach the tree.
-Put it anywhere.
-Hand me the cord, Mable.
There.
Now, that will do the trick.
Now, when the bird starts to
sing, you turn it on here.
And we'll go out and put the
microphone near its nest.
-Hi, Mrs. Elkins.
-Well, hello, boys.
-Hi.
-Hi, Mr. Wilson.
Me and Tommy thought you might
let us have your tent now.
-Dennis, I told you, it's up in
the attic under a pile of junk.
It would take me all
day to get it out.
-Maybe it's on top of the junk.
Couldn't you look?
-All right, all right.
I'll look.
Anything to keep you quiet.
-Boy, he sure is grouchy today.
-Oh, his bark's
worse than his bite.
Anyhow, I think it is.
He's never really bit me.
Hey.
What's this thing?
-Oh, that's a tape recorder.
My dad's got one.
-You mean it makes
records of stuff?
-Sure, if you turn it on.
-What turns it on?
-This little gimmick here.
-I hear you told Mr.
Timberlake that you're
going to give your cat away.
-Yes, I told him that.
-Is it making a
record of us now?
-I don't think so.
There's supposed to
be another gimmick
you're supposed to talk into.
-Dennis, I couldn't-- do you
have to monkey with everything
you see?
This is not to be turned on
until the mockingbird sings.
-I'm sorry, Mr. Wilson.
What about the tent?
-Well, I couldn't find
it, so it must be buried.
Now run along, boys.
-OK.
Let's go over to
your house, Tommy.
-OK, let's.
So long, Mr. Wilson.
-So long, boys.
So on.
-Oh, just in time for
your coffee, dear.
-Oh, thank you, dear.
Well, I see Mrs.
Elkins and her chum
have flown off on their broom.
-I saw them leave.
-Well, I guess it's
safe to go and get
that bird's nest
out of the tree.
-What about Dennis and Tommy?
They just went by.
-Well, they're going
over to Tommy's house.
No, the coast is clear.
Moving day for our
feathered friend.
-Hi, Mr. Wilson.
Whatcha doing?
-Uh, Dennis, I thought
you've gone to Tommy's house?
-We're on our way now.
We just stopped at my
house to get some cookies.
-Yeah.
Can't make a trip like that
without something to eat.
-Is that the mockingbird's
nest you're throwing away?
-Uh, yes.
Yes, it is.
The wind blew it
out of the tree.
-Wind?
I don't feel any wind.
-Well, uh, it was a high wind.
But don't worry.
I'll build it another
nest, better than this one.
-How can a man
build a bird's nest?
Only birds know how to do that.
-Oh, I can do it, Tommy.
I've made such a close study
of them, I understand them.
I, I think the way they do.
-Yeah.
He's got sort of a bird brain,
haven't you, Mr. Wilson?
-At times.
Good bye, boys.
-Bye, Mr. Wilson.
Mr. Wilson sure loves birds.
Not many men would
build a nest for one.
-I guess not.
-Hi, Mrs. Elkins.
Hi, Mrs. Dudley.
-Hi, Dennis.
Hi, Tommy.
-Guess what Mr.
Wilson's gonna do?
He's gonna build a nest
for his mockingbird.
-Build a nest?
-Yeah, with his own hands.
-Because the wind blew the
old one out of the tree.
-Are you sure
about this, Dennis?
-Sure I'm sure.
I just saw him throw the
old one in the trash can.
-Well, thank you very much
for telling me, Dennis.
-You're welcome, Mrs. Elkins.
Come on, Tommy.
Bye, Mrs. Dudley.
-Bye.
-Mable, we've got him.
The wind didn't
blow that nest down.
There wasn't any wind?
-You think he took
it down himself.
-Of course.
His wife said that bird's been
keeping him awake at night,
so he got rid of it.
-Well, this should make you
the next president of the club.
-Right.
I'll call Mr.
Timberlake and tell
him to meet us at the Wilson
house and soon as he can.
We'll nail John
Wilson to the mast.
-Then it's true, Wilson?
You actually tore down the nest
of an innocent little bird?
-Yes, I did, Mr. Timberlake.
There's no use lying about it.
-This is dreadful.
To think that I'd
hear such an admission
from the lips of a
man with whom I've
spent so many happy
hours in the woods,
watching the yellow bellied
sap sucker sucking sap.
-He had us all fooled,
Mr. Timberlake.
He never did care for birds.
-Mrs. Elkins, you may
have me where you want me,
but you cannot say that
I do not care for birds.
-It was lack of
sleep and exhaustion
that drove me to do what I did.
-I can understand that.
Once a woodpecker
tap, tap, tapped
on the drainpipe outside
my bedroom window night
after night, until I was sorely
tempted to-- well, never mind.
That was a long time ago.
I've outgrown that.
-Well, I'm glad you understand.
-Yes, but under
the circumstances
I don't see how
I can support you
for the presidency of the club.
-In my opinion, he should
be forced to resign.
-Well, that's a little
drastic, perhaps, but--
-Hi, Mr. Wilson, I-- oh, I
didn't know you had company.
-That's all right, Dennis.
-I brought you some straw
to put in the bird's nest
you're building.
-He isn't building
a nest, Dennis.
He never intended
to build a nest.
Mr. Wilson doesn't like birds.
-Sure he does, Mrs. Elkins.
Mr. Wilson loves birds.
-Mr. Timberlake, will you
please set the boy straight?
It's a shame for him to
have faith in a hypocrite.
-Well, he was only pretending.
-You're wrong about him not
loving birds, Mr. Timberlake.
One time I was going to
take an egg out of a nest,
and he bawled the
heck out of me.
-Shall we go, Mr. Timberlake?
All this prattle
is a waste of time.
-And another time, I found a
baby sparrow on the ground.
Mr. Wilson kept it in a shoe box
and fed it with an eye dropper
until it was big enough to fly.
-That's most commendable,
young man, but--
-And how about this?
He got a tape
recorder so he could
make a record of the
mockingbird's singing.
-That happens to be
my recorder, Dennis.
-Well, anyhow, Mr.
Wilson's the one
who's going to make the
record, and I bet you
he's got some real good songs.
Listen, Mr. Timberlake.
MRS. DUDLEY
(RECORDED): I hear you
told Mr. Timberlake you're
going to give your cat away.
MRS. ELKINS (RECORDED):
Yes, I told him that.
-Why, that's your
voice, Mrs. Elkins.
MRS. DUDLEY (RECORDED):
Did you mean it?
MRS. ELKINS (RECORDED):
Of course not.
You know I've always
been a cat lover.
Frankly, I have
no use for birds.
-This must be some
horrible joke.
I'll turn it off.
-Please, I'd like to
hear the rest of it.
MRS. DUDLEY
(RECORDED): Then why do
you want to be president
of the Bird Watcher's club?
MRS. ELKINS (RECORDED):
For publicity, Mable.
Next year I plan to run
for the city council.
The more offices I get
elected to, the more
times I get my name and
picture in the paper,
the better chance I'll have.
MRS. DUDLEY (RECORDED): Oh.
Aren't you the smart one?
MRS. ELKINS (RECORDED): Smart
enough to fool old Timberlake.
Well, I've got
the microphone up.
Let's go.
-I think I've heard enough.
-I, I never said that.
It must be some fake.
-Yes.
He did it.
-Oh, no.
I know what happened.
Dennis turned on
the machine when
you were hanging
up that microphone.
You got caught in your
own trap, Mrs. Elkins.
-I would suggest, Mrs.
Elkins, that if anyone resigns
from the club, it should be you.
-All right.
I will.
Come on, Mable.
Who needs you and
your silly birds?
-Boy, I never expected to
make a record like that.
-As far as I'm concerned,
it's tops on the hit parade.
-I never should have listened
to that woman, Wilson.
You made an honest confession,
but she tried to bamboozle me.
-And you don't
want me to resign?
-Of course not.
This lad has made me realize
that you're a true bird
lover, despite your one mistake.
And I intend to support
you wholeheartedly
for the presidency of the club.
-Isn't that swell, Mr. Wilson?
-Furthermore, I'd like you to
join me on a little field trip
tomorrow, just the two of us.
I think I know where we can
find a purple breasted beetle
catcher catching beetles.
-I'll be there, Mr. Timberlake.
-I'll phone you this evening.
-Oh, wonderful.
-I'll let myself out.
-Oh.
Oh, fine.
Oh, you certainly came
through for me, Dennis.
-You want me to help you
build the birdhouse now?
-Well, I've changed
my mind about that.
I'll miss the song of our
little feathered friend,
but I can't build a nest that
would be a real home for it.
-Yeah, I guess it
wouldn't be easy.
-I'll tell you what
I am going to do.
I'm going to find that
tent for you and Tommy
if I have to tear this
whole house apart.
And I'll set it up in
your yard for you myself.
-Oh, boy, that's
swell, Mr. Wilson.
Would like to sleep
in it with us tonight?
-Oh, well, I don't want
to leave my wife alone.
-Then we'd better skip it.
There wouldn't be
room for her, too.
-Things worked out nicely for
you today, didn't they, dear?
-Perfect.
No nest, no
Mockingbird, and I'll
still be president of the club.
-Thanks to Dennis.
-Oh yes.
Bless his little heart.
If I wasn't so
tired, I'd go over
and see that he's tucked
into his little tent.
[chirping]
-What on Earth is that?
It sounds like
mockingbirds singing at once!
- ?
It sounds like of them.
-Don't they sound
beautiful, Tommy?
-Yeah, keen.
-I'll bet good old Mr.
Wilson's tickled to death.
-He sure ought to be.
-Great Christopher!
Oh, no.
-Hi Mr. Wilson.
Isn't that a swell
surprise we made for you?
-You made that for me?
-Yeah.
You said you couldn't build
them a real home, so we did.
-It's a regular apartment house.
-And we filled it full
of worms and birdseed.
-And birds moved
in from everywhere.
DENNIS (OFFSCREEN):
Now you'll have
a whole bunch of mockingbirds
singing for you every night.
Isn't that terrific?
Jeepers, Tommy, he's so
choked up, he can't even talk.
[theme music]
04x35 - Listen to the Mockingbird
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.