06x03 - The Gardener's Big Day

[bunniefuu]

(dramatic music)

- [Narrator] Robert Young.

And Jane Wyatt.

With Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin,

in Father Knows Best.

- Good morning.

- Hi.

I see they've induced Governor Bradbury

to come here to dedicate our new city park next Saturday.

How'd they talk him into that?

- By naming it BradburyPark, that's how.

(laughing)

- What a corny dedication program they're going to have.

After the Mayor presents the Governor with the keys

to the city, a citizen chosen from a rank and file of

the people will presenthim with get this,

a gold model of a tractor.

- A tractor?

Oh no.

- Well Springfield is the state's leading manufacturer

of tractors.

- Oh but it sounds so corny.

- Perhaps that's it.

It's a nice looking trophy.

It has an inscription about the fruits of labor and all.

- I'd hate to be the citizen chosen

to present it to the Governor.

- You won't be.

They have a list of carefully, handpicked candidates

to choose from which is funny because it's supposed

to be a big democratic gesture.

Choosing a typical citizen at random.

- Wow the new park is going to have the state's largest

rose gardens.

- Oh and that reminds me.

Guess who's applying forthe job of gardener for

those gardens, our old friend Fronk.

- Really, how'd you find out?

- I ran into him at thecity hall yesterday.

He was lost naturally looking for the park department

so I directed him and gave him my business card

as a reference.

- Well he'd be wonderful for the job.

Any time he'd make people happy who really...

- Gosh, what's that, a wreck?

- It's a wreck all right, the one Fronk drives.

Fronk, we were just talking about you..

- Buenos dias Senorita Betty.

Oh nice to see you.

Buenos dias Senora, Senor.

I've come to tell you the great thing

that happened to me.

- You got the rose garden job?

- No, I not hear about that yet but this is even greater.

- Well what is it Fronk,go ahead and tell us.

- Me, Fronk, I am going to meet the Senor Governor.

- Governor?

- The Governor, you?

- Si, they sent me the telegraph.

I have it here.

Oh, gracias.

Read it out loud to makesure it's what he say.

My land lady she read it to me,

but she don't read much better than me.

- Mr. Fronk Smith,this is, wait a minute,

is that your name Smith?

- Si, Fronk Smith.

When I first come it was Reese, then it got changed

to Mendoza, but nobody can spell it so I take

USA name, Fronk.

- Yeah we know that but where'd you get...

- But everybody say what is your last name

and I say what is most popular USA last name?

And everybody say it's Smith.

So I take it so I be popular and boy I sure

am getting popular no?

- Well it's Fronk's address all right

so it must mean him.

- Yeah.

This is to inform you that your name has been drawn

to represent.

Represent the people of Springfield at

the Governor's dedication of Bradbury Park Saturday.

- You have been chosen.

- Hey Mommy, where's my breakfast?

Fronk hi.

- Senorita Kathy.

Your friend is a big man now.

A grand hombre, I'll tell you all about it.

- Sure come on, let's go in the kitchen.

- How in the world do you suppose they happened

to select him?

- I don't know.

But here it is, right here in the telegraph.

- Oh, oh I see.

Well the version thatBetty was talking about.

(laughing)

- No idea how they selected you?

- No I guess maybe they just like me.

(laughing)

- As far as you know nobody submitted your name

or anything?

- No, nothing.

- Maybe they just opened up a phone book

and stuck a pin in itand found Fronk's name.

- Fronk's not in the phone book.

- Well however it happened I think they made

a wonderful choice.

- Here, here.

- Me too, I never thought nothing like this

would ever happen to me.

In the town I was born in I was nobody.

Here I'm somebody.

Here is the best town in whole USA.

- So do you know what you have to do with the Governor

at this park dedication thing?

- Just meet him I suppose.

I say hello Senor Govand he say hello Fronk.

- Oh no, there's more to it than that Fronk.

You have to present him with a gold model

of a tractor.

- Tractor?

- Yeah and you also haveto give a little speech.

As a matter of fact this telegram says you're supposed

to meet with the committee this morning at :

to get all your instructions.

So you'd better hurry.

- : ?

- Yeah.

- Oh I better get going pronto.

- Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Room , City Hall.

- Si, that's it.

- Don't forget now.

- Adios.

- Good bye.

- What a happy guy.

- [Margaret] I've neverseen him so happy.

- I'd still love to knowhow they picked him.

And the name slays me, Frank Smith.

- Well where's our man Frank Smith?

He was supposed to be here at : .

- Don't worry Charlie, he'll be here.

No one's going to miss out on a big honor like this.

- I can't seem to remember which of our candidates

was this Smith fellow.

Can you recall Charlie?

- Not exactly, but wewere sure lucky to draw

a name like that.

Frank Smith, good solid American name.

Newspaper boys liked it.

(banging)

Scott what's that, a wrecking crew?

They shouldn't let those trench workers

park in the main lot.

Like Grapes of Wrath.

Better call Smith.

Elsie, do we have a telephone number for Frank Smith.

What he's here?

Oh good, send him right in.

Now let me see, where's that speech he's going to give?

- It's over here by the sofa.

- Nevermind Knox, I'll get it.

- Buenos dias Senors.

- Ah Pedro.

- Buenos dias.

- Yes, yes, whatever it is you want,

could you come back later?

We're busy now.

- Gracias, but she say you wanted to see me,

I'm Fronk Smith.

- You?

You're Frank Smith?

- Si, Fronk Smith, USA.

Oh, is this little tractor I'm going to give to Senor Gov?

- Three months of careful planning.

Three long months.

- Well Charlie Garrett, how are you?

Come in, sit down.

Well how's the park dedication shaping up?

- Oh just great.

- Sounds like it's goingto be a big affair.

The governor and all?

- The Senor Gov you mean?

Pretty funny joke you pulled on us Jim.

But now how are wegoing to get rid of him?

- Rid of who, what are you talking about?

- Frank Smith.

Worst of it is his name's already been printed

in the papers.

Sure, we wanted to be democratic, draw the name

of some plain, average citizen, but this,

this is ridiculous.

- But I had nothing to do with this.

I knew Fronk was chosen yes, but I don't know how.

- Don't know how?

- No.

- It was you who slippedhim into the line

of candidates yesterday.

My secretary told me all about it.

She was taking down thenames of the candidates

for the drawing and shewas getting near the end

of the line.

- Thank you, next.

Name?

- George Morgan.

- Address?

- Menlow.

- Thank you, next.

Name?

- Fronk Smith.

- How do you spell that?

- Fronk, F-R-O-N-K, and Smith S-M-I-T-H,

popular, first class, USA name.

- How did you?

Are you sure you were recommended for this?

- Oh si, first class recommend.

Senor Anderson, he gave me this card to give to you.

Big friend of mine.

- Jim Anderson, eh?

Well, if he recommendedyou I suppose they know

what they're doing.

How do you spellthat name again?

- F-R.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Let's not go through that again.

I see Mr. Anderson has written your name on his card.

(laughing)

- Here's your recommend,you can have it back.

- Well Charlie, I admit I did recommend Fronk but...

- I can see how you slipped him into the line,

but how did you work it that we would draw his name

from that box, how did you manage that?

- Well fate handled that, not me.

- The reason I recommended Fronk...

- We know the reason, the thing now is to think up

a graceful way of having him withdraw.

- Withdraw?

- Certainly.

The governor's going to be there Jim.

So out steps a representative of the people

of Springfield to welcome him and who is it?

A broken down tramp.

- Now wait Charlie, I,

I know Fronk very well.

There's not a finer person in this town.

He's completely honest.

- So he's honest but he looks like a...

- And his whole philosophy of life

is built on trying to bring a little beauty into

the world through his gardening.

And by trying to make people happy.

How many of your other hand picked candidates

can match that?

- Look Jim, a joke is a joke.

- I'm not joking.

As far as I'm concernedyou couldn't have made

a better selection.

He's not withdrawing.

- But think how he looks.

How he talks, he can't even speak English.

- Now you leave that to me.

I'll take fullresponsibility for him.

He'll look all rightand he'll talk all right

and you'll be as proud to be his friend as I am.

- You're actually serious about this aren't you?

- You bet I'm serious.

Fronk Smith's name was drawn and Fronk Smith

is going to be your man.

- So that's how Fronk was chosen.

- I probably shouldn't have stuck my neck out

saying I'd take full responsibility for him

but Charlie Garret mademe so mad I decided

nothing would deprive Fronk of this honor.

- Well we'll just do a My Fair Lady on him.

We'll get him some good clothes.

- And teach him the English language.

- Between now and Saturday?

- Well it'll be roughon the English language

but we'll have to do it.

- So when do we start?

- Tonight I told him to be here at eight o'clock.

Here's his speech.

Oh boy.

So we better get dinner over early

and prepare for action.

Okay Fronk, now here's your speech

and there is the whole town of Springfield.

(clapping and cheering)

Oh and I'll be Governor Bradbury.

- And this will be the gold model of the tractor.

- Stand up straight andrun through it once.

- Hello Senor Gov,here is a gold tractor.

- Oh no, Fronk, no, no.

- Hey, am I going toshake hands with the Gov

with my hands all full of this junk?

- Don't worry about thatand don't say Senor Gov.

Call him Governor Bradbury and don't make up

your own words, just usethe speech the committee

wrote for you.

- Got you.

Governor Broadbury.

- Oh, no, no, no.

Not Broadbury, Bradbury.

- Si.

Governor Broadbrewery.

(laughing)

- That's great.

- As a representative of the,

seat-i-zens of Spring...

- No, no, no, not seat-i-zens, citizens.

Sit, sit.

- You told me to stand.

- I'm beginning to swing to swing over to Charlie Garret's

viewpoint.

- How am I doing so far?

- Great.

- As a representative.

- Look Fronk, whydon't you go in the den

and work on this with Betty.

We'll run over this again tomorrow night.

I hope this is the right size Fronk,

I just made a wild guess.

- Si the pants are muy bueno.

- Good.

- Yeah, let me fix your tie.

- Hey, I sure going tolook like something, eh?

- You bet, now how does that feel?

Big enough?

- Si outstanding.

Not much good for gardening.

- Don't worry about that.

- Hey, this Senor Gov is sure going to be proud of me eh?

- Now Fronk.

- Not Senor Gov Fronk, now what are you supposed to say?

- Governor Brad-da-bury.

- Closer.

- Gracias.

Hey, who give me theseclothes, the committee?

- Not exactly.

- I thought it was them because they've been so nice

trying to give me a trip and all.

- Trip?

What trip?

- Oh the committee cometo me and say, Fronk,

how would you like to make vacations trip

to Yellowstone's National Park?

We pay the bills, here's your ticket.

And I say oh no, I got to stay here and give

the tractor to the governor and they say,

oh we get somebody elseto take your place,

but I say oh no, this my citizen duty.

- Good for you Fronk.

You said the right thing.

- They sure must like me, all these things they're

trying to do me.

- They're trying to do you all right, that's for sure.

Look Fronk, just to besafe, maybe you'd better

stay with us until thededication ceremony on Saturday.

- Stay here?

- Sure.

- Oh no, too much bother.

- Oh it's no bother at all.

We'll fix up a place foryou to sleep in the den.

- Oh but I need lots of fresh air.

- Open the window, you got a door open there.

- Hey I know, you have the camping tent?

- Uh-huh.

- I sleep in there.

- Oh no, I wouldn't think of it Fronk.

- It is good to have thething settled, gracias.

Good morning Governor Bradbury, as a representative

of the citizens of Springfield it is my honor...

- This easy living is getting to Fronk.

He's just now getting up.

The other mornings he was up at daybreak

working and singing.

- I kept him up quite late last night rehearsing.

He's getting pretty good now.

- I hope so.

The ceremony's today.

- I heard some noises last night and thought

the committee was trying to steal him.

- Could be, they'vebeen cornering my office

the last couple of weekstrying to locate Fronk.

Well I think we have it made now.

If old Fronk could onlyremember his speech.

- He will.

Right after breakfast will put on a full dress rehearsal

for you.

- Good.

- Listen, hey listen.

Mother, Father, the mayor has just given the governor

the keys to the city.

- [Jim] Yes.

- And so I now give you,the man of the people,

Frank Smith.

(cheering)

- Governor Bradbury, as a representative of the cities,

citizens of Springfield, it is my honor to present you

with this trophywhich symbolizes

the fruits of our labor.

- Wait a minute Fronk, don't go on.

I went to hear the rest of it.

- Hey, how am I doing, bueno?

- Oh que bueno.

- Oh.

- Mrs. Anderson?

- [Margaret] Well hello Mr. Garret.

- Get outside.

- But why?

- Just nevermind, go onFronk, go on over there.

Come on kids.

- We don't want Mr. Garret to see you too soon.

We want it to be a surprise.

- Oh si, a surprise.

- [Betty] Stay right here, don't move until we get rid

of Mr. Garret.

- Well Charlie Garret, come on in, good to see you?

How's everything going?

- You should know.

Okay Jim, we give up.

Where have you got him hidden?

- Hidden, who?

- Who, Fronk Smith.

Don't act so innocent.

Time is running out Jim so I'll have to be blunt,

we just plainly do not want that Smith

or whatever his real name is standing up there

in front of the governor disgracing the whole town.

- [Jim] Now wait a minute Charlie.

- [Charlie] We have anotherchap all set to take his place.

- How are you going to explain that to the newspapers?

- We'll handle that.

Now look Jim...

- Charlie I told you I'd take full responsibility for him

and I guarantee he'll do a good job.

- He's been taking speaking lessons night and day

- And he has a far end new suit.

- And he looks pretty in it too.

- And he's a darn good guy.

- Now you see what you're up against Charlie,

you haven't got a chance.

- Yeah, quite a lobby group.

Well, if you refuse to cooperate all I can say is

he better by George make a decent showing.

- He will.

- Because if he doesn'tthe whole fiasco will be

on your head.

- I'm not worried, anddon't you worry either.

We'll see you this afternoon at the park Charlie,

good bye.

- Good bye.

- We sure told him didn't we dad?

- I don't like him.

- Oh Charlie's all right, he's just trying to make this

as good as he possibly can.

Okay get Fronk and we'llfinish the rehearsal.

- Good, Fronk?

Fronk?

Fronk, come back in the house, we're going to finish

the rehearsal.

Fronk?

Fronk?

Fronk?

Father, he's gone.

- [Margaret] Oh, any luck?

- Not a trace of him.

I checked the plant, nursery, everywhere.

- Well his land lady says she hasn't seen him either.

- I can't imagine wherehe could have gotten to

in that old truck ofhis in so short of time.

I don't suppose Bud and the girls

had any luck either?

- Oh they're not back yet but I doubt it.

- Well nothing to do now but go to the park

and make Charlie Garrethappy by telling him

he doesn't have to worry about Frank Smith any more.

Boy I hate to do it.

- It's nearly time for the dedication.

- Come on, we better hurry.

- Gosh Jim, I wish I'd known about this.

- [Steve] Three minutes to go Charlie.

- Okay Steve, Jim I wish you'd let me know this sooner.

- I know I should have Charlie and I'm sorry

but we were so sure that we'd find Fronk.

- And he was so well prepared.

- Well I had a hunch something like this would happen

so luckily I have another fellow standing by

to go on.

Ed, would call that chap George Morgan

and get ready to go on?

- Dad, dad?

We found him dad, we got him.

- Charlie, Charlie, Fronk's here.

- He is?

Well it's...

Okay, now listen.

As soon as this band number's over, well it's over now,

the mayor will present the governor with the key

to the city now and thenhe'll introduce Smith

so get him up there.

- Okay.

Shoo, that was a close one.

(yelling)

- Fronk, what in the world happened to you?

- Senor I must not do this.

I no want to disgrace the town.

- You're not going to disgrace anyone.

Now you just get up there and do your best, come on.

- But, but, I don't have the suit.

- You look fine,now don't worry.

Go up there, you're on, hurry up.

- He's still clutchingone of those silly trees

he was planting.

- Go.

- Oh, he doesn't have that tractor model he's supposed

to give the governor.

- Well they probably have that out there.

Come on let's see if wecan crowd in some place

where we can watch it.

(clapping)

- And now we have a special memento for you Governor,

which comes right fromthe hearts of the people

of Springfield and here to present it

is a man chosen from our good citizens,

Mr. Frank Smith.

(clapping)

- Yay Fronk.

(clapping)

- Uh, Senor Governor Bradbury.

I was supposed to give you a little tractor

and say it is the fruit of my labor.

I no make tractor.

This is what I do.

I plant trees

and flowers, to make theworld more beautiful.

Today out along the highway I have been planting trees

so people will see them when they enter this town

and the trees will show them this is a good town.

Because the trees are like people

and the wonderful thingabout trees is that

all different kinds grow side by side.

No one tree say to another, you no good,

don't you grow here.

Instead they bow toone another in the wind

and say hello amigo, and it is good.

This is what I have to give.

Maybe you plant it in your park.

Gracias.

- Thank you Mr. Smith.

This, this memento

has quite profound significance.

It, it signifies that you have a city of beauty

and true fellowship.

This tree shall indeed be planted in your new park.

In fact Mr. Smith and Iwill plant it together.

This is an American elm isn't it?

- Oh si, boy you sure know your trees Senor Gov.

(clapping)

(upbeat music)