DAGWOOD: Uh-uh, uh-uh.
Don't touch that dial.
Blondie!
[♪♪♪]
[♪♪♪]
[♪♪♪]
[ALARM CLOCK RINGING]
Come on, Dad. Wake up.
Come on. Come on.
Come on. Wake up. Come on now.
[DOGS BARKING]
DAGWOOD: Wait. Wait.
Blondie!
It's going to be
a beautiful market.
Now if you just put
you're okay on that,
-we get to work right away.
-Well, I--
Okay.
Oh. [CHUCKLES]
Good morning, Mr. Whittle.
Good morning, Mr. Dithers
-[GROANS]
-What's the matter?
My ulcer,
it starts like a clock.
It snaps at me every morning
at 9:00.
Yeah. Just when I get here
and I can't imagine
what does it.
Oh, I... I did both
of the designing myself.
What do you think of it,
Bumstead?
Hmm.
Oh, you may speak freely,
Bumstead.
Oh, I can? [CLEAR THROAT]
Well, I think the whole plan
is fine.
[CHUCKLES]
-But a little dull.
-Exactly.
I was hoping for something
with a little more imagination.
DAGWOOD: So was I.
You see,
the problem with markets,
they always look like markets.
Now, it would be--
Fit better in the neighborhood
if this was more the ranch-type.
That's the kind of thinking
I like. Do that.
And, remember,
the completion date,
and the penalty clauses.
You know, I have to have
this market ready for operation
on a certain date.
And every day you fall behind
is gonna cost you money.
And if we're late,
the Dithers Company
will be ruined. [CHUCKLES]
But we won't worry about that,
will we, JC?
[CHUCKLES] Of course not.
Hey, why don't you let Bumstead
supervise the construction.
He's got good, sound,
creative ideas.
Well, I'm gonna be out of town
for several weeks.
I have to check
the other markets in my chain.
Just like the nephew said
to his wealthy dying uncle,
"Just leave everything to me."
[BOTH LAUGH]
Bumstead!
You almost ruined that deal
telling him my plans
were a little dull.
Whose side are you on anyway?
-Who are you-- My ulcer.
-Huh?
-Bumstead, call a doctor.
-Oh. Oh, yes. Right away.
Doctor! Is there a doctor
in the street?
Oh, Bumstead.
[♪♪♪]
But I'm starved.
When is dinner?
As soon as your father gets here
with the frankfurts.
Blondie!
-[DOGS BARKING]
-BLONDIE: In here, dear.
[DOOR SLAMS]
Well, hello there. [CHUCKLES]
Hello there.
All right. All right.
Stop. Stop.
Well, well, well.
Well, how do you do?
How do you do?
Stay. Everybody's fine.
Out. Out. [SIGHS]
-[CHUCKLES]
-COOKIE: Hi, Daddy.
Oh, hi, Cookie.
How's my girl?
-Hi, Pop.
-Hi, boy.
-Hello, dear.
-Hi, Blondie.
Aha! Just guess who Mr. Dithers
has put in charge
-of supervising the new market?
-Oh, that's wonderful.
I knew someday he'd realize
how valuable you are to him.
When did this happen?
Oh, right after the doctor
told Mr. Dithers
he had to stay in the hospital
for a while.
What's the matter with him?
Oh, you know, he worries.
There's something at the office
that upsets him every morning.
Now that you're in charge,
he can stop worrying.
Oh, yes. I told him that,
just before he had
the other att*ck. Oh.
And now, did you bring
the frankfurters home?
-Uh-huh, they're right over...
-[DOG BARKING]
No, no, no. Get away.
Hey, hey. Come here now.
Hey. No. No.
Come here. Come here.
Hey. No. Hey.
Get out of here.
DAGWOOD: Come on. Scram.
Well, it looks like
we're going out
for dinner tonight.
-Daddy.
-DAGWOOD: Huh?
Could you lift me up
for a second, Daddy?
Sure.
Oh, now, where is Woodley?
He said he'd be here
to take pictures of me
supervising the groundbreaking.
There's a bird in this tree,
Daddy.
Yeah. Uh-huh.
Oh. Come on, Cookie.
Now let's get out of the way
because the bulldozer
is gonna knock the tree down.
-But he can't.
-Huh?
-BLONDIE: Cookie!
-DAGWOOD: Cook--
Cookie,
what did you do that for?
-He can't knock down that tree.
-Why not?
Because it's got a bird's nest
in it with five little eggs
-that haven't hatched yet.
-No kidding.
If you knock down that tree,
you'll be a m*rder*r.
Me, a m*rder*r?
You'd have five little eggs
on your conscience.
Here it is, right here.
Aren't they cute?
Yeah. How about that?
It's gonna be quintuplets.
BLONDIE:
I wonder where the mother is.
Oh, she's probably out shopping.
[CHUCKLES] I wonder
where the father bird is.
He's probably out playing poker
with the boys
till the children hatch.
[CHUCKLES]
-Hi, Mr. Woodley.
-What's going on?
You got old man Dithers
strapped up in the tree?
There's a bird's nest
in the tree
with five eggs in it.
Well, just enough for an omelet.
[CHUCKLES]
Daddy isn't going to let them
knock it down until they hatch,
are you, Daddy?
Yea-- No.
Mr. Bumstead, we've got
some grading to do here.
Yeah, I know.
You can do that but, you know,
leave the tree where it is,
just for the moment.
All right. You're the boss.
I'm the boss?
Oh, yes. I'm the boss.
Dagwood, you're a fine
big-hearted man.
Oh, it's nothing.
Any other fine big-hearted man
would do the very same thing.
You're a real human being.
And I wanna make a snapshot
of you in your finest moment.
Oh. [CHUCKLES]
-Stand right here.
-Yeah. Uh-huh.
Now, you hold back the bulldozer
and point to the nest
-in the tree.
-Here. How's that?
Great.
This is very nice of you, Herb.
Well, I am a fine,
kind-hearted man too.
-Can I get in the picture too?
-Huh?
I'm the one who found
the bird's nest
and stopped the bulldozer.
Sure. Why not?
I'm a human being too.
Look noble.
[♪♪♪]
Blondie!
The paper gave me ten dollars
for that snapshot.
Wait till Mr. Dithers sees this
and I'll be ruined.
Came out nice and sharp,
didn't it?
Yeah. Woodley,
how can you do this to me?
The paper gave me ten dollars
for it.
Oh, Blondie, did you see this?
Cookie certainly looks cute,
doesn't she?
No, but how about me?
-You look cute too, dear.
-Oh.
It's marvelous publicity, Herb.
Did you also give them
the story?
Yeah. They gave me ten dollars
for that too.
Blondie, don't you realize
what's gonna happen
when Mr. Dithers sees this?
He's gonna come leaping out
of the hospital,
fire me and take over
the job himself.
Oh. Oh!
You better get right over
to the hospital
and make sure Mr. Dithers
doesn't see it.
Yeah. You're right.
I'll see you later.
-HERB: Wait, Dagwood.
-Huh?
I just want to tell you
I'm sorry
if I caused you any trouble.
-Yeah.
-But if Mr. Dithers does see
-the snapshot...
-Mm-hmm?
...tell him he owes me
ten dollars
-for all the publicity, hmm?
-Oh.
[♪♪♪]
[CHUCKLES] Hello, Mr. Dithers.
Just dropped in
to cheer you up.
-You look terrible.
-[GROANS]
Oh. [CLEARS THROAT]
Let me flip up your pillows
for you.
[GROANS]
-Huh?
-Bumstead!
I'm sorry, Mr. Dithers.
I'm going to put
a little fresh air in them.
Oh. Oh.
I was perfectly comfortable.
You bring those pillows back.
[CHUCKLES]
There you are. There.
Now, come on.
Here we go. Here we go.
Bumstead, let go of my hair,
you egghead.
Egg? Oh. Oh, yes. Egg.
Thank you.
Now, where's my evening paper?
Just hand them to me and leave.
Paper? Uh, what paper is that?
-It was right there.
-Right where?
There? [CHUCKLES]
There's no paper there.
You must be imagining things,
Mr. Dithers.
MR. DITHERS: No, I am not.
Well, how are you feeling,
Mr. Dithers?
-Awful.
-Hmm.
Your chart
doesn't indicate that.
Oh. [CLEARS THROAT]
Hey, Doctor, uh,
couldn't you give him something
for his nerves?
He's very jittery.
Mr. Dithers, I can understand
why your pulse is so high.
It's because everybody
is annoying me.
All I want to do is to lie here
in peace and quiet
and read my evening paper,
but that's disappeared.
Well, you can have mine.
I'm through with it.
I could have sworn
I had a paper.
I must have put it down
someplace.
Oh, there it is
on the window ledge.
Yeah. There--huh?
Of course I--
Must have put it there.
I'll get it. Oh.
-I-- I goofed. [CHUCKLES]
-Why can't I have a paper?
Now, now, Mr. Dithers.
Don't get excited.
Remember, we're trying
to get rid of your ulcer.
Who threw this newspaper out
on the lawn?
-Oh, I was--
-Now look here, Mr. Bumstead.
We try to keep
our hospital grounds
nice and clean,
but we can't if you throw
your trash pile on there.
How would you like it
if I threw trash
-on your front lawn?
-Uh-huh.
I supposed that would be
a little different now,
-wouldn't it?
-Yeah. Yeah. Will you excuse me?
I'll explain later.
Will you move just a little bit
now, please? Thank you.
Bumstead!
Since when are you boss
of the Dithers Company?
I want that tree
knocked down tomorrow
bird's nest or no bird's nest.
Is that clear, Bumstead?
Mr. Dithers, don't you care
about those eggs?
I only care about eggs
when I have them breakfast.
I want work started
on that job tomorrow
or I will fire you retroactively
till last week, you understand?
Ye... Yes, Sir.
m*rder*r.
[BELL TOLLS]
[♪♪♪]
Dagwood, you're supposed
to be asleep.
-What are you doing?
-I'm wrestling with myself.
Who is winning, dear?
Look, Blondie,
I know it's ridiculous
to hold up construction
of a new market
because of five little eggs
in a bird's nest,
but I can't bring myself
to knock down that tree.
I understand.
You know, Cookie took Daisy
down there and left her
to guard the nest
in case any cats came along.
Yeah. She's an awfully smart
little girl.
[SIGHS]
You know what she'll think of me
if I have to do it?
Well, this is business,
and you do work for Mr. Dithers.
Yeah. Business
ought to have a heart.
-And it usually pays off too.
-You better come to bed, dear.
What are you going to do?
Eat my sandwich.
[♪♪♪]
-Oh, Mr. Bumstead.
-Huh?
All the bird lovers in town
are so proud of you.
Oh, thank you.
[CHUCKLES]
They certainly are pretty eggs.
[SIGHS]
I suppose we got to do it.
-I suppose so.
-Yeah. Come on, Daisy.
Well, how about it,
Mr. Bumstead?
Look, Matt, I don't like
to have to do it, but...
-[BIRD CHIRPING]
-Huh?
[BIRD CHIRPING]
I won't do it.
I've got too much respect
for motherhood.
Good for you, dear.
Now look, Matt. First of all,
lay the foundation,
and we won't move that tree
until the eggs are hatched.
Swell. You know, Mr. Bumstead,
I never realized you had it...
-Oh.
-...but you got it.
I don't know what he thinks
I've got.
Maybe it's a hole in my head.
But he said it in,
kind of, a nice way, didn't he?
He meant you've got a big heart
and a lot of courage.
Yeah. I wonder
how much I'll have
when I see Mr. Dithers
this evening.
-Dagwood.
-Yeah?
What's the verdict?
Mr. Dithers wants me
to evict them,
and I won't do it.
I think you're out of your mind
but I admire you.
[BIRD CHIRPING]
Hey, the bird admires you too.
[CHUCKLES]
[GROANS] I'll k*ll him.
That's what I'll do.
[CLEARS THROAT, CHUCKLES]
Hello, Mr. Dithers.
You're just in time
to witness your execution.
Oh.
Bumstead,
you fowl-headed birdbrain,
why are you doing this?
-Well, it's for the birds.
-It certainly is.
I told you to knock down
that tree.
Mr. Dithers,
I'm not gonna do it.
Ah, in that case,
it's my sad duty to inform you
that the Dithers Company
will no longer require your--
[PHONE RINGS]
Don't go away.
I want to enjoy this moment.
Hello? Yes.
This is Mr. Dithers.
This is Mrs. Larkin
on the News Messenger.
I can't believe that
the public-spirited man like you
could be so cold and ruthless
about that bird's nest
with those five
sweet little eggs in it.
I... I don't hate birds at all.
I love birds, ducks,
and turkeys.
Not just as food I hope.
Oh, no, no, no. But you see I...
Good. Naturally, as a reporter,
it doesn't make
any difference to me,
but I might be
a little prejudiced
if I were writing a story
about you
and I felt
you were a bird hater.
Well, I assure you that tree
will stay
until those little birds
are hatched
or unless there's something
unfortunate happens to the eggs.
Well, thank you, Mr. Dithers.
Not at all. [GRUNTS]
What's the matter, JC?
Is it your ulcer?
No. It is not my ulcer.
No, I can't fire you.
If I did, they'd crucify me
in the papers.
Oh, [CHUCKLES] that's all right,
Mr. Dithers.
Maybe you can fire me
some other time.
[♪♪♪]
[CHUCKLES]
Hey, what do you think, Blondie?
Mrs. Larkin from the paper
called Mr. Dithers
about the bird's nest
and now he's afraid to fire me.
Who do you think asked her
to call him?
Huh?
Yeah? [LAUGHS]
[♪♪♪]
[♪♪♪]
I'll fix them.
[BARKS]
Let go of me, you...
Will you, uh...
[BARKS]
[♪♪♪]
Bumstead, I'm willing to give
that bird's nest sanctuary,
but that market
has got to go up.
But all that hammering
will drive the mother bird away.
Tell her to stuff cotton
in her ears.
Yes, but it won't be good
for the little birdlets.
So five little birdlets
will be born into the world
with slight headaches.
But those birds
have had enough trouble.
Somebody tried to disturb them
last night.
-Really? How shocking.
-Yeah.
You mean someone tried
to ruin their nest?
Who'd do a thing like that?
Well, he'd have to be
a pretty hard-hearted and mean
-and despicable man.
-Yeah.
That's why I thought
it might be you, Mr. Dithers.
Bumstead!
-I was here all the time.
-Mm-hmm.
[CLEARS THROAT]
Mr. Dithers, I have a clue.
Daisy got her teeth
into whatever he
or she was wearing.
Aha.
That was you, Mr. Dithers.
Next time I give you
a penicillin sh*t,
I'm gonna use a blunt needle.
Eureka!
Blondie, I got it.
I got it. I got it.
Dagwood, you're having
a nightmare.
No. I've already have that.
This is the second feature.
I just dreamed off an idea
in my dreams.
-Oh, one of those?
-Yeah.
Now, now. Now, I know what to do
with the market.
And I'm going right down
to that office
and then get to work. Oh, yes.
Goodbye.
Dagwood, put on some clothes.
[♪♪♪]
Certainly is a slowpoke,
isn't she?
Can't blame her though.
Imagine looking after five kids
all at once.
[♪♪♪]
Have you been down to the tree?
Are the eggs hatched yet?
-Not yet.
-Not yet?
Gee, wouldn't it be awesome
if you just thought
they were eggs,
but they were really
-just blue marbles?
-Oh, no.
No, no, no, no.
[♪♪♪]
I think I hear a heartbeat.
But Bumstead told me
it was practically all up.
I tell you
there's not a single tube
before sticking up
on that lot.
[CHUCKLES]
Oh. Hello, fellow bird lover.
Everything is going just fine.
Look at here, Bumstead.
I just came
from my building site
and there's nothing there
but a foundation and a tree.
-Uh-huh.
-Now I'll be back in town
in four days,
and if I don't have my market
on that lot and I know
I won't have
because it's impossible,
I'm going to start suit.
Oh, excuse me.
Guess what?
The eggs have hatched.
Aw.
There's hardly any bird to them.
They're all mouth.
Gee, isn't Mother Nature
wonderful?
Frankly, I'm sick
and tired of her.
You told me the construction
was almost finished.
It is. I figured out a way
not to disturb the mother bird
and still get the market built.
Well, why didn't you tell me?
Well, I didn't wanna disturb
your ulcer.
Well, it was worrying
about what you were doing
that kept me in bed so long.
[CHUKLES] Uh-huh. Come on
over her now, folks. Here
Daddy, you said
that was my dollhouse.
It will be, Cookie, just as soon
as I show it to Mr. Dithers.
Oh, no. Don't tell me
you finally flipped.
Now, I'll explain all this.
Now, here's the lot
and here's the tree.
Now the northwest corner
of the market is being finished
on North Street
on the south side of Elm Avenue.
Now the southwest corner
is being finished
-on the east side.
-Bumstead, what is all this?
I'll explain. Now, you see,
I build the market in sections
on vacant lots all over town.
And in four days,
I'll have it all finished
and it'll all be put together
just like this.
What do you think, Mr. Dithers?
-Just as I always thought...
-Uh-huh.
...he's crazy.
[♪♪♪]
MR. WHITTLE: Amazing,
now it has the imagination
I was looking for.
It wasn't easy supervising
the whole thing
-from my hospital bed.
-Huh?
Dagwood got you
a tremendous amount
of free publicity too.
Yes. I talked to the reporters
almost every day.
Well, now I want you
to draw up plans
for another market
on the other side of town.
Oh, fine.
But I want Dagwood
to take charge of it.
Oh, by the way,
how much did it cost you
-to use all those other lots?
-Well...
Not a cent, Mr. Whittle.
They were all donated
by fellow bird lovers.
Wonderful. Well, I think
I'll go over
and take another look at it.
Oh, Mr. Whittle, before you go,
would you mind taking this?
-What is this?
-[CHUCKLES]
That's worms for baby birds.
Your market has five customers
clamoring for food already.
[ALL LAUGH]
[♪♪♪]
Uh, What's the matter,
Mr. Dithers?
-Hmm?
-What's the matter, Mr. Dithers?
The bird lovers are trying
to drive me nuts.
[SIGH] They all chipped in
and gave me a present
because of my warm-hearted
attitude about that bird's nest.
And I don't dare get rid
of the present
for the week or so.
What is it?
What's so awful about it?
How would you like to work
in this mad house?
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
Oh, shut up!
-[LAUGHS]
-[LAUGHS]
[♪♪♪]
[♪♪♪]
[♪♪♪]