- [upbeat music]
- Stanley, my sister Ethel's due here any minute,
will you get that junk off the table?
- My mother's vase is not junk.
You don't like anything that comes from my mother.
- That's not true.
I got used to you, didn't I?
[audience laughing]
- Why can't you say how nice I glued it together?
Look, I bet you can't notice any difference.
- You're right, it's as ugly as ever.
[audience laughing]
Come on, Stanley, clean up that mess.
You know Ethel's coming to see the house,
and you know what a snob she is.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[audience laughing]
It's stuck.
- Oh no, I told you to be careful with that wonder glue.
Now it'll never come off.
[doorbell ringing]
There's Ethel.
I can hear her credit cards rattling.
[audience laughing]
Ethel.
- Helen.
[audience laughing]
- Welcome to our new home.
- And your old husband.
[audience laughing]
Hello, Stanley.
- Hi Ethel.
To what do we owe this unexpected pleasure?
- It's not unexpected.
- It's not a pleasure either.
[audience laughing]
- I hope you don't mind me parking my new Mercedes outside.
It's a 450.
- Big deal.
I paid $500 for my DeSoto.
[audience laughing]
- Well, what do you think of our new place, huh?
- Oh it's ah, it's ah,
different.
- Thank you.
- Small.
For Hubert and me, but it's perfect for you two.
- Oh.
- Well, I mean we entertain quite a lot,
and you don't have many friends, do you?
[audience laughing]
- We have enough.
- You know, actually, I think that it is going to be
very nice once you get a new paint job.
- It is a new paint job.
[audience laughing]
- Oh.
I didn't think they were still using this color.
[audience laughing]
- Ethel, can you see this?
- Why of course, why?
- Well you're so busy looking down your nose
I didn't think you could see anything in front of you.
[audience laughing]
- Well, what's gotten into him?
- Oh, you know, mama's coming today to stay a week,
and that always upsets Stanley.
- Really?
My Hubert gets along with her very well.
- Well your Hubert's used to older women.
[audience laughing]
- That's good Helen,
viscous but good.
- Thank you.
[audience laughing]
- Now there's one little thing
that I should tell you about mother,
she's sort of living in the past.
- I don't blame her, it's cheaper.
Anyway, I'm glad mama's coming to visit.
I don't like the idea of her being alone so much.
- You know Hilda had her for a week last year,
and she says the poor dear
is really getting very forgetful.
- Well our sister's a fine one
to talk about being forgetful.
She's got five kids
and she's supposed to be on the pill.
[audience laughing]
- Five and a half, the drug store was closed again.
[audience laughing]
- Here's your bread, Ethel.
- Bread?
What am I supposed to do with these?
- Put 'em in your mouth
and make a tongue sandwich.
[audience laughing]
[audience applauding]
- Anne.
- Hi.
- Anne.
Look at this.
- Oh, I didn't know you like candy apples.
- I don't,
especially in the glove compartment of my car.
[audience laughing]
- I don't blame you for not liking that one,
it's covered with lint.
- That's not lint,
it's what's left of my registration.
[audience laughing]
Where is David, I want to talk to him.
- Not now, he's a little upset.
He got a black eye at school today.
- You mean, you mean
he's been fighting?
My boy.
[audience laughing]
Oh, I hope he clobbered that other kid.
- No, he lost.
- Anne, you know how I disapprove of fighting.
Now who was it?
- He won't tell me.
- Oh.
- Hi dad.
- Hello there solider.
Everything all right?
- I've got a black eye.
- Oh boy, you sure do, son.
Now David, David I don't want you to feel bad
about your letting me down by not winning today,
because son, I can imagine that your opponent was what,
he was twice your size, the big bully.
- No, smaller.
- The little bully.
Who was it?
- Leslie Wilson.
- Uh huh.
Well David, first thing tomorrow
mommy's gonna go out and buy a pair of boxing gloves.
- To hit Leslie Wilson?
- No, David, I think it's time that someone,
someone finally taught you how to box.
Jab, jab, jab.
- Who do you think we can get, daddy?
[audience laughing]
- Me, me David, me.
Now I don't wanna brag lad,
but I did a little boxing in college,
I'll give you a few pointers
and then you'll be able to go out
and destroy Leslie Wilson.
- But you told me never to hit girls.
[audience laughing]
- Girls?
You mean to tell me that Leslie is a...
Don't worry, David, a few lessons from me--
- And you'll be able to beat up any girl in your class.
[audience laughing]
- David has got to learn how to defend himself.
- Okay, but take it easy,
and don't hit him too hard.
- I won't.
- I was talking to David.
[audience laughing]
- Will you stop pacing, you're making me nervous.
- Well I can't help it.
My own sister,
and she wouldn't even stay
to see the rest of the house.
What's the point Helen,
it's just more of the same,
only it's upstairs.
[audience laughing]
She makes me so mad.
- Will you stop thinking about your sister,
and start thinking about how I'm gonna get this vase
off the table?
- Why don't you sue a hammer.
[audience laughing]
- That would break it.
- I know.
[doorbell ringing]
- Your mother's here.
- How can you tell from a doorbell?
- It had a nasty ring to it.
[audience laughing]
- Mama.
- Hello darling.
[laughing]
It's so good to see you.
- Such a long time.
- I know.
You're looking awfully well, Ethel.
- I'm Helen.
- Of course.
Now where are the children?
Bring them to see granny.
- You're thinking of Hilda, mama.
- Oh.
- We've certainly been looking forward
to your visit, haven't we dear?
- Oh, yeah.
- Well, well, well if it isn't Hubert.
- That's right, it isn't Hubert.
[audience laughing]
It's Stanley.
- Oh.
- Stanley, would you go out
and get mama's bags
and pay for the cab, please?
- My mother takes a bus.
[audience laughing]
- Well now.
- Ooh, it's so good to be here.
- How are you feeling?
- Wonderful.
I've got a new doctor,
and he wants to put my leg in the medical journal.
- Oh, that's nice.
- He says there's only one other leg like it
in the whole country,
and I've got that one too.
[audience laughing]
- You know what the cab cost, $19.75.
And on top of that the guy expected a tip.
Look at this, it's all I got left from a 20.
- Oh thank you, Hubert.
- It's Stanley.
- Stanley, yes, Stanley paid for the cab.
- Oh no, Stanley would never do that,
he's too cheap.
[audience laughing]
- Well I'll go see about dinner mama.
- Helen, wait a minute.
- You entertain mama, Hubert.
[audience laughing]
- How do you like this?
It's for Hilda's new baby.
She's got five lovely children.
Wouldn't you like to have one?
- Why, is she giving them away?
[audience laughing]
- Would you like to see my leg?
- What?
- It's in all the medical journals.
[audience laughing]
- Oh no,
look what you did.
- I'm sorry.
- Sorry.
- Don't be sorry, it's a big improvement.
[audience laughing]
Dinner's almost ready, mama.
I've got some nice boiled fish for you.
- Don't I smell lam chops?
- Yes.
- Well I'd rather have one of those.
- Oh, okay, you can have mine.
- Good thinking, Helen.
- And I'll have yours, you can have the fish.
[audience laughing]
- This is gonna be one hell of a week.
[audience laughing]
- Breakfast is ready.
- About time.
- Oh no, no, no, not for you, Stanley, for mama.
You know she likes to eat breakfast alone.
- You know I'm not too crazy about eating with her either.
[audience laughing]
False teeth clicking away.
[audience laughing]
It's like sitting next to a time b*mb.
- It hasn't been easy for me either you know.
- Yesterday she used my toothbrush
to put on her mascara.
- I know it's annoying, Stanley,
but after all she is my mother.
- Yeah.
- And look at the bright side,
her week is up tomorrow.
- Yeah.
[audience laughing]
- Good morning children.
- Oh, good morning, mama.
I never slept so well as I do here.
I'm having a marvelous time.
- So are we, mother.
It's a shame you're going home tomorrow.
- I'm not going home.
- What? - what?
[audience laughing]
- Didn't I tell you,
I've sold my house.
I'm never going back there again.
[audience laughing]
[audience applauding]
- Hey, I know what.
I'll call the whole family over here for a meeting.
- Meeting?
It'll be more like the fight of the century.
[audience laughing]
- Okay, good solider.
That a boy.
Keep 'em coming.
David, David, don't forget to use your feet.
- You mean I can kick you?
- No.
[audience laughing]
no, foot work,
or in my case knee work.
[audience laughing]
I want you to grow up
to be able to fight back.
- You mean you want me to grow up
to be like Leslie Wilson?
- No, no, David.
Now try and catch me with my guard down.
Good, good.
A few more lessons like this,
and you'll never have to worry
about being bullied at school.
- No, you can be bullied at home instead.
End of round 37.
- Well I'd hardly say that,
hoy, ooh.
[audience laughing]
- I caught him with his guard down.
[audience laughing]
- Won't you sit down.
Hubert, Ethel, glass of wine?
- Oh, is that the same wine you serves us last time?
- Yes.
- No thank you.
- I'll have a scotch and soda.
Hold the soda.
[audience laughing]
- Now is Hilda gonna be in on this--
- Family conference, yes, yes, she is.
- What about fertile Freddy?
[audience laughing]
- Well I'm sure that she'll bring her husband along too,
well I think.
[doorbell ringing]
Ooh, there's Hilda now.
Hilda.
- Hi.
- [Ethel] Hilda, hello.
- Ethel.
- Well there you are, big as ever.
[audience laughing]
- Come on, sit down.
- Look at them, it looks like the first scene
out of Macbeth.
[audience laughing]
All they need is a bubbling cauldron.
- What was that, Hubert?
- Oh, I was just saying dear
it's been a long time since this family's gotten together,
hasn't it, Stanley?
- Yeah, that last time was a lot of fun.
We had a few drinks and a few songs.
Your mother really had a lot of laughs.
When was that?
- It was father's funeral.
[audience laughing]
- You didn't bring Frederick, dear?
- No,
he's a little tired.
- That's understandable.
- But he sends his love.
- Yes, we can see that.
Anyway, now that we're all together,
I wanna start the--
- [Mama] [indistinct]
- Ooh, there's mama.
- Ooh, what a lovely surprise.
Hilda and Helen and Ethel
and Stanley and Frederick.
- He's no Frederick.
[audience laughing]
- And you've all come to see me.
- Yes, mama, isn't that nice?
And now that they've seen you,
Stanley is gonna take you over
and show you the recreation room.
- I am?
I am, I am.
[audience laughing]
Come on mother.
- Ooh, bye bye.
- You can't blame David, Jeffrey,
you did ask him to try and hit you.
- Not when I wasn't looking.
[audience laughing]
How does it look now?
- It looks kind of cute.
You look like half a panda.
[audience laughing]
- Now be careful, careful.
- Oh, oh, you poor baby.
- Yes.
- This is our hot tub.
This is where people come to--
- I can see what they come to.
- These are our neighbors, the Brooks'.
- Nice to see you.
[audience laughing]
- That's a beauty.
The little woman being beating you up?
[audience laughing]
- Roper.
- Hey, I got a good excuse for you,
just tell everybody your little boy did it.
[audience laughing]
- He did do it.
- Yeah, see, just like that.
[audience laughing]
How about a little pool, mother in law?
- Well, I didn't bring my swim suit.
- No, no, I mean here.
- Ooh, why how lovely.
- What do you say, $10 a game,
just to make it interesting.
- For money?
- Oh, all right.
[audience laughing]
eight ball, one and 15 in the side pockets, I'll break.
[audience laughing]
- I think you played this game before.
- Yes, I had a misspent youth.
He was the one who taught me.
- That you remember.
- Oh, I've had a good life.
Seen all my daughters happily married,
except for Helen, of course.
[audience laughing]
You scratched the eight ball,
you owe me 10 bucks.
[audience laughing]
Oh those girls think the world of me, you know.
- Sure.
They're busy thinking the world of you right now.
- No they're not,
they're in there fighting over me,
about where I'm going to live.
What they don't know is
I'm going to a far, far better place.
- Yeah, but that not might be for years.
[audience laughing]
- I mean New Zealand.
- Where?
- New Zealand, my brother Arthur,
he invited me to come and live with him.
He sent me the ticket,
and I accepted.
- Really?
How come you never mentioned this before?
- Well, I was afraid it would upset the girls.
- Upset 'em?
They'd be delighted.
[audience laughing]
And upset.
I better go tell the girls
about this sad party.
Brooks, keep an eye on mother, will you?
- What?
- Your good one.
[audience laughing]
- You must learn to defend yourself.
Take up boxing.
[audience laughing]
- I don't see why I have to have.
- This is our mother we're talking about.
She's given us the best years of her life.
And I don't know about you,
but I feel so ashamed.
- Good, then you take her.
[audience laughing]
- No, you take her.
- You take her.
- I don't think Frederick would like another mouth to feed,
he's not too happy about--
- Hold it, hold it.
[audience laughing]
Now I have listened more in sorrow than in anger
to this sad, sad spectacle.
A family divided against itself.
[audience laughing]
- Oh God, he's drunk.
[audience laughing]
- Please, please.
There's more to life than material possessions.
There's charity, love and the pursuit of happiness.
We hold these truths to be self evident.
- What are you trying to say, Mr. Lincoln?
- I'm saying that I am willing to have my mother in law
stay in my humble home for as long as she pleases.
[audience laughing]
[applauding]
- Oh, Stanley, I am so proud of you.
- Well I've never been more ashamed in my life.
- Me either.
Fighting about where mother should live.
- We were all guilty, until Stanley showed us the way.
- I'm just that kind of guy.
- Of course we never would have had this problem
if mother had gone to stay with Arthur in New Zealand.
- No.
- What was that?
- Uncle Arthur, he sent her a ticket
and she was all set to go to New Zealand when he died.
[audience laughing]
- He what?
- 20 years ago.
[audience laughing]
- Oh my God.
[audience laughing]
[audience applauding]
[upbeat music]
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01x05 - The Family Planning
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Spinoff series focused on couple Stanley and Helen Roper, who were landlords to Jack, Janet and Chrissy on Three's Company.
Spinoff series focused on couple Stanley and Helen Roper, who were landlords to Jack, Janet and Chrissy on Three's Company.