08x24 - Helen's Past

Episode transcripts for the TV show "The Andy Griffith Show". Aired: October 1960 to April 1968.*

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Andy Taylor who is a widowed sheriff raises his son in Mayberry, N.C.
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08x24 - Helen's Past

Post by bunniefuu »

Hi, honey.
Hi, you ready?

Well, no, I'm not.

I had Jane Marcus over for
dinner, and we got talking,

and I didn't get a chance
to fix my hair or anything.

Your hair looks fine.

Well, it feels kind of flat.

Well, you don't have
to have high hair

to go to the picture show.

Are you sure
it won't bother you?

No, it won't bother me.

I like it.
I like it fine.

Listen, I'll go straighten
things out in the kitchen,

feed the cat.

Oh, wait! Wait.
Would you do me a favor?

Would you get that carton
down up there?

It's full of papers
I brought from Kansas City.

Okay.

I'm taking miss foster's
history class for two weeks,

and well, I remember

I had this very good
history-course outline.

And, well,
it might come in handy.

Would you look for it?
Sure.

It's in a green folder.
Okay.

I just threw everything
in when I left.

I haven't even looked at it
for eight years.

I'll find it.
Thank you.

Well...

Who's maynard meyers?

What?

I said, "who's maynard meyers"?

Oh, he's an old sweetheart
of mine.

What's that, his letters?

Yeah.
Well, what does he say?

You want me to read?

Sure, go ahead.

Well, let's see here.

He says here one time...

Says he didn't want to live
without you.

He lived.
He's got six children now.

I ran into an old sweetheart
of mine over in mt. Pilot.

She's got a son as big as I am.

It happens.

Yeah.

I found it.

Oh, good.

Would you
put the carton back up?

Sure.

All finished.

Oh, yes, that's it.

I-It, uh, it looked
like it might be.

Oh, yes, this'll be just fine.

You know, you never...
You never did tell me

why-why did you
leave Kansas City?

Oh, I don't know.

Just an urge to travel, I guess.

You sure wound up
in a hoppin' town.

Yeah.

I guess Kansas City
must be quite a place.

Oh, it's just a lovely city.

Big town like that, though,

I guess it can
get kinda... wild.

Well, I don't know
what gives you that impression.

Oh, I don't know.
Nothing.

This is going
to be just perfect.

I guess if you get in
with the right crowd, though,

there could be a lotta... action
in a place like that.

Action? I-I don't think...

What is all this talk
about Kansas City?

Oh, just... the
box and everything.

I thought you might
want to reminisce.

You want to reminisce.

I want to go to the movies.

Oh, yeah.

Sheriff Taylor...

Wallace crenshaw just
backed his pickup truck

into Mr. Benson's
vegetable stand...

Sent tomatoes all over creation

and I think there's gonna
be a fight! Come on.

Okay, okay, okay.

I am telling you,
it is the truth!

No, it's not.

You don't get warts from frogs.

Well, I'll tell you one thing:

You are outta your mind,
out-out-outta your mind.

Goober, that's
an old wives' tale.

It's been disproven
by scientists.

I'm willing to wager
that when Andy...

Well, don't pretend

to get interested
in somethin' else

just because

you're losin' the argument.

Wait a minute, goober.

What is it?

That's Helen with them police.

Well, I can see that.

Why, she's bein' arrested.

Would you both please
forget you ever saw that?

It's a shocker, Andy.

It appears Helen's
being arrested and arraigned.

I'm sure
there's a simple explanation,

and I don't want this
to get around.

Do you both understand?

Right.

I wouldn't hold it against her.

Anybody can go wrong.

Well, even myself.

Once when I was a kid

my pa sent me to the store.

The man there
gave me too much change.

I didn't say nothin'.

I went home,
didn't sleep for two nights

then brought it back.

We've all got a past.

Goober, I-I don't want
this even discussed

until I get more information.

What information
are you gonna get?

I'm gonna call this
Kansas City paper

and see what else was
written under here

before it got torn off.

Well, you can be sure
I ain't gonna say nothin'.

Oh, me, either.

My lips are sealed.

Spit on my finger
and hope to croak.

Wild horses
couldn't get it out of me.

Drip water on my head

but I ain't
sayin' nothin' about it.

Good, goob, good, good,
good, good, good, good.

Good. Uh, Sarah,
uh, would you...

Would you get me,
uh, Kansas City?

Hello, goober.

Oh, miss Pendleton.

How are things
with the p.T.A.?

I came to talk to you
about a problem with the p.T.A.,

as a matter of fact.

A problem?

Well, I'm sorry,
I can't talk about it.

You can't talk
about what, goober?

I can't say anything
about that teacher

or Andy'll get mad at me.

Oh, I see.

Well, that's not
why I dropped in, anyway.

I wanted to ask

if I might leave
some envelopes here

for the p.T.A. Fund.

Some of your customers
might donate.

Oh, sure.

If you can't root
for the p.T.A.,

who can you root for?

And I think, goober,

that you are very wise

not to divulge any
information about that teacher

if you've been asked not to.

If I was to blab
about that picture

with them two cops
haulin' her off

I might cause a lotta damage.

That's why my lips are sealed.

Well, I hope everything
works out all right.

Andy's lookin' into it

and I'm sure he's gonna get it
all cleared up.

Andy's looking into it?

Him bein' the sheriff
and havin' a personal interest,

he'd be the one.

O-Oh, of course.

Well...

Thank you, goober.

I mean about the p.T.A.

Good day, goober.

Good day, miss Pendleton...

And onward p.T.A.

Who's the other place for?

Helen crump.
She's coming for dinner.

Oh.

And we'll be eating just
a little later than usual,

so you've got time to do
some of your homework.

Okay.

Hello?

Kansas City?

Yes. This is miss Blanchard
of the Kansas City chronicle.

I'm returning
sheriff Taylor's call

of two days ago.

Well, your operator connected me
with his home.

Apparently,
he's not in his office.

Well, he's not home, either.

I'm not sure where he is.

I see.

Well, we finally got
the information he was after.

I believe
he was very anxious for it.

Well, you could give to me,
I'm a relative.

It's just this:

"Concerning the news photo
of August , ,

"the person
being taken into custody

"is a miss Helen crump.

She was later arraigned
on a felony charge."

Felony charge?

That's all

the information we have
on the Helen crump case

that this particular
edition provides.

Happy to be of service.

Helen crump case?

Felony charge?

Aunt bee, I heard.

Oh, Opie, you shouldn't have.

I couldn't help it.

I picked up the other phone.

Well, it's-it's probably somebody
impersonating miss crump or something.

Yeah.

Well, your father will have

a perfectly simple explanation
for the whole thing.

Yeah, but I got a feeling

it's gonna be
one of those jittery suppers.

I'm sorry I didn't get a chance

to change out of my uniform.

That's all right.

Now, Helen, we
want you to relax.

We don't want you to do a thing.

We're gonna get supper.

Are you sure I can't help?

No, thank you.

Andy...

Excuse me.

Sure is nice weather
we've been having.

Oh, it certainly is, Opie.

Yeah, real nice weather.

Mm-hmm.

Well, excuse me.

Aunt bee might need me.

They said a Helen crump
had been arraigned on...

On a felony charge.

Could that be our miss crump?

Did she say any more?

That was all the information

in that edition
of the newspaper.

Just can't be true, can it?

It's too late
to call the newspaper.

I'll do it in the morning.

Now, listen, both of you...

We're gonna go back in there

and we're gonna act just
as natural as possible,

just as if we didn't know
a thing about this...

Never came up...
Just as natural as possible.

You remember that, now.

How is everything, Helen?

Mmm...

The stew is just delicious.

Well, it brings to mind

the first time I ever
used this recipe.

I was standing next to
my mother in the kitchen

and she told me

one of my great uncles
used to rustle cattle.

What brought that up?

Well, I think it serves

to illustrate an
interesting point...

That anybody could have
something in their past

they want to forget.

Mmm, I suppose that's true.

I'd like to forget
some of the things I've done.

I 'member once
Arnold and I snuck

into the back of a movie theater

and we didn't pay or anything.

This is beginning to sound
like Mayberry confidential.

Well, Opie, you are turning
into a fine citizen

regardless of your past.

I mean, that's what
he's trying to say.

Yeah. You know,
I saw this movie one time.

And it turned out
that this guy's best friend

used to be sort of shady.

Well, the guy
was bugged at first

but then he figured
he should judge his friend

on what he was now

not what he used to be.

They were just two actors

but I think
I learned something from it.

Eat your supper.

Well, it's good to discuss
these things, Andy.

Too much talk
can upset the digestion.

You've been sort of edgy
the last couple days.

Is something bothering you?

What could be bothering me?

Hey, Andy.

Anything on Helen?

Uh, uh, miss Blanchard?

Uh, sheriff Taylor.
It's been...

It's been two days now.

Do you have
that information for me?

Well, I'm sorry, sheriff,
but our...

Old newspaper files are
in storage

and it just takes time.

It's been two days
and I need the information now.

I know, but I-I-I just came back
from lunch, you know, and...

Oh, wait a minute.

The boy must have left them
while I was out.

"Helen crump case," yes.

Here it is.

"Miss Helen crump was arraigned
on August , ,

on three charges..."

Let me know if I'm
underfoot, Andy.

Go ahead, miss Blanchard.

"Number one, miss Helen crump

"was concealing a . revolver
in her purse.

"Two, miss crump
was dealing cards

"at an illegal gaming house

"and, three, miss crump was
in the company

of a known hoodlum,
Harry brown."

Uh...

Was there a conviction?

Mmm... I'm afraid
that fact doesn't appear

in this particular edition,
sheriff Taylor.

You mean it's gonna take
another two days to find out?

Thank you, miss Blanchard.

g*ns, cards, Harry brown...

Phew, Helen sure had a
wayward youth, all right.

You gonna keep this secret?

Like I told you, not a word.

Wild horses can't
drag it out of me.

They can drip water on my head,

they can starve me,

but they'll never
get it out of me.

Oh, hello, miss crump.

Oh, hello,
Mrs. Pendleton.

How are things generally?

Just fine.

We of the p.T.A.

Like to keep up
on our educators.

We teachers are aware of your
dedication, Mrs. Pendleton.

I suppose we should consider
ourselves very fortunate

to have someone
of your background

leading our children.

Well, thank you,
Mrs. Pendleton.

Not at all.
Good day, miss crump.

Good day.

Boy, goober!

It's one of them
defective inner tubes.

That's what you said
the last three times

you popped my tire.

I'll patch it in
a minute, Hollis.

And watch your respect
around your elders.

Oh, never mind.

Boy, Hollis.

Hello, goober.

Hey, Mrs. Pendleton.

Well, now, I'm not
going to take your time.

I just came by to see
how the p.T.A. Fund is doing.

Oh, just fine.

We got $ .
since Thursday.

Very encouraging.

Uh...

Did Andy find out anything more

about that other affair?

What affair is that?

Well, you know...

The teacher and the policeman?

You mean the deal in Kansas
City with Helen crump?

Mrs. Pendleton,
that happens to be

classified information.

I better just find out
how much you know.

Well, I assume she was arrested.

But you don't know about
the revolver in the purse?

No, I didn't know about that.

Did you ever hear
of Harry brown?

No, what about him?

I can't tell you that.
No disrespect intended.

You either know he was a
hoodlum Helen run around with,

or you don't.

Well, I wouldn't want to pry.

And I wish I didn't have
to be so mysterious.

Well, I have to go.


So you won't know
for a couple of days, huh?

No...

They have to go back
into their files.

I guess it takes quite a while

to find a nine-year-old
newspaper.

Yeah.

If there's no record
of conviction,

that'll mean the whole thing
was a mistake, right?

Well...

Yeah.

Andy, I got here
as fast as I could.

What's the matter?

There's a leak somewhere, Andy.

Mrs. Pendleton was
asking questions

about Helen and Kansas City.

The p.T.A.
Mrs. Pendleton?

Right.

We three are the only
ones that know about this.

Like I said, my lips are sealed.

Are you accusing me?

I know Andy didn't say nothing.

Then you are accusing me.

I ain't saying I am and
I ain't saying I'm not.

But it sure narrows it down.

You're treading on
thin ice, goober.

Look, fellas, it's not important
how Mrs. Pendleton found out.

She knows about it.
That's what's important.

That's right.

That's right.

She not the kind to let
a thing like this pass by.

What are you going to do, Andy?

I don't know,
but I've got to find out

the outcome of that felony
charge, and fast.

I wonder if judge Branson
over in mt. Pilot could help?

Oh, hey, yeah.

He's always been
a good friend of yours.

He could certainly get
the court records.

I-I don't know when
I'll get back.

So, if anybody asks you
where I've gone,

you don't know, right?

Right.

My lips are sealed.

Hi, aunt bee.
Where's paw?

He just called.

He went over to judge Branson's
in mt. Pilot

to check on miss crump's case.

He better hurry.

What do you mean by that?

Nothing.

Opie, what do you mean by that?

Well, there's a rumor
going around school,

but I don't know if
I oughta say anything.

Opie, what is the rumor?

Miss crump's gonna be
dismissed from school.

What?

Mrs. Pendleton and the
p.T.A.'S holding a hearing.

She has evidence against her.

They say miss crump
won't be able

to get another job
in this state.

Oh, good heavens.

I don't care what kind
of evidence they have.

I don't believe she
did anything wrong.

Oh, hi.

Oh, hello, Helen.

Come in, come in.
How a you?

Just fine.

Is Andy home?

Andy? Uh...

Oh, he's in mt. Pilot.

Just a pleasure trip.

Nothing official.

That's funny.
He didn't mention it.

Well, he left suddenly.

I just dropped by to tell him

I have to break our bowling date
for this evening.

Oh?

School board meeting.

You never know how long
those things are gonna last.

Yeah.
Yes.

Well, tell him I'll call him

just as soon as Mrs. Pendleton
adjourns the meeting.

Yes.

Fine. Thank you.

See you later.

Bye.
Bye.

You know...
I have a feeling

that everybody in town
knows about this...

Except Helen.

Hi, everybody.

Your seat, miss crump.

Am I late?

Helen, I want you to know

that if I weren't
on the school board...

I wouldn't be here.

Am I in the dark
about something?

I'll come right to the point,

miss crump.

We have gathered informally,
if you will,

to decide whether your services

as a member of the faculty
of the Mayberry school system

are to be ended or not.

What?!

My findings are the result
of an investigation

instituted by sheriff Taylor.

Sheriff Taylor?!

Yes.

And I have become aware
of certain alarming facts.

Could you please tell me
what those facts are?

Well, miss crump,

they have to do
with a certain episode

which took place

some years ago
when you were in Kansas City.

As I understand it,

a picture of you being escorted
to jail by two policemen

somehow fell into the hands
of sheriff Taylor.

Naturally,

he's looking into the matter.

Oh, he is.

Miss crump...

None of the board members
here are...

Are aware
of the specific charges

that Mrs. Pendleton's
going to bring up.

We were reluctant
to embarrass you this way,

but Mrs. Pendleton insisted

that these charges
were incriminating.

We... we'll try our best
to judge you fairly.

Miss crump,

were you or were you not

arrested for possession
of a revolver?

I was.

And were you also charged
with dealing cards

in an illegal gambling club?

I was.

Lastly, were you found
in the company

of a notorious hoodlum,
Harry brown?

Yes, I was.

Miss crump, knowing you
all these years,

I find these accusations
almost beyond belief.

Do you have a defense
for these actions?

We all feel the same way, Helen.

This... this just
isn't like you.

Well, all right,
if you'd like...

Well, you've come
at an opportune time, sheriff.

Miss crump was just about

to answer our charges.

I'm sorry, Helen.

And I'd like to answer
the charges.

Yes, please do.

Well...

The facts, as you probably
all know them, are true.

But what nobody knew
was the reason for it all.

I've just found out about that.

You see,

when miss crump
was in college back in Kansas,

she was a journalism major.

And when she went on
for her master's degree,

she had to write a thesis.

And she decided
she'd write that thesis

on organized crime.

She also decided

that if she was gonna do
a good job,

she better know
what it was all about.

So, somehow, she managed
to make the acquaintance

of this Harry brown,

and through him,
she purposely got involved

in the gambling activities
that he was running.

It must have taken an awful
lot of nerve to do that,

but she did it.

And I think she deserves
a lot of credit for it.

By the way, she was completely
cleared by the court.

Well?

Mrs. Pendleton?

Miss crump...

I am so very sorry
about this whole thing.

I do apologize.

Helen, I knew there had to be

some explanation
for all of this.

Miss crump,

may I say that this entire
hearing is regrettable?

The board offers its apologies.

Yes, we do.

Accepted.

And, uh...

Again, I apologize, too.

You, I want to talk to.

Outside.

I just heard about this hearing.

Are y'all gonna send her
back to prison?

I know you can't talk now,

but I'll be a character witness.

After you've served your time

you come on back

and I'll give you a job
at the filling station

checking tires or something.

If worse comes to worst

you can go to another town...

That was lovely, Opie.

Thanks. Did I get
that strum right, pa?

Oh, yeah.
It was good.

My, it's nice to have things
back to normal, isn't it?

Yeah.
But we all seem

to be trying
not to talk about it.

Well, ope, I was wrong

to take the news photo
in the first place.

It was all my fault.
And that's all.

You know what you could
have done, paw?

What?

You could have just asked
miss crump about it.

It would have been that simple.

Why don't you play another song?

No. Opie's got a very
well-taken point there.

Bring it up from time to time.
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