04x08 - Old Mail Day

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Green Acres". Aired: September 15, 1965 - April 27, 1971.*
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Oliver & Lisa move from NYC to a farm to live off the land and have a simpler life.
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04x08 - Old Mail Day

Post by bunniefuu »

("Green Acres")

Green acres is the place to be

Farm living is the life for me

Land spreading
out so far and wide

Keep Manhattan, just
give me that countryside

New York is
where I'd rather stay

I get allergic smelling hay

I just adore a penthouse view

Darling I love you, but
give me Park Avenue

The chores, the stores,
fresh air, times square

You are my wife,
goodbye city life

Green Acres we are there

(upbeat music)

- Hi, Lisa, did you see?

- Oh, good morning dear.

- Good morning, did you see.

- Aren't you going
to give me a kiss?

- Did you see.

- One thing is for sure,
you are not a sex fiend.

(audience laughs)

You always used to
kiss me on the lips.

- Yes, but now.

- These are lips.

- I think you have
them on upside down.

- I do?

Where's a mirror?

- Lisa, have you
seen my gray suit?

- What does it look like?

- Gray, with a
little pin stripe.

- And it has spaghetti
sauce on the lapel.

- That's the one.

- It's in the washing machine.

- The wash?

I told you to have
it dry cleaned.

- Well, I didn't put any
water in it, just soap powder.

- Oh, Lisa, for
crying out, look.

Look, leave my
clothes alone after this.

- Now I'm sorry that I
washed your sweater.

- My good sweater,
you didn't put that

in the washing machine.

- No, I put it in the dishwasher,
because it needed water.

And I was dry cleaning
in the washing machine.

(audience laughs)

- Lisa, you're not
supposed to put that sweater

in any kind of machine.

Didn't you see what it said
on the label, hand wash.

- I washed my hands
before I put it in.

(audience laughs)

- If I could be sure of
getting an all male jury.

- What does that mean?

- It means.

- Good morning
folks, are you ready to,

ooh, you had your
suit dry cleaned.

It came out good.

- Look, Eb.

- There ain't no more
spaghetti spots on the lapels.

- And you were complaining.

- Of course I was.

- Are you two gonna
stand there a arguing?

We're wasting time, we gotta go.

- Go where?

- To Drucker's store.

- What for?

- Don't you know what today is?

Old mail day.

- What is that?

- Well, every year about
this time Mr. Drucker

cleans out his post office,
and finds all the old mail

that's fallen down
behind the counter,

or gotten stuck in
the back of a drawer.

Or fell through the
cracks in the floor.

And he gives it out to
whoever it belongs to.

- I've never heard
of such a thing.

- Didn't you ever have
old mail day in New York?

- No, we didn't.

- No wonder you moved
out here to the country.

To have some fun.

(audience laughs)

- Eb, I don't think.

- Come on, who knows what
surprises are in store for us

in the old mail pouch.

(upbeat music)

- Howdy folks.

- Hello there, Mr. Haney.

- Say, we didn't miss the old
mail day ceremonies, did we?

- No sir, you're
the first ones here.

May I assist you.

- Oh, thank you.

- Dog gone it if you
don't look as pretty

as a chipmunk in
a sack of chestnuts.

(audience laughs)

- Oliver, did you hear that?

- I heard it, but it
doesn't make any sense.

- If Will Rogers had said it,
you would have applauded.

(audience laughs)

- Possibly, now would
you please close the door

so that I can park the car.

- If you get out, I'll be
glad to park it for you.

- Oh thank you.

- For one dollar.

(audience laughs)

- I'll park it myself.

- Over there.

(upbeat music)

That'll be two dollars.

- For what.

- Parking, I've got
the concession.

(audience laughs)

- I'm not paying anything,
this is a public street.

Parking is free.

- Suit yourself, you wanna
give me eight dollars now

or when they tow your car away?

(audience laughs)

- If anybody touches this car.

- Doggone it, you're as grouchy

as a congressman with
a desk full of grunion.

You can applaud, that's
one Will Rogers did say.

(audience laughs)

- Bye.

(upbeat music)

Oh hi, Ralph.

- Howdy doody, may I
be the first to wish you

a happy old mail day.

- Oh, thank you.

- I can hardly wait to see
what goodies I'm going to get.

Last old mail day I got a
valentine from Richard Burton.

- You got a.

- It was returned, I didn't
put enough postage on it.

(audience laughs)

- Well that was a
lucky break for Liz.

- Yeah, it mighta
busted them up.

- Yeah, I'm sure it would have.

- Hi Mr. Douglas, Mrs. Douglass.

- Oh, that's not Mrs. Douglass.

- Oh, I guess it isn't.

Who is it?

- It's Ralph Monroe.

- Hi Hanky, been up
to any panky (laughs)?

- Good luck, Kimball.

- Friends, Mr. Drucker says
he'll be out in a few minutes

for the old mail day ceremony.

- Ceremony?

- And Mr. Drucker wants to
know if you're going to buggle.

- What's a buggle?

- Don't go away.

- Lisa, would you
please tell Mr. Drucker.

(loud bugle blasting)

(audience laughs)

- That's a buggle.

- If you do that
again Ralph, I'll.

- Hi, Mr. Douglas,
happy old mail day.

- Yes, hello, there.

- Has the ceremony started yet?

- No, not yet.

- Well, I thought I heard
somebody blow the buggle.

(audience laughs)

- It's not a buggle,
it's a bugle.

(loud bugle blasting)

- Does that sound
like a bugle to you?

(audience laughs)

- Ralph, if you don't quit.

(squealing)

- Now, what's the
matter with him?

- You've got your car parked

where he always
parks his bicycle.

(audience laughs)

- [Oliver] He parks his.

- Folks, folks, could I
have your attention please.

The old mail day
ceremony is about to begin.

Ralph, could we have a
fanfare on your buggle?

- Oh, yes, sir.

(peppy bugle music)

- Thank you, Eb,
bring out the old mail.

- Here you are.

- Now, for the benefit of those
who have never witnessed

an old mail day
ceremony, I'd like to explain

just what old mail day is.

(grunting)

- Oh yes, I know
you know what it is,

but there's people
here that don't

(grunting)

- Old mail day is a
day I clean out my store

and my post office,
and gather together

all the old mail
that's gone astray,

or been misplaced,
or temporarily lost.

Now, up to now, the
oldest letter I'd found

has been dated 1942.

- That's 26 years ago.

- Yep, and I'm
happy to tell you that

that record has been broken.

Fred, would you read
the post mark on this letter

addressed to you?

- August the 12th, 1917.

(audience laughs)

- That's over 50 years ago.

- Yeah, I found it behind a
case of eight button spats.

Which will go on sale immediately
following this ceremony.

- Doggone.

- What is it, Mr. Ziffel?

- I've been drafted.

(audience laughs)

- Drafted?

- Says right here,
that I am to report

to Camp Yuphank, not
later than August the 28th,

and it's signed by
Woodrow Wilson.

(audience laughs)

- Oh, Haney, here's
a letter for you.

Found it when I
drained the pickle barrel.

And here's one for your, Eb.

- Golly.

(banging)

- Oh, this is for Arnold Ziffel.

I've been using it to
prop up the short leg

of my table.

- FBI and Novelty
Company, what's this?

(grunting)

oh, that's that
fingerprint kit you sent for

three years ago.

(audience laughs)

- I don't believe
this is happening.

I'm gonna wake up.

- Mr. Douglas, I need
some legal advice.

This here's a threatening
letter from the WPA.

(audience laughs)

- The WPA?

They've been out
of existence for.

- Now, they say
they're gonna sue me

unless I return their shovel.

Can they do that?

- How can they do?

- Oh Mr. Douglas,
here's a letter for you.

- And you see you
didn't want to come.

- Hey, this was mailed
almost a year ago.

- Yeah, it fell in
the flour barrel.

The weevils didn't
get it, did they?

- Is that from your mother?

- It's from my stockbroker.

This is to inform you that
since we did not receive

an answer to our
letter of January fourth,

we're closing out your
margin account, and,

I didn't receive a
letter from them.

- What was that date again?

- January the fourth.

- Oh, here you are.

- Do you know what this means?

I've lost $300.00.

- You shouldn't carry that
much money around with you.

(audience laughs)

- I didn't.

- Don't panic, we'll
help you find it.

- Was it $300 all in one bill?

- No, I, this so called
post office is a farce.

If the mail were delivered
it wouldn't get lost.

What I want to know
is why it isn't delivered.

- To whom?

- To us.

- Well, why should we
get everybody's mail.

(audience laughs)

- I didn't mean everybody's.

- Mr. Douglas, the reason
the mail isn't delivered

is because this is a
class 3ND substation.

The ND stands for no delivery.

- Can we change that
and have it delivered?

- I like it like it is, kept
me out of the draft.

(audience laughs)

- Yes, but I.

- Got me an eight dollar shovel.

- But I lost $300.

- Well, if anybody finds
it, I'm sure they'll turn it in.

- Mr. Douglas, I wouldn't
mind delivering the mail,

except I'm too busy.

You see, this post office
is just an accommodation

for my customers.

- Well, couldn't
you hire somebody

to deliver the mail for you?

- Yeah, if we could get them
to change the classification

from a 3NB to a 2MDHD,
that stands for a post office

with a mailman to help deliver.

- Then why don't
we have it changed.

I'll write a letter to the
post master general.

- Why don't you leave
well enough alone.

- Mr. Ziffel, the
American farmer didn't get

where he is today by
leaving well enough alone.

(patriotic music)

When a change was
needed, he was the first

to step forward
and demand action.

He fired the first
sh*t at Concord.

And when the wind eroded
his soil in the dust bowl,

he was the first to move
on to greener pastures.

And when the floods
came, he didn't stand there

in the paths of
the raging waters.

He swam to higher
ground and started all over.

The American farmer.

- Oliver.

- Yes, the American farmer.

- Oliver.

- What?

- How long are you going
to go on talking to yourself?

- Oh.

(audience laughs)

- Everybody left,
including the fife player.

(upbeat music)

Oliver, you're not really

going to write
that letter, are you?

- Yes, I am.

- But, nobody wants the post
office changed except you, do.

- They all want it,
they're just too lazy

to make the effort.

Now, where did I put that?

- What?

- My portable typewriter.

(playful music)

- What does it look like?

- Well it has keys, and a roller
where you put the paper in.

- Oh, oh, in Hungary we
call that the player piano.

- Well here we call it
a portable typewriter.

And it's about this big,
and it's in a bound case.

- Oh, oh, I put that
in the refrigerator.

- What for?

- To keep it cold.

- Lisa, you do
the silliest things.

- Now, don't have one
of your temper transoms.

- Tremper trantrum, a trench.

- You know, for somebody
who was born in this country

you don't speak the
language very well.

(audience laughs)

(upbeat music)

There.

- Oh, thank you,
now don't ever do.

What the, happy
birthday Carl Funkweiler?

- Isn't that pretty?

- Who is Carl Funkweiler?

- I don't know, he
ordered the cake,

and then he didn't show up
so the bakery put it on sale.

And I bought it for two dollars,
with a dozen paper plates

included.

(audience laughs)

- Well, what did you put it
in my typewriter case for?

- Oh is that what it is.

In Hungary, we
call this a cake box.

- I don't care what
you call it in Hungary.

What did you do with my
piano play, er, uh, typewriter?

- Oh, I lend that to Eb.

- Lent what to me?

- My portable typewriter.

- What did it look like?

- It had keys and a
roller you put the paper in.

- Oh, you mean a player piano.

- See.

- Where did you leave it?

- It was right in here.

- You keep your player
piano in a cake box?

- Eb, it's.

- Hey, it's Carl
Funkweiler's birthday.

We giving him a party?

- No, no, no, his
party was canceled,

that's why I got the cake for.

- Eb where's my typewriter?

- Let's see, oh I
remember, I used it

to write a letter
to my girlfriend.

- Get it for me?

- I can't.

- Why not?

- I sent it to her so she
could write me an answer.

- Eb!

Look, forget it, I'll write
the letter in long hand.

- What letter?

- He's writing to the
post general master.

- The general post master,
the general master poster.

- For a fella that was
born here, you sure have

a lot of trouble
with the language.

(audience laughs)

- That's what I said.

- Look, I don't
care what you said.

- He's gonna have
a temper transom.

- No!

(audience laughs)

- Just for that, you don't
get any Carl Funkweiler cake.

Would you like to
have a piece, Eb?

- Please.

(upbeat music)

- The post master
general, Washington DC.

- That's right.

- Are you sure you
wanna send this?

- Positive.

- Do you remember the last time

you wrote a complaining letter?

- To whom?

- Take your pick,
they were all disasters.

- Oh, that's not.

- It was two weeks to
get our lights back on

when you wrote to
the electric company.

- Well, that was.

- We didn't get any
water for a month

after you wrote to
the water company.

- Yes, well.

- And there was the
school bus fiasco,

and the condemned bridge fiasco,

and the, well, you name
it and it was a fiasco.

- Believe me, nothing is
going to happen this time.

- Why don't you
just sleep on it.

- No, will you just mail
that letter, please, air mail.

Yes, sir, air mail.

(upbeat music)

- Oliver, what's that?

- That's a dirigible.

- What do they use them for.

- Probably to carry the
air mail from Hooterville.

It's been three
weeks since I sent

that letter to Washington.

- Oh well, maybe you'll get
an answer next old mail day.

- I'm not gonna wait
until old mail day.

(phone ringing)

- Mr. Douglas, the
telephone's ringing.

- Well, answer it.

- It's for you.

- How do you know?

- It's your type of
ring, mine is sweeter.

(phone ringing)


- Eb, will you just answer it?

- It's Mr. Drucker,
he wants to see you.

- How do you know
without answering it?

- Well, I stopped by
his store an hour ago,

and he told me to tell
you he wanted to see ya.

And if you didn't
show up in an hour

he'd call, because
he'd know I'd forgotten

to give you the
message, which I did.

- Have you any idea what
he wanted to see me about?

- I'll tell you what I
wanted to see you about.

- I got an answer to that
letter you wrote to Washington.

- Uh huh.

- They changed
my classification.

This post office is now
authorized to deliver mail.

We're a full-fledged
class 2PB dash BB.

- Congratulations.

- Thank you, oh by the way,
do you know 2PB stands for?

- No.

- Postmaster delivers.

- What?

- This post office don't
gross enough to warrant

hiring somebody else
to do the delivering.

- Oh, well.

- If I was a younger man, I'd
punch you right in the nose.

(audience laughs)

- Oh, now, Mr. Drucker.

- I haven't got
time to discuss it.

I gotta go practice pedaling.

- Pedaling?

- That's what the
dash BB stands for.

Post master delivers by bicycle.

(audience laughs)

(playful music)

(upbeat music)

- You know Eb, this is something
I've always dreamed about.

Having my own farm
and my own mailbox

by the side of the road.

- To think, I've
wasted my dreams

on such dull stuff
as Sophia Loren.

(audience laughs)

- Eb, stop shaking the box.

- My hand always trembles
when I think of Sophia.

Hey, how about putting
her name on here

instead of yours.

I'd bet we'd get a lot
more interesting mail.

(audience laughs)

- Eb, just finish the.

- I have, how are you
doing, Mr. Douglas?

- Fine.

- Uh oh.

- What's the matter?

- You made a mistake.

- Where?

- There's no O in Douglas.

(audience laughs)

- There most certainly is.

- There ain't on my side.

- How could you make
a mistake like that?

You must have seen my
name a hundred times.

- Never on a mailbox.

- [Lisa] Oliver, did
Mr. Drucker bring the mail yet?

- No, no, not yet.

- No, oh, who painted that?

- I did.

- Well, why did you
put the O in Douglas?

(audience laughs)

- Because there
is an O in Douglas.

- Not on my side.

- Eb, look.

(bicycle bell ringing)

- [Eb] Oh, here
comes our first delivery.

Howdy.

- Hello, Mr. Drucker.

- Hi, Eb, hello Mrs. Douglas.

- How do you do, Mr. Drucker?

- If I had any strength left

I'd punch you right in the nose.

(audience laughs)

- Now, see.

- I've pedaled this
thing 62 miles today.

- Wow, I.

- My back hurts, my legs hurt,

ain't nothing that don't hurt.

(audience laughs)

- Well, you know who
you can blame for that.

- Yeah, I know.

- Have you got any mail for us?

- Yeah, I.

Oh, these letters are
for Douglas with an O.

Maybe there'll be
something for you tomorrow.

(audience laughs)

- Wait, wait, wait
a second here.

(bicycle bell ringing)

- Oh, Eb will you correct that?

(playful music)

- Do you think Mr. Drucker
will stop by today?

- He'd better.

- He was pretty angry with you.

Making you put
an O in your name.

- Lisa, there is an O in.

(bicycle bell ringing)

- Oh, hello Mr. Drucker.

- Hello.

- Do you notice the
name on the box?

- Yeah.

- Is that acceptable to you?

- Oh fine.

- And may I have my mail?

- Yeah here, oh,
what time is it?

- It's 10 after four.

- Oh, sorry.

- What are you.

- Regulations, a class
2PD-BB post office

only delivers mail between
the hours of eight am

and four pm.

- That's the most.

- Better luck tomorrow.

(upbeat music)

- Oliver, Oliver,
where are you going?

- I'm going into Drucker's
to pick up the mail.

I'm sick of this nonsense.

For five days he's found
excuses not to deliver the mail.

It was too late, the
name wasn't spelled right,

the box wasn't the right height.

- Well, it's all your own fault.

Every time you write a
letter, it's another fiesta.

(audience laughs)

- No, not a fiesta, a fiasco,
fia, fia, I'll see you later.

- Oh, darling, while
you're at Drucker's

would you pick up a
few pieces of groceries?

We don't have anything
thing in the house

except a stale piece of
Carl Funkweiler's cake.

- Okay.

- Oh, and another thing,
haven't you forgotten something?

- What?

- To kiss me goodbye.

Where did you learn
to kiss this way?

- From my sister.

(audience laughs)

(sad slow country music)

Good morning.

- Anyone wanna say
good morning to the fink?

- Fink?

- Well, what would
you call somebody

that brings starvation
and suffering to the valley.

- Who's starving?

- We are, well,
we're not starving.

We just haven't had
anything to eat for a week,

and yes, I guess
we are starving.

- And you had to write
the post office department

to get the mail delivered.

- What's wrong with that?

- Sam's so busy delivering
it from eight to four

and linimenting his
legs from four to ten,

he hasn't got time
to open up the store.

We can't buy any food.

- Why don't you go up
to Picksley and shop?

- Leave it to him to make a
stupid suggestion like that.

- What's so stupid about
shopping in Picksley?

- They won't give us no credit.

You gotta pay
cash for everything.

- Well then pay cash?

- There ain't been no cash
in this valley since 1927.

(audience laughs)

- Well, at least you're
getting your mail delivered.

- What good does that do?

We're too weak to open it.

- Look, I'm sorry, I didn't know

it was going to
turn out this way.

- What way?

- Instead of having all this
talking, let's get some action.

Haney, go see if
the tar is boiling yet.

- Yes, sir.

- What tar?

- [Ralph] Will you hold still.

- What are you doing?

- Measuring you.

I say about five pounds of
feathers ought to cover him.

(audience laughs)

(audience laughs)

- Now, look here.

- If the store was open
we was gonna buy a rope.

Well, we weren't gonna buy it.

We were gonna put it on credit.

(audience laughs)

- Oh, for the love of.

Look, if you don't
want the mail delivered,

I'll write to the
post master general

and have him
change the post office

back to its former status.

- Well, you'd better, and
tell him there's 28 families

in this valley that'd rather eat

than have the mail delivered.

(upbeat music)

(humming)

(banging)

- Would you mind telling
me what you're doing?

- I'm chopping and humming.

♪ La da dee

- It's nice to see a man
that's happy with his work.

- I sure am.

- Will you stop that?

- The chopping or the humming?

- Both.

- Well, you won't be
needing this mailbox anymore.

I got an answer to your letter
from the post master general.

This is my last delivery.

- Well, I guess everybody's
pretty happy about that.

- Oh no they aren't,
now folks gotta go

all the way to Picksley
to get their mail.

- Picksley?

- Thanks to your letter they
closed down my post office.

- Well, you've done it
again, another fiasco.

- A fiesta, fiesta, uh, why
did they close the post office?

- Well, it seems that you
mentioned in your letter

that there are 28
families in Hooterville

using the post office.

- That's right.

- Well, section 212
of the postal code

clearly states that any community
with less than 32 families

ain't entitled to a post office.

So, folks have to go to
the nearest 32 family town,

which in this case
happens to be Picksley.

- They can't get away with this.

I'll write them another letter.

- Where are you
going to mail the letter?

- Picksley.

- Oh, say, while you're there
would you do me a favor?

Would you go into
the wholesale house

and tell them to send me
another 50 pounds of tar,

and six bags of feathers.

I've had a big run
on them this morning.

(audience laughs)

(playful music)

Bye.

- Oliver, what does
everybody want tar for?

- They're just
trying to frighten me.

Every time something happens

they thr*aten to
tar and feather me.

- Oh, they did that to my uncle.

They put tar and
feathers on him,

and my aunt saw him
and fell in love with him.

- What?

- She was a nearsighted robin.

(audience laughs)

(playful music)

(upbeat music)

- [Eva] This has been a
Filmways presentation, darling
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