Babes on Broadway Page #5

"Mr. Busch, you're not gonna keep

these starving kiddies away...

...from the babbling brooks,

and the birds that sing...

...and the vitamins A, B, C, and D.

You're not gonna be responsible

for young America growing up with rickets.

Oh, no, not you, Mr. Busch.

Not you. Not a man who reminds me

so much of Thomas Jefferson. "

Then I had tell him who Jefferson is.

I tell you, he folded up

like a wet tent.

He started to cry, tears came

as big as Ping-Pong balls.

He just couldn't resist the cause.

It's the sucker shot of the century.

If we play our cards right,

use those kids right...

...we'll land right in the middle of Broadway

with four-forty written all over us.

And all the time, Mr. Busch just kept

sitting there, smoking that smelly old cigar.

And just when I was sure

he was gonna say no...

...Mr. Williams got right on top

of the desk...

...and he told him

what wonderful kids we were.

And if we didn't all get sunshine

and fresh air, we'd wind up with pickets.

- With what?

- Pickets.

Darling, you mean rickets.

Well, anyway, he was wonderful,

and Mr. Busch finally said he'd go it.

- And you know what, Penny?

- What?

All I could think of was...

...was Abraham Lincoln

freeing the slaves.

I'm gonna tell him you said that.

- He'll like that.

- Oh, I wish you would.

- Gee, he's exceptional.

- Yeah.

Too bad he isn't better-looking.

Why, Barbara Jo, he's fine-looking.

He's got character in his face.

You know he turned down an opportunity

in a Broadway show just to do this?

- Honest?

- Yes.

And you'll never know

what that meant to him.

I couldn't have done it,

not even my three little words.

Gosh, he never stops

to think of himself.

But he'll be paid back.

You know, Penny, if it was

anybody else but you, I'd be jealous.

If it was anybody else but him,

you could have him.

- Is it all right?

- Yeah.

- Let's get it on the pole.

- Okay.

- How's that?

- Swell, Tony.

The tempo's perfect. Just right.

I know my dance all right.

Can I go now?

Sure, Ronnie. Sign your name over here.

- I'll have to take the children.

- Right. Thank you, Mrs. Crainen.

- Come on, children.

- Jenny, give me that.

Everybody, can I have

your attention please?

After you get through with your work...

...whether painting a sign,

practicing a song or dance, you can leave.

Other performers are coming in.

They have to rehearse too.

After your work, sign one of these cards

before you go out. Thanks, everybody.

Oh, Penny, get your costume on.

We're gonna do our skit.

- All right.

- Will you come and see my costume?

I have no time now.

All right, everybody,

let's have it quiet, please, quiet now!

Everybody, take those signs

and banners and posters...

...and put them in the anteroom.

Move that piano here in this corner.

Hurry up, now!

All the rest of you,

come on down here by the stand here.

Come on, right up close to the platform.

That's it. Now let me have

your attention please! Quiet!

Now, look, we're gonna do the number first,

so all of you get in your aprons and overalls.

Come on, now, let's move.

And don't forget, give us lots of zambo.

Go ahead, take it, Johnny.

When our grandmas and our grandpas

Were just girls and boys

They seemed to have

A lot more fun than we

Their party clothes were calicoes

And homemade corduroys

And a big event

Was called a husking bee

A banjo and a fiddle

And a big old-fashioned barn

Was all the preparation that they made

And if they tell you otherwise

Dismiss it as a yarn

Refreshments were confined to lemonade

Now, you may say it's corny

And I guess I must agree

But it was good enough for grandma

It was good enough for grandpa

And it's good enough for me

Hoedown

The country's gone hoedown

It's puttin' its toe down

And kickin' its heel

Hoedown is really a rare dance

A pioneer square dance

But with a new deal

One, two

Swing your partner lightly

While you hold her ever so tightly

Hoedown

And bring your best beau down

We're facing a showdown

And gotta make hay

'Cause hoedown's on its way

Stand in line and do the turkey

Like a Yankee Doodle Dandy

When you turkey, do it jerky

That's the trick

Now you're hoein' on down

Sashay, sashay, sashay around

While you're hoein' on down

Form a circle in the middle

Everybody allemande

Boys keep tempo with the fiddle

And your gal in the calico gown

Hoe on down with your calico gown

Do-si-do around

It's very romantic

Do-si-do

Do-si-do some more

And maybe she'll fall

Now it's time to do your honors

Then when you've gone

Through your honors

Promenade the hall

Hoedown

The country's gone hoedown

Its puttin' its toe down

And kickin' its heel

Hoedown is really a rare dance

A pioneer square dance

But with a new deal

One, two

Swing your partner lightly

While you hold her ever so tightly

Hoedown

And bring your best beau down

We're facing a showdown

And gotta make hay

'Cause hoedown's on its way

Hey!

Hoedown

And bring your best beau down

We're facing a showdown

And gotta make hay

So hoedown

Showdown

Hoedown on its way

- Mr. Stone, you sent for us?

- Yes, I did.

I just received this letter

from the Board of Trustees.

I'd like to read it to you.

Oh, here we are.

"We are sending you 20 refugee youngsters

from the British war relief...

...on the Fourth of July.

We want you to entertain them...

...and show them what a real

American Fourth of July is like. "

This is a great honor for us.

"A shortwave broadcast

has been arranged...

...and the English children

will talk to their parents in London...

...directly from the settlement house. "

The only difficulty is that the broadcast

is scheduled for 3:00.

But that's the time that the block party

is scheduled for.

Yes, I know, and I'm very sorry, Tommy.

But can't you postpone the block party

till the following week?

- No, that's no good.

- We'll never get a permit again.

Wait a minute.

You say they're gonna broadcast, huh?

Well, why not hook up the broadcast

with the block party?

From the sidewalks of New York,

straight to the Lambeth Walk, huh?

Tommy, that's an excellent idea.

I'll speak to the board about it.

- But, Tommy...

- Wait a minute.

- You do that, will you?

- I will.

And I'll take care of everything.

Now, go on. Go on, now.

- I don't get it.

- Neither do I.

Those Bundles from Britain will

be a fine act for us to follow.

- I hope they're a sensation.

- What?

- Don't you get it?

- No.

Three Balls of Fire.

Flashlights, newsroom, radio.

Kids torn from their mothers,

thrown into our laps...

...and an international hookup.

- I never thought of the publicity angle.

What a showcase.

This is the cause we've been looking for.

We've been worrying about kids

that nobody cares about to the country.

We don't need them anymore.

Penny, it'll be no time until we'll be dancing

right up on top of the...

Penny, what's the matter?

Did you say we don't even need

those kids anymore?

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