Don't Knock the Rock Page #4

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Oh, I see.

Miss Everett, look, I'm a lot older than you are, you know?

There. Now I just grew up five years.

See you, Arnie.

Great catfishes, Arnie! Where you been?

What's the matter, Molly?

The phone hasn't stopped ringing since you left the house this morning.

Newspapers?

Newspapers, your television sponsor, newsreels,

and a fellow named Ted Collier called from New York 13 times.

Wow, we didn't get in touch with Collier.

The office must be going crazy.

I'll get him right now.

Hey, who is this Collier character?

He runs the theatrical agency booking our act.

I gotta go with Alan, honey.

But Ted...

Ted, I'm trying to tell you that...

Ted, if you'll just listen to me.

Give me that, will you?

Teddy?

Ted, this is Arnie.

Well, if you'd just be quiet for a minute and listen,

maybe we could get someplace.

Yeah, we read the papers. We read all the papers.

We may have an angle, though, to overcome the whole mess.

We're gonna run a rock and roll show in the next town.

We want to prove something to Arline MacLaine.

Yeah, we know, but if we can get her to change her mind

and write in her column that rock and roll is a good influence for the kids...

it'll be a solid argument for us.

Yeah, Ted.

Yeah, we think so, too.

You can help us a great deal.

I'll need the best rock and roll acts you can get. The best, though.

Yeah!

Wow!

Yeah, that's great. That'll do it. Thanks.

The date?

Saturday. Write it down, will you?

Saturday, July 17th?

17th, yeah.

July 17th.

Thank you, Ted. Thanks very much.

Yeah, me, too.

Well, we're all set.

Bill Haley and his Comets, Little Richard and his combo...

The Treniers, have all been canceled out on their dates because of the bad publicity we started.

You started.

But those are the acts that are coming here.

Wow. That's the best in the business.

You bet your life.

That's $1 million worth of talent on one stage.

Wow, Friesville won't ever forget that, I bet.

I'll tell the boys all about it, and I'll handle all the arrangements.

One arrangement I gotta handle myself.

Miss Francine MacLaine, please.

Now, would you mind telling me why you had me come way out here?

You saw that stuff your mother wrote about me.

It was horrible.

I'm worried.

Francine, I'm worried about the dance.

A woman like Arline MacLaine...

she'll never eat her words.

Please believe me. She isn't like she sounds in that column.

Not really.

She can be very warm and human and honest.

Wish I could believe that.

I know. Sometimes she goes smashing into things like Carrie Nation with a hatchet.

But she's not small.

She'd gladly eat her words, if only we could convince her.

I don't know.

Honestly, Arnie.

If you don't know her, I guess nobody does.

We'll go ahead with the dance.

Good.

You know, I've been keeping my ears open in town.

You'd be surprised at the things I found out.

Such as?

We have to make sure that Mayor Bagley doesn't hear of it.

That's for sure.

He has to make himself look good for the next election.

He knows if you prove him wrong, he's gonna look like a fool.

So that's it. Reelection.

It figures.

The only way we can advertise now is by word of mouth.

The kids will have to pass it on from one to the other.

My sister, Molly, can start the ball rolling.

And I've made friends with a group of kids from the little theater.

Good.

They can help spread the word around.

Very good.

But do me a favor.

Don't tell your mother about the dance until the very last minute.

Don't worry. I won't.

Hey.

Where does your mother think you are tonight?

At a hog calling contest.

Please don't tell her you were dating the head hog caller.

Hey, I gotta get you home before she gets the bloodhounds out. Let's go.

Arnie Haines, Friesville Palladium.

Arnie Haines, Friesville Palladium.

Friesville Palladium.

The Arnie Haines Show, Friesville Palladium.

The Arnie Haines Show, Saturday night, Friesville Palladium.

The Arnie Haines Show, Saturday night.

The Arnie Haines Show, Friesville Palladium, Saturday night.

Let's rip it up!

Well, Mother, how does it look?

As if they all need a sedative.

But you must admit, it's just dancing. That's all.

These kids aren't doing anything wrong.

Well, darling, how can I tell?

They all move so fast, it looks like a double exposure.

You promised you'd report only what you saw here, nothing else.

If you do that, I'll be satisfied.

I made a bargain with you, baby. I'll live up to it.

Where's your boyfriend?

Boyfriend?

Now, Francine, you don't honestly believe that I thought

you were going to hog calling and pie baking contests?

Those were the best things I could think up.

Are you in love with him?

I don't know.

I hope so. I'd like to be.

Francie, you could do so much better.

I'm also old enough to be entitled to my own mistakes, Mother.

All right, darling.

I'm afraid this is as far as our date goes, Sunny.

I have other things to do.

Oh, you won't have any trouble finding boys to dance with here.

No trouble at all.

But I'll be seeing you later.

Well, I'm not sure.

I am.

You won't be on the stage all night.

Do we dig?

Consider it dug.

Good evening, Mrs. MacLaine.

Miss MacLaine.

Congratulations, Mr. Haines.

You must sing romantic ballads much better than I thought.

Mother. She knows.

I'm very sorry you don't think as much about rock and roll as your daughter does, Mrs. MacLaine.

Oh, she's very young, she'll get over it.

And what happens to you, Mr. Haines, when the public gets over rock and roll?

Well, if they ever do, then I'll go back to singing romantic ballads.

And I hope Francine's around to listen to them.

Check with you later.

Touche.

Touche.

Now one of the most fabulous of all rock and roll acts...

here are The Treniers!

How are we doing, Dad?

The newspaper gal digging us?

Yeah, real deep.

She sounds like she has us plowed way under already.

That's freedom of the press.

Yeah, and I always thought freedom of the press

was a tailor who ironed your suits for nothing.

Shows you.

Hey, we're on next. We better get set, fellows.

Okay. The rest of the boys are backstage.

Good.

Well, at least the latest communique from Mellondale is a good one.

Mayor Bagley is sound asleep.

Who would ever think 500 kids would keep a secret?

Looks like the younger generation has some character after all, eh?

Light up the lantern and let the bells toll 'cause that man's coming out to rock and roll.

So take off your handcuffs and take off your chains...

while we dig with the mostest of Arnie Haines!

It's intermission time. Time to rest your feet.

Then Little Richard and his cats will be here with a beat.

You got 15 minutes, so set your clocks.

And then jive on back with your rolls and rocks!

See you later.

Now, look, Sunny. I can't run out like this.

I have guests in there.

I'm your date, whether you know it or not.

But I can't...

Oh, now come on.

If the world was made in six days...

we should be able to make a little time in 15 minutes.

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