Footlight Parade Page #5

Dancing girls on the stage.

Hit that again for me, will you?

On the stage, girls, hurry!

Come, dear.

I've come to take you to lunch.

Gee, that's nice of you, Harriet.

I'd love to go, but...

I'm not eating lunch anymore.

I'm in training now.

Well, you can walk with me as far

as Si's office, can't you?

- Si's office? Oh, yeah.

- All right, sweetie pie.

- Have you seen Miss Thorn?

- I think she's gone to lunch.

Oh. Thanks.

What is this funny thing

I can't get too much of?

I've got a feeling it's love

Lunch!

- Have you seen Mr. Blair?

- He's gone to lunch with Mrs. Gould.

He would.

Well, use a short introduction.

Then bring Miss Schubert

out for her number. Yeah.

These wires just came.

No, no, no, do it that way.

Just that way. Yeah.

These wires just came.

I can't look at them now.

I got a date for lunch.

Phone Miss Rich and tell her

I'll be right over, will you?

Miss Rich, please.

Miss Rich? I'm calling for Mr. Kent.

Yes, he won't be able

to have lunch with you.

No, he said you may take

the afternoon off.

He doesn't want you

to strain yourself the first day.

- Hello, hello.

- It's the only vacant seat.

At least you're sitting next to

another good singer.

I'll try not to let it spoil my lunch.

Why, Scott dear, you told me

you stopped eating lunch.

Well, I have. You see, actually,

I'm just having breakfast.

Well, I'll forgive you this time,

you naughty boy.

I'll take spinach.

If I were a man, I wouldn't be a lapdog

tied to any woman's apron strings.

- I might surprise you.

- You probably won't.

Mr. Kent, I wanna quit.

Don't be silly, singers never quit.

They hang on

till somebody knocks them off.

I know, but that's why I wanna quit.

There's no future in singing.

- What do you wanna do?

- I wanna be your assistant.

You haven't filled Thompson's job yet.

I'll work a year for nothing

if you insist on a sample.

You're reading those magazine ads again.

"How I Became President

of the Atlas Pickle Works. "

Give me a chance at the job, will you?

That's all I want.

I know I'll make good. But if I fail-

We'll make-believe you're Mrs. Gould's

relative. Keep you on anyway.

- You've got the job.

- Thanks.

So Mrs. Gould sniveled you

into another job.

I got this absolutely on my own.

Is there any business

you wish to discuss with me?

No, that's the trouble with you.

You're all business. All efficiency.

You're not alive. You're not a bit feminine.

Look at that dress. Look at those glasses.

All you need is a pair

of brown-paper shoes...

and The Atlantic Monthly

tucked under your arm.

Anything else?

That's all. If I need you, I'll send for you.

No, Mr. Kent is busy.

- Nan, are you busy?

- No, just dreaming lazily about life.

Tell me, where do you get your hair done...

and where do you get

all those pretty dresses?

What's the idea?

You're the type men like and-

Me?

Know any more funny stories?

Mr. Kent.

Yeah?

Listen, cut a minute out of George's

comedy...

and then bring the trumpet sextet

up before the Hawaiian number.

See my secretary.

And if you're still overtime...

Wait a minute,

call me back in five minutes.

- No!

- Yes.

The one girl in the place

that showed some sense.

I got sick of looking like a schoolteacher

and I'm sick of working in an office.

I wanna go back on the stage.

It was just a question of time

before this place got to you.

- Did you say she could dance?

- One of the best.

All right. Hold it!

- Hold it!

- Hold it!

Let's see what you can do.

Play something in two-four.

Same thing. Go ahead.

Fine, that's grand.

How'd you like the job

of teaching new kids the routines?

Gee, Mr. Kent, that'd be swell.

All right, job's yours. Oh, Francis...

Miss Thorn is your new assistant.

It can't be done, Mr. Kent, it can't be done.

All right, Miss Thorn, you watch it

from over there, will you?

All right, girls, places.

Another good gal gone wrong.

Come out, come out

Come out and get your loving

Now, don't you keep me in suspense

Come on, come on

We'll do our turtle-doving

Sitting on a backyard fence

Come on, come on

The little stars are peeking

They're waiting for you to commence

Uh-huh, uh-huh

I kinda thought I'd weaken

Sitting on a backyard fence

It may be just another little backyard alley

Off the avenue

But I can see a willow tree,

a moonlit valley

In the dreams I share with you

Meow, meow

The kitty-cat is cooing

He shows a lot of common sense

He knows, he knows

There's always something doing

Sitting on a backyard fence

Come on, come on

Come out and get your loving

Now, don't you keep me in suspense

Come on, come on

We'll do our turtle-doving

Sitting on a backyard fence

Come on, come on

The little stars are peeking

They're waiting for you to commence

Uh-huh, uh-huh

I kinda thought you'd weaken

Sitting on a backyard fence

It may be just another little backyard alley

Off the avenue

But I can see a willow tree,

a moonlit valley

In the dreams I share with you

- Meow!

- Meow!

The kitty-cat is cooing

He shows a lot of common sense

He knows, he knows

There's always something doing

Sitting on a backyard fence

That's all!

Those contortions are pretty vulgar.

One thing after another.

Just a minute.

- You look like a girl I used to know.

- Oh, really?

You're new here, aren't you?

I thought so.

You tried to fool me, didn't you?

But what a change. You're beautiful.

And what a dancer.

Is that all you can say?

Well, how about a little kiss then?

Mrs. Gould's little boy? I should say not.

Chester, you gotta do about

something quick.

The Apollo deal's hot

and Gladstone's after the contract.

Forget Gladstone.

I'll give you something tomorrow

that'll knock Apollo for a loop.

Yeah.

Now all I have to do is think it up.

Maybe we'd better go back to your office.

Yeah...

Yeah, that's right.

Can't keep my mind on the race here.

But, Chester?

I'll pick you up at 6:00.

You're gonna get picked up again.

Old Faithful's gone blank on me.

I thought of a thousand ideas

and every one of them moth-eaten.

If the little girl's not too bold,

how's for me sticking with you to get it.

You could think out loud.

- Like we used to?

- It might help.

- Keep throwing ideas at me.

- And you throw the poor ones right back.

Sold.

We'll give Apollo a show

if it takes all night.

We'll have dinner, think and walk.

Let's go.

Got something?

It was so old you had to fumigate it.

Say, how about a great big coffee pot,

boys come out, and the girls come out...

and the audience goes out.

I think the jury better go out again.

We could have a band on the stage

and the chorus in the pit.

How about trees?

We've had flowers, pictures...

tables, radios, statues,

more tables, sofas, pianos.

Oh, nerts.

No good for a unit.

Hello?

Who's speaking? Nan?

Nobody else.

I wouldn't think of waking him.

He's sleeping.

And so was I when you called.

Goodbye, dear.

Move over, Chester, darling.

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