wheel grinding you got a ticket or i miss my gas. Hear that . No, no, hes not after me. I checked and nobody was trailing me. Thats what you thought the last time. Yeah. One more ticket and theyll suspend my drivers license. police siren you know, betty, if he shows up you talk to him. Maybe you can think of a better excuse. Im gonna just. [betty] hey wait a minute. Come back here. What do you want me to do . Tell him my brother has a bad taste of jitter and im gonna take care of the ticket for you . Would you do that for me . [betty] what . I wouldnt want to lose my license. If dad finds out hell ground me and take the car away. [betty] thats your own fault. I cant save you. Yes, you can. What if you let him think you were driving . Me . Oh, no [bud] you just offered to help. You practically promised. I did no such thing. Yes, you did you said, tell me what to do. Okay, you can save my life. Bud, ive never have a traffic ticket. Well, so youll get off real easy. [betty] no just probably a lifeline. You might even be able to talk you way out of it. Betty, i wouldnt ask you to do it if i thought youd get in trouble, because you would. [betty] what a ridiculous thing to ask. Come back, here. You cant let me down, betty. dramatic instrumental music audience laughs hi, there. Are you in a hurry . Oh, hello officer. I almost lost you. And i saw that rubber you peeled off coming on the driveway. May i see you drivers license. Oh. audience laughs im afraid i dont have it with me. Must be in another purse. What a shame. Would you mind getting it please. Of course, if you dont mind waiting. Oh, im always waiting for somebody. audience laughs [betty] oh, thanks. playful instrumental music audience laughs [bud] sorry. [betty] you better get out there and help me out. [bud] ill make it up for you someway. Ill do anything you ask. [betty] well you better think of something quick to get me off the hook. [bud] ill see if i can talk him out of the ticket. Ill fix it someway. [betty] all i can say is start fixing. audience laughs playful instrumental music hi, there. Have a nice glass of milk . audience laughs some fresh fruit . audience laughs no, thanks. This is your car, eh . Yes, sir. Both my sister and i use it. Couldnt you let her off this time, officer . Shes never had a ticket before. Shes a really careful driver. I can see that. You advertise it. Yeah. You know my dad buys a lot of tickets to the police and its benefit. And we sure appreciate his interest. audience laughs i was thinking once about becoming a policeman. I think is a real, great profession. We can always use good men on the force. audience laughs problem is i wouldnt have a heart to give anyone a ticket. Chicken, eh . You get to worry you feel like youre doing a favor. Yeah, i see what you mean. Look, officer, couldnt you just forget her this time . I know my sister wouldnt deliberately break any traffic rules. Honest, shes the greatest. [betty] im sorry i kept you waiting. Thats okay. Had a nice chat with your brother. audience laughs what are you going to charge her with, sir . Well, ms. Anderson, you ran through a boulevard stop. And i dont suppose you would be speeding to keep me from catching you, would you . Oh, no oh, no. That would be breaking the law. And you know, about those boulevard stops, you can slip by those without even seeing them. You see them if you slow down. audience laughs so, bad you didnt have your drivers license with you, miss. I had to put that on your citation, too. Now, if you would sign right there please. No, no. Dont sign, betty. Hold it. [officer] what are trying to do, young fellow . Interfering with an officers doing his duty . Does she have to sign a confession . Cant we just talk it over . Not an admission of guilt. Say so right there. All you have to do is sign it, take it down to the Traffic Bureau for disposition. What will they do to her . Bud, would you please stay out of this or youll make things worse. [officer] thank you. You got a lot of nice sentiments there. Living up to them saves the pd a trouble. Bye now. playful instrumental music i, i hate a guy like that all, you both have a perfect driving record. Perfect. No tickets. No accidents. That is until one of you clips a food truck, ruining your perfect record. Yup. Now, you would think your Insurance Company would cut you some slack, right . No. Your insurance rates go through the roof. Your perfect record doesnt get you anything. Anything. Perfect Liberty Mutual wont raise your rates due to your first accident. And if you do have an accident, our claim centers are available to assist you 24 7. For a free quote, call Liberty Mutual at switch to Liberty Mutual and you could save up to 509 call today at see Car Insurance in a whole new light. All nice and all the time is giving you the chop. audience laughs i, i really am sorry. I couldnt talk him out of the ticket. Well you better talk somebody out of it. This is the silliest nitwitty thing ive ever done. Shh audience laughs [margaret] what was a policeman doing on our driveway . Um, a policeman on our driveway . Oh, i heard his motorcycle and saw him leave from the upstairs window. Oh, um, a motorcycle policeman . Well, that was, just a, policeman in a motorcycle. audience laughs you may as well know, mother. He was giving me a traffic ticket. You . but betty, what did you do . Practically, nothing. We just didnt see a stop sign. audience laughs and i didnt have my drivers license. cause i didnt know id be hilfering today. audience laughs [margaret] im surprised that bud would like you take the wheel of his precious car. Oh, there are times when he doesnt mind. [bud] um, dad its coming. Lets change the subject. [margaret] but why all this secrecy . [betty] theres no use telling father. You know how he feels about traffic violators. [bud] yeah, he just ask a lot of questions, and theres no reason why to make a big thing out of this. But you know i dont like to keep things from your father. [betty] ill tell him myself later, mother. But, right now, would you please go along with me . Yeah, mom. Woman to woman, we can take care of this. audience laughs hi, there [jim] hello, everybody. Hi, dear. [jim] couldnt be better. I like those safe driving slogans you have on your car, son. I hope you practice what they preach when youre behind the wheel. I will lately youve been collecting traffic tickets like green stamps. audience laughs thank you. [bud] well, lets not exaggerate, dad. I only got a couple. spoon hitting the oven audience laughs but from now on, im gonna take it straight an arrow. [jim] good. Well, better wash up for dinner. Come on, betty. joyful instrumental music audience laughs phone rings hello. Yeah, shes here. For you, princess. Betty . Oh. Thank you. Hello. Oh, yes, aireen. Student Council Meeting tonight . Bill wants us to elect a chairman for the Safe Driving Campaign. And youve been prominently mentioned. You know, student leader type. Someone about recrout well, um. audience laughs im afraid i dont count right for the driver chairman. Besides, i couldnt possibly be there tonight. Why not . If you come here, i sense that youll get elected. And its quite aplomb. Well. audience laughs its been a rough day and ive got a splitting headache. Im sorry i cant make it, aireen. Bye. phone rings hello. Oh, yes, aireen. Well, just as a precaution she went to bed. Any message . She was elected chairman of the Safe Driving Campaign . Oh, thats wonderful im sure shell feel better when she hears that. audience laughs oh, thanks for calling, aireen. Goodbye. [bud] yeah, hey, whats going on . audience laughs of the Safe Driving Campaign. Um. No kidding . audience laughs hey, thats great instead of being a chairman, wouldnt she be a chairgirl . Ah, but its a mansized job, kitten. Why didnt they elect a man . audience laughs [jim] well you should be very proud. Your mother and i are. Dont you wanna be chairman . Of course i do, father. But this just comes at a bad time. Im awfully busy. Look betty, i know this was supposed to be woman to woman but, well, this thing seems to be getting out of hand. Dont you think you ought to tell your father what happened today . What happened . Alright. I got a traffic ticket. [jim] well, all i can say is you have a genius for bad timing. Is that the reason you ducked out of the Council Meeting tonight . Yes. Well, why didnt you tell me . Since when have my children not been able to confide in me . Well, i know how you feel about obeying traffic rules. And this was just a stupid thing. I didnt want anybody to know. sad instrumental music [margaret] well, what would say the Safe Driving Campaign, if it gets around that the new chairman got a citation on the very first day shes elected. [kathy] well, gee. It was only her first one. sad instrumental music [bud] look. Maybe if betty doesnt have to appear at the Traffic Bureau no one will know about it. But a city organism requires all Young Drivers and take a refresher course in driving regulations. That way, theyre more likely not to come back again. Well, come on everybody, lets let betty get some sleep. [margaret] come on, angel. [bud] im telling you dad. If she has to go down there, shes probably gonna be recognized. And theyll get it around the campus, and people will start shutting it up, and the whole campaign will take a nosedive. [jim] well, im afraid thats a risk shell have to take. Unless that bird of brain of hers can figure out a way shed go down and still not be seen. Of course, if she were twins. vibrant instrumental music audience laughs name . audience laughs betty anderson. playful instrumental music audience laughs that would be 35 dollars. audience laughs 35 dollars . Thats what it says, miss. Three violations. playful instrumental music audience laughs 35. Now, pretty expensive to enjoy your ride. We all say. audience laughs again . audience laughs or was. Wait a minute. Heres your receipt. Have to study up on traffic regulations, you know . Its required reading. joyful instrumental music audience laughs [bud] everythings fine, dad. Bettys citation is currently and discretely taking care of. No fuss, no moss. I just know of the flaw, bud. Flaw . The Student Council found that betty got a ticket and asked for her resignation. You mean shes out . How could, how could they know . Betty wasnt even at the Traffic Bureau. But i thought she has to appear in person. Well, i handled that so she didnt have to. What a sneaky doublecrossing council. They can do this to me it took all my savings wait a minute, bud. She was in a jam, wasnt she . Yes, but you dont usually knock yourself out for betty. audience laughs one would think you gotten the ticket. [bud] me . But betty told you she got it, didnt she . [margaret] both have been behaving so strangely. Bud, whats going on around here . I promised betty id help because. Well dad, i know youre gonna hit the ceiling, but, bettys being taking the rap for me. What are you saying . I was driving the car and i talked betty into signing the ticket. Bud anderson, how could you have your sister into a thing like that . Well i, i knew id have my drivers license suspended, sad instrumental music whatever you do, dad, i know i gotta come. Look, bud, i. I dont want to set a judgment on you when im as angry as i am at this moment. Ill do anything to make it up to betty. Youre a little late but. Its a start in the right direction anyway. resolution instrumental music [bud] cause i was driving at the time. My, my. Wasnt very nice of you, was it . How do you explain it . Well, i ran the boulevard stop, and my sister let him think that she was at the wheel so that i wouldnt have my drivers license suspended. And how did you work that, son . Change seats in midair . audience laughs [bud] no, sir. I wasnt even in the car when he caught us. I see. Now, its very noble of you to come here and try to assume all of the responsibility. When does this unusual case come before the court . Well, the fine has already been paid. I took care of that myself. You did . You seem to forget that the citys organism require Young Drivers to answer their citation in person. Now, how did you get around that . audience laughs well i imagine you werent very attractive. audience laughs no, look. [judge] son, i dont mean to be rude but this is a very weird series of events youve been telling me. You know, you have a charming imagination. You mean, you dont believe me . Well, i believe youre a very nice young man who is willing to take the blame for something your sister did to take out of a jam. But laudable as that is, the court can not become a party to it. You dont think id tell a lie to a judge. sad instrumental music [judge] betty, the court is convinced that your attempt to shield your brother, stem from loyalty and devotion rather than any desire to disworth justice. Thank you, your honor. But, because you were in grave error when you aided an evitative traffic violator, you are fined 25 dollars. The fact that your Student Council regard you highly enough to keep you as chairman of their Safe Driving Campaign prompts the court to be as lenient as possible. Bud anderson, be suspended for the balance of the college semester. In addition, you are fined 50 dollars. I want to commend your father for already taking away your car. There would be fewer traffic violations among Young Drivers if their parents took a stern of view of such matters. Now bud, theres just one thing more. Since you caused considerable confusion and embarrassment both to your sister and the Student Council, it seems fitting that you should be remanded to them for suitable disciplinary action. If they can use you in some way to help put over their Safe Driving Campaign, they have the courts blessing. audience laughs audience applause joyful instrumental music [voiceover] robert young and Jane Wyatt Kathy giggles with elinor donahue, billy gray, and Lauren Chapin in father knows best. Thats what i said, famous. We are on the verge of becoming a famous family. [betty] well, why . How did we rate that . What did we do, daddy . Well, im not exactly sure. All i know is, were going to be written up in a magazine. [betty] really, what magazine . Life . Look . Glamour . Hardly chuckles . Probably true confessions. jim chuckles no, youre all wrong. Its the insurance executives sentinel. [betty] oh, great. audience laughs oh, now dont knock it. Thats read in the homes of thousands of insurance men. Thats what i mean. Furthermore, an article like that could do me some good in my business. Well, why did they choose us for the article . Well, partly because were such a model family. Mostly because the editors a friend of mine, fred mcclure. Yes, i remember him. He was here at the house once. Thats right, the year the convention was in springfield. Well, is he writing the article . No, he sent out a staff writer to do it, a fellow named mel buford. chuckles some name. He seemed very nice. He was at the office briefly this afternoon. The article has something to do with solid family life jim chuckles hell explain it all to us at breakfast tomorrow morning. At breakfast . Hmm. You mean, here . Yes, we decided that saturday morning breakfast would be a good leisurely time to catch us all together, a good time to take pictures of us too. Our pictures will be in the magazine . Sure. Oh, i wish youd told me, so i could have planned something special. Oh no, the whole point is not to do anything special. He wants to see us just the normal ordinary way we live. Oh, surely he wouldnt put that in the magazine. audience laughs what time is he going to be here . Well, i suggested that betty, do you know Francine Wolf . Bud, your fathers talking. Oh, excuse me. Francine wolf . Yeah. I that real cool blonde whos been going out with george bigelow. [margaret] bud. [betty] yeah, i think i know who she is. What about her . Well, she and george broke up, so now she hasnt got a date for the dance at the college tomorrow night, and neither do i. But how do i ask her when i dont bud, your father is trying to tell us something. Oh, excuse me, dad, go ahead. audience laughs what were you going to say, dad . Frankly, i got so fascinated by the francine story, ive forgotten what it was. You were saying what time the magazine writer would be here tomorrow morning. Oh yes, 9 00. What magazine writer . If you were a little more polite, you would have found out. A writer is going to do a story on our family for the insurance magazine. Yeah, no kidding . Say, how can i get acquainted with her on such short notice . audience laughs well, i dont know. Maybe you could oh, say father, i wont be here in the morning. I have to go over to dotty snows to work on some material for our next debate. Well, you have to eat breakfast first, and you can stick around for a few minutes. This is very important to me. So, in spite of debates or francine or anything, i want you all here. Is that clear . Okay, 9 00 at breakfast. Oh no, thank you. Oh. My, it certainly was a wonderful breakfast, mrs. Anderson. Well, it varies. Yes, it varies down to handing the kids a piece of toast as they rush out the door, late for school. audience laughs oh, it isnt that bad. [jim] well, almost, but you, undoubtedly, know how it is, mr. Buford, that is, if your family operates on a different schedule, as ours does chuckles . Frankly, i dont know. Im a bachelor, and i didnt have too much family life as a boy either, being raised by an uncle. I guess thats why mr. Mcclure gave me this assignment. He figured id have a truly objective viewpoint. jim chuckles phone rings oh, bud. [bud on the phone] hello, oh, claude. Well now, mr. Buford, what would you like to do first . [bud on the phone] what did you find out about francine . Would you like to take some pictures or bud, tell claude youll call him back later. Mr. Buford doesnt have all day. Hes got information about francine. Yes, sir. [bud on the phone] i gotta go. Oh, i guess the first thing i ought to do is try to explain what we want to do in this article. Good idea. We want to show that a closelyknit family is an aid to an insurance man, in that it provides him with an understanding of the problems of his clients and their families and so on. Its sort of a study, i guess, in togetherness. I hate that word, its so overworked, but thats actually what it is. Well, i certainly wouldnt say that were an outstanding family in any way, but i do feel that we a