Airdate: November 9, 1968
Writer: Paul Wayne
Director: Sherman Marks
Guest Cast: Jack Guilford as Uncle Arnold
Billy Beck as Frank, the cab driver
Rating: 4 bells
Synopsis:
Captain Gregg is with Jonathan in the attic, working on a ship model, when Carolyn calls Jonathan down for the arrival of her Uncle Arnold. Uncle Arnold, a traveling salesman, arrives complete with corny one-liners, very old jokes (Captain Gregg even quotes the punch line of one), sleight-of-hand tricks, and gifts for everyone. Candy and Jonathan are thrilled with Uncle Arnold and find him great fun, even though many of his tricks don't work. Candy begs Carolyn to ask Uncle Arnold to entertain at her upcoming birthday party. He is reluctant at first, but agrees when Carolyn points out that she seldom saw him as a child, and how much the kids want him to make the party special.
When the kids return from school next day they immediately seek out Uncle Arnold. Jonathan's enthusiasm has even been transferred from his ship model (and Captain Gregg) to Uncle Arnold's ongoing entertainment. However, as time passes, Candy and Jonathan hear the same jokes and watch the same tricks over and over again, and soon are seeking escape from the one-man show. Candy even asks Carolyn to call off her party for fear her guests will not like Uncle Arnold. While Carolyn is trying to figure out how to handle the situation, she sees Uncle Arnold on the stairs, overhearing what the children are saying. He pretends he hasn't heard and tells her he can't stay for the party after all due to an important meeting he has overlooked.
Captain Gregg at first treats the situation rather lightly, until he realizes that Carolyn is hurt as much as Uncle Arnold. She now realizes why she saw her uncle so seldom The Captain seeks out Jonathan, who is wakeful over the situation and working on the ship model in the attic, and shows him that people, unlike objects, cannot be discarded when one has grown tired of them. The Captain then hampers Uncle Arnold's packing until the children arrive and convince him to stay for the party.
Uncle Arnold's performance at the party is one big flop until the Captain, in response to a silent appeal from Carolyn, lends an invisible hand or two. Uncle Arnold finishes his act in fine style and departs with his confidence restored, in spite of his messy hat trick backfiring on the poor cab driver on the way out.
Favorite quotes:
Captain Gregg: Some of Uncle Arnold's jokes were told to me by my grandfather . . . and I've been dead for over a hundred years.
Jonathan: Yar, isn't she?
Captain Gregg: Groovy.
Captain Gregg: What will you do with it when you no longer enjoy
it? When it's worn out its welcome?
Jonathan: When it's worn out, I'll throw it away.
Captain Gregg: Quite. You can do that because a ball is a thing, not a person.
Jonathan: And Uncle Arnold is a person, not a thing?
Captain Gregg: Right.
Jonathan: Suppose I just give him his ball back?
Captain Gregg: Me, help Uncle Arnold?! That inept magician? That witless jester?
Favorite moments:
I admit to a major soft spot for episodes that involve Captain Gregg dealing with Jonathan. (Thus the four-bell rating, even though the major focus isn't on Carolyn and the Captain.) The late-night attic scene is a favorite of mine for another reason, too the further humanization of Captain Gregg, still early in the series. He has not shown much understanding or concern for others up to this point, having been alone and concerned only with himself for so long, and, of course, thinking quite highly of himself all the long while! While he has done benevelolent acts before, like rescuing Claymore from being convicted of antique fraud, it was more because of Carolyn's distress than from his desire to help. This incident starts out the same way, but the dialogue with Jonathan shows us an understanding and compassion for someone else that we haven't seen before.
And of course we have to love that moment Carolyn turns to the Captain for help!
Cast notes:
Jack Guilford appeared in many shows and commercials, such as the bus driver who "couldn't eat just one" Lays potato chip!
Contributed by Rhonda Nichols