Episode Eleven
"A Capital Idea" 

Credits:

Director: Frank Doelger
Writer: Rupert Holmes
Guest Stars: Alan Nebelthau as Mr. Boynton
                      Spence White as Todd Varick

Premise:

    Scott Sherwood, who has been sent by Victor to run the station in his absence, arrives at WENN.  He makes a bad first impression with everyone, and then proceeds to weave advertisements in with the shows so tightly they quit being shows and become infomercials.  The staff finally revolts and wackiness ensues.

Synopsis:

    The show begins with Mackie reading the news.  He announces the arrival of the new miracle fabric: NYLON.  In the control room, Celia shows off the new stockings she has obtained.  In fact, she was able to get a pair for Betty too.  She won't reveal how she got the very hard to get items, but says that it's between her and a floorwalker at Broome Bros. named Bruno.
    Betty tells Celia that she's interviewing interns, so to please send in any that she might see lurking in the hall.  Celia leaves and runs into Scott, sending him into the control room.  Scott comes in, talking a mile a minute.  He's obviously not too interested in radio (it stops him from thinking out loud), and Betty tells him that they're looking for someone younger and with more interest in radio.  He tells her that this is too bad, as he's her new boss.  It seems that he met Victor in London and he asked Scott to take over the station. "Very Exciting".  He forces Betty out of her office, telling her that Mr. Boyington from Empire Jewelers is coming over to discuss a promotion.  Before she can get a word in, he asks her to lunch, forces her out, and tells her he'll address the staff during "Matinee Melodies".
    In the Green Room, Hilary, Celia, and Jeff read Scott's letter of introduction from Victor.  Apparently Scott has been all over...London, Portugal, Cairo, Peking...Zinc Mines, Nonflammable Blimps of Texas, TransSiberian Mail Service...  In the hall, Betty explains the concept of a new boss to Mr. Eldridge.  Scott comes tearing out of his office, and gives her something he promised Mr. Boyington he'd get on the air in 2 minutes.  Betty runs to the writers room and types furiously while Celia asks what Scott's like.  Celia wants first crack at him.  Betty runs to the studio and hands Mackie the new script while he's doing the news.  Instead of the News from Europe, he tells the audience that Felix the Cat watches are now on sale at Empire Jewelers for $2.99.
    Back in the hall, Scott asks Betty to come tune WENN in on the radio.  She does, and Mr. Boyington is impressed by the ad.  Scott praises her work, and gives her something to put into "The Hands of Time".  As he leaves, Celia tries to put the moves on Scott but it doesn't work.  She is, naturally, upset.
    Hilary and Jeff are performing when Betty runs into the studio with the new scripts.  The new script includes the romantic gift of a briscuit of beef and an ad for a local butcher.  Hilary is incensed and charges Scott's office.  Scott pretends not to know who she is, and professes an ignorance of the theatre.  He takes the wind out of her sails quickly, and tells her that he's under orders to cut one of the staff.
    Later, in the Green Room, Scott addresses the staff.  His goal at the station is to turn a profit, and he will do ANYTHING to get it.  He then reveals that Winslow Broome of Broome Bros. has offered the actors a 10% commission on any order in the store that mentions WENN.  The promise of extra cash to poor radio folk buys off all the staff except Betty, who objects.
    In the studio we see the outcome of the new policy.  Flash Flanagan and his sidekick are caught in the middle of a bank robbery, but are saved by a Sunbright washing machine.  In his new office, Scott is berated by Betty who protests the new tactics.  The only problem is that the ratings are up, and the phone is ringing off the hook with happy sponsors.
    Meanwhile, in the lobby, a man has entered looking for Celia.  He has come to offer her a job going around to his father's theatres pretending to be Blondie.  When she originally balks at taking time away from her radio job, he offers her $300 a week plus expenses and a screen test for Columbia Pictures.  She accepts.
    Back in the studio we see more examples of the station selling out during "Sam Dane".  In the writer's room, Mr. Eldridge complains about the state of things to Betty and says that he's leaving.  He says that when things get back into shape to give him a call.  This seems to be the last straw for Betty.
    In the Green Room, the others have gotten the first checks from Broome Bros.  They discover, to their dismay, that the Broome Bros. have deducted the cost of the ads from their commissions.  Mackie's check is very small and Hilary even owes them money.  While this is going on, Betty is in Scott's office resigning.  Scott is upset, and reminds Betty that he is not Victor.  When the actors hear about Betty's slated departure, they decide that everything has gone too far.  To solve the problem, Hilary and Jeff suggest sabotage.
    And then.....
                                                                                                WACKINESS!!!
    The cast begin to screw everything up.  From giving away the murderer at the beginning of the Sherlock Holmes show to 15 minutes of mime to announcing "Broome Bros. time is Thursday", they turn the heat up on Scott.  Scott, in turn, is forced to deal with very unhappy sponsors.  When he asks Hilary if anything is off with the performances that evening, she tells him that everything is fine because actors will try anything once... She then goes on the air to play "Friday" in a very innuendo-laced episode of "Robinson Crusoe".  The Pittsburgh Public Library, who is sponsoring, isn't too happy.   Neither is Acton Anthracite Coal, whose shows are all mixed up into one surreal production - Rance Shiloh becomes a duelling Frenchman fighting off the killer Carter (played by Hilary) and defending an innocent woman (played by Mackie).  They combine Custard the Clown in with the show, as well as last night's fights.
    Finally, Scott gets the picture and calls off the ad blitz.  Betty asks him if this means back to normal, and he says that is impossible unless they want the station to go out of business.  When he suggests broadcasting via frequency modulation over a carrier wavelength, Betty reminds him that he said he didn't know anything about radio. Oh, would you look at the time.... 

Featured WENN Programmes:

"News At Eight"

    The evening news, as read by Mackie and sponsored by Broome Brothers Dept. Stores.  Scott ruins it by replacing the news from Europe with an ad for a sale on Felix the Cat watches at Mr. Boynton's Empire Jewels.

"The Hands of Time"

     Brent's memory has returned; it's a medical miracle.  As he and Elizabeth rejoice over being man and wife again, he gives her a gift from his journeys in Spain.  It's a briscuit of beef from Kepler's Quality Meats.  

"Flash Flanagan"

    Mackie (Flash) and Celia are caught in a shootout with Jeff, who plays the robber. They are saved thanks to a Sunbright washing machine, provided courtesy of Broome Bros.

"Rance Shiloh"

    The show gets a little twisted thanks to the cast trying to sabotage Sherwood's plans.  Jeff's Rance Shiloh becomes a frenchman, dueling with Hilary who plays the villain with a southern drawl.  Mackie plays the love interest with a gruff 49'er voice.  Very interesting and VERY wacky.  The show is combined with Custard the Clown and sponsored by Acton Anthracite Coal.

"Pittsburgh Public Library Theatre"

    This episode features "Robinson Crusoe" with Jeff and Robinson Crusoe and Hilary as Friday. "Would you like me to debone the fish, master?"

"Matinee Melodies"

    A show mentioned by Scott because he addresses the staff while it is on.  Apparently it must involve records or some such because none of the cast is required for it.

"Sam Dane, Private Eye"

    Sam, wearing brand name galoshes, meets a mystery woman played by Hilary.  She is dressed in an outfit from The Tailored Woman, open evenings until eight.  She asks for a light; he is able to provide it because he is using a Flintlock lighter and it has an adjustable wick.

"Sherlock Holmes"

    Sponsored by Venito Wines and Windsor Pipe Tobacco.  This week, we see "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Murdered Monarch".  Luckily for Holmes, the murderess confesses before the story begins and he can then go back and start the investigation.


Return to Season One Index
Return to Main Page