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5914
“IN CASE OF EMERGENCY”
LASSIE
7/9/59
“LASSIE”
(5914)
“IN CASE OF EMERGENCY”
When a neighbor dies of a burst appendix because the nearest hospital is 50 miles away,
Ruth and Paul decide something should be done about setting up an emergency hospital.
Everyone donates – all they need now is a building which Jason Blalock has but refuses
to give, saying if everyone would be more careful they wouldn’t get sick or hurt. And no
amount of talk or persuasion changes the old grouch’s mind until one day as Uncle Petrie
is helping him build a retaining wall (with inferior materials that Uncle Petrie had warned
him about) the wall collapses. Uncle Petrie grabs Blalock, throwing him clear, but Uncle
Petrie is caught under the tumbling blocks and timber and is seriously hurt. With Timmy
and Lassie’s quick thinking he reaches the hospital in time. But the remorseful Blalock now
realizes what an unreasonable, cantankerous old skinflint he has been and gladly donates the
building for the long needed emergency hospital.
Written by
Sid Harris and Betty Hopkins
Produced by
LASSIE TELEVISION, INC.
“L A S S I E”
(5914)
“IN CASE OF EMERGENCY”
DIRECTOR________________________ WRITERS: ___Sid Harris and__________
Betty Harris
CAST
TIMMY
RUTH
PAUL
UNCLE PETRIE
JASON BLALOCK
DR. STEWART
JUNKMAN
LASSIE
SETS
EXTERIORS INTERIORS
COUNTRY ROAD MARTIN KITCHEN
DRIVEWAY MARTIN BARN
BARNYARD BLALOCK PARLOR
RETAINING WALL WALL PHONE
FADE IN:
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - DAY
The Martin pickup, with Timmy and Uncle Petrie in the front
seat with Paul, who is driving, approaches a driveway. Lassie
is riding in the back. CAMERA PANS as pickup passes by and
turns up the driveway. CAMERA HOLDS on a sign at the entrance
to the driveway. It reads:
JASON BLALOCK - PRIVATE
KEEP OUT
FULL SHOT - DRIVEWAY
Showing a partially built retaining wall set back several
feet from the driveway. A hill slants up behind it. The
pickup enters shot and stops. Paul, Uncle Petrie, Timmy and
Lassie get out.
CLOSER SHOT
Retaining wall in b.g. Paul helps Uncle Petrie unload a
couple of sacks of cement. Timmy looks around interestedly,
then starts off with Lassie to explore the premise.
PAUL
(CALLING AFTER HIM)
Timmy!
Timmy turns back.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Better stay close by.
(at Petrie)
You know how Mister Blalock is.
TIMMY
(reluctantly coming back with
Lassie)
Why doesn't he like boys or dogs?
UNCLE PETRIE
Because he's a cantankerous old
bachelor.
TIMMY
Then why do you work for him?
UNCLE PETRIE (
Extra money I can pick up. That's
the only reason.
PAUL
(amused)
Are you sure?
UNCLE PETRIE
Well - somebody has to give him a
hand. He might know how to run the
Savings and Loan Association, but
he doesn't know beans about putin'
up a retaining wall.
PAUL
You two never have agreed on
anything.
UNCLE PETRIE
Some things I know more about than
he does.
(sniffs)
That gentleman farmer.
PAUL
He gets as much satisfaction
working around his place as we do
ours.
UNCLE PETRIE
If you wanna call putterin' working
(to Timmy)
Timmy, how 'bout fetching that
piece of canvas out of the truck?
Timmy goes to the back-end of the pick-up, hauls out a piece
of folded canvas, takes it to Uncle Petrie, who spreads it
carefully over the two sacks of cement.
UNCLE PETRIE
(during action)
He'd skin me alive if it rained and
spoiled his cement.
They start moving toward the pickup.
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD
The pickup approaches and passes Camera. We see Lassie riding
in the back.
ANOTHER ANGLE - COUNTRY ROAD
As the pickup passes a car parked by the roadside.
CLOSE SHOT - LASSIE
As she looks back toward the parked car o.s. And starts to
bark.
INT. CAB OF PICKUP - CLOSE SHOT
Timmy, Uncle Petrie and Paul hear and react to Lassie's
barking.
CLOSE SHOT - LASSIE
As she leaps out of the back end of the moving pickup. She
continues her frantic barking.
MED. SHOT - PICKUP
As Paul jams it to a stop and starts backing up.
MED. SHOT - PARKED CAR
Lassie is whining and pawing at the door of the car. Through
the open window we see a man slumped over the wheel. This is
HANK ALLEN, a neighboring farmer. Paul, quickly joined by
Uncle Petrie and Timmy, yank open the door.
CLOSE SHOT - HANK - FROM PAUL'S POV
Hank lifts his head, obviously sick and in pain. With obvious
effort, he begins to move to the other side of the seat.
MED. SHOT
As Paul turns to Uncle Petrie.
UNCLE PETRIE
(quickly)
Go ahead, Paul. I'll drive Timmy
and Lassie home.
As Paul starts to get in Hank's car...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. MARTIN KITCHEN - NIGHT
Timmy is helping Ruth set the table. Lassie is lying close
by. Uncle Petrie enters from the outside.
UNCLE PETRIE
(To Ruth)
Hear from Paul yet?
RUTH
He called. Dr. Stewart is driving
him home from Capitol City.
UNCLE PETRIE
Must've been real serious, going
clear to the hospital.
TIMMY
What was wrong with Mr. Allen?
RUTH
Your dad didn't say.
O.S SOUND of car pulling up and stopping.
RUTH (CONT'D)
(looking up and off)
Must be them now.
O.S. SOUND of car door slamming and car driving off. Group
moves toward the door as Paul enters. Without saying a word,
he goes directly toward the sink.
CLOSE SHOT - PAUL
As he draws a glass of water, drinks it all down, then turns
to face the rest of the family.
FULL SHOT
Ruth, Timmy and Uncle Petrie look at Paul, their expressions
expectant, concerned. Nobody says a word, but their faces are
asking the question.
CLOSE SHOT - PAUL
He's weary and more disturbed than he lets on.
PAUL
Burst appendix. We didn't make it
to the hospital in time.
Ruth and Uncle Petrie show their shook at this news. Timmy
looks worried but hopeful.
TIMMY
He's going to be all right, isn't
he?
The grown-ups exchange a glance. Then Ruth puts her arm
around Timmy.
RUTH
No, Timmy.
The quiet way she says this and the look on her face get
across to Timmy the fact that Hank Allen is dead. Timmy shows
his sadness at the loss of a neighbor he knew well and liked.
RUTH
(quickly changes the
subject and starts toward
the stove)
Supper will be ruined if I don't
get it on.
Timmy and Uncle Petrie sit down at the table while Ruth
dishes up the food. Paul goes to the sink to wash his hands.
We feel the depression of the group. Uncle Petrie, with false
heartiness, tries to cheer them up.
UNCLE PETRIE
Big doin's at the county fair this
year. Whole slew of movie stars
comin' in.
(to Timmy)
Bet you can get yourself a lot of
autographs.
TIMMY
(listlessly - not at all
interested or cheered)
Yeah.
Paul comes to the table and sits down and so does Ruth, after
putting the dishes of food on. Paul starts passing the
dishes.
UNCLE PETRIE
(trying again)
Mighty fine lookin' stew, Ruth. And
it always tastes just as good as it
looks.
He takes a bite, chews with pseudo gusto, then, like the
others, he just sort of toys with the food on his plate. All
of them feel too sad to eat much.
RUTH
(suddenly)
Something should be done about it.
As they look at her, she goes on:
RUTH (CONT'D)
The hospital. It's a crying shame
the nearest one is fifty miles
away.
UNCLE PETRIE
Heard Doc Stewart say the same
thing the other night at the Grange
meeting. Need a small emergency
hospital around here, he says.
PAUL
Only it's like the weather.
Everybody talks about it, but...
RUTH
Why don't we do something about it?
PAUL
Such as?
RUTH
Get everyone in the community
behind it...working...
TIMMY
The kids, too?
RUTH
The kids, too.
PAUL
(suddenly remembering)
The Grange offered to help equip a
hospital...furnish an operating
table, portable x-ray machine...big
things like that.
RUTH
Then that solves the problem.
PAUL
Not quite. First we need a
building. That takes a lot of
money.
RUTH
We could have a drive.
PAUL
Isn't easy to get people to
give...even to a good cause.
TIMMY
I'd give.
Everyone smiles at him.
RUTH
(fondly)
I know you would, Timmy.
Lassie, who has been sitting by Timmy's chair, perks up her
ears and barks.
RUTH
And you, too, Lassie.
UNCLE PETRIE
Folks around here are generous
enough. Just that they don't have
much to spare moneywise.
RUTH
There must be a way.
PAUL
Wish I knew wha it was.
Paul gets up and starts to stack his dishes. Ruth realizes
that for the moment she has no solution...but her expression
shows she isn't going to forget about the hospital. Uncle
Petrie and Timmy also look quite thoughtful as they get up
from the tale.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. MARTIN YARD - MORNING
Beside the barn door, Timmy is watching, and helping Paul mix
mash for the chickens. Pickup is nearby.
PAUL
(explaining to Timmy)
...and if you don't give them the
right kind of feed, the eggshells
will be too thin.
TIMMY
(studying the mash)
I'm glad I'm not a chicken - and
have to eat that stuff.
Paul smiles and continues mixing the mash.
WIDER ANGLE
Showing Uncle Petrie coming out of the house and heading
toward the pickup. He looks neither to right nor left...a man
with something on his mind.
CLOSE
Uncle Petrie, as he starts to open the door of the pickup.
Suddenly he becomes motionless, transfixed, as an idea
strikes him. He slams the door shut, turns and moves toward
Paul and Timmy.
WIDER ANGLE
Uncle Petrie coming up to Paul and Timmy. At the same moment,
Ruth comes out the kitchen door and hurries up to the group.
She's carrying a lunch pail which she holds out to Uncle
Petrie.
RUTH
(TO Uncle Petrie)
Never know you to forget your lunch
before.
He absently takes it from her, but his eyes are on Paul.
UNCLE PETRIE
(excited)
Blalock!
They stare at him.
UNCLE PETRIE
(continuing)
Should've thought of it before.
He's got a little house back end of
his place just standin' there
empty. Be perfect.
They still just look at him.
UNCLE PETRIE (CONT'D)
(impatient)
For the hospital - !
Now they get it. And show they think the idea is great.
RUTH
I knew there was a way.
PAUL
Good thinking, Uncle Petrie.
TIMMY
Yeah.
Uncle Petrie puts his lunch pail down on the ground to free
his hands so he can gesture as he describes Blalock's house.
UNCLE PETRIE
It's no real big...run down. But a
few boards and nails and paint will
turn it into the nicest little
hospital you'd want to see.
His enthusiasm is contagious, but Paul, always the logical
one, doesn't let his feeling run away.
PAUL
Fine idea. But how do we get Jason
Blalock to donate it for a
hospital?
UNCLE PETRIE
How? I'll ask him, that's how.
Ruth looks at Paul as though to say, "You see - it's very
simple."
UNCLE PETRIE
(carried away)
Explain the whole thing to him
while we're working on his
retaining wall.
As he turns and heads back to the pickup.
UNCLE PETRIE (CONT'D)
Don't worry about a thing. Just
leave it to me.
Ruth notices he's again forgotten his lunch pail. She picks
it up, calls after him:
RUTH
(chidingly)
Uncle Petrie...
He rushes back, grabs it out of her hand, rushes again to the
pickup and starts to get in, as we -
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. AREA NEAR RETAINING WALL - DAY
Uncle Petrie is emptying a sack of cement into a wheel barrow
as JASON BLALOCK, in a brand-new pair of overalls, stirs the
mixture with a hoe. Blalock is small,