HAPPY: THE FIRST SPANKING (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about Christopher Hapgood Day, a.k.a. "Happy," an infant boy with an inner monologue, and his parents Chris and Sally, who run a hotel in Palm Springs. When Happy gets too fussy with his food, Chris insists on spanking him for misbehaving. He gets into an argument with Sally, who refuses to allow Happy to be spanked, citing the example of their friends the Brighams, who believe that spanking their child Meg would inhibit her growth and creativity. Sally tells Terry about the incident and she supports Sally's decision entirely. Chris arrives and offers his opinion, chiding Terry when Meg accidentally slips into a kiddy-pool. Chris and Sally argue again about the spanking issue; Chris says that he was spanked by his father and it strengthened their relationship, but Sally counters that times have changed and such methods won't work anymore. Chris talks to Terry's husband Joe, who advises him to take a stand against Sally and assert himself. Chris vows to spank Happy the next time he misbehaves. Later, Chris leaves Happy in Uncle Charlie's care while he tries to endear himself to one of his guests. Charlie leaves Happy alone for a few moments and Happy activates the hotel's sprinkler system, drenching the guests and embarrassing Chris. Angry, Chris takes Happy inside to spank him. Sally tries to talk him out of it but he is determined. However, when it comes time to perform the actual spanking, Chris tries to get Sally to do it, but Sally insists that if he is truly dedicated to punishing Happy, then he must be the one to do it. Everyone leaves Chris alone with Happy to perform the deed, but he cannot bring himself to do it. Happy cries and screams to make it seem as though Chris did spank him. Sally rushes in to take Happy away, furious with Chris, who tries to profess his innocence. That night, Uncle Charlie babysits Meg and Happy while the Days and Brighams go out to dinner. He makes a number of attempts to entertain Meg, all without success. When he leaves for a moment to put Happy to bed, Meg rummages through the kitchen, dropping a cookie jar on the floor. Charlie returns and he determines that Meg wants some bread and jam and starts preparing it before going back to attend to Happy. While he and Happy greet the returning Days and Brighams, Meg splatters jam all over the kitchen. Terry tries to clean Meg up and insists that Joe spank her as punishment. They argue about it; Sally and Chris notice that their argument mirrors their own. They decide that a moderate amount of such discipline can be effective, although Happy seems to disagree with them. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: March 3, 1961 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:27:05
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:48972
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1960-1961
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Raleigh cigarettes
CREDITS
- Alvin Cooperman … Executive Producer
- E. J. Rosenman … Producer
- G. Carleton Brown … Associate Producer, Created by, Writer
- Frank Gill Jr. … Associate Producer, Created by, Writer
- Paul Harrison … Director
- Lloyd Corrigan … Cast, Uncle Charlie
- Yvonne Lime (See also: Yvonne Fedderson) … Cast, Sally Day
- Ronnie Burns … Cast, Chris Day
- Burt Metcalfe … Cast, Joe Brigham
- Wanda Shannon … Cast, Terry Brigham
- Lori Freeman … Cast, Meg Brigham
- David Born … Cast, Christopher "Happy" Hapgood Day
- Steven Born … Cast, Christopher "Happy" Hapgood Day
- Leone Ledoux … Voice, Christopher "Happy" Hapgood Day