TV Radio Mirror (Jul - Dec 1955)

VS/ELCOMI TO OUR FAMILY (Continued) Inspired by Beth's arrival, Pot and Hal have faund themselves o "small town" in the heart of New York's Greenwich Village, complete with comnnunity gardens, a hearth to dream by — and room for a family to grow in. dishes. At Hal's entrance, each looked up, murmured a polite greeting and went on with her work. Hal tried again to gain attention. "Pat, have you thought anything about Thanksgiving? Will we go to the folks' house, or is one of the aunts giving the dinner this year?" Pat flipped the iron back on its rest. "Dear, I don't see how we can go either place. It takes so long to get to Far Rockaway, and I don't think we should keep Beth out that late." Hal nodded. He, too, had been adding studio time to travel time and coming out with a dinner hour troublesome to all concerned. Rehearsals and shows would keep both of them tied up until nearly seven o'clock. But the memory of many happy Thanksgivings was so strong that his disappointment showed. "I suppose we'd better just skip the whole thing." Reluctantly, Pat agreed. "Even if we just took some of the kids from the show to a restaurant, it would mean that either Edna or Louise would have to baby-sit. We don't want to keep you girls away from Thanksgiving vnth your own families. We'll just have to plan some thing special next year." She, too, sounded disappointed. But Pat reckoned without Edna, that West Indian woman of great heart and strong character who had come into their household "for three weeks" after Beth was born and had remained as permanent nurse and family friend. She had also failed to count on loyal Louise, who had been with them for five years. At Pat's dismissal of Thanksgiving plans, Edna set down the rack of baby bottles with a rattle. "Do you mean, she demanded, "that Beth's going to have no Thanksgiving?" "She's so tiny . . ." said Pat. "We have to work," said Hal. "That's show business tor you." "But it's not family business," said Edna. Pat Meikle is the iiostess on Welcome Travelers, CBS-TV, M-F. 1 :30 P.M., sponsored by The Procter & Gamble Co. for Camay, Ivory Snow, Oxydol, Gleem, Piell. She is a hostess for Wonderama, over Station WABD (New York), Sun., 12 noon— 6 P.M. Search For Tomorrow is seen over CBS-TV, M-F, 12:30 P.M., as sponsored by Procter & Gamble for Joy, Spic and Span, Gleem. (All ESI) Said Louise, with five years' knowledge of the Coopers habits and responsibilities, "They always work. Thanksgiving. Christmas. Fourth of July . . ." . Edna was indignant. "Maybe that used to be all right for you folks, but it's not right for Beth. You're ±i^^^y now. Louise and I will see that you have a Thanksgiving." Pat, recalling the golden-brown turkey and all the trimmings which finally greetejd them last year, says. "What a dinner that was!" Thfe girls had worked out a plan and the Coopers' dinner was all ready before mey left for their own dinner with their families. "It was the first Thanksgiving we'd ever had in our own home," Hal recalls, "and it turned out to be quite a party. Ted Walsh, our assistant, was there and we brought Beth to the table in her carriage, hhe sai propped up against her pUlows, laughing and cooing ana flirting with Ted. She really seemed to know this was something special." „_ . jv,_ "It was special for us, too," says Pat. "This was the first time we really understood what it was like to oe a famUy— that we belonged to (Continued on page "'■> There's plenty of fresh air for Beth, and the grovcn-up Coopers enjoy that sunshine, too — v/hether playing with Beth, studying scripts, or making plans for the future.