Ok, everyone ready to really do radio?

Micky: I am!

Davy: Ready, mates.

Mike: Me, too. Let's show these guys some REAL talent.

Peter: I want to play on the air!

(We open with everyone entering the radio station. Frannie is behind the counter again, behind the switchboard.)

Frannie: (Looks at the group) Hi, everyone. (Puts her earphones down) Do any of you know how to do sound effects? Mr. Moony passed out. He's at the hospital now.

Micky: He did? That's awful! *then he grins* I know how to do sound effects.

Mike: He's a walking sound effects machine.

Davy: Sometimes intentionally, sometimes not.

Frannie: You'll have to talk to Mr. Wilson, but we need someone to do effects NOW. We're desperate. Last I checked, they had Stanley doing the effects.

Micky: Point me his way.

Mr. Wilson: (Looks at the group) Good, you're just the people I want to see. First of all, I heard from the hospital. Moony will recover, but we'll need someone to handle the sound effects while he does that, and as sweet as Stanley is, he's better with mops.

Micky: I'll do the sound effects! :D

Mr. Wilson: Teriffic! Get to it!

Micky: Yessir! ;)

Mike: Now, what was that you needed to discuss with us?

Mr. Wilson: We'll discuss it later, after he gets off the air.

Louise: (Hurries in, followed by Johnny) Mr. Wilson, what's going on? We passed Molly in the hall, and she said Mr. Moony...

Mr. Wilson: Moony passed out on the air. Too much stress, probably. We have a replacement on the air now until he recovers.

Davy: We may 'ave to drag 'im off the air once Moony DOES recovah.

Johnny: Who'd ya get, the curly-haired guy?

Mike: (Mutters) God help all of radio.

Mr. Wilson: Actually, one of the things I wanted to ask was if you wanted to help out on some of the shows. We could use some more actors. You'd just have small roles, nothing flashy, but it would be great for us. Some of our actors can't remember which voice they're using at which time anymore!

Davy: I'd love to, mate!

Daphne: *nods* Me, too.

Emma: Sounds like fun!

Lauren: Sure!

Mike: (Shrugs) What the heck, if you need help that badly...

Mr. Wilson: And maybe later, we can discuss, um, (more fidgety) doing something for me in return.

Mike: (Narrows his eyes) Yeah, we'll discuss that later.

(The Irvin Berlin song "Heat Wave," as performed by Ethel Walters who introduced it, begins as the group files into the studio. Louise and a younger woman with frizzy hair enter and quickly give scripts to Mike, Mitchell, Ben, and Daphne. They're doing "The Bandit of El Dorado.")

(All of the men wear cowboy hats. Mike is the bad guy and does his best tough guy impression. Emma plays the schoolmarm whose school the Bandit rescues. She eyes the trim and handsome Mitchell briefly, but Mike nudges her. :p)

(Miranda and Emma do a cooking show. Miranda reads the recipe, and Emma does the actual cooking, though Miranda doesn't seem happy to have an assistant.)

*Davy and Daphne do a love story, thoroughly nauseating all the men on the set and making the women swoon.*

(Even Miranda eyes Davy with interest.)

*Lauren joins in on a mad scientist sketch, complete with an explosion.*

(Mike, Ben, Mitchell, Emma, Miranda, and Peter do a science-fiction show, complete with the noise and smoke from the explosion giving them appropriate hazy atmosphere and cheap but glittery costumes. Mike grumbles; he has to play an alien. Emma's happier - she's the Princess of Jupiter who switches sides to join explorers Miranda, Ben, and Mitchell. Peter nervously plays the bad guy.)

(Miranda interviews the Beachcombers and the Monkees and their wives for a talk show. There's still time when the latter are finished, so she interviews Stanley. His antics with his mop makes everyone giggle but Miranda, who just looks annoyed.)

(Peter and Valerie play a piano duet, joined by Mike and Jack on guitars.)

*Lauren gives a fake sports recap, including scores: "5 to 2, 8 to 3, and 9 to 7." *

(We get a swashbuckler, with Mike and Peter chasing Mitchell and Ben on hobby horses while waving cardboard "swords" covered with aluminum foil. Damsel in distress Molly swoons prettily while Micky makes the appropriate clashing noises.)

(As the music ends, we cut to the group (except for Micky), the Beachcomber Quartet, Louise, Molly, Mitchell, and Ben Quigley in the lounge area, which has a table, hot pot, coffee pot, counter, shelves, and a few chairs scattered around the room. Everyone sits around the room or at the table, sipping coffee or tea.)

Mitchell: (Frowns) Is this true? Does Fleagle really want to set up the Amateur Show?

Mike: (Nods) 'Fraid so, Mitch. He has a gorgeous dame with no talent he's crazy over, and he wants her to win, no matter how bad she sounds to everyone but him.

Molly: Is she really that bad?

Emma: We heard her at the record shop.

Doc: Sounds like a singin' torture chamber outta "Dracula," darlin'. :p

Ben: Ouch. :p

Molly: Well, what can we do? The sponsor is allowed to do whatever he wants with the show!

Louise: But what he's doing isn't really legal.

Emma: Or ethical.

Jack: What we need is fight fire with fire.

Molly: What do you mean?

Valerie: We need to find a woman singer of our own to enter in the show, one with REAL talent.

Reggie: And the real singer will expose Fleagle's floozy to be a phony.

Mike: Um, whatever he said, he's right. ;)

Davy: Yeah. ;)

Mitchell: But how?

Emma: We'll put someone with REAL talent next to the one who doesn't have any.

Doc: And let Malibu Beach hear for themselves who really has talent. ;)

Doc: What 'bout the floozy herself? I don't think she knows 'bout the show bein' fixed.

Mike: Maybe it's time she heard what she really sounds like, too. She don't seem like a bad girl, but she's in the wrong career.

Mitchell: And finding a girl singer shouldn't be too hard. This IS southern California.

Mr. Wilson: (Peers in, groaning) Louise, could you come on for a few minutes?

Louise: What happened?

Mr. Wilson: The singer and band we were supposed to have tonight bowed out at the last minute. (Looks at the Beachcombers) We'll need you guys, too.

Reggie: (Bows) We live to serve, master. ;)

Mr. Wilson: Save the comedy for the show, Randall. You guys get on, now!

Jack: (Salutes) Yes, sir!

Mr. Wilson: Just go! :p

(The four Beachcombers head off to Studio A. Johnny takes Louise's arm and they walk there together. Molly smiles dreamily at them.)

Molly: Aren't they adorable? I hope they get married and have six kids.

(Mike looks at the others with a slight grin.)

*Davy winks.*

Emma: Mr. Wilson, why did you want Louise to go with them? I thought you said she was a writer and secretary.

Mr. Wilson: Louise is one of our most versatile staff members. Yes, she mostly does the writing. You haven't met the other writer; he shows up when he gets inspiration, which means we see him about once every two weeks. When Mr. Starling does appear, he's usually drunk and toting about fifty brilliant scripts. He'll stay around for a day, maybe a week, long enough to sober up before he disappears again.

Mitchell: Unstable man. Brilliant, but unstable.

Ben: Insane.

Molly: Very strange, but funny when he shows up, and a GREAT writer.

Mike: (Thoughtful) Has Louise ever sung on KMBR?

Mr. Wilson: A few times, usually when we need to fill airtime or a singer can't appear, which isn't often.

Emma: (Picks up on it) How good is she?

Mr. Wilson: She doesn't clear the room, I can tell you that. ;)

Mike: Someone turn on the radio.

Lauren: I got it. *turns on the radio*

(We hear Louise and the Beachcombers perform a Gershwin ballad, "Someone to Watch Over Me.")

Mike: (Perks up) Hey, she's not bad.

Peter: She's great! :D

Valerie: Definitely talent there. I'm surprised she's not singing with a band.

Mr. Wilson: What's going on?

Mike: Might as well tell him straight out. Mr. Wilson, we know about Fleagle and how he wants to fix the Amateur Show.

Valerie: And that he threatened to pull his sponsorship if you didn't fix the show so his mistress would win.

Mr. Wilson: I won't ask how you know that, but...yes. I don't want to compromise the show's integrity, but what can I do? (Puts his hands out) Maybe the woman has talent.

Mike: (Makes a face) She doesn't. We heard her above Fleagle's shop today.

Mr. Wilson: Bad?

Lauren: Awful.

Peter: And she doesn't realize how bad she really is.

Mr. Wilson: Oh dear.

Mike: We're workin' on a plan, though. We're gonna expose Fleagle and his canary with the iron pipes.

Mr. Wilson: How?

Emma: We're going to put a better singer alongside Fleagle's.

Valerie: Someone with real talent.

Mr. Wilson: Louise?

Peter: She's very good, Mr. Wilson! Much better than Fleagle's girl!

Mr. Wilson: But no staff members are supposed to be able to enter the contests!

Mike: Do they have to know Louise is a staff member? After all, Fleagle's not exactly doin' somethin' legal, either.

Mitchell: We need to do something more than that, though.

Mike: We need to prove to Fleagle that you can't just put anyone on the air and say they have talent.

Emma: (Thoughtful) What we need is to use the power of radio. Why don't we do something special at the end of this show?

Mr. Wilson: What do you mean?

Emma: We need the power of the Little Man and His Great Big Radio Console.

Valerie: We'll have people call in at various parts of the show to vote on their favorite! :D

Emma: And a massive call-in at the end.

Mr. Wilson: What if they choose her over Louise?

Mike: They won't if they value their eardrums.

Emma: Is there anyway we could get someone to help Frannie with the volume of calls?

Mr. Wilson: We could direct some calls to the phones in the lounge and Studio B.

Peter: We could get Stanley and some of the staff to help out with the phones!

Daphne: Great idea!

Mr. Wilson: I agree.

Molly: (Giggles) Just don't touch Stanley's mop. He considers it sacred.

Mike: Nice to see a man with a hobby.

Mr. Wilson: He's about a two on the brightness scale, but I'll give him credit, he keeps this place neat. Cleaning is his life.

Peter: I like Stanley! He knows everything about mops!

Davy: 'E does seem like a rathah pleasant chap.

Louise: (As she comes back into the room; Miranda is introducing "Men In the Headlines," a news show) Well, how's the plot to expose Fleagle's floozy coming?

Mike: Beautifully, darlin'.

Emma: Louise, have you ever considered singing professionally?

Louise: (Shakes her head) Oh no, it's just something I do for fun. I used to sing in the church choirs at home in Maplewood, Washington.

Mike: Darlin', you're great.

Peter: Really!

Louise: Thank you. What's this leading to?

Mike: We want you to sing on the amateur show.

Louise: Me?

Mike: (As the Beachcomber Quartet file in) We think you'd be perfect.

Peter: You sound so real!

Louise: (Raises her eyebrows) Well, I hope so. ;)

Mr. Wilson: He means you sound like a real singer.

Louise: But I'm a staff member!

Mike: Does the world need to know that?

Johnny: Louise (takes her hand), you don't have to do it if you don't want to. I know you love writing.

Louise: (Shakes her head) But if it's for the good of the station...

Mr. Wilson: (Gulps) Please, Louise?

Louise: (Smiles) I'll do it. I do like singing, and I want to keep the Amateur Hour on the air, too. It's giving so many local performers hope. You should see all the people who come here to be on the show. Some of them are down to their last dimes, especially since vaudeville started dying.

Mr. Wilson: (Nods) I hope President Roosevelt can somehow help them out, too. I heard one of the organizations he's starting is for starving artists and performers.

Mitchell: What about the rest of us?

Mr. Wilson: You'll man the phones and help out the other performers. Ben will retain his role as announcer.

Molly: So he can ogle all the cute singers and performers.

(Ben glares at her.)

Mr. Wilson: Mitchell, will you tell Miranda what's going on when she gets off the air?

Mitchell: (Nods) Yeah, if she doesn't throw her script and anything else she can get at me first.

Mr. Wilson: I thought you settled your differences, Mitch.

Mitchell: They're...unsettled...again.

Ben: Who'd she catch you with this time?

(Molly blushes. :">)

Mitchell: None of your business, Quigley. (He gets up and heads out; Molly follows)

Mr. Wilson: (Looks at his watch) Molly has the "Fireside Theater" tonight. I think she's reading "The Lady In White" and we'll finish with the Pat Farrana and His Sunshine Orchestra console from the Hotel Caprice ballroom. (Turns to the others) Which means you're all free to leave. Ben will show up at 6 tomorrow for the news and we'll need Mitch and Miranda for their morning show. The rest of you will be needed here at 8:30 for the children's programming and soap operas.

Mike: 8:30?

Mr. Wilson: You haven't met our children's show host, either. He only does the kids' shows and soap operas because he needs to be at home with his wife during the afternoon. She has seven kids and is expecting an eighth any second now. Lee's a good guy, and you can imagine how good with kids he is. He does the Uncle Brownie's Land show every morning except Sundays, and he just loves it. Does publicity with local kids and everything.

Mike: Ok, everyone, the meetin' is adjourned, then. ;)

Mr. Wilson: See all of you tomorrow.

(Cut to the sidewalk out front. Everyone's stretching or finishing paper cups of coffee or tea.)

Reggie: So, where are you folks crashing?

Mike: The O'Malley's boardin' house on Pacific.

Johnny: Hey, we're not far from there! We're on Palm!

Louise: The Holiday Hotel For Ladies is just down the block.

Mike: Does anyone have a car?

Jack: (Shrugs) No cars are necessary in this town, Mike. Trolley will take you anywhere you need to go.

Mike: The trolley?

Johnny: (Points at tracks laid in the street) Those tracks aren't there for decoration.

Valerie: (Eyes widen; leans over and whispers to the girls) Those tracks haven't been there in over 20 years! They took them out in the late 40s, when they decided they needed more room for the cars and the trolleys were losing ridership!

Lauren: Wow...

Reggie: (Shrugs) Who can afford a car these days?

(They walk over to the trolley stop nearby, which is signaled by a sign and a bench.)

Mike: Hey, Mick, how was your first night as a sound effects man? ;)

Micky: *grins* I LOVED it! I can't wait to get back in there!

Peter: You sounded great!

Mike: Yeah, and nothin' blew up.

Micky: Thank you, thank you.

Mike: As long as they don't ask you to host a science show.

Doc: Why? What has he done?

Peter: (As the trolley arrives) Micky likes to play with his chemistry set.

Mike: And blow things up.

Doc: Hey, that sounds like fun!

Jack: (As everyone gets on the trolley and pays their nickel) Why am I not surprised you think getting blown up sounds like a fun way to pass the time?

Micky: It is fun!

Mike: (Leans back; the trolley has no roof, and there's a fresh breeze coming in) Ahh. This ain't such a bad way to travel.

Johnny: You say that at midnight when we're the only riders. The trolley can be a real pain during rush hour when everyone's taking it home from LA and Hollywood.

Jack: Standing between two very large men during rush hour is a wonderful way to lose weight. (Rolls his eyes)

Reggie: Or get flattened like a pancake.

Reggie: (Watches Johnny snuggle up to Louise) Hey guys, feel like some practice?

Doc: (Makes kissy noises) How about a love song?

Peter: That sounds great!

Reggie: (Winks) And I have just the song for our little lovebirds.

Johnny: Reg...

(Reggie kicks off the vocal for a rip-snorting, Dixieland version of "Ain't She Sweet?" We see shots of the guys playing their instruments in the back of the trolley with an obviously projected Malibu Beach flying by behind them and trolley sounds, including bells.)

Louise: (Over the noisy music) Are these all your friends?

Johnny: Just the ones on the sides.

Louise: Do they have to play so loud?

Johnny: They don't mind!

(Johnny, Doc, and Davy get in close to Johnny and Louise at one point, still singing; Johnny swats them away.)

*Micky pulls a folded object from a pocket and unfolds it. It's a kite. He lets the string out a little to fly the kite.* :)

(Doc, Davy, Reggie, Mike, and Peter play miniature golf, using the instruments as obstacles. Davy gets a hole-in-one; the others check the instruments to make sure he didn't cheat.)

(Johnny and Louise chat in the back over the music, still cuddling.)

*Lauren snuggles up to Micky as he continues to fly a kite.*

(Emma and Valerie lean out to wave to movie stars, taking pictures. The "movie stars" are Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Horace Horsecollar, and Clarabelle Cow in a brief black-and-white animated sequence. They even wave back, Horace giving a horsey grin.)

(Cut to another trolley on the end of the block that lets the entire group off. Everyone climbs off as the music comes to an end.)

Mike: Ok, gang, let's hit the O'Malley's. (Looks at Mick) Time to reel the kite in, Mick.

Micky: Oh, alright. *pulls on the string and refolds his kite*

Johnny: (Turns to Louise) Can I walk you home?

Louise: Just to my front door. The building is women-only. The only man allowed is the doorman.

Doc: That's no fun.

Johnny: Well, I'll do that, then. (Looks at his friends) I'll meet you at home, guys.

Jack: (Sighs) We're losing him.

Mike: I'm sure everythin' will be ok.

Valerie: (As Peter yawns) Ohh, look at the time! We have people who need their sleep too, if they're going to be fresh and wide-eyed for tomorrow's shows! ;)

Mike: Time to turn in. It's been a long couple of days.

Reggie: We'll see you guys tomorrow, huh?

Mike: Same time, same station!

(The group breaks up and goes in different directions...but the camera lingers on Louise and Johnny as they walk into the night, talking and laughing.)