301013 - The Cavalier Purple

This episode of Empire Builders was written by 33-year-old Daniel B. Markell, who worked for the Portland (Oregon) Telegraph newspaper. In 1930, Dan Markell’s parents still lived in the town where he was raised, Twin Falls, Idaho, and a news blurb of the time mentioned that they made it a point to tune in Empire Builders regularly – especially when they knew their son’s work would be featured. No doubt they were tuned in on this night. It was the first of Markell’s stories to be aired on Empire Builders.

One of the subtle but noticeable differences for the new season was the identification of some of the cast and crew of each episode. Rarely did earlier broadcasts call attention to the players, other than sometimes naming Harvey Hays as the Old Timer. Although they were not usually named during the broadcast, others such as Virginia Gardiner, Andy Sannella, and Bob MacGimsey might be identified in a program’s press release. But with the new season, the closing credits often concluded with a mention of which actors played which parts. For instance, the continuity for this broadcast included a couple of names, plus a couple of blanks to be filled in pending last minute changes in the line-up. Announcer Ted Pearson provided the following information at the end of the program:

Tonight’s playlet featured Harvey Hays as the Old Timer … … … … … took the part of Doris; … … … … … played Bob; and Margaret was played by … … … … … . The production was directed by Don Bernard.

This is Ted Pearson speaking. Empire Builders come to you from the Chicago Studios of the National Broadcasting Company.

Although the continuity left blank a few of the names, I’ve located another source for two, and can pretty well guess a couple more. One newspaper write-up about the show said Bernardine Flynn played “the heroine” – Doris Brale, presumably. Don Ameche was the “hero” – Bob Tyrell the sax player, no doubt. It’s very likely that Lucille Husting played Margaret. The program opened with Ted Pearson talking to a couple of boys and girls about hopping on the Empire Builder train. I’m confident that Betty White was utilized for one or more of these voices.

Another notable development with this continuity is a clear effort to flesh out the character of the Old Timer a little bit. Despite the fact he was featured in virtually every one of the 66 other broadcasts up to this point, very little detail was ever provided about him. For as affable and popular a character as he was, the listening audience really knew almost nothing about him. In this episode, his faithful dog January is once again heard from, but the story enlightens us with the realization that the Old Timer owns “Vista Ranch” near Kalispell, Montana, where he raises a significant number of livestock, including shorthorn steers. By this time, Empire Builders enthusiasts were already well-conditioned to hear the Old Timer pop off with the occasional “scatter my chipmunks” or “dog my cats.” This program introduced a few new exclamations to add to the Old Timer’s repertoire. We also learned something about his taste in music.

The program opened with the sounds of a train – the Empire Builder – getting ready to pull out of a station. We’ll have to assume that would be Union Station, Chicago. As soon as the radio show’s title was dramatically announced (“E-m-p-i-r-e  B-u-i-l-d-e-r-s!”), a little girl tried to finagle her way aboard the train. It turns out that in the world of radio, which is of course an integral realm in the world of make-believe, this train could accommodate darned near anyone, going darned near anywhere, and at unworldly speeds.

GIRL:                          Mister, is this the Great Northern Railway?

(Child)

 

ANNOUNCER:          It certainly is, Miss.

GIRL:                          An’ is this the Empire Builder?

ANNOUNCER:          Right-o, little lady.

GIRL:                          Where’s the Old Timer?

ANNOUNCER:          (laughs)  The Old Timer? Well, Miss, he’s a long, long ways away tonight. But it won’t take us long to get to him – on this train!

GIRL:                          Can I go, Mister.

ANNOUNCER:          I should say you may, Miss.

BOY:                           (ASIDE)  Ask’m if we can go, too.

GIRL:                          Can all of us go?

ANNOUNCER:          Sure – all of you!

BOYS & GIRLS:        “Oh, goody!”  “Hoo-ray!”  etc.

GIRL:                          Where’re we goin’, Mister?

ANNOUNCER:          You see, the Old Timer’s got a ranch out near Kalispell – that’s in Montana, just the other side of the main range of the Rocky Mountains. Well, ‘bout this time every year we’re pretty likely to find him at his ranch, looking over his stock to see what horses an’ cows an’ pigs an’ sheep he’s going to take to Portland, to exhibit at the Pacific International Livestock Exposition that’s held there every year. This year, you see, it’s going to start on October 25, and everybody who’s interested in thoroughbred stock’s pretty likely to be there. Even a lot of farm boys and girls! Well, the Old Timer told me that he’s been trying for forty years to win a Purple ribbon – that’s a grand championship ribbon. Seems he gets pretty close every once in a while, but he doesn’t seem to be quite able to get one of those purple ribbons. Now I sort of suspect we’re going to find the Old Timer tonight, out near Kalispell, getting all ready to try again. An’ you kiddies want to come along, do you?

VOICES:                     “Yes”.  “Oh, yes, sir.”  Etc.

ANNOUNCER:          All right. But you must keep real quiet. Maybe it’d be a good idea to turn the lights down a little …. That’s fine …  Are you ready –

VOICES:                     “A-bo-o-o-ard.”  “A-bo-o-o-ard.”  “A-bo-o-o-ard.”

            (TWO SHORT BLASTS OF WHISTLE.   BELL UP.   STARTS CHUGGING).

GIRL:                          We’re moving!

ANNOUNCER:          Sh-sh-sh-

           (TRAIN DEPARTS)

I have to admit, I kind of envy anyone who tuned in that evening. I can just picture a rural family at the end of a long day of working the farm, supper over, papa with a fresh pipe and a warm fire in the fireplace, mama turning down the lights, and the kids inching up to the radio set to hear this evening’s story.

As the ethereal palace on wheels got under way, the studio orchestra struck up a tune, which then faded to a lone saxophone player who was off in the distance. The Old Timer and his faithful hound dog, January, came up to the microphone and greeted a young woman named Doris. She and the Old Timer launched into a good-natured discussion of whether the shorthorns of the Old Timer’s Vista Ranch would be able to beat out Doris’s stock at the upcoming Pacific International Livestock Exposition. It was revealed that Doris’s father, an old and dear friend of the Old Timer’s, had passed away and left his Montana ranch to Doris. This was known as the Cavalier Ranch. A championship ribbon at the livestock expo was an elaborate purple affair – hence the name of the evening’s story, “The Cavalier Purple.”

 

Only loosely related to the night's radio play, the subject of this vintage postcard is an enormous steer taken along for steaks and such by a large group of Shriners travelling across the Pacific Ocean on the Great Northern Railway's S.S. Minnesota.
Author's collection

 

January the hound dog began baying mournfully, and Doris asked the pooch what was bothering him. Just then the saxophone got a little louder, as someone was playing a crooning melody on it. The Old Timer commented they must be hearing the music down by the lake, and he asked Doris if she knew who was playing it. Doris said it was Bob, one of the newer men on the ranch. The Old Timer let on that he wasn’t much for jazz and saxophones:

OLD TIMER:  A sax-warbling cow hand! Great galloping galumpusses! What’s the West coming to anyway? I’d fire him! No wonder January’s all riled and resentful.

DORIS:           Old Timer …. I …. I’d like to have you meet Bob … you see … well …

OLD TIMER:  Ah hmmmmm. So that’s it.  Hmmmm. It’s you he’s serenading and not the Mission mountains or the Shorthorns. I thought he seemed mighty serious, especially on them trills and wah wahs.

DORIS:           He is, Old Timer. He’s proposed to me hundreds of times.

OLD TIMER:  With music?

DORIS:           With words and music.

OLD TIMER:  That does sound serious. And how many times have you accepted?

DORIS:           Why none, of course … but I am fond of him. You and Daddy were such close friends that … well … I wanted to tell you. You see, Old Timer, he wants me to leave Cavalier Ranch and go away with him.

With clues provided in the dialog, it seems the location of the fictional Cavalier Ranch was somewhere roughly between Kalispell and Missoula, on Flathead Lake, and probably in the general vicinity of Finley Point. But I digress.

Doris protested that she would never leave Cavalier Ranch, and that poor old Bob was just barking up the wrong tree if he thought she would run off with him somewhere and get married. Not letting go of his obvious disdain for jazz, the Old Timer took another swipe at poor old Bob and once again suggested to Doris that she just fire him. But to his surprise, Doris said that she had fired him, several times, but he just wouldn’t leave. She admitted, however, that she really could use Bob’s help at the livestock exposition. And besides, she was eager for the Old Timer to meet him.

(SAX UP LOUDER–JANUARY BARKS–AS DORIS AND OLD TIMER APPROACH)

DORIS:           Bob!

(SAX DIES WITH A LAST BRIEF FLOURISH)

BOB:               Hello, little lady … er … I beg your pardon. I didn’t know anyone was with you. You must excuse the sentimental effect of these Montana nights, Mr. ….

DORIS:           This is Old Timer, Bob. You’ve heard me speak of him often.

BOB:               Yes, indeed. I’m glad to meet you.

OLD TIMER:  I’m glad to meet you too, boy. It seems you were sort of speaking of sentiment and …

BOB:               It’s these moonlight nights on Flathead Lake. They kind of get you. There’s music in them. The breeze in the pines and all. Yes sir, I tell you, it gets you.

OLD TIMER:  Well, young fellow, what’s the idea then of mussin’ up a night like this with that musical menace you’ve got there.

Doris tried to sway the Old Timer’s staunch musical taste by offering to perform a song for him, with Bob accompanying her. Bob played the first chorus on the sax while Doris sang, then the two of them sang a duet for the second chorus. This was in reality a duet by Don Ameche and Bernardine Flynn. It’s a shame we don’t have a recording of it.

 

L-R: Bernardine Flynn, Don Ameche, Josef Koestner (Musical Director), and Don Bernard (Director).
Press photo, author's collection

"While actors and actresses for radio playlets are selected for the quality of their speaking voices and cleverness in interpreting various roles, Empire Builders has been fortunate in finding two young persons who will not need professional ringers to double for them when the script calls for singing. And if television comes along during this new series of playlets – well, if photographs are to believed, Empire Builders will be sitting pretty!"

Great Northern Railway press release, dated September 10, 1930.

The Old Timer acknowledged that the singing part of the song was “all right.” Doris then added another wee plug on behalf of our sponsor:

DORIS:           Thank you, Old Timer … You know, Bob, Old Timer owns Vista Ranch. He and father came out here about the same time … when the Great Northern Railway was built through here. Both of them started Shorthorn herds with cattle that James J. Hill brought over from England. Our ranches have been rivals ever since and it’s going to keep on that way, now that daddy’s gone.

BOB:               Well, I don’t see how any ranch could be a rival to this for beauty. I always had the impression that Montana ranches were all out on the plains – To find trees and lakes and mountains and tall, green grass was a big surprise.

That bit about Jim Hill and the stock from England that he helped introduce to the Pacific Northwest? It’s true. Really happened. But that’s a story for another time. Doris, Bob, and the Old Timer wrapped up their conversation and the Old Timer mentioned he had to be headed back to his Vista Ranch up towards Kalispell:

DORIS:           We’ll see you on the Empire Builder then if you don’t get back over here before. I suppose you have reservations on one of the Pullmans they’re putting on special for the live-stock exhibitors?

OLD TIMER:  Sure have. I’ll be seeing you then, Doris. Come on January. Well, so long.

BOB:               Goodbye, Old Timer …. and January.

            (JANUARY BARKS)

The next scene in the radio play was at the railroad depot at Whitefish, on the mainline of the Great Northern Railway. With so much overall control of the production, our sponsor once again ensured some of the features of their premier train were interwoven into the story:

(TRANSITIONAL MUSIC. FADE TO STATION PLATFORM WITH COWBOY BAND PLAYING.  PLATFORM NOISES UP; TRAIN WHISTLES IN THE DISTANCE; FADE FOR DIALOGUE)

DORIS:           That’s the Empire Builder whistling now. We’re just in time, Bob.

BOB:               Wonder if I’ve still time to send a telegram?

DORIS:           Why not send it on the train. You won’t be able to get into the telegraph office with that cowboy band playing in front of it.

BOB:               Good idea. And another thing I’m going to do as soon as we’re on the train is to get some of the dust off. Me for that shower bath. You can’t help getting a bit dusty loading a Shorthorn herd.

DORIS:           Well, while you’re taking a shower I’m going to have a marcel. The maids on these Great Northern trains are dandy hair-dressers.

BOB:               Is the band going to Portland, too?

DORIS:           Why, of course. The Pacific International Livestock Exposition is a mighty big event. We ranchers make it sort of a holiday.

The train departed Whitefish and steamed off towards the coast. Doris and Bob eventually located the Old Timer, and they got to visiting.

BOB:               Oh, hello, Old Timer. Say, I’ve got some great news for you. Doris is going to marry me.

OLD TIMER:  What! Great bulls of Goshen!

BOB:               Well, it’s practically certain. You’ve promised me, haven’t you Doris?

DORIS:           Why Bob!

BOB:               Yes, sir, Old Timer … Doris has promised to marry me – as soon as Cavalier ranch takes a Royal Purple.

OLD TIMER:  (chuckles)  That sure is a promise. You almost had me stampeded. I don’t want to throw cold water on either the Cavalier herd or your matrimonial aspirations, young man, but if your weddin’ depends on a Cavalier grand champion you may have to be a bachelor a long time. You’ll be competing against some of the finest herds in America in this Portland show.

When Doris and Bob both weighed in with their optimistic predictions of success, the Old Timer (or at least Dan Markell, the author of the story) saw another opportunity to cast a reverent light on our Dear Founder, Jim Hill:

OLD TIMER:  Well, that’s the right spirit anyhow. It’s the trying and building that has brought greatness to this Northwest of ours. This breeding of pure-bred herds; this never-ending improvement of quality stock, has won prosperity for thousands of ranchers along the Great Northern Railway just as James J. Hill … the Empire Builder, envisioned fifty years ago, when he first started in to interest the settlers in raisin’ thoroughbred stock.

They didn’t call James J. Hill the “Empire Builder” just because he built a railroad.

As the Empire Builder train rolled on, and the Old Timer continued to call out accolades of the scenery to be viewed along the route (more not-so-subtle advertising – so clever), the story segued once more and the audience found themselves at the Pacific International Livestock Exposition. The Old Timer congratulated Doris on the various red and blue ribbons that some of her entries had won, and while she was certainly pleased by her successes, Doris admitted to being a bit let down by not winning a championship purple ribbon for the Cavalier Ranch – a “Cavalier Purple.” The Old Timer tried to assuage her disappointment by reminding her that, although her father had run the ranch for so many years, this was in fact the first time the Cavalier Ranch had brought livestock entries to the exposition under her stewardship. He assured her that her father would have been very proud of her. Doris revealed that she really did hope to win a purple ribbon and propel that into matrimony with Bob – and that the absence of the purple might not be enough to stop the wedding anyway. Just then, Bob appeared, and with another woman. Uh oh . . .

Bob strolled up to Doris and the Old Timer and introduced them to Miss Margaret Duane (she of the “Southern accent,” according to a note in the script). There was no immediate explanation of just who she was or what she was doing with Bob. Bob said to Doris and the Old Timer that he was sure they’d both seen Margaret ride at the horse show. When Doris responded by asking Margaret if she was riding in the show that evening, Miss Duane replied “No, I’m foregoing that pleasure for Bob.” The Old Timer was getting very uneasy. Savvy old coot.

OLD TIMER:  (HASTILY)  Let’s all run over and see the pet show. Or the Boys’ and Girls’ club exhibits. Or the Industrial exposition or dairy show, or something’. It seems to have gotten rather chilly here.

The little entourage strolled off to see the poultry and pet exhibits. Doris called the Old Timer’s attention to a cute little wire-haired terrier, to which the Old Timer sniffed that he didn’t see any dog he’d trade for good ol’ January. Doris seized on this opportunity to put in a dig against Bob and the present circumstances by which she was beginning to feel so marginalized.

DORIS:           That’s right, Old Timer. January’s loyal to you and you’ll always be loyal to January. Loyalty seems to mean more to some people than others.

Margaret seemed oblivious to any simmering jealousy on Doris’s part, but Doris kept inserting catty snipes whenever she could. The Old Timer was growing more uneasy by the minute. Just then, a public address announcer called out the next event – championship class for five-gaited horses. As Doris, Margaret and the Old Timer made their way to their seats, Doris observed Bob was no longer with them. The Old Timer said Bob slipped away five minutes ago.

Then the horses and riders came into view – all of them blue-ribbon winners, as Margaret explained. She also explained how each five-gaited class champion would compete for grand champion.

At this point, the trio spotted Bob entering the arena, riding an elegant horse named Nubian Knight. This took Doris by surprise – she commented that she didn’t even realize Bob had brought riding clothes with him, let alone his own horse. Margaret divulged some of her knowledge of the horses by describing what the ringmaster and judges were doing by requiring all the riders to work through various gaits:

MARGARET: You see, these five-gaited horses are real aristocrats. They’re being judged for conformation, substance, finish, style, beauty, soundness, way of going, and manners –

Doris made a glowing comment about Nubian Knight, and Margaret countered by asserting that Bob was the star of the riders. Doris asked if she had known Bob for long: “for ages,” replied Margaret. Hmmmmmm.

The ringmaster next had the riders rack the horses (haven’t a clue what that means, but the orchestra picked up the musical tempo “to almost race music,” so it seems it was a crescendo of action by horse and rider). Margaret complimented Nubian Knight’s performance, but then betrayed a bit more of her particular intrigue by acknowledging the prowess of another competitor, Lady Butterfly: “That beautiful brown mare has been a sensation in all the eastern shows for two years,” she revealed. Hmmmmmm. Again.

The competition had come to a head, and with the sound of trumpets it was time to announce the winner. It was of course… wait for it… Nubian Knight. Owned by Miss Doris Brale. Of Cavalier Ranch. Mr. Robert Lee Tyrell, rider.

 

Bob, you sneaky devil! What the … ?

Doris was dumbfounded, quite convinced there had been some mistake. She did NOT own Nubian Knight. How could the purple championship ribbon be awarded to her stable? Bob rode over to the excited if partially perplexed trio. He handed over the “Royal Purple” to Doris.

DORIS:           But … I can’t understand … It isn’t my horse …

BOB:               Nubian Knight is yours, Doris. I had the registry certificate for him transferred to Cavalier ranch a month ago. You see, I had Margaret bring him out from dad’s Blue Hill stables in Kentucky. He’s ours, Doris.

DORIS:           I … I … but Miss Duane?

BOB:               Margaret is the daughter of our stable master. He couldn’t come right now so Margaret brought Nubian Knight to Portland.

DORIS:           Oh … Bob, why didn’t you tell me? I didn’t know you were interested in blooded horses.

BOB:               I didn’t either, at first. You see, dad’s getting on in years. He’s been wanting to turn Blue Hill stables over to me. But I wanted to organize a jazz band and toot my saxophone around the world. That’s why he sent me to the Northwest … to … well sort of …

“Get all that tomfoolery out of his system,” no doubt. Bob let on that it worked.

BOB:               Yes. I’m going to carry on for my dad … just as you’ve been doing.

DORIS:           (sadly)  So you’re going back then – to Kentucky?

BOB:               Who said anything about my going back to Kentucky? Didn’t we win the Royal Purple? Aren’t you going to keep your bargain?

DORIS:           But I won’t give up the ranch, Bob.

BOB:               Of course not. I’m moving the Blue Hill stables to Montana. And a … say, Old Timer, do you play pinochle?

OLD TIMER:  Do I? … Why at Devil’s Lake one time, I …

BOB:               Then you’ll like Dad, I know.

OLD TIMER:  You bet I will …

With much happy and excited discussion of finding a parson, and making the Old Timer the best man, the orchestra came back on with another musical bridge. Announcer Ted Pearson brought the night’s proceedings to a close with these helpful comments:

 

ANNOUNCER:

One of the outstanding events each Fall on the Pacific Coast is the Pacific International Livestock Exposition and Horse Show which will be held, this year, October 25 to November 1, inclusive, at Portland, Oregon. With prophetic vision, James J. Hill, founder of the Great Northern Railway, foresaw nearly two generations ago, the possibilities of livestock in this great industry. Many agencies are now co-operating in furthering the interests of the agriculturists and livestock men of the Northwest, and among them, continuing the program initiated by Mr. Hill, is the Agricultural and Development Department of the Great Northern Railway … Next week, at this same hour, Empire Builders will bring you another playlet, a football story, in which the Old Timer joins the board of strategy and wins the game – from the sidelines.

 

Dan Markell’s parents had every reason to tune in again to Empire Builders the following Monday – it was stated that the Minnesota football story was another of his efforts.

So, like Markell’s folks...

 

Until next time, keep those dials tuned to Empire Builders!