{2026}{2076}I call it a hit.|What'll your review say? {2080}{2188}- I like it too, so I guess I'll pan it.|- That's logical. {2192}{2271}My publisher resents Cohan|impersonating the president of the U.S. {2275}{2339}Says our young readers dream|of being president. {2344}{2470}"I'd rather be right than be president."|Cohan may find out he isn't either one. {2561}{2641}- See how George does it at his age.|- I remember him when I was little. {2645}{2727}Congratulations, George, old boy.|You did a great job. {2731}{2775}- Thanks.|- Congratulations, Mr. Cohan. {2779}{2857}- You had him down to a tee.|- But we're still on dangerous ground. {2861}{2929}Imitating the president,|a lot of people won't like it. {2933}{2989}It's good, clean fun.|Didn't they enjoy it in Boston? {2993}{3043}Never could do anything wrong in Boston. {3056}{3138}Greatest man in the U.S. Played by the|greatest actor. Nothing wrong with that. {3142}{3195}Especially when the greatest actor|is my husband. {3199}{3280}- This could be treason.|- A dollar-a-year man will take care of you. {3284}{3327}A lot of them would like|to shoot actors. {3331}{3382}Save these telegrams.|Government needs paper. {3386}{3448}You've got a list with everybody|but Hirohito. {3452}{3503}- We'll bring him in.|- Here's the one I sent. {3508}{3576}- Will you read our cleverness?|- What makes you think I didn't? {3580}{3663}I didn't know there was that much love left|in the entire Western Union codebook. {3668}{3712}Hold that. Thank you. Thank you. {3716}{3790}- Don't bother me.|- It's from the White House. {3794}{3829}- Well, that bothers me.|- Here. {3833}{3895}You read it.|These aren't my reading glasses. {3899}{3953}"George M. Cohan,|The Alvin Theater, New York. {3957}{4044}The president requests that you call|upon him at your earliest convenience... {4048}{4095}...in regard to a personal matter. {4099}{4173}Kindly reply for definite appointment|at White House. {4177}{4248}Stephen T. Early,|secretary to the president." {4288}{4376}There you are, Sam.|There you are. What did I tell you? {4380}{4447}Coming at a time like this,|with everything on his mind... {4451}{4520}...this is not just a casual invitation.|This is important. {4524}{4565}- I think we're in trouble.|- Don't worry. {4569}{4626}They don't telegraph you|to come and be shot at sunrise. {4630}{4705}- He doesn't get up that early.|- I've got a run-of-the-play contract. {4709}{4774}Fine time to make lame jokes. {4790}{4829}I'm worried, Sam. {4833}{4885}I'm really worried. {5263}{5307}Halt! {5371}{5436}- What can I do for you?|- I've got an appointment. {5440}{5495}- The name, please?|- Cohan. George M. Cohan. {5500}{5585}All right, sir. If you'll wait|just one moment, I'll call. {5667}{5745}This is Sgt. Lewis|at the Pennsylvania Avenue gate... {5780}{5847}- Good evening, Mr. Cohan.|- Good evening. {5852}{5920}- We've been expecting you.|- Thank you. {5997}{6040}Why, your coat's wet. {6044}{6119}- Didn't you come in a car?|- No, I walked up from the station. {6123}{6193}Washington's a great town to walk in.|Always get a kick out of it. {6197}{6271}Yes, indeed.|Won't you come with me? {6321}{6390}I was supposed to be off duty|this evening, Mr. Cohan... {6394}{6489}...but when I heard you was coming, I|thought I'd like to see if you look the same. {6493}{6601}- That depends on when you saw me last.|- It must have been 30-some years ago. {6605}{6668}I was valet for Teddy Roosevelt. {6672}{6775}He got me a seat up in the gallery.|The play was George Washington Jr... {6779}{6883}...and you was just singing and dancing|all about the grand old flag. {6887}{6959}Mr. Teddy used to sing it in his bathtub. {6963}{7012}- It was a good old song in its day.|- It was. {7016}{7101}And it's just as good today|as it ever was. {7197}{7247}Come in. {7348}{7417}Well, hello there.|How's my double? {7421}{7485}Your double isn't too sure.|Give me time to work on that. {7489}{7596}- I was told you knew all the answers.|- There was a time when I thought so. {7600}{7682}- Right now, I wish I did.|- Yes, so do I. {7686}{7750}- Sit down, Mr. Cohan.|- Thanks. {7754}{7806}You know, I'm a little bit nervous. {7810}{7906}- I'm sorry I missed the opening of your show.|- Maybe just as well. {7910}{7999}Don't worry about it.|We understand each other perfectly. {8004}{8027}I think so. {8032}{8155}Herald Tribune says that you make a better|president in I'd Rather Be Right than I am. {8160}{8236}Don't forget,|that's a Republican newspaper. {8240}{8346}I can remember you and your family|very well. The Four Cohans. {8350}{8405}Do you really?|That's a long time ago. {8409}{8503}Yes. It was while I was|attending school near Boston. {8507}{8575}I was a pretty cocky kid those days.|Pretty cocky kid. {8579}{8651}A regular Yankee Doodle Dandy.|Always carrying a flag in a parade. {8656}{8730}- I hope you haven't outgrown the habit.|- Not a chance. {8734}{8835}That's one thing I always admired|about you Irish-Americans. {8839}{8956}You carry your love of country like a flag,|right out in the open. A great quality. {8960}{9029}I inherited that.|I got that from my father. {9033}{9135}He ran away to the Civil War at 13. Proudest|kid in the whole state of Massachusetts. {9141}{9270}So you've spent your life telling the|other 47 states what a great country it is. {9274}{9359}I never thought of it that way before,|but that's about the size of it. {9363}{9402}And I lost no time either. {9406}{9473}It started with a very funny incident|about 60 years ago. {9484}{9541}It was in Providence, Rhode Island,|on the 4th of July. {9545}{9611}There weren't so many stars then,|in the flag or on the stage... {9616}{9660}...but folks knew more were coming. {9664}{9736}They were optimistic,|happy and expectant. {9740}{9815}The beginning of the Horatio Alger age. {10145}{10206}My father played in a variety theater,|breaking in a single. {10210}{10289}No one was more expectant than he was,|unless it was Mother. {10293}{10337}She was busy on a smaller production. {11324}{11358}- Message come yet?|- No word, Jerry. {11362}{11408}- Take a bow.|- I can't. I gotta get out. {11412}{11479}- Watch that border!|- I gotta find out what's happening. {11484}{11525}Oh, for heaven's sake, Jerry. {11529}{11594}Take up number three.|You're on. Go ahead. Lights up. {11598}{11673}- Bye, Sally.|- You can't run through the streets in that. {11677}{11725}- They'll put you in jail.|- They'll have to catch me. {11729}{11803}- Don't forget, you're on again at 4:15.|- Don't worry, I'll be back. {11807}{11898}- These things take hours sometimes.|- My wife never held up a show in her life. {12290}{12371}- Can I get through here?|- The Irish are up in the head of the parade. {12375}{12474}- I'm not in the parade. I wanna get through.|- Not a chance, brother. {12688}{12746}You don't say!|We'll get you there in a jiffy. {12750}{12803}Here, this'll give you courage.|Charge! {13120}{13165}Nellie. {13414}{13450}- She all right?|- She's fine. {13454}{13481}What is it? {13485}{13566}Well, all signs point to its being a boy. {13747}{13799}He just got here,|and he's sleeping already. {13816}{13895}All babies sleep 20 hours a day. {13923}{13974}That's why most|never amount to anything. {13978}{14024}- What'll we call him?|- I don't know. {14028}{14119}- What do you say?|- Seeing that he arrived on the 4th of July... {14123}{14190}...what about George Washington Cohan? {14194}{14252}Has a nice patriotic ring to it.|What do you think? {14256}{14374}The George is fine, but the Washington|may be too long for a billboard. {14400}{14475}How about a nice, short Irish name?|Dennis or Michael. {14479}{14581}George Michael Cohan. {14596}{14654}Yes, I like that name. {14692}{14721}Gosh, I forgot. {14824}{14884}Hey! It's a boy! {14957}{14987}Oh, Jerry. {15126}{15204}Heavenly day, Nellie,|he's crying with a brogue. {15270}{15335}The first thing I ever had in my fist|was the American flag. {15339}{15425}I hitched my wagon to 38 stars|and 13 stripes. {15429}{15560}I was 6 or 7 before I realized they weren't|celebrating my birthday on the 4th of July. {15564}{15650}Then my folks had a real break when|my little sister, Josie, made her entrance. {15654}{15743}She grew to love show business|just as she loved everybody and everything. {15747}{15859}We toured the kerosene circuit on a show|called Daniel Boone on the Trail. {15863}{15960}Everybody doubled in brass.|Dad walloped the bass drum. {15968}{16058}They teamed me with a donkey.|I was a good Democrat even in those days. {16071}{16112}Mother and Josie threw out handbills. {16116}{16197}Their smiles would've sold tickets|to wooden Indians. {16261}{16360}They kept putting new stars in the flag, and|the Cohans kept rushing out to meet them. {16383}{16483}We had jokes to match every cornfield.|We sang at every milk station. {18397}{18477}We trouped through depression and inflation,|part of the country's growing pains. {18481}{18526}Froze in winter, and roasted in summer. {18530}{18569}But it was a good life. {18573}{18632}It's a lucky family|that dances together every day. {19260}{19320}1891 found our fortunes|flat as a pancake. {19324}{19433}Then came jobs for the whole family|in a show called Peck's Bad Boy. {19437}{19491}We opened in Brooklyn. {19503}{19577}The town was known for spirited audiences|even before it had a ball team. {19716}{19778}- Hammering on opening night!|What are you doing here? {19782}{19848}- I'm the star of this play.|- You have the leading part, yes. {19852}{19886}That means I'm a star... {19890}{19971}...and there should be a star on my|dressing-room door. Law of the theater. {19975}{20057}- Yes, Jerry, give the devil his due.|- I know, but I'm nervous. {20061}{20115}I'll go blank.|I won't be able to remember a line. {20119}{20218}Don't worry. If you stick,|I'll throw you the line. You too, Mother....
Quohog