Studs’ Place: Policemen’s Ball

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"Policemen's Ball," an episode of "Studs' Place," has Win disappointed when his romantic plans with Grace are (seemingly) foiled by her interest in a mysterious gentleman caller. The episode also features a musical number by Chet and Win.

0:15 Opening credits.

0:27 Announcer: “It’s just a little place in the neighborhood where the food is good, the prices are reasonable, and the people you meet there are–well, let’s drop in and see what sort of people are around tonight. See what’s happening in Studs’s place.”

0:41 Advertisement for a variety show honoring George Gershwin.

1:41 Pan into the dining room. Studs brings dessert to a customer. Customer: “When’s the last time you took your wife to a dance?” Studs does not answer directly, but laments the fact that Grace has taken the day off. The customer insists that his wife would enjoy the policemen’s ball. Again, Studs does not respond to this statement, but talks about how Grace’s landlady told him that Grace would be out for the day with a “gentleman caller.” He ends up purchasing a dozen tickets from the customer.

2:33 Studs and the customer keep talking past each other. Studs speaks about Grace and the customer describes how he came to get so many tickets to the policemen’s ball. Namely, by changing the spark plug on a police sergeant’s car.

4:43 Win enters the dining room. The customer, Willie, tries persuading Win to go to the policemen’s ball. Win: “Is the band going to play any waltzes?” Willie leaves after buying a ticket for $2. Studs gives him another ticket for free.

5:38 Studs asks Win if he’s going to take Grace to the dance, but Win does not realize that Grace is out with a gentleman caller. Studs tries to explain to Win that Grace is busy. Without listening to Studs Win starts singing in excitement.

7:00 Chet enters the restaurant and Win leaves. Chet is taking Gracie (from the beauty shop) to the policemen’s ball. Studs explains to Chet that Grace is out with a gentleman caller while Win expects to take her to the ball. Studs: “His heart will be torn in twain!” Chet plays a song about the mysteries of women.

11:12 Grace and her caller, Charlie Buckley, enter the restaurant. Excited, they don’t notice Studs and Chet in the restaurant. They introduce each other. Grace and Charlie take off their jackets and start a tour of the restaurant. Grace shows Charlie all the images on the walls.

14:13 Charlie and Grace enter the kitchen to meet Louie. Chet and Studs take a seat in the dining room. Studs: “Chet, I’m completely disillusioned. Who’d a thought this would happen to a girl like Gracie?”

14:44 Cut to a public service announcement for the postal service’s instructions (zoning codes) for sending holiday packages.

15:43 Studs: “Win thinks he’s taking Grace to the policemen’s ball tonight…” Win enters the restaurant, dressed in a suit and tie and holding flowers. He asks for Grace. Chet and Studs sit him down to explain to him that she’s seeing someone.

16:47 Grace and Charlie enter the dining room carrying dishes. Win slowly realizes what has happened wen they sit down to a meal together. Win: “Who is the guy?” Studs: “Dear friend of Grace…she’s been out with him all day.” Win gives his flowers to Studs. Grace turns around and asks Chet and Win to play music “for my boyfriend.” Win happily agrees and together they play “Back of the Yards.”

20:40 Win and Chet finish the song. Win, from behind the piano, asks Charlie if he enjoyed the song. Charlie does not hear him and continues his conversation with Grace. Grace leaves the dining room. Chet, Win, and Studs surround Charlie. Studs: “You, uh, from the neighborhood?” They interrogate Charlie. Win acts surprised when he hears that Charlie and Grace went to the Art Institute: “I took Grace there last week! Her first time…” Charlie: “Yeah, I do remember her saying something about that.” Grace returns. Charlie insists on paying for the meal ($1.50). Win puts Grace’s jacket on her. Charlie: “I hope I see you all soon again!” Grace and Charlie kiss each other on the cheeks.

24:27 Grace: “Isn’t he just the most wonderful fella you’d ever wanna meet?!” She knows him as her friend’s little brother in Topeka, Kansas. Chet, Studs, and Win glaze over in shock as Grace goes on about Charlie’s biography. It emerges that Charlie is in fact already engaged to a woman in Topeka. Win’s face lights up. Win: “What do you have your coat on for, Grace?” Grace: “Well, you put it on, I got a date, haven’t I? The policemen’s ball?”

26:03 Win’s face goes glum: “I tore up the tickets…” Win and Grace find the shreds of tickets on the ground and try reconstructing them. Willie enters the restaurant with good news. He has two more tickets left. Studs remembers to give back Win’s flowers. Win and Grace leave for the ball.

27:39 Studs: “Chet? How do you figure dames? You try to solve ‘em, you can’t!”

27:58 An advertisement for Showetime U.S.A.

29:00 End credits.

29:34 Studs’s signature farewell.

30:10 End of tape.