The Farmer's Daughter: The Speechmaker, Part 2

The Farmer's Daughter
Season 1, Episode 2: The Speechmaker, Part 2
Originally aired September 27, 1963

Episode 2 is a continuation of the first episode's events. Click here to read part 1.

We see Katy, sitting at a desk in her room at the YWCA, writing a letter to her mother swearing she will never work in Congressman Morley's home again. Katy (Inger Stevens) returns to the Morley home to collect her belongings and ends up getting in another heated argument with Congressman Morley (William Windom) as Grandmother Agatha (Cathleen Nesbitt) and Secretary Cooper (Philip Coolidge) are making bets as to whether Katy will return permanently.

Katy applies for travel to Congo to help children and has an interesting interview about it with an ever-humming, ever-twitchy, strange little Mr. Collins (Bob Jellison) representing the Oversea Corp. of Human Relations who tells her she must be recommended by Congressman Morley in order to be granted the position. Due to her latest fight with Mr. Morley, Katy assumes her chance for the Congo position is blown.

When Mr. Collins stops by the Morley house for a recommendation, the congressman forgets he is angry at Katy when asked to describe her. He runs on:

Katy is competent and she's beautiful and she's responsible and bright and she's beautiful. Well, she's fun and when things are low she's like a snowflake in the desert and she's beautiful.

The Farmer's Daughter writers certainly do not waste any time bringing the romantic feelings between Congressman Morley and Katy to the forefront of the series; a fact that spelled an earlier demise for the show than had they taken some time before showing us that attraction. That being said, the little smiles and sweet comments between the main characters are very exciting and pleasant to watch.

Again, Katy writes to her mother that she's very busy in Washington, D.C., and has a handsome man taking her to all the nightspots—but that is squashed by a fellow YWCA tenant who reveals that all that Katy is writing to her mother is a lie. Katy's been moping in her room since leaving the Morley residence. Just as Katy sets out on an actual date, the congressman visits her. He has completed her application for the Congo assignment but he also offers an alternate application, one to return as governess and take care of his family.

Katy chooses the latter and immediately saves the day when Congressman Caulfield arrives to reprimand Morley for the reclamation speech his son delivered in the first episode. Knowing the congressman's career is on the brink, Katy concocts a scheme and tells Caulfield that she completely agrees that the speech was inappropriate, but that it was all part of a bigger plan. Once Caulfield thinks Katy is in agreement with him, Katy shares that the congressman was clever enough to deliberately plant his stance on reclamation in his son's speech to test public reaction, and that he has been receiving tons of letters of support from people since then. Suddenly, Katy's meddling has turned what was viewed as political disaster into, as Caulfield puts it, the "neatest political maneuver."

Production Notes

I have a bound "Day out of Days" schedule for The Farmer's Daughter series that was owned by casting agent Eddie Foy, III. Mr. Foy bound the individual copies of these daily reports and the book includes all of seasons 1 and 2, and most of season 3. The report includes production number and title, producer, director, assistant director, schedule days, and date. The report also includes character, days of work, days idle, days total, start date and finish date. I will be including this information in all of my future episode summaries of The Farmer's Daughter.

Episodes 1 and 2 of the first season are combined in one report dated July 15, 1963.

Production # 3468 - The Speechmaker, I

Production # 3818 - The Speechmaker, II

Schedule Days: 2 (July 17-July 18, 1963)

Producer: Peter Kortner

Director: Don Taylor

Associate Director: Herb Wallerstein

Katy (Inger Stevens), Glen (William Windom), Agatha (Cathleen Nesbitt), Cooper (Philip Coolidge), and Collins (Bob Jellison) all worked both scheduled days of 7/17 and 7/18.

Steve (Mickey Sholdar-noted as a minor) and Danny (Rory O'Brien-also noted as a minor) both worked on the 17th only. Characters Sylvia, Tula, Sylvia, and Secretary are all noted just for one day of work. Although he played Congressman Caulfied in both episodes, Paul Hartman is not listed on the report.

I will be adding links to the episode summaries on my Farmer's Daughter page: click here!