EPISODE # 1420. DON CRAIG'S DEBUT.
"Days" fans just heard Anna last week mention Don Craig's last scene (when he went to send some mail and was never heard from again). For the first time since its original airing, here's a look at Don Craig's debut episode, # 1420, which aired June 21, 1971:
PROLOGUE: INT. DON CRAIG'S OFFICE
(TO OFFICE DOOR, LETTERED "DONALD CRAIG, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW" BRING JULIE INTO PICTURE LOOKING CALM AND CONFIDENT, SHE ENTERS INTO OUTER OFFICE, IS GREETED BY CRAIG'S SECRETARY)
SECRETARY: Hello, Mrs. Banning.
JULIE: Good afternoon, Miss Meadows. I know I'm a little early for my appointment with Mr. Craig.
SECRETARY: Yes, he's busy at the moment. I'm afraid you'll have to wait a few minutes.
JULIE: That's quite all right. It'll give us a chance to talk. It's the last time I'll be seeing you, since we go to court the day after tomorrow.
SECRETARY: Yes, everything seems to be going along just fine.
JULIE: Two more days and I'll be a free woman again. You can't begin to know how I'm looking forward to it. And to a brand new life. (HOLD ON JULIE) (FADE TO BLACK)
ACT ONE: INT. HORTON LIVING ROOM (SCENE IN PROGRESS BETWEEN ALICE AND ADDIE)
ALICE: Almost a year. You could at least try to find some kind of special life for yourself. Try to have a little fun out of life. And there's one man I know from whom, without getting involved, you could have so much pleasure: Doug Williams.
ADDIE: Please, Mother, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I'm not interested in dating. And I'm especially not interested in having anything to do with Mr. Williams. That one encounter at Sergio's was quite enough.
(SOUND: TELEPHONE)
ALICE: Do you want to get that, dear?
(ADDIE GETS IT. TWO WAY CALL, JULIE CALLING FROM SECRETARY'S PHONE)
ADDIE: Hello.
JULIE (happy, upbeat, playing the game): Hello, Mother. How are you?
ADDIE (guarded, cautious): I'm...fine, Julie.
JULIE: I only have a moment. I wondered if you're going to be there in an hour or so. I thought I'd stop by, spend a little time with you.
ADDIE (instinctively suspicious): Why, yes I'll be here.
JULIE: Good. See you then, Mother. Bye.
(AS JULIE HANGS UP, THE WHEELS TURNING, WE SEE CRAIG IN BACKGROUND)
DON: Mrs. Banning? You can come in now.
(AND AS JULIE TURNS TO ENTER, CUT BACK TO ADDIE, PUZZLED)
ADDIE: Knowing my daughter ,Mother, there has to be a reason. (FADE TO BLACK)
ACT TWO: FADE IN: INT. DON CRAIG'S OFFICE (THIS SET CAN BE A SLIGHT REMAKE OF MICKEY'S OFFICE LAYOUT). (SCENE IN PROGRESS)
DON: Well, you seem happy enough today, Mrs. Banning.
JULIE: But then, aren't all women on the eve of their divorce?
DON: No, not at all. Depending on the individual circumstances. Sometimes with a day or two to go, one side or the other backs away from the idea.
JULIE: No way, Mr. Craig.
DON: And your husband?
JULIE: He's as anxious as I am.
DON: Then that closes the door to any possible reconciliation.
JULIE: You mean you were about to open that door?
DON: If I felt there was any hope, yes. It's a thing with me. I find it much more satisfying to save marriages than end them. And as I said, it does happen occassionally. A last minute change of heart.
JULIE: How lovely. I mean that. But really it would be a waste of your time with Scott and me.
DON (not critically): Yes, I'd more or less come to that conclusion.
JULIE: Tell me, what time are we due in court the day after next?
DON: Your case should be heard around ten, maybe a little after. And since it's uncontested, it shouldn't take more than a half hour.
JULIE: In other words, by eleven or so...
DON: It should all be over, except for telling your family of course. Or have you already done that?
JULIE: No, Mr. Craig. And I know it'll come as quite a shock to everyone. But I didn't, and don't, want all sorts of people surrounding me with advice. That's the last thing in the world I want or need right now: family interference. And frankly I think it would be better if more people handled it this way. Kept it a very private matter until it was over. It saves all sorts of emotionalims, strain and stress for everyone.
DON: Except that there are those situations when a family functions to bring about a reconciliation.
JULIE: For a divorce attorney, you certainly use that word a lot: reconciliation. It's not good business, is it?
DON: As I said, it's a thing with me. (BEAT) Tell me, Mrs. Banning, is there anything else you think I should know before we go to court?
JULIE: Anything else? No. I'm sure you know all you have to.
DON (long, steady look at her, then, beat): What about your giving custody of your son to Mr. Banning. Don't you think we should discuss that, too? Or didn't you want me to know about it? (Jason47 Note: Julie's son mentioned in this script is David Banning, Eli's father).
(FADE TO BLACK)
ACT THREE: FADE IN: INT. DON CRAIG'S OFFICE (TAKE IT UP IMMEDIATELY)
JULIE: Whatever arrangements I've made concerning my son is a personal matter between Scott and me, Mr. Craig. (BEAT) And I'm a little upset that Scott discussed this with his attorney. I assume that's where you heard about it.
DON: Then it is true, you did enter into such an arrangement.
JULIE: I'm sure that's difficult for you to understand.
DON: Let's say it's rather unusual.
JULIE: Whar else does a mother do, Mr. Craig, when her son wants desperately to live with his father, when he's convinced his mother doesn't love him, has never loved him? A boy who caused utter pandemonium at school because he ran to his father's office rather than take the school bus home to his mother. I could go on and on.
DON: Is this to be an informal arrangement between you two?
JULIE: I definitely don't want it mentioned in court. As I said, this is something between Scott and me. There's nothing illegal about that, is there? (KNOWING THERE ISN'T)
DON: No. Not at all. (BEAT) Then there's nothing permanent about the arrangement.
JULIE: It could be. But needn't be. Depending upon my son.
DON: Does your husband understand this.
JULIE: Yes, I assume he does. Although we've never put it in quite those words.
DON: Do you want me to cover it with his attorney?
JULIE: No, Mr. Craig. I'd rather the attorney's didn't get into this.
DON: But you do intend to let Mr. Banning have the boy the day after tomorrow.
JULIE (very subtle hedging): Those are my plans, yes. Unless anything unforeseen should develop, which I have no reason to expect.
DON (beat, then): A word of advice?
JULIE (but not really wanting it): By all means.
DON: Don't either of you ever be guilty of using the child as a pawn. It does happen, Mrs. Banning. Sometimes the emotions are such that you're unaware of its happening. But it's a quick way of bringing the court into it. For the protection and welfare of the child.
JULIE: That's the last thing I want to have happen, Mr. Craig. I've been through that once. Never again.
DON (beat, then referring to her folder): There's just one other matter I want to go over with you. The matter of alimony.
JULIE: I told you I didn't want any.
DON: I'm sure I could get it for you.
JULIE: No, I don't believe in it. I do have certain principles, Mr. Craig.
DON: You have many.
JULIE: I wasn't sure what your opinion might be.
DON (beat): Something very basic. How will you live?
JULIE: I have a small trust my father set up for me when I was a child. And when I'm thirty five I'll come into a rather sizeable inheritance.
DON: A small trust between now and thirty five.
JULIE: Well, I hope to borrow some money from my mother against my share of the inheritance. I'm going to see her after I leave here.
DON: That's the first time I've heard you refer to your mother. I didn't realize she lived in Salem.
JULIE: She didn't until recently. Let's just say my mother and I haven't been very close.
DON: But you're confident she'll lend you the money.
JULIE: No, I'm going to have to court her a little first. I don't plan to ask her until I feel our relationship is on much firmer ground. Which will take a little doing.
DON: But definitely no alimony.
JULIE: Definitely.
DON: And if your mother turns you down? It's going to be quite a while before you're thirty five.
JULIE: Between now and then there's always the chance that some man will take pity and ask me to marry him. But somehow I'll manage to survive. I always have, Mr. Craig. And I always will...
DON (beat as he looks at her): No, that shouldn't be too much of a problem for you after all, should it.
(FADE TO BLACK)
"Days" fans just heard Anna last week mention Don Craig's last scene (when he went to send some mail and was never heard from again). For the first time since its original airing, here's a look at Don Craig's debut episode, # 1420, which aired June 21, 1971:
PROLOGUE: INT. DON CRAIG'S OFFICE
(TO OFFICE DOOR, LETTERED "DONALD CRAIG, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW" BRING JULIE INTO PICTURE LOOKING CALM AND CONFIDENT, SHE ENTERS INTO OUTER OFFICE, IS GREETED BY CRAIG'S SECRETARY)
SECRETARY: Hello, Mrs. Banning.
JULIE: Good afternoon, Miss Meadows. I know I'm a little early for my appointment with Mr. Craig.
SECRETARY: Yes, he's busy at the moment. I'm afraid you'll have to wait a few minutes.
JULIE: That's quite all right. It'll give us a chance to talk. It's the last time I'll be seeing you, since we go to court the day after tomorrow.
SECRETARY: Yes, everything seems to be going along just fine.
JULIE: Two more days and I'll be a free woman again. You can't begin to know how I'm looking forward to it. And to a brand new life. (HOLD ON JULIE) (FADE TO BLACK)
ACT ONE: INT. HORTON LIVING ROOM (SCENE IN PROGRESS BETWEEN ALICE AND ADDIE)
ALICE: Almost a year. You could at least try to find some kind of special life for yourself. Try to have a little fun out of life. And there's one man I know from whom, without getting involved, you could have so much pleasure: Doug Williams.
ADDIE: Please, Mother, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I'm not interested in dating. And I'm especially not interested in having anything to do with Mr. Williams. That one encounter at Sergio's was quite enough.
(SOUND: TELEPHONE)
ALICE: Do you want to get that, dear?
(ADDIE GETS IT. TWO WAY CALL, JULIE CALLING FROM SECRETARY'S PHONE)
ADDIE: Hello.
JULIE (happy, upbeat, playing the game): Hello, Mother. How are you?
ADDIE (guarded, cautious): I'm...fine, Julie.
JULIE: I only have a moment. I wondered if you're going to be there in an hour or so. I thought I'd stop by, spend a little time with you.
ADDIE (instinctively suspicious): Why, yes I'll be here.
JULIE: Good. See you then, Mother. Bye.
(AS JULIE HANGS UP, THE WHEELS TURNING, WE SEE CRAIG IN BACKGROUND)
DON: Mrs. Banning? You can come in now.
(AND AS JULIE TURNS TO ENTER, CUT BACK TO ADDIE, PUZZLED)
ADDIE: Knowing my daughter ,Mother, there has to be a reason. (FADE TO BLACK)
ACT TWO: FADE IN: INT. DON CRAIG'S OFFICE (THIS SET CAN BE A SLIGHT REMAKE OF MICKEY'S OFFICE LAYOUT). (SCENE IN PROGRESS)
DON: Well, you seem happy enough today, Mrs. Banning.
JULIE: But then, aren't all women on the eve of their divorce?
DON: No, not at all. Depending on the individual circumstances. Sometimes with a day or two to go, one side or the other backs away from the idea.
JULIE: No way, Mr. Craig.
DON: And your husband?
JULIE: He's as anxious as I am.
DON: Then that closes the door to any possible reconciliation.
JULIE: You mean you were about to open that door?
DON: If I felt there was any hope, yes. It's a thing with me. I find it much more satisfying to save marriages than end them. And as I said, it does happen occassionally. A last minute change of heart.
JULIE: How lovely. I mean that. But really it would be a waste of your time with Scott and me.
DON (not critically): Yes, I'd more or less come to that conclusion.
JULIE: Tell me, what time are we due in court the day after next?
DON: Your case should be heard around ten, maybe a little after. And since it's uncontested, it shouldn't take more than a half hour.
JULIE: In other words, by eleven or so...
DON: It should all be over, except for telling your family of course. Or have you already done that?
JULIE: No, Mr. Craig. And I know it'll come as quite a shock to everyone. But I didn't, and don't, want all sorts of people surrounding me with advice. That's the last thing in the world I want or need right now: family interference. And frankly I think it would be better if more people handled it this way. Kept it a very private matter until it was over. It saves all sorts of emotionalims, strain and stress for everyone.
DON: Except that there are those situations when a family functions to bring about a reconciliation.
JULIE: For a divorce attorney, you certainly use that word a lot: reconciliation. It's not good business, is it?
DON: As I said, it's a thing with me. (BEAT) Tell me, Mrs. Banning, is there anything else you think I should know before we go to court?
JULIE: Anything else? No. I'm sure you know all you have to.
DON (long, steady look at her, then, beat): What about your giving custody of your son to Mr. Banning. Don't you think we should discuss that, too? Or didn't you want me to know about it? (Jason47 Note: Julie's son mentioned in this script is David Banning, Eli's father).
(FADE TO BLACK)
ACT THREE: FADE IN: INT. DON CRAIG'S OFFICE (TAKE IT UP IMMEDIATELY)
JULIE: Whatever arrangements I've made concerning my son is a personal matter between Scott and me, Mr. Craig. (BEAT) And I'm a little upset that Scott discussed this with his attorney. I assume that's where you heard about it.
DON: Then it is true, you did enter into such an arrangement.
JULIE: I'm sure that's difficult for you to understand.
DON: Let's say it's rather unusual.
JULIE: Whar else does a mother do, Mr. Craig, when her son wants desperately to live with his father, when he's convinced his mother doesn't love him, has never loved him? A boy who caused utter pandemonium at school because he ran to his father's office rather than take the school bus home to his mother. I could go on and on.
DON: Is this to be an informal arrangement between you two?
JULIE: I definitely don't want it mentioned in court. As I said, this is something between Scott and me. There's nothing illegal about that, is there? (KNOWING THERE ISN'T)
DON: No. Not at all. (BEAT) Then there's nothing permanent about the arrangement.
JULIE: It could be. But needn't be. Depending upon my son.
DON: Does your husband understand this.
JULIE: Yes, I assume he does. Although we've never put it in quite those words.
DON: Do you want me to cover it with his attorney?
JULIE: No, Mr. Craig. I'd rather the attorney's didn't get into this.
DON: But you do intend to let Mr. Banning have the boy the day after tomorrow.
JULIE (very subtle hedging): Those are my plans, yes. Unless anything unforeseen should develop, which I have no reason to expect.
DON (beat, then): A word of advice?
JULIE (but not really wanting it): By all means.
DON: Don't either of you ever be guilty of using the child as a pawn. It does happen, Mrs. Banning. Sometimes the emotions are such that you're unaware of its happening. But it's a quick way of bringing the court into it. For the protection and welfare of the child.
JULIE: That's the last thing I want to have happen, Mr. Craig. I've been through that once. Never again.
DON (beat, then referring to her folder): There's just one other matter I want to go over with you. The matter of alimony.
JULIE: I told you I didn't want any.
DON: I'm sure I could get it for you.
JULIE: No, I don't believe in it. I do have certain principles, Mr. Craig.
DON: You have many.
JULIE: I wasn't sure what your opinion might be.
DON (beat): Something very basic. How will you live?
JULIE: I have a small trust my father set up for me when I was a child. And when I'm thirty five I'll come into a rather sizeable inheritance.
DON: A small trust between now and thirty five.
JULIE: Well, I hope to borrow some money from my mother against my share of the inheritance. I'm going to see her after I leave here.
DON: That's the first time I've heard you refer to your mother. I didn't realize she lived in Salem.
JULIE: She didn't until recently. Let's just say my mother and I haven't been very close.
DON: But you're confident she'll lend you the money.
JULIE: No, I'm going to have to court her a little first. I don't plan to ask her until I feel our relationship is on much firmer ground. Which will take a little doing.
DON: But definitely no alimony.
JULIE: Definitely.
DON: And if your mother turns you down? It's going to be quite a while before you're thirty five.
JULIE: Between now and then there's always the chance that some man will take pity and ask me to marry him. But somehow I'll manage to survive. I always have, Mr. Craig. And I always will...
DON (beat as he looks at her): No, that shouldn't be too much of a problem for you after all, should it.
(FADE TO BLACK)