Calling All Husbands

Homer Trippe has spent the last thirty years working in a second-hand department store where he is badly treated by his boss, Hadley Weaver. At home, his wife Emmie is continually comparing him to Oscar Armstrong, the man she "should have married." Only his daughter Bette takes his side. Bette is in love with Dan Williams, but Emmie disapproves of her choice because she thinks that he is too much like Homer. One evening while Emmie and Aunt Mabel Parker are at the movies, leaving Homer home to do the dishes, Dan invites Bette for a walk, during which he begs her to marry him that evening. Meanwhile at home, Homer has taken a few drinks from a bottle of hard cider that Dan brought for him. When a hobo knocks on the door, Homer invites him in for a drink, only to learn by chance, that the hobo is Oscar Armstrong, Emmie's old flame. Seeing a chance to revenge himself on Emmie, Homer invites Oscar to dinner the following evening. Bette and Dan return home with Judge Todd, and with Dan's permission, they are married just before Emmie and Mabel return from the movies. Homer asks Bette and Dan not to tell Emmie about the marriage until the following evening. The following day, Oscar visits Homer at work to demand some money. When Weaver sees him there, Oscar pretends that he is planning on starting a similar store and wanted to see how the experts do it. Flattered, Weaver takes him around the store. Actually Oscar, who is a thief, plans to rob the store. That evening when he appears at Homer's for dinner, he is well-dressed and Emmie recognizes him immediately. It appears that Homer's plans have been ruined, especially after Weaver arrives with the sheriff to accuse Homer of robbing his store. When Dan arrives with Oscar's accomplice, who identifies Oscar as the thief, Weaver apologizes to Homer and makes him the store manager. Emmie is ashamed and promises to be a better wife.more