Wants Old-Fashioned Store

Originally Aired: March 27, 1940 Lum #275, "Wants Old-Fashioned Store," Pine Ridge becomes a beehive of activity as word spreads that a motion picture company is coming to town. The Jot'Em Down Store experiences its biggest day ever, with crowds flooding in from nearby communities hoping to catch a glimpse of the soon-to-be movie stars. Lum and Abner are holding a sale to clear out their old merchandise before the filming begins, planning to use the proceeds to fix up the store for its Hollywood debut. Squire has rented out the store to the movie company for $500 a week while paying Lum and Abner only $150 a month, but the partners are more concerned with how their establishment will appear on screen. Lum enthusiastically embraces his newfound celebrity status, practicing elaborate signatures and pre-signing autographs to hand out to admirers. He's even begun signing himself as "L. Edwards" to save time. Abner remains skeptical of his partner's self-promotion tactics, particularly when Lum starts offering autographs to people who haven't requested them. When Granddad Spears stops by the store with news, the stage is set for the next development in Pine Ridge's Hollywood adventure.