with James Stewart as Elwood P. Dowd.
< mr dowd speaking >
You know you,
you two look very nice dancing together.
I, I used to know a whole lot of dances,
the flea hop,
the black bottom, the varsity drag.
I don't know, I, just don't seem to have any time any more.
I have so many things to do.
miss kelly > What is it you do, Mr Dowd?
Well Harvey and I sit in the bars
have a drink or two,
play the jukebox.
And soon the faces of all the other people they
turn toward mine
and they smile.
And they're saying, "We don't know your name Mister
but you're a very nice fellow."
Harvey and I
Warm ourselves in all these golden moments.
We've entered as strangers- soon we have friends.
And they come over. And they sit with us.
They drink with us. They talk to us.
And they tell us about all the big
terrible things they have done.
And the big wonderful things they will do.
Their hopes, their regrets, their loves, and their hates.
All very large
because nobody ever brings anything small into a bar.
And then:
I introduce them to Harvey.
And he's bigger and grander
than anything they offer me.
And, and, when they leave,
they leave impressed.
These same people seldom come back-
but that's, that's envy my dear.
There's a little bit of envy in the best of us-
and that's too bad.
isn't it?
dr. sanderson > How did you happen to call him Harvey?
Well, Harvey's his name.
dr. sanderson > How do you know that?
Ah well er
there was a rather interesting coincidence on that, Doctor;
One night several years ago I was walking early in the evening along
Fairfax Street- between 18th and 19th. You know the block? I had just
helped Ed Hickey into a taxi. Ed had been mixing his rye with his gin, and
I felt he needed conveying. I started to walk down the street when I heard
a voice saying: "Good evening, Mr. Dowd." I turned, and there was this
great white rabbit leaning against the lamppost. Well, I thought nothing of
that, because when you live in a town as long as I have lived in this one,
you get used to the fact that everyone knows your name. Naturally, I went
over to chat with him. He said to me: "Ed Hickey's a little spiffed this
evening or could I be mistaken?" Well, of course, he was not mistaken. I
think the world and all of Ed, but he was spiffed. Well, anyway we stood
there and talked and I finally said, " You have the advantage of me. You
know my name and I don't know yours." Right back at me he said: "What name
do you like?" Well, I didn't even have to think a minute: Harvey has always
been my favorite name. So I said "Harvey," and this is the interesting part
of the whole thing. He said- "What a coincidence! My name happens to be
Harvey."
...
...
...
dr. thumley > Good heavens man! haven't you any righteous indignation?
Oohhhh, Doctor,
i,
You know, years ago, my mother used to say to me,
'In this world Elwood, you must be...'
she always called me Elwood,
'In this world Elwood, you must be
Oh so smart, or Oh so pleasant.'
Well, for years i was smart.
I recommend pleasant.
You may quote me.
...
Ah, Miss Kelly
< mr dowd recites ovid to miss kelly.>
< miss kelly kisses mr dowd >
wilson > Hey, this Rabbit gag must be a good one..
...