-1/3/50 thru 1/31/50. Ray finds Charlotte in a doped up stupor and calls Ross who decides to put her in the hospital for her addiction to barbiturates. Ray starts to see his part in Charlotte’s mental problems. Ted continues to pressure Meta into accepting his marriage proposal which she finally agrees to do. Ray and Meta make amends. Reverend Keeler tries to take over the care of the parishioners from Reverend Matthews. Bill already sees signs that he’s not going to materially please Bert and he asks if they could move into the Bauer home as Bert’s mother is making things unbearable for him. Papa is finding it hard to be both mother and father to the children now that Mama is gone. Meta goes to visit Charlotte at the hospital and Charlotte begs her to get some drugs for her as she is going through terrible withdrawal. When Meta steps out of the room to talk to Mary, Charlotte takes Meta’s coat and purse and sneaks out of the hospital. Dr. Parker blames Mary for Charlotte’s disappearance and moves to have her fired, inciting Ross’ hatred of him even more.
-2/1/50 thru 2/28/50. Ray finds Charlotte at her friend’s house. He decides not to take her back to the hospital and nurse her through detox by himself. Ted and Meta are married in a loveless, cold ceremony in Las Vegas. Ray has Charlotte’s pill supplier, Larry Lawrence, picked up by the police and then takes Charlotte up to an isolated mountain cabin to see her through withdrawal. Charlotte escapes out of the mountain cabin and out into the cold and snow on foot. Bill, fed up with Bert’s mother, gives Bert the ultimatum of choosing her mother or coming with him to live with his Dad. A desperate search for a lost Charlotte begins.
-3/1/50 thru 3/31/50. Sid goes to Big Bear to help look for Charlotte and Ray tells him he knows he screwed up with Charlotte and that, if she’s found alive, he’ll step aside to let Sid have his chance with her. Ted tells Meta that he wants to accompany his father back to England. Meta doesn’t want to go and Ted says he’s going with Chuckie with or without her. Charlotte is found alive. Bert, tired of Bill not making enough money, hits up Meta for a job for Bill with Ted. Bill starts to get excited about having an important job with more money until he finds out Bert is behind it and then becomes livid. Ted, Meta, Chuckie, David and the governess leave for England. Mary meets Michael Cellini, a friend of Rev. Keeler’s that comes in for an appendectomy. An x-ray reveals Michael has tuberculosis.
-4/3/50 thru 4/28/50. Charlotte returns to Selby Flats and her old home with Ray. Reverend Keeler gives a Good Friday sermon. Ray and Sid wait patiently for Charlotte to decide which one she wants to be with. Bert tries to push Ross and Trudy together and bashes Meta to Trudy, stoking old resentments. Michael and Mary become flirtatious with each other and Mary decides not to tell him that he has TB. Papa and Bill warn Bert to stop interfering and stirring things up. Meta returns from England with Chuckie and didn’t tell Ted she was leaving. She tells Charlotte she’s miserable with Ted and worried about how Chuckie is turning out. Charlotte tells Sid she’s chosen to go back to Ray and she and Ray reconcile.
-5/1/50 thru 5/31/50. Ted offers Bill a job in the new television department, a move Meta realizes is just a way to get her indebted to Ted. Meta, angry at Bert for going to Ted to ask him to give Bill the job, tells Bert she’s tired of her machinations and to stay out of her life. Meta tells Ray and Charlotte that Chuckie’s personality has changed and she fears it is because Ted is warping him. Ray and Charlotte debate nature vs. nurture and wonder if Chuckie would have turned out the same if he had stayed with them or not. Ted and Meta argue over whether or not to raise Chuckie with Christian teaching. Bill and Meta argue when Meta is shocked to hear Bill take Ted’s side in forcing Chuckie into masculine pursuits against his desire. Michael proposes to Mary but she is reluctant to accept. Charlotte calls Bert out on her meddling and gossiping. Bert starts spending money above Bill’s means.
-6/1/50 thru 6/30/50. Ted warns Ray and Charlotte to stay away from Chuckie. Meta and Ted argue over how to raise Chuckie with Ted thinking Meta coddles Chuckie and Meta thinking Ted is trying to mold Chuckie into another Ted. Meta is angry that Ted is forcing Chuckie to do things that he doesn’t like and is scared of and tells Ted that he’ll live to regret the day he forced Chuckie to put on a boxing glove. Meta tells Papa she plans to leave Ted when Ted comes back from the camping trip he’s taking Chuckie on. Trudy overhears and lashes into Meta again, accusing her of wanting Ross. The threat of Meta leaving Ted makes Trudy afraid of losing Ross and makes Bert afraid of Bill losing his job. Chuckie becomes afraid of everything and Ross recommends a child psychologist which Ted opposes. Meta is tormented by nightmares and fears that she’s going to lose Chuckie. Meta assures Trudy that she’s going to try to save her marriage to Ted, that she doesn’t want Ross and tries to get her to face the fact that Ross isn’t in love with Trudy. Trudy doesn’t buy it. Ted continues to push Chuckie into masculine pursuits which takes an emotional toll on Chuckie.
-7/3/50-7/7/50. Bert tries to ingratiate herself and Bill to Ted. Bill is being pressured by
Bert to get a house above their means. Meta warns Bill against taking a loan from Ted.
-7/24/50-8/4/50. Ray and Charlotte talk about adopting a child, Michael and Mary getting together and Ted and Meta getting separated. Bill wants to enlist in the Korean War. Bert accuses him of just wanting to escape which causes Bill to storm out. Papa and Trudy warn Bert not to shame Bill as a man. Bill tells a worried Bert that Meta’s divorcing Ted. Meta tells Ted she’d kill him before letting him have Chuckie. Meta packs up Chuckie to take him to the Bauers.
-8/16/50-8/24/50. Ted gets Bert to testify against Meta in Chuckie’s custody trial in exchange for financial favors.
-9/18/50-9/25/50. Chuckie White dies. Meta shoots and kills Ted.
-10/2/50-10/6/50. D.A. Hanley tries to get to the bottom of Ted’s murder.
-11/6/50-11/10/50. The prison psychiatrist examines Meta. Ray prepares his legal defense of Meta.
-12/18/50. Al tries to talk Gloria into staying clear of Bill.
-12/22/50-12/29/50. Ray and Charlotte welcome their new adopted baby Penny into their home. Ross tells Trudy he’s moving out and Trudy blames Meta. Ray tells Charlotte that Julie is getting remarried and Ray learns Penny has a 14-year-old brother who needs adopting also.
-6/12/50 thru 3/15/51. 197 consecutive episodes. Episodes #791-988. Bert pushes Bill to live above his means which starts Bill’s drinking. Bill meets a sympathetic Gloria LaRue, who he is attracted to. Trudy and Meta fight over Ross. Meta files for divorce and she and Ted fight over Chuckie. Chuckie dies in a boxing accident. Meta shoots and kills Ted. Meta’s trial. Meta meets Joe Roberts who falls in love with Meta. Kathy Robert’s first episode. Ray and Charlotte adopt a baby named Penny and then take in her older brother Jimmy.
By
Reverend Ruthledge ·
