Original subtitles

Well, we're moving on up. Moving on up. To the east side. Moving on up. To the

deep.

And I do hope you'll be able to come to the costume ball.

Well, I must admit, it sounds like fun.

I always love dressing up.

So do I.

Tom and I had a wonderful time at the society dance last year. And we met a

of nice people.

That's right. I remember every time I saw Tom, someone seemed to be shaking

hand. His arm must have ached for a week.

Well, he should have known better than to go at the slot machine.

Well, what do you say, Louise? Can I sell you a ticket? The Interracial

Awareness Society needs all the help it can get, Louise.

Sure. Thanks.

You'd be surprised how many people still object to mixed marriages.

Oh, no, I wouldn't be surprised.

Really? Then you're a very aware person.

Well, I have a husband who makes me aware.

I'm glad to hear it.

I want you to meet Mrs. Fletcher. Hi.

Hello.

I'm always glad to meet a man who's aware of society's problems.

Oh, yeah, I got plenty of problems. They just keep turning up. Hi, Helen. Nice

to see you.

It's always a pleasure seeing you too, George.

George, how would you like to go dancing this weekend?

Hey, that sounds great. Good.

Because Mrs. Fletcher is selling tickets to a big costume ball, and I told her

we'd go. All right, fine. I haven't been dancing in months.

You'll have a ball at our ball, as they say.

And you'll be helping the organization, too. Oh, yeah? What organization is

that? The Interracial Awareness Society.

The interracial who?

It helps to promote understanding between... I understand what it

did you say the ball was?

Next Saturday.

Oh, shoot. We ain't gonna be able to make it.

Why not?

I'll give you one guess.

I can't tell you. You'd ruin the surprise.

What surprise?

The surprise I got planned for you for next Saturday.

George, you... Now, don't try to pry it out of me.

But, of course, you will buy a ticket to help the cause, huh?

No, I can't buy a ticket. Why?

It's part of the surprise.

George... Can I see you in the kitchen?

Sure, but you ain't gonna trick me into telling you about the surprise.

George, I'm ashamed of you not wanting to help the interracial society.

Why should I pay people too dumb to marry their own color?

For your information, Mrs. Fletcher's husband is white.

You mean she's black?

No, Mrs. Fletcher has a son who's married to a black girl.

Oh, I wish I did.

Oh, come on, George.

Why are you making such a big deal out of going to the ball?

It could be a lot of fun.

Everybody's going.

The Willises, Mr. Bentley. Louise, for the last time, I am not wasting good

money to buy tickets and rent costumes to go to that ball.

You don't have to pay for the costumes.

Mrs. Fletcher's husband is donating them.

Say what?

Mr. Fletcher's company is providing free costumes to anybody who wants to go. Is

this woman's husband the Mr. Fletcher who owns that costume company?

Yes. Oh, that's one of the biggest costume companies in town.

Huh. And all those costumes get dirty.

What? Oh, I said it's almost 7 .30.

You should be ashamed of me. In fact, I should be ashamed of me.

Are you trying to say you've changed your mind?

Sure, how can I turn down a free costume?

Mrs. Fletcher!

We have decided we're going to the ball.

Wonderful! Yeah, Louise made me realize that I got a good chance to do somebody

some good.

But what about the surprise?

This is it! I'm going to the dance!

You know, Mr. Jefferson, for a minute there, I thought you were trying to get

out of buying a ticket because you didn't approve of our organization.

Me? Why, my own son's married to a Zip.

To Helen's lovely door.

Well, I must be going.

I better be going, too.

See you later, Louise.

Uh, fine, Helen.

I'm really happy that you both will be joining us. Oh, we'll be there, all

right. Oh, but there's one condition I must insist on. What's that?

That my good old friends the Willises and my good new friends the Fletchers

come over here for drinks before we all go to the ball.

I'm delighted.

I'm amazed.

Now all I got to do is figure out what I'm going to wear.

What's your husband wearing, Mrs. Fletcher? Well, Bill always goes as a

Perfect. I never met a good businessman who didn't make a good pirate.

Thank you.

What can I do for you?

Here, take these pirate costumes, Leroy.

Oh, my, Mr. Jefferson.

You want all these clean?

No, I don't want them clean, Leroy. I want you to listen.

I don't hear anything.

To me.

Look, I want you back here at the store tonight at 8 o 'clock sharp.

8 o 'clock.

Store will be closed.

I know that.

I want you to open it.

Got it.

I don't have a key.

I know.

I'm going to give you a key.

Now, little F8, my maid Florence, will be coming down here.

Well, how will I know her?

There'll only be two of you here.

The one that ain't you is her.

Got it. Good.

Now, she'll be bringing down a pirate costume stained with grape juice.

Oh, a favor of the trip, Mr. Jefferson. You know, grape juice is murder to get

out. I know, Leroy. You ain't got to worry about getting it out.

I don't? No, all you got to do is give her one of these clean pirate costumes,

whichever one matches the one she brings down. You got it?

Got it.

Why? Because the costume with the stain on it belongs to a man who owns a

costume company.

And if we show him how fast we are and how good we are, maybe we can get his

business. Because he'll think the costume you bring back to him is his

only clean.

Right.

Oh, Mr. Jefferson.

You know, you sure are smart.

I know.

So why are you going upstairs wearing all those pirate hats?

Why don't you tell me sooner?

Well, Florence, how do you like my costume?

Oh, Miss Jefferson, it's wonderful.

Who are you supposed to be?

I'll give you a clue.

Anthony and... The Imperials!

I just love them. I got all their albums.

Do -do -do -do.

Tears on my pillow.

Do -do -do -do.

Pain in my heart.

No, Miles.

Anthony and Cleopatra.

Black Bart tells them to reach, they reach.

And if Black Bart does that again, Black Bart is going to wind up with a black

eye. What?

What you got to say, Florence?

Oh, yeah.

I think you'd have made a great sheriff in the old west.

Why, you'd have got rid of all them bad guys.

Yep. They'd have took one look at you and died laughing.

Ask Floss to make it for us.

Why? Because we ain't had it in a long time.

We've never had great punch.

Well, you can't get no longer than that.

You better hurry up and finish getting dressed.

I am dressed.

What about your crown?

Oh, it was a little heavy, so I was thinking about not wearing it.

Are you crazy? You don't stand a chance of winning that best costume prize

without your crown.

You're right. I hadn't thought of that.

Of course, as long as Black Bart's in town, you don't stand much of a chance

anyway.

Florence, I gotta talk to you.

Yeah? Look, when Mr. Fletcher gets over here and when he asks for a drink, I

want you to give me some of that grape juice and then pour it on him. I can't

that. Of course you can. You're always spilling things.

I'll even pay you. How much?

Twenty -five bucks.

Forget it.

Well, how much you want? Five thousand dollars.

But I'll take 50.

Okay, you got a deal. Now look, after you spill it on him, you say, oh, Mr.

Jefferson can get that out. He can get anything out. And I'm going to say, no

way. But no matter what I say, you just keep on saying, oh, he can do it. He can

do it bad.

But Mr. Jefferson, great juice punch won't come out.

Ain't nobody asking your kitchen philosophy.

Look, you just get Fletcher in the bathroom, get his costume off, take it

to the store, get a costume from Leroy, bring that one up here to me.

You get 50 bucks. You blow it, nothing.

I found my crown. It was in the bathroom.

Ah.

Good thinking, Weezy. A smart queen always needs a crown by the throne.

Oh, Helen. Oh, my queen.

Oh, Louise.

Cleopatra never looked so good.

Thank you.

But where's your ass?

It's on the desk here, see?

You look beautiful, too, Helen. Who are you? Helen.

No, I mean, who are you supposed to be? Helen of Troy.

Good choice.

Your face looks like it's been used for launching ships.

George! I didn't say it. Black Bart said it.

You look great, too, Willis. Oh, thank you, George.

That's pretty clever going as a zebra.

It's a convict uniform.

Oh!

I feel like I'm on my way to a Johnny Cash concert.

Anybody want a drink?

I'll have a scotch and soda.

Make it two.

Make that three.

Three shots of red eye coming up.

Hello?

Oh, hi, Leroy.

Hey, I'll get it. Oh, I'll help you, Louise.

Leroy, what's the matter?

You want to go over to play in a gang?

I'll call you right back.

I've got to make an important business call.

It'll only take a minute.

Florence, we could use some help with the drinks.

Okay.

Too much soda.

Oh, I'll get it.

find your sheep.

Oh, the Fletcher's welcome.

Thank you. Louise, you look beautiful.

Thank you.

This is my husband, Bill. Bill, this is Louise Jefferson.

Hello, Bill. Louise.

I love your costume, but your wife said you were coming as a pirate.

Well, I was, but somebody rented all our pirate costumes.

Here you are, Mr. Fletcher. Oh, thank you.

How about you, Mr. Fletcher? I'd love some. You know, leaping over tall

buildings in a single bound makes Superman thirsty.

Superman! Oh, no!

let you look at it all over my ass i don't know what's the

matter with me i guess my mind was wandering why don't you pack a bag and

look for it you're supposed to be the master of ceremonies tonight you can't

stand up in front of a lot of people looking like that oh mr jefferson can

it out mr jefferson

can get grape juice out.

That's right, Florence.

It just doesn't come out.

That don't scare Mr. Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson just laughs at grape juice

Don't you, Mr. Jefferson? Will you shut up?

Wait a minute. A long time ago, we had a huge grape juice stain on our rug.

Helen, how did we get rid of it? We moved.

Oh, yeah. Well, then I guess there's only one person left who can help you.

This looks like a job for Superman.

Mr.

Jefferson can get it out. I know he can. Now, you just go right on in there and

hand me out your costume, and me and Mr. Jefferson will do the rest.

Don't you understand? I can't clean it.

Well, George, the least you could do is get Mr. Fletcher a bathrobe.

Yes. Please, he can't go to the costume party naked.

Unless you two want to go as Little Bo Peep and Little Boy Blue.

Poor Bill, this is going to ruin the whole night for him.

Oh, look, why doesn't he just take my outfit?

Oh, Tom, that's so nice. And you had your heart set on winning the prize for

most original costume.

Really, Tom? Who are you supposed to be?

Anyone who worked for Nixon.

You overdoing it, Mr. Jefferson.

Come back here.

Where are you going?

There's a man in our bathroom with no clothes on. Don't just stand there.

to be the trouble, little buckaroo.

Don't bother me, I'm busy.

Hey! You're Superman!

Not really, Mr. J. It's me, Bentley.

Although, there's a young lady in Scarsdale who says I'm faster than a

bullet.

You going to the bar like that?

Yes, and I must say I'm rather pleased with my choice of costume.

Uh -uh, it's all wrong, Bentley.

I hate to see you make a fool of yourself.

Oh, goodness, do I look that bad?

Work! Everybody will laugh at you. Ha -ha!

See, I couldn't help it.

Don't tell me I've sprung another hole in the tights. No, no, no. It's just

you ain't the right type.

Superman was American.

Really? I thought he came from outer space.

His family did, but they moved to New Jersey.

Oh. Well, if I don't go with Superman, what'll I wear?

Well, you're English, ain't you? You should dress like somebody that's

Now, think hard.

Now, who do you look at and immediately say, Now, that's England.

Oh, Mr. J., I couldn't go with the Queen.

No, really, I mean a pirate.

Pirate? Well, many of them were English.

Sure they were.

Running around robbing and burning and killing and looting. I mean, see, they

were something you could be proud of.

Perhaps you're right, Mr. J.

Many of our pirates were romantic figures and certainly typical of the

adventurous English spirit.

You know, I like the idea.

Great! But where would I get a pirate suit at this hour?

I can get you one for nothing.

You just go ahead and get changed. I'll get Florence to get it for you. Thank

you, Mr. J. A pirate, eh?

Yo -ho -ho and a bottle of rum, hmm?

Fifteen men on a dead man's chest.

Ah, Jim!

Okay, Mr. Fletcher, we are in business.

You will be master of ceremonies because I am the master cleaner.

Ah, Jefferson, no one can clean that costume. Have you forgotten George

Jefferson fans is gonna need?

Not now, Luigi. I gotta make a call.

I don't know exactly what's happening, but I smell a rat.

So do I. A little one with furs on his boots.

Hello, Leroy.

This is Mr. Jefferson.

Is Florence there?

The Mr. Jefferson that pays you your checks, dummy?

Who'd you think it was?

Richard Pryor?

No, nobody told me that before.

Now, let me speak to Florence.

Hey, Blonde, look.

Bring one of those pirate costumes up to Bentley.

And then you get his Superman shirt and bring it to me. You got it?

Yeah. Look, just hurry up.

George, I want to know what you're up to. Okay, Fletcher.

I just talked to my man, Leroy.

And you know that big S on your Superman shirt? Well, it now stands for

spotlight. You mean you got the grape juice out?

Blonde will be back in a minute. You can see for yourself.

George, I don't believe it.

Would I lie to the Queen of the Nile?

But you kept saying you couldn't do it. I know. That's one of my biggest faults.

I'm too modest.

And besides, I don't want nobody to know about my new secret process yet. What

secret process?

I call it that old black magic.

Well, I'll tell you one thing. If it really works, you're the best cleaner in

the business.

And the best costumes deserve the best cleaner, right?

Right.

Okay, everybody.

Now, here's the proof.

I told you he could do it.

Well, look, it's clean as a whistle.

Mr. Jefferson, this is remarkable.

It's also 20 bucks extra.

Thank you, Pastor.

Oh.

Of course, I still have to work out some of the wrinkles.

Still amazing.

If I didn't see it, I wouldn't believe it. Me either.

George, I owe you an apology.

I thought you were up to something.

Wheezy, when are you going to learn to trust me?

Mr.

Jefferson, now what am I supposed to do with this shirt? You say pirate, this is

Superman. You know I tried to ask you on the phone.

It ain't no shirt, Leroy. That's an old piece of rag. Hold it.

That's not an old rag.

It's a Superman shirt.

Two grape stays in one day. What a coincidence.

Take it downstairs, and you're going to give us a new secret process.

Right, boss. A secret process. Ah, what secret process?

The one you ain't supposed to talk about. Hold it.

Look, that's my shirt. Look.

It is?

Well, whose shirt is that you're wearing?

Where did that one come from?

Yes, George.

Where did it come from?

It came from Bentley. I got it from him.

I don't understand.

Has Bentley gone into the cleaning business?

Why, George?

Why? Well, because I wanted to get his business.

Why didn't you just ask? Because he could have said no.

Look, you've got to find some kind of way to show your customers that you're

good. But you tried to trick us, Mr. Jefferson.

Yeah, I know.

Sorry, Fletcher. No, why be sorry? That's how I got where I am, too.

But it's not worth it, George. You don't need the money. It ain't the money.

It's the game.

Exactly. And you're not a winner till you make it to the top.

That's right. You're a good man, Jefferson.

I like your spirit.

Ah, well, you like my cleaning even better. My cleaner is terrible. I'm the

best. He's slow.

Hey, he's expensive.

I'm not so expensive.

He never supports the Interracial Awareness Society.

What kind of bigot is he?

I support it all the way.

Oh, really, George?

How much have you given? How much have you given?

Tom is a sustaining sponsor. $1 ,000.

Oh, yeah? Well, Weezy and I are both sustaining sponsors, and I'm pledging $2

,000.

Jefferson, I want to give you my business.

Great! But I can't. What?

My brother -in -law does all our cleaning. Mrs. Fletcher would kill me.

better believe it, Cookie.

Fletcher, you just gave me the business.

Sorry, Jefferson.

Can I go now, Mr. Jefferson?

I ain't been this confused since I don't know when.

Yesterday? Yeah, that's when it was.

Bring me one of those pirate costumes up here for Mr. Fletcher. All right, boss.

Well, George, I'm sorry you didn't get the contract, but I hope you've learned

lesson. I sure did, Weezy, a big lesson.

First you close the deal, then you make the donation.

But, George, it's for a good cause.

Maybe I could get some of it back.

How much do you win for best costume?

$500. Hey, that ain't bad.

I bet you I win too short as I am.

It wasn't.

The Jeffersons was videotaped in front of a studio audience.

Repair and Synchronization by Easy Subtitles Synchronizer 1.0.0.0