- A publicity man tries to hide a child film star's brattiness from a magazine writer, who happens to be his ex-wife.
- In person, child film star Kathy O'Rourke belies her sweet image. Studio publicity man Harry Johnson must keep Celeste, a national magazine writer, from discovering this when writing a piece on Kathy. This won't be easy; Celeste is Harry's ex-wife. To Harry's surprise, Kathy and Celeste make friends; it seems all Kathy really needed was love... But when Kathy runs away to join Celeste, Harry is suspected of kidnapping.—Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
- Kathy O'Rourke is a ten-year-old child star at a Hollywood studio. The public loves her but those who work with her can't stand her. She is rude, obnoxious, and disrespectful. Orphaned at a young age, Kathy lives with her aunt, Harriet Burton. Miss Burton is cold and unloving toward Kathy.
A campaign to publicize Kathy's latest picture is underway. Celeste Saunders, a magazine writer from New York, is coming to do a two-part article on Kathy. She requests that Harry Johnson, who works in studio publicity, be assigned to her. Harry is reluctant to accept the assignment as Celeste was his first wife. But his boss gives him no choice. Kathy's pictures pay their salaries and Harry is ordered to cooperate with Celeste.
The Hollywood Christmas parade is coming up and Kathy has been chosen to sit beside Santa Claus. But for whatever reason, she doesn't want to do it. She refuses to pose alongside a poster advertising the parade. The photographer appeals to Harry. He goes to Kathy's trailer and tries to befriend her, but she sees through his act. She even stabs a hole in the poster with a pair of scissors. The next day he tries again but is honest with her this time. He needs her to be nice to Celeste so she won't write an unfavorable article. Kathy agrees on the condition that Harry fix it so that she doesn't have to be in the Christmas parade. He promises to speak to her aunt.
Harry's wife Helen was a friend of Celeste after the divorce. In fact it was Celeste who introduced them. Helen asks Harry to bring Celeste back to the house for a drink. This involves explaining to their two sons, Tommy and Bo, just who Celeste is. The boys take it in stride and Harry warns them not to ask Celeste any nosy questions.
Harry meets Celeste at her hotel but she is too tired to visit his home. She suggests they go to the hotel bar, and he forgets to call Helen. They get caught up on each other's lives and he shows her pictures of the boys. Celeste wonders what Kathy is really like, which makes Harry nervous. He isn't sure he can trust Kathy to keep her word.
When Harry finally arrives home, Helen is waiting up. She is mildly angry at him for forgetting to call. They agree to invite Celeste to dinner the next evening.
Harry doesn't want to leave Celeste and Kathy alone, so he tags along on the first interview. Kathy is charming to Celeste and shows her a dress she is making for her doll. The two seem to hit it off. But after Harry and Celeste leave, Kathy angrily throws the doll to the floor.
Celeste is charmed by Harry and Helen's sons and says she sometimes regrets not having children. But Harry reminds her that she wasn't cut out for the domestic life. She mentions an opening on her magazine and urges Harry to consider it.
The next day, Harry is horrified to discover that Celeste and Kathy have gone off together. Harriet does't know where they went. Harry asks her if she has arranged for Kathy to skip the parade. She told Kathy it was all right but has said nothing to the studio head, Mr. Faber. Nervously Harry waits for Celeste and Kathy to return. They spent the day on a fishing boat and Kathy caught the second-largest fish. For the first time, she is able to act like a kid. No one recognizes her and she has a lot of fun with Celeste.
Over the next week, the two spend a lot of time together. Harry is relieved to know they are getting on so well but he believes it is all an act. Then it is time for Celeste to return to New York. She and Kathy have a tearful farewell at the studio. Celeste is so upset that she can't return to her hotel alone. She asks Harry to meet her for dinner. He can't because Helen is Christmas shopping and he has to stay with the boys. When Celeste insists, he asks his co-worker Ben to babysit. Helen is told that Harry must go to the O'Rourke household. When she arrives home, laden with packages, she finds the boys watching the Christmas parade on TV. There is Kathy, looking very glum, sitting next to Santa. Helen realizes that Harry lied to her.
Celeste finishes packing while Harry waits. She decides to take a shower and suggests they eat in her room. While she is in the shower, Kathy telephones. She doesn't believe Harry when he tells her that Celeste is busy. Then she tells Harry that she is going to run away. Harry drops the phone, shouts to Celeste that he is going to the O'Rourkes, and dashes out of the room. Celeste doesn't hear him and is puzzled when she discovers he is gone.
Harry spots Kathy walking down the street near her home, carrying a suitcase. She runs but he catches up and puts her into his car. Kathy tells him she was forced by her aunt to be in the Christmas parade and that she is going to Celeste's hotel. Harry refuses to take her there. When Kathy adds that if he takes her home she will run away again, he decides to take her to his home.
Helen and the boys are shocked to see Kathy because it's all over the news that she has been kidnapped. The children are sent to the kitchen while Helen and Harry try to figure out what to do. Harry comes up with several impractical ideas. Helen suggests that he go to the O'Rourke home, get Harriet alone, and tell her what happened. Then she can get rid of the police and come to get Kathy. But he is unable to speak to Harriet alone. The house is crawling with police and reporters, plus Mr. Faber, the studio head. Harriet is weeping hysterically and under a doctor's care. When Harry identifies himself as a member of studio publicity, Detective Chavez, who is in charge, wonders if the kidnapping is really a publicity stunt. Mr. Faber assures him that anyone connected with the studio will be fired at once if that is the case. Chavez says the District Attorney will make sure such a person will never work again, period.
Harry is forced to return home. Helen learned that Kathy ran away because her aunt made her be in the parade. Since she and Celeste are such good friends, Kathy wants to live with her. Helen points out that Celeste has a job and is away from home all day. By the time Harry arrives home, Kathy is asleep in the boys' room. Celeste telephones, upset because no one let her know Kathy was missing. She was leaving for the airport when her boss called from New York with the news. He told her to stay on and cover the story.
The next morning, Kathy is told that Harry will drop her off near her aunt's. She must not say where she has been because it would get a lot of people in trouble. But the street is filled with children celebrating their Christmas vacation. Harry cannot possibly leave without Kathy being seen. Bo suggests returning her that night, but Harry and Helen won't let her be on the streets alone. Tommy suggests taking her to the back lot of the studio, that is next to a rarely-used road. He admits to having climbed over the fence into the lot one time and Harry yells at him. But Helen likes the plan and Kathy assures them she is not afraid to be in the studio at night. She will say she ran away and hid there.
Harry goes to work. The phones are ringing off the hook. Celeste comes by, obviously shaken, and asks him to have lunch with her. He calls Helen to check on Kathy. She doesn't tell him that the boys cut off her braids so she would be disguised. Just as they are leaving for the commissary, Chavez shows up. He is exhausted from following up false leads. Ben asks if there is anything definite. Chavez reveals that a girl matching Kathy's description was seen in a green 1956 convertible. Harry starts to sweat as that is his car.
That night, the Johnsons say goodbye to Kathy. Helen invites her to come back anytime but Kathy says her aunt won't let her. Helen promises to see what she can do to make it happen anyway. Just as they are leaving, carolers show up. Helen gives them treats but does not invite them inside as she usually does. Then Ben comes by to deliver Christmas gifts. Kathy hides in the kitchen. He expresses his disgust at how Kathy has managed to ruin everyone's Christmas. To his surprise, the boys order him to leave.
At the studio back lot, Harry instructs Kathy to wait until the clock chimes eight and then walk to the guards at the front gate. This is to give him enough time to get home before she is found. He helps her climb over the barbed wire fence before driving away. Kathy is a little scared when a cat jumps out at her, but finds a quiet spot to eat the brown bag lunch the boys packed for her. Inside is Bo's baseball cap. Kathy puts it on and smiles. Just as she starts to eat a sandwich, a jeep drives up. It is the guards making rounds. Leaving her suitcase, Kathy runs behind a pillar. But she is seen by the guards, who think she is a boy. After a short chase they catch up with her.
When Harry arrives home, Chavez is there. He demands to know why Harry hadn't told him he had a 1956 green convertible. He asks where Harry has been and Helen jumps in, saying that he has been delivering Christmas presents. When Harry points out that there are hundreds of cars like his in Los Angeles, Chavez says that only five belong to studio employees. He asks for the names of those to whom Harry delivered gifts. Just then the telephone rings. Kathy has been found. Chavez says he is going to find out what really happened to her.
Harry insists on calling Celeste. Helen gives him the go-ahead to take the New York job if that is what he really wants.
At the O'Rourkes', Kathy is surrounded by her aunt, a doctor, the police, and Mr. Faber. She sticks to her story of being at the studio, which no one believes. They want to know who cut her hair. She is overjoyed to see Celeste, who takes her upstairs to bed. Celeste finds Bo's baseball cap, with his name inside. After Kathy is asleep, she goes downstairs holding the cap. Everyone is gone and Harry is urging Harriet to forget the whole thing. Celeste angrily confronts them with the cap and accuses Harry of hiding Kathy at his house for a publicity stunt. Harriet is genuinely puzzled until Harry admits the part about Kathy being at his house is true. Harriet then moves to call the police but Harry stops her. He tells them the whole story. Harriet tells them to leave and never see Kathy again. Celeste says they will see her because Kathy will always manage to get to the people she loves. Harriet snarls that Kathy doesn't know the meaning of the word. She insists that Kathy was acting the whole time and leaves the room. Celeste asks Harry to call her a cab. He congratulates her for caring about someone other than herself for the first time. He admits to almost losing his head over her again but he now realizes what a wonderful life he has. Needless to say he will not be taking the New York job. After he leaves, Harriet re-enters the room and she and Celeste stare at each other.
The next morning, Harry is awakened to the sound of children playing. When he comes into the living room, he is surprised to see Kathy and Celeste. She and Harriet had a cozy all-night chat with the result that Kathy can visit the Johnsons regularly. Ben stops by and is amazed to see Kathy, who wishes everyone a merry Christmas.
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