Mister Scoutmaster 1953

An arrogant, aloof television personality, Robert Jordan, Clifton Webb, finds himself in over his head when he agrees to lead a Boy Scout troop, a move driven more by a sponsor’s pressure than by any genuine interest in the kids. The show’s sponsor warns that it could be canceled if Jordan’s appeal remains limited to an older audience and fails to connect with younger viewers.

Jordan takes his troubles home to wife Helen Jordan, Frances Dee, who longs for a child of her own. When he learns that Helen has donated a favorite suit to a Boy Scout clothing drive, Jordan goes to retrieve it, but is flabbergasted when 8-year-old Mike Marshall, George Winslow, insists he pay full price for it.

The boy returns the money, leaving a favorable impression on the Jordans. They begin pursuing adoption through the local church, where Rev. Dr. Stone, Edmund Gwenn, explains that the Scout troop needs a new scoutmaster. Jordan sees this as a chance to learn more about children, yet he is appalled by their rowdy behavior. As a Cub Scout, Mike is too young to be a Boy Scout but keeps pressing to join every activity.

Jordan discovers that Mike is an orphan who tries to hide that he lives with an irresponsible aunt in the city’s waterfront district. Mike comes to the Scoutmaster’s rescue in the woods when Jordan gets trapped inside a sleeping bag at the bottom of a ravine. The Jordans decide to adopt the boy, and Robert’s television show continues.