Who's Waldo Smith

In the black and white series opener, which also served as the pilot, we are introduced to Henry "Hank" Dearborn (Dick Kallman). The young laundryman/dry cleaner/shoe and watch repairman operates a lunch wagon from a former ambulance around a college campus. For a year, Hank has been switching between names of unregistered students in order to obtain an education. The tough Dean Lewis Royal (Howard St. John) is trying to crack down on unregistered students while his daughter Doris (Linda Foster) has fallen for Hank. Hank learns that a registered student named Arthur Dunstetter will be gone for three weeks and assumes his identity. Coach Ossie Weiss (familiar character actor Dabbs Greer) spots Hank hurdling over hedges on his way to class and tries to race him down to join the track team. He's recognized as another student as Waldo Smith. Professor Matthew McKillup (Lloyd Corrigan) stops Hank knowing his real identity and questions why he doesn't properly enroll in the college. Hank tells that he had to quit high school when his parents died to take care of his younger sister Tina (Katie Sweet) and did not obtain a high school diploma. He tells the professor that he knows that he can't get a degree but "it's the learning (he's) after- from the best." The professor delights in his deceit of the school while the dean tries to find the unregistered student. Dorothy Neumann as Secretary Mrs. Mittleman has a comedic cry in the scene. The track coach is also trying to find him, running a piece in the school paper headlined "Who's Waldo Smith?" with a picture of a shoe he left behind and a $100 reward. At home, Hank is a tender caretaker of Tina, essentially having to take on a fatherly role. He also makes time to romance Doris at her house, but ends up playing badminton by himself when her father comes. He wisely tells Doris that the charades are necessary as the world is changing so fast that having a higher education will soon become a necessity. Hank makes the mistake of wearing the pair of distinct shoes featured in the newspaper and is spotted by the whole campus who run after him for the reward. Can the unwilling track star outrun his captors?

This is a nice introduction to the series. Dick Kallman's Hank brings another dimension to a young comedic character. He has warmth and wisdom, making him an affable figure to the viewer. "Who's Waldo Smith" effectively sets up the series. The episode really packs a lot into 24 minutes, feeling somewhat as if you've watched an enjoyable feature film. The comedy is fairly light here, but the plot is strong.