BrianRxm Coins on Television 14/88
Dennis the Menace - Dennis and the Open House (1960)
Mister Wilson shows a 1878 silver dollar
Prev Back Next
"Dennis the Menace" was a half-hour television program which ran on the CBS Television Network from 1959 to 1963.
 
The program was based on the popular comic strip written by Hank Ketcham which ran from 1951 to 1994.
 
Dennis Mitchell is a mischievous little boy living with his parents. Mr. and Mrs Wilson are a middle-aged childless couple living next door. Dennis is always pestering Mister Wilson who doesn't want him around.
 
The episodes starred Jay North as Dennis Mitchell, Joseph Kearns as Mister (George) Wilson, Gloria Henry as Alice Mitchell, Herbert Anderson as Henry Mitchell, and Sylvia Field as Mrs. Wilson.
 
Several episodes of the program deal with and show various United States coins and coin collecting supplies as Mister Wilson is a dedicated coin collector or numismatist whose main interest is collecting United States coins. He keeps and shows his coins in a specially made suitcase with trays.
 
Dennis sometimes becomes involved with Mister Wilson's coin activities.
 
Mr. Wilson sometimes uses a book which is the "Red Book", a well-known coin book. The "Red Book" is A Guide Book of United States Coins, by R. S. Yeoman (Author), Kenneth Bressett (Editor), published yearly since 1947, now by Krause Publications. The book has a red cover, hence the name.
 
This episode is titled "Dennis and the Open House" and was first broadcast on Febarary 7, 1960.
 
Henry Mitchell learns that his boss is coming over for a visit. Mr. Wilson finds out that the boss is a coin collector and brings over his coin collection.
 
Dennis the Menace
1. Henry talks to Alice
Henry tells Alice that his boss, Mr. Purdy, is coming to visit them.
 
Henry mentions to Mr. Wilson that Mr. Purdy is a coin collector and Mr. Wilson brings over his coin collection.
 
Dennis the Menace
2. Mr. Wilson brings his coin collection
Mr. and Mrs. Purdy arrive and tell the Mitchells that they had a hard time finding the house.
 
Mr. Wilson shows Mr. Purdy his coins.
 
Dennis the Menace
3. Mr. Purdy examines coins
Mr. Wilson is proud of his 1878 silver dollar.
 
Dennis the Menace
4. Coins - Silver dollar 1878
Other coins shown are an Austrian Maria Theresa Thaler, a Great Britain half crown of George V, a Germany 1960's 5 marks, and a Germany 1930's 5 marks Hindenburg.
 
Dennis the Menace
5. Mr. Purdy examines silver dollar
Mr. Purdy offers to buy the coin.
 
Dennis wants to help people find the house and visits a nearby real estate salesman selling a house.
 
Dennis the Menace
6. Dennis offers dollar for sign
Dennis asks to buy the agent's "Open House" sign. The agent gives Dennis the sign to get rid of him and Dennis places the sign in front of the Mitchell house.
 
The sign brings a lot of people to look at the house.
 
Dennis the Menace
7. Crowded house
The Mitchells wonder why so many people are at the house.
 
Mr. Purdy offers to buy Mr. Wilson's silver dollar but it is now missing.
 
Dennis the Menace
8. Dennis explains
Dennis explains that he took the dollar to buy the "Open House" sign and returns the coin.
 
Dennis the Menace
9. Henry hugs Alice
Cast, Directors, Writers:
 
Jay North as Dennis Mitchell
Herbert Anderson as Henry Mitchell
Gloria Henry as Alice Mitchell
Joseph Kearns as George Wilson
Sylvia Field as Martha Wilson
 
Grandon Rhodes as Malcolm Purdy
Elizabeth Talbot-Martin as Katherine Purdy
Dub Taylor as Opie Swanson
Loie Bridge as Olivia Swanson
 
Director: Don Taylor
Writers: Cally Curtis, Hank Ketcham, George Tibbles
Prev Back Next