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Click above image for a zipped mp3 of the theme music

"I love my Mum and Dad and my brothers too,

and the groovy way we get along"

"Everytime the slightest little thing goes wrong

Mum starts to sing this familiar song"

"Wait 'till your father gets, until your father gets

Wait 'till your father gets home"

"Dad's not so bad and he seldom gets mad

And we aren't about to desert him"

"Kids today like to have their own way

And what Daddy doesn't know won't hurt him"

"I think my Mum's just swell but she starts to yell

Everytime we have a fight"

"Just...wait 'till your father gets,

until your father gets

Wait 'till your father gets home!"

Wait 'Till your Father Gets Home

(Hanna Barbera Productions)

Wait 'Till your Father Gets Home was a thirty minute animation shown in the early - late 1970s. Originally made in 1972 this animated sitcom was way ahead of the likes of the Simpsons and Married With Children. It focused around a house in Elm Street owned by the Boyle family, Harry the father, Irma the mother, Alice the teenage daughter, Chet the teenage son and Jamie the youngest son, oh and not forgetting the Boyle family dog. Harry worked long hours and was the major bread winner in the family. Irma took care of the housework and the family whilst the kids were typical kids. Alice was constantly trying one diet after another - sometimes several diets all at once. Chet was a dreamer (nicest way of putting it). Jamie was clever and cunning and was never short of money. The Boyle family lived in a large house in Elm Street and were neighbours with Ralph. Ralph was the leader of the Elm Street local company 'B' vigilante group. He saw communism from Russian and Red China everywhere. Anything that stood for love and peace was a threat to "the American way of life." (Those were Ralph's words). Poor Harry had to deal with his neighbours as well as all the trouble with his growing kids. It was a time when kids began to think and act for themselves and Harry and Irma (mostly Harry though) often had problems dealing with this. I think there were four seasons of this animated sitcom lasting a total of 48 episodes.

Main Characters

Harry Boyle	Irma Boyle	Alice Boyle
Chet Boyle	Jamie Boyle	The Boyle Family Dog
Ralph	Sergeant Whitaker	Claude

Episode Guide

It's been a long day for Harry. He simply wants to go home, have a nice meal and relax. He is greeted by the presence of Claude - a hippy like creature that Chet has befriended. Harry is not too impressed but it's only for dinner isn't it? Claude soon winds Harry up by having a go at everything Harry does, such as working for money to buy food and pay bills etc. Claude has never worked but seems to get by scrounging off others. Chet then breaks the bad news to Harry and Irma - he has invited Claude to stay overnight. Ah well one night shouldn't be too much to bear surely.

Ralph appears through the garden hedge dressed in combat gear. He thinks that the long haired 'Commi' is holding the Boyle family hostage. Ralph really wants this to be true so both him and his vigilante squad (named Elm Street Company B) can take action. Ralph sees Communism everywhere and this is definitely a threat to the average American family. Ralph hears Claude singing what he terms anti American songs about peace and freedom (Ralph's words not mine - just in case anyone was wondering). The Company B Vigilantes are ready and able to fight for Harry.

Ralph says that Harry needs to get rid of the hippy otherwise what happened to the local Church will happen to Harry. "What was that?" asked Harry. "The Church now uses ping pong balls to read out the bingo and thus the Red Chinese (table tennis experts) have taken over" replies Ralph. Later on Claude then winds Harry up by saying he is selling the environment out by using paper disposable plates. Harry has an idea and thus gets Claude a job at his place of work. Things do not go to plan as Claude ends up disrupting the workers.

Harry thus decides to play Claude at his own game. He too becomes a hippy and they all have to suffer eating vegetables. Harry sneaks out at night in disguise. He goes for a couple of large burgers for himself and Irma. On the way back though, Ralph and Company B mistake him for an intruder and pursue him with baseball bats and other weapons. Even the family dog does not recognise Harry. Harry eventually gets into the house undetected and he and Irma have to eat in the bathroom so the kids do not catch them. The plan with the vegetables is not working very well as Claude does not seem to be bothered by it.

Ralph, however, is not pleased and accuses Harry of selling out to the Russians. "What are you doing in the basement Harry, making grenades?" asks Ralph. This is too much for the delicate mind of Ralph to bear and so he and Company 'B' start work on a partition wall called the Great Wall on Elm Street. We also learn here that Ralph and Harry have known each other for fifteen years.

Ralph's work on the wall has attracted local media and TV attention. Ralph refuses and interview as all media types are untrustworthy. One of the TV presenters has an interview with Claude who sings a few replies with his guitar. Claude is an instant hit and accepts a job offer there on the spot. Chet and the others realise that Claude was all talk and has sold out for money. Harry finally has his house back, the wall crumbles and Ralph is left to clear up the mess. Everyone is happy with the exception of Ralph who now has to look elsewhere for threats to the homeowners of Elm Street.

Credits