the war over the radio. Whitey, who became a captain in the army, returns to Hickory to introduce Lem and Vida to his wife, Nora, an army nurse. In 1950, Hughes passes away, leaving the store to both Lem and Vida. Meanwhile, due to Lem's health, the Scout committee forces Lem to retire as Scoutmaster. In appreciation for his two decades of service, the entire town gives Lem a surprise celebration on October 2, 1950, with both current and former members of Troop 1 in attendance for the dedication of Hetty's property as Camp Siddons to honor Lem. Cast Fred MacMurray – Lemuel "Lem" Siddons Vera Miles – Vida Downey Lillian Gish – Hetty Seibert Charlie Ruggles – John Everett Hughes Sean McClory – Edward White Sr. Kurt Russell – Edward "Whitey" White Jr. Donald May – Edward "Whitey" White Jr. as an adult Luana Patten – Nora White Elliott Reid – Ralph Hastings John Zaremba – Ralph Hastings's lawyer Ken Murray – Melody Murphy Parley Baer – Mayor Hi Plommer Steve Franken – P.O.W. lieutenant William Reynolds – Hoodoo Henderson (adult) Madge Blake – Cora Anderson Richard Bakalyan – Army war-game officer Jimmy Murphy – P.O.W. Soldier Adam Williams – P.O.W. sergeant The Boys of Troop 1 David Bailey – Duke Billy Booth – Leo Ronnie Dapo – Virgil "Tiger" Higgins Ricky Kelman – Frankie Martin Dean Moray – Hoodoo Henderson (child) Duane Chase – Joe Production It was Ruggles' final film role. He continued working on television until 1968. Duane Chase, who played "Kurt" in The Sound of Music (1965), appears uncredited as one of the Boy Scouts. After this film, he left acting and thereafter only made professional appearances as himself at reunions with other Sound of Music cast members. Kurt Russell proved to be very popular in films produced by The Walt Disney Company. This was the first of seven films he made for the studio from the late 1960s through early 70s. Reception The film earned $5,350,000 in North American rentals (the cut of ticket sales sent to the studio) in 1967. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times panned the film as "such a clutter of sentimental blubberings about the brotherhood of the Boy Scouts and indiscriminate ladling of cornball folksy comedy that it taxes the loyalty and patience of even a one-time ardent member of the Beaver Patrol ... What is most painful