Introduction[]
Mr. Read is building a card house on the couch table while Mrs. Read and D.W. watch. He carefully prepares to add another card when a loud crash is heard from upstairs which makes the house shake.
Arthur (from upstairs): Oof! They look up reproachfully. Then Mr. Read tries again. Oh! Mr. Read tries again. Oom!
This time, the house collapses.
Arthur is in the bathroom. He has tied a string to one of his teeth and to the doorknob and keeps slamming the door.
Arthur: Oof! (grunts) The string is too long so it is always slack. (sighs)
When he opens the door again, his parents are outside looking angry.
Mr. Read: Arthur, you're driving everyone crazy with all this thumping and banging around!
Arthur: Sorry. I'm just trying to get rid of my loose tooth.
Mrs. Read: Stop worrying. It will fall out when it's ready. Now brush your teeth, it's bedtime.
Mr. Read: And no more horsing around! I mean it!
The parents leave.
Arthur: Just a minute, I'll be right out.
He tries running away from the door, but the string just snaps him back and he falls. He wiggles his loose tooth. D.W. looks in.
D.W.: You look so weird.
She leaves. Arthur addresses the camera.
Arthur: Okay, maybe I am acting a little weird, but if you were the only kid in the third grade who still had all his baby teeth, you'd be desperate, too.
Title Card: Arthur With Umbrella[]
Arthur wakes up in bed in the morning.
Arthur: (yawns) He feels his loose tooth with his tongue. Ew. Huh?!
Arthur puts on his glasses and feels the tooth with his finger. Then he gets out of bed and walks into his parents’ bedroom where his parents are still sleeping.
Arthur: Mom? Dad? You guys awake? Mom! Dad! Are you up yet?!
The parents sit up.
Mr. Read: We are now. What's the matter?
Arthur: I have an announcement to make. I, Arthur Read, have my very first loose tooth!
The parents just look tired.
Mrs. Read: That's nice, dear. That means it'll fall out soon.
Mr. Read: Now please, let's all go back to sleep.
They lie down again. A moment later, their alarm clock rings.
***
Arthur sits in class beside Buster.
Arthur: Hey, Buster. I finally have a loose tooth.
Buster: Really? That's great, Arthur.
Francine: Aah... tchoo! She notices a tooth on the desk. Aah! My tooth just fell out! Look!
Class: (chatter)
Mr. Ratburn just comes in pushing a TV on a trolley. He plugs it in.
Mr. Ratburn: All right, settle down. Children, how many of you have lost a baby tooth?
Class: (Me! Me! Me! I have!)
Arthur looks embarrassed. He is the only one to not raise his hand.
Mr. Ratburn: That looks like everyone... Ah, everyone except Arthur.
Francine: Baby.
Class: (giggle)
Mr. Ratburn: Well, it just so happens we're going to watch a video that will teach us about our teeth.
He turns off the light.
The screen shows the title “The Plaque Monster”.
Narrator: All is quiet in Toothtown until...
A man in a dragon costume comes around a tooth corner.
Plaque Monster: Ah. Just the place to build a little home. Just need to get rid of these pesky teeth.
He starts using a jackhammer.
Narrator: Oh, no! the plaque monster is attacking Toothtown. Looks like a job for the Flighty Fluoride Scour Rangers!
Four superheroes (resembling Power Rangers) appear.
Scour Rangers: (sing:) “Go, go, Scour Rangers!”
Plaque Monster: (growls)
Black Ranger: It's scouring time! His teeth flash as he holds up a handbrush. Aiiii-ya!
He jumps at the monster, but is thrown back. So are the Red and Blue Ranger. The Yellow Ranger faces the monster alone.
Plaque Monster: (growls)
Yellow Ranger: We can't beat the plaque monster like this! We need toothbrush power!
She holds up a toothbrush.
All four Rangers throw their toothbrushes together and they turn into one large toothbrush. The monster runs away while the toothbrush brushes its back.
Plaque Monster: Arr! How dare you, Scour Rangers!
Yellow Ranger: Now try some floss on for size.
The rangers tie the monster up with dental floss. Then they throw it down the esophagus.
Plaque Monster: (screams)
Scour Rangers: Hooray!
The announcer steps in front of the Rangers dressed in a normal suit and tie.
Narrator: Between ages four and seven most children begin to lose their baby teeth.
Francine steps in front of the screen.
Francine: Except Arthur.
Class: (laugh)
***
In the cafeteria, Francine gives a wide smile showing the gap in her teeth.
Francine: Look at the cool tricks I can do with the space in my teeth.
She puts the juice straw through the gap and drinks.
Kids: Ohh...
Francine: (whistles through the gap)
Kids: Ohh...
Francine: (slurps jelly through the gap)
Kids: (Hooray! Wow!)
Francine bows.
***
Arthur sits alone under a tree in the school playground and drinks from a juice box. Francine, Muffy, Sue Ellen and Buster are on the merry-go-round, also drinking juice.
Francine: Hey, guys, check this out.
She drinks through a straw and squirts the juice through her gap.
Buster: Hey, I can do that!
Sue Ellen: Me, too!
Francine: Squirting contest! Let's see who can squirt the farthest.
Buster goes first, followed by Sue Ellen, Muffy and Binky. Then they walk up to Arthur.
Francine: Go on, Arthur, it's your turn.
Arthur drinks and sloshes the juice around in his mouth. When he tries to squirt, the juice goes everywhere.
Kids: (laugh)
Arthur walks away sadly.
Francine: Does anyone have a bib for the baby?
***
After school, Arthur is in the bathroom and puts his sweatshirt back on after washing the juice stains out. His dad comes in.
Mr. Read: Arthur, would you like some milk and cookies?
Arthur: No, thanks, I'm not really hun... Wait! Did you say cookies?
Mr. Read: Yes.
Arthur: I hope they're the crunchy kind?
Mr. Read: They are.
Arthur: Good! And can I make a request for dinner?
Mr. Read: I don't see why not.
Arthur runs out of the room.
***
That evening, Mr. Read serves dinner.
Mr. Read: Here you go - extra well-done steak just like you requested.
Arthur eagerly cuts off a piece and chews on it. His family look surprised. Arthur swallows and feels his tooth.
Arthur: Still there.
Mr. Read: Try some corn on the cob.
Arthur does.
A while later, Arthur is the last one eating.
Arthur: Time for dessert: peanut brittle and... rock candy.
***
Later, Arthur does his homework in his room. He carefully chews gum, then feels his tooth. Then he eats some peanuts. D.W. looks in.
D.W.: Hey, Arthur. I know how you can get rid of that tooth in a flash.
Arthur: How?
D.W.: Turn into a shark. (growls) Their teeth always fall out and they just keep on growing new ones. I learned that at the aquarium and... I got this.
She holds up a shark’s tooth on a chain around her neck.
Arthur: Hmm...
***
Francine, Buster, Binky, Muffy and Sue Ellen wait in the school corridor when Arthur arrives.
Francine: Well, if it isn't Arthur the baby!
Binky: Yeah. (singsong:) “Here comes the baby!”
Arthur: Not so fast. It just so happens I lost a tooth last night.
Buster: Way to go, Arthur!
Francine: Oh, yeah? I want proof.
Arthur holds up the shark’s tooth. The others crowd around him.
Sue Ellen: It's a tooth, all right.
Binky: Seems awful big, though.
Francine: Let me see that! She tries to take the tooth from Arthur. (strains)
She gets the tooth chain free.
Arthur: Aw...
Francine: He must have really liked that tooth to make a necklace out of it!
Kids: (laughter)
***
Buster draws a toothy dinosaur in art class.
Buster: Are you nuts? Forget it!
Arthur: Please! I just need somebody to punch me there.
Buster: No way!
Arthur: Buster, this tooth is driving me bonkers. If you were a real pal, you'd punch me in the mouth.
Buster: Well... okay.
He closes his eyes, swings his fist and runs into Binky’s easel, slamming it into Binky’s face.
Binky: Yow!
Buster runs away.
***
Arthur talks to Binky during gym class.
Arthur: Binky, I need you to do me a big favor.
Binky: Yeah? What is it?
Arthur: Punch me in the mouth. Right here!
Binky: You want me to punch you? It'll be a pleasure. Now, hold still...This is gonna hurt. He swings his fist while Arthur just smiles. (breathes heavily) Oh, oh! I can't do it!
He covers his face and runs away.
***
In a basement room in the Powers’ house, Brain reveals a machine containing a 16 ton weight.
Brain: Ta-dah! My new tooth-removing machine. I invented it especially for you. First, a demonstration. He puts a melon into the machine. You put your head here. Then I press this button. There is some electricity and the weight smashes the melon. And...voilà!
Two metal claws pick at the debris.
Arthur: (gulps)
He feels his throat.
The machine walks up the stairs while Brain uses a remote control.
Brain: Hey, come back here!
Through the window, they see the machine walk outside.
Brain: Self-destruct! Self-destruct!
He presses a button and there is a loud explosion outside.
Brain: Uh... no machine is perfect.
***
Early the next morning, Arthur tries the string and the bathroom door again.
Arthur: Oom!
He slams the door and the doorknob falls out.
Arthur walks into his parents’ bedroom. They are asleep.
Arthur: Mom! Dad! I think my tooth's getting looser! Check it out!
Mr. Read: Ah, that's it! You need professional help.
Mrs. Read: You're going to the dentist. Today.
***
In school, Arthur shows Mr. Ratburn a note.
Mr. Ratburn: Ah, going to the dentist this afternoon. Very good.
Francine: Boy, do I feel sorry for you.
Muffy: Yeah, me, too.
Francine: You know, if they don't fall out, they have to yank ‘em out. (mean laugh)
Arthur imagines a dentist washing his clawed hands.
Dentist: (evil laugh)
Arthur is tied to a dentist’s chair. The dentist walks over to him with a large pair of pliers. He grabs Arthur’s tooth and pulls with all his might.
Arthur: Aaahh!
The fantasy ends. Arthur looks afraid. Buster pats him on the back.
Buster: I bet it'll be fine, Arthur.
***
Arthur and his mom sit in the dentist’s waiting room. Arthur now looks positively scared. The nurse looks in.
Nurse: Arthur Read. Dr. Sozio will see you now.
Mrs. Read: A-are you all right?
Arthur: Yeah. Let's do it!
***
Dr. Sozio washes his hands, then approaches Arthur.
Dr. Sozio: So, what seems to be the problem, Arthur?
Arthur: Well, I think something's wrong, because I'm eight years old and I still have all my baby teeth.
Dr. Sozio: Ah, I see.
Arthur: One's real loose, though. Are you gonna yank it out?
Dr. Sozio: Let's take a look, but I don't think that’ll be necessary.
He moves Arthur chair back.
Dr. Sozio wiggles Arthur’s tooth.
Dr. Sozio: Sure is a stubborn little baby tooth, huh?
Dr. Sozio sits at a desk and writes.
Dr. Sozio: Having baby teeth doesn't make you a baby, Arthur. I myself didn't lose my first baby tooth until I was nearly nine. Everyone is different.
Arthur: Really?
Dr. Sozio: Yours will fall out very soon. Just wait.
***
Francine, Buster, Binky and Brain stand in the school playground. Francine spins a soccer ball on her finger. Muffy comes down the slide. Arthur approaches.
Francine: Well, if it isn't Arthur the baby!
Binky: Did he yank it out?
Sue Ellen comes down the slide.
Sue Ellen: Did you bleed?
Arthur: No. Some children don't even lose their teeth until they're nine. Everybody is different.
Francine: Listen up, I have a new game. I'm the tooth fairy! Whoever I throw the ball to loses a tooth. But Arthur can't play. He's way too young. The tooth fairy doesn't come to “babies”.
Arthur: Okay, but if you ask me, now you're being the baby.
He walks away.
Buster: Arthur's right, Francine.
Sue Ellen: Yeah. I'd rather play softball anyway.
The others leave with Arthur.
Francine: Wait! You can't leave me! I'm the tooth fairy. I... Grr!
She throws the ball. It whistles past Buster’s ears.
Buster: Ah.
The ball bounces back off the tire swing.
Arthur: Oh!
Arthur sits on the ground with his glasses beside him.
Francine: (gasps) Arthur, are you okay?? I'm really sorry.
She runs to him and hands him his glasses.
Arthur: It's okay, Francine. It's just what I needed.
He hands her his loose tooth and gives a toothy (minus one) smile.
Francine: What are you giving me this for?
Arthur: You're the tooth fairy, aren't you? That will be twenty-five cents, please.
He holds out his hand.
Francine: Huh?
She looks confused, then smiles.