We Do It Because

This John Nesbitt's Passing Parade short explores the origins of various customs such as shaking hands, kissing, and why ships are christened.

Fancy Answers

In this Pete Smith Speciality, the audience is asked a series of multiple-choice questions on various subjects.

American Spoken Here

This MGM John Nesbitt's Passing Parade series short takes a look at the origins of North American slang.

Trifles of Importance

Part of John Nesbitt's Passing Parade series, this short shows how three seemingly unimportant things can affect people. The first is how the number 7 affects a student accused of theft charges. The second segment shows that a person's doodles can reveal personality traits. The final segment shows why certain items are on men's suits, such as lapels.

See Your Doctor

A lecturer tells the audience that it is National Take Care Week. He tells the story of a man who gets stung in his garden and the problems the man has when he seeks treatment at the doctor's office.

Heartaches

Up-and-coming Hollywood actor/crooner, Vic Morton, has a secret. He starts receiving death threats in the mail and an attempt on his life is made. Soon after, two of his associates are murdered. Who is behind it all?

Keep 'Em Sailing

An FBI agent goes undercover to investigate the sabotage of American cargo ships.

Passing Parade

Three specific and separate stories of life's passing parade are presented.

The Day of Rest

Joe Doakes tries to take a day off.

A Really Important Person

A policeman's son searches for a suitable subject for an essay about an important person.

New Roadways

The "new roadways" of the title refer to various projects, carried out in the USA's research laboratories, that benefit mankind. These include solar energy projects, making glass that can be rolled up like a carpet, and diet experiments with mice that might lead to a cure for color blindness.

Home Movies

A comedy short staring Robert Benchley. He tries to show us how to make our own movies.

Unseen Guardians

The "unseen guardians" of the title are the Postal Inspection Service, which investigates mail order racketeering; the Underwriters' Laboratories, which are shown testing electrical equipment, fire extinguishers, and large floor safes; and those who run orphanages, who assure that the children in their care are placed in proper adoptive homes.