What a Father Really Knows

Today's objet d'eBay is an autographed poster of a dream.

"Father Knows Best" featured television's dream family for six years (1954-1960). That family evolved from a fantasy radio family with a five year run (1949-1954). Father, Robert Young, would go on to play Marcus Welby, the great white father in the lab coat from 1969-1976. It was a great run for a dadster.

Reality was a little more complex for Young. There was the 61-year marriage (until the death of wife Betty Henderson's. There were their four daughters. But there was also alcoholism, depression and suicide attempt. That eventually led to the Robert Young Center for Community Mental Health. The facts of life include the reality that no dad's life is ever a complete dream.

** As Shakespeare wrote in "As You Like It," "...and one man in his time plays many parts." **