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Cheaper by the Dozen

 Cheaper by the Dozen
type
TVTItem
 Cheaper by the Dozen
label
Cheaper by the Dozen
 Cheaper by the Dozen
page
CheaperByTheDozen
 Cheaper by the Dozen
comment
Cheaper By the Dozen (1948), written by Frank Gilbreth, Jr., and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, is the hysterical tale of the Gilbreth family — Dad, a 'motion study' engineer who always believed in bringing his work ideas home; Mother, a calm psychologist; and their dozen children: Anne, Mary, Ernestine, Martha, Frank, Bill, Lill, Fred, Dan, Jack, Bob, and Jane. The book, set in 1920s New Jersey, details the events which occurred during the childhood of the titular dozen, up until the point that their father passed away.It was followed up by Belles on Their Toes, which chronicled the adventures of the family as they are raised by widow Lillian Moller Gilbreth. The two books were adapted to film in 1950 and 1952, respectively; an In Name Only film was released in 2003.
 Cheaper by the Dozen
fetched
2023-05-25T16:58:49Z
 Cheaper by the Dozen
parsed
2023-05-25T16:58:49Z
 Cheaper by the Dozen
processingComment
Dropped link to ElephantInTheRoom: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN
 Cheaper by the Dozen
processingUnknown
ElephantInTheRoom
 Cheaper by the Dozen
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_127a3b31
type
Badly Battered Babysitter
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_127a3b31
comment
Badly Battered Babysitter: Aunt Anne. Mother herself ends up in this state after taking all the children to visit her family in California while Dad is in Washington helping with the war effort. Everyone gets whooping cough on the way home.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_127a3b31
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_127a3b31
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_127a3b31
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_130436b9
type
Annoying Younger Sibling
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_130436b9
comment
Annoying Younger Sibling: The younger Gilbreths tend to work as a unit to torment their elder siblings. Jealous of the way their older sisters' boyfriends were affecting family dynamics, the six little kids take it upon themselves to make them uncomfortable.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_130436b9
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_130436b9
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
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Cheaper by the Dozen / int_130436b9
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1434e55c
type
Amazingly Embarrassing Parents
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1434e55c
comment
Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: A few episodes address the kids' being embarrassed by having famous parents, especially when they themselves are dragged into Dad's doings, such as the newsreel about burying old-fashioned pencils to make way for mechanical ones, which the children never hear the end of at school. Other times the whole family falls victim to an inaccurate portrayal in the press.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1434e55c
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1434e55c
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1434e55c
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_18d15922
type
Title Drop
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_18d15922
comment
Title Drop: In one of early chapters, Dad's habitual response to the question of how he feeds the children: "Well, they come cheaper by the dozen, you know."
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_18d15922
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_18d15922
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
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Cheaper by the Dozen / int_18d15922
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1994ba0b
type
Gone Horribly Right
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1994ba0b
comment
Gone Horribly Right: Frank Gilbreth Sr. prides himself in having his family operate much like their own company, holding meetings about matters, bidding on bigger chores, etc. This backfires when his children conspire and all vote in favor of getting a dog, which of course has them outvote him twelve to one. He panics when this happens, as he realizes that they could conceivably vote in favor of all sorts of frivolous things. Fortunately, they stop with the dog.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1994ba0b
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1994ba0b
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
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Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1994ba0b
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1a237409
type
Order Versus Chaos
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1a237409
comment
Order Versus Chaos: When you have twelve kids to feed, bathe, dress, and educate, there has to be some kind of order imposed. Fortunate, both parents are scientific experts in efficiency, and they impose the same standards on their household as they do in factories.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1a237409
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1a237409
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 Cheaper by the Dozen
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Cheaper by the Dozen / int_1a237409
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2429030d
type
Cutlass Between the Teeth
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2429030d
comment
Cutlass Between the Teeth: Referred to in the chapter about what it was like when a baby was born into the Gilbreth household.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2429030d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2429030d
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2429030d
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_25f33d8
type
Sick Episode
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_25f33d8
comment
Sick Episode: In one chapter, all the kids except for Martha come down with measles.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_25f33d8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_25f33d8
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_25f33d8
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2765af58
type
Language Fluency Denial
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2765af58
comment
Language Fluency Denial: The narrator notes that Chew Wong's English fluency abruptly deteriorated when someone tried to criticize him or order him around, when he would launch into a Foreign-Language Tirade and stalk off.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2765af58
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2765af58
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2765af58
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_27b9c950
type
Road-Sign Reversal
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_27b9c950
comment
Road-Sign Reversal: One of the reasons Dad gives for never listening to signs when he drives is that somebody has probably messed with them. The narrator suggests he was remembering pranks that were pulled when he was young.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_27b9c950
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_27b9c950
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_27b9c950
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2847a9f9
type
Mother Nature, Father Science
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2847a9f9
comment
Mother Nature, Father Science: Mother the psychologist and Father the efficiency expert. Both apply their respective fields in raising a huge family, and both know that their attitudes complement each other. It's reflected in the dedication: "To our Father, who only raised 12 children, and our Mother, who raised 12 only children."
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2847a9f9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2847a9f9
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2847a9f9
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2b4987bf
type
HugeGirlTinyGuy
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2b4987bf
comment
Huge Girl, Tiny Guy: Anne's first boyfriend, Joe Scales, wasn't even as tall as her shoulder. When he sees the teen for the first time, Dad changes his mind about chaperoning their first date on the grounds that Anne could knock Joe out if he started getting fresh. Later, when Joe proposes and says that Anne "caught" him hook, line, and sinker, Dad yells that she should throw him back because he's too small.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2b4987bf
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2b4987bf
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
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Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2b4987bf
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2eac5753
type
Narrative Profanity Filter
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2eac5753
comment
Narrative Profanity Filter: The authors will sometimes edit out some of the nastier language.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2eac5753
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2eac5753
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
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Cheaper by the Dozen / int_2eac5753
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_34bd7be2
type
Super Drowning Skills
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_34bd7be2
comment
Super Drowning Skills: Whenever Dad tries to teach Mother how to swim, she sinks.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_34bd7be2
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_34bd7be2
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_34bd7be2
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_3573371e
type
Dinner and a Show
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_3573371e
comment
Dinner and a Show: The Gilbreths' oddity continued at dinner with such things as the "of general interest" rule for conversation.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_3573371e
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_3573371e
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_3573371e
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_35b090a3
type
Shared Family Quirks
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_35b090a3
comment
Shared Family Quirks: Dad's a famous practical joker and punster. Dad comes to regret it when the kids get old enough to turn the tables on him, times twelve.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_35b090a3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_35b090a3
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_35b090a3
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_38aa15db
type
Directionless Driver
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_38aa15db
comment
Directionless Driver: Dad frequently got lost while driving, that he ever admitted it. In fact, he frequently blamed the person trying to give him directions for getting him lost.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_38aa15db
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_38aa15db
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_38aa15db
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_3cc17d05
type
Forgot to Mind Their Head
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_3cc17d05
comment
Forgot to Mind Their Head: Dad has recently pulled a practical joke on his children, telling them to look in the engine for a bird and then honking the horn loudly. One day when Dad is having to fix the car after a family picnic, one of the younger children sneaks into the car and presses the horn, causing him to hit his head on the hood and burn his wrist on the exhaust pipe.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_3cc17d05
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_3cc17d05
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_3cc17d05
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4046f869
type
The Tonsillitis Episode
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4046f869
comment
The Tonsillitis Episode: At one point, several of the older Gilbreths got their tonsils out, all at once. However, the doctor mislabels one of the tonsil X-rays, and so one of the girls who thought she didn't have to get hers out is dragged to the doctor. In a separate, but closely related incident, Dad decides to get his taken out and have it filmed. The operation goes off smoothly, but the cameraman made a mistake and none of it recorded.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4046f869
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4046f869
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4046f869
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_40cc0c7e
type
Bittersweet Ending
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_40cc0c7e
comment
Bittersweet Ending: Dad is gone, but the family is determined to stick together, and they're confident that they'll be able to do it.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_40cc0c7e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_40cc0c7e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_40cc0c7e
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_45554ca2
type
"I Can't Look!" Gesture
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_45554ca2
comment
"I Can't Look!" Gesture: Anne, playing a factory superintendent in one of the skits the Gilbreth children performed (about the family), covers her eyes and says that she "can't watch" the one of the Gilbreth children who is squatting over a buzz saw. "Dad" (Frank) says to leave him alone, as kids have to learn by experience.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_45554ca2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_45554ca2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_45554ca2
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4ad1816a
type
Everyone Knows Morse
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4ad1816a
comment
Everyone Knows Morse: The father decides his children should learn Morse code and paints messages in it on the walls. Most of them translate to Incredibly Lame Puns (one of which, "Two maggots were fighting in dead Ernest," his wife makes him paint out because it's not appropriate for the dining room, in code or otherwise). One of the kids remarks on how they won't be satisfied now until they've figured them all out, even though they know the most they're going to get out of it is bad jokes.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4ad1816a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4ad1816a
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4ad1816a
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4d5081e0
type
Work Hard, Play Hard
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4d5081e0
comment
Work Hard, Play Hard: Dad's job takes him away from the family for weeks at a time as he goes on lecture tours and demonstrates his efficiency techniques for factories—this in the 1920s, where travelling cross-country is a lengthy endeavor, with no regular phone calls or facetime. When he gets home, he organizes grand and glorious vacations for the entire family, and spends a lot of time physically romping with the kids.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4d5081e0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4d5081e0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_4d5081e0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5080221
type
Faux Horrific
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5080221
comment
Faux Horrific: The thought of Anne wanting silk stockings instead of standard nylons horrifies her parents. they ask what is the matter with standard nylon.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5080221
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5080221
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5080221
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_561dab6b
type
Mistaken for Gay
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_561dab6b
comment
Mistaken for Gay: When one of the boys is accidentally left behind in a restaurant:
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_561dab6b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_561dab6b
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_561dab6b
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5aa4ec8a
type
Ambiguous Syntax
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5aa4ec8a
comment
Ambiguous Syntax:
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5aa4ec8a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5aa4ec8a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5aa4ec8a
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5b9cf82b
type
Education Mama
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5b9cf82b
comment
Education Mama: Dad is obsessed with making everything educational, via methods like having the kids listen to language records in the bath, and there's a whole chapter called "Skipping through School" about his efforts to have them skip as many grades as possible.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5b9cf82b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5b9cf82b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_5b9cf82b
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_60665480
type
Clock King
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_60665480
comment
Clock King/Awesome by Analysis: This is the gist of the field of motion study and is the major driving force of Dad's character. There's a fastest, best, right way to do everything, and when you've found it, the world will be a better place. The mistake would be in thinking that obsessing over efficiency would necessarily mean a joyless existence. See the last lines of the book:
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_60665480
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_60665480
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_60665480
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_627264e0
type
Death Glare
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_627264e0
comment
Death Glare: Dad glares fiercely at one of his children who asks if he "got his tonsils out the way the Spartans used to get theirs out."
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_627264e0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_627264e0
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_627264e0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_67624800
type
Disgusting Public Toilet
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_67624800
comment
Disgusting Public Toilet: Dad and Mother think all public bathrooms contain horrible diseases, hence their habit of taking the kids to the woods.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_67624800
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_67624800
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_67624800
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6adf00ca
type
Go to the Euphemism
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6adf00ca
comment
Go to the Euphemism: Dad and Mother consider public restrooms so diseased that they take the children into the woods to relieve themselves instead. To maintain delicacy, they come up with two euphemisms for it: "visiting Mrs. Murphy" (which is the name of the chapter) and "examining the rear tire."
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6adf00ca
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6adf00ca
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6adf00ca
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6b00879d
type
Disconnected by Death
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6b00879d
comment
Disconnected by Death: Dad dies of a heart attack while he's on the phone with Mother.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6b00879d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6b00879d
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6b00879d
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6d57a234
type
Lemony Narrator
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6d57a234
comment
Lemony Narrator: The narrator(s) refer to themselves in first-person plural as they describe their childhood adventures, leaving it ambiguous which Gilbreth child is telling the story. It's made even more ambiguous given that the narrator is given to no-holds-barred, democratic snark and self-referential drollery toward every member of the family.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6d57a234
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6d57a234
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1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
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Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6d57a234
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6e37c196
type
Once Done, Never Forgotten
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6e37c196
comment
A few episodes address the kids' being embarrassed by having famous parents, especially when they themselves are dragged into Dad's doings, such as the newsreel about burying old-fashioned pencils to make way for mechanical ones, which the children never hear the end of at school. Other times the whole family falls victim to an inaccurate portrayal in the press.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6e37c196
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6e37c196
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_6e37c196
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_757bbdb8
type
Massive Numbered Siblings
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_757bbdb8
comment
Massive Numbered Siblings: The Gilbreths did have 12 children.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_757bbdb8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_757bbdb8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_757bbdb8
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_79fdc157
type
Camera Obscurer
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_79fdc157
comment
Camera Obscurer: Dad wants the removal of his children's and his own tonsils filmed. Since he wants to show the children how easy it is (and, he says, to keep an eye on the cameraman), he stays conscious during the procedure, and suffers great pain because of this. The pain turned out to be all for naught when the cameraman reveals he accidentally left the lens cap on.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_79fdc157
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_79fdc157
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_79fdc157
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7ac848c2
type
Angry Chef
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7ac848c2
comment
Angry Chef: Chew Wong, the chef employed by Mother's family, is very temperamental, keeping almost everyone out of his kitchen and responding to criticism with a Foreign-Language Tirade. He decides he likes Billy Gilbreth, however, and the family elects to let Billy back in the kitchen when his removal causes Chew Wong to brood, which affects his cooking. He seemingly keeps his position by making very tasty meals.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7ac848c2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7ac848c2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7ac848c2
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d10c8a5
type
Skip the Anesthetic
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d10c8a5
comment
Skip the Anesthetic: Dad decides to have his tonsils removed with only a local anesthetic note normally that would be done under general anesthetic... and regrets it.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d10c8a5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d10c8a5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d10c8a5
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d260070
type
Corporal Punishment
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d260070
comment
The Gilbreths also believe (to a lesser degree) in Corporal Punishment. Mother, the psychologist, is very reluctant on the subject and gives so many restrictions on spankings ("Not on the base of the spine!") that Dad eventually gives up and resorts to other means to control his brood.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d260070
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d260070
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d260070
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d7c8e54
type
Being Watched
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d7c8e54
comment
Being Watched: One of Ernestine's "sheiks", nicknamed Motorcycle Mac, drives around the neighborhood multiple times a night in hopes of catching a glimpse of her. One night, it occurs to Ernestine that she hasn't heard the motorcycle in a while. Looking out the window, she sees Motorcycle Mac up a tree in the yard. She angrily tells Anne, saying how lucky it was that her intuition warned her before she started to undress.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d7c8e54
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d7c8e54
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_7d7c8e54
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_8593b49
type
Twerp Sweating
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_8593b49
comment
Twerp Sweating: Potential suitors find themselves grilled by the entire Gilbreth family on their fitness as boyfriend material. Dad's intimidating enough, but the younger siblings are actively trying to make them slip up
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_8593b49
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_8593b49
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_8593b49
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_877bb056
type
Nautical Knockout
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_877bb056
comment
Nautical Knockout: Dad buys a catboat called the Rena. During one sailing excursion, the boom swings across the deck and hits Dad in the head, knocking him overboard. He stays underwater for almost a minute, but when he comes up, he's bleeding from his nose and dazed, but otherwise fine.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_877bb056
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_877bb056
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_877bb056
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_89399ea2
type
Fake Nationality
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_89399ea2
comment
Fake Nationality: In-Universe. The book claims that "Dad could take one look at a man and know his nationality," and he uses this ability to pass off his kids as the same in order to get discounts.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_89399ea2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_89399ea2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_89399ea2
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_970c8a84
type
Big Fun
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_970c8a84
comment
Big Fun: Dad weighs a good deal over two hundred pounds and is quite jovial, with a mischievous sense of humor.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_970c8a84
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_970c8a84
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_970c8a84
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a195379b
type
Murder by Cremation
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a195379b
comment
Murder by Cremation: Subverted. The girls threaten a peeping tom with being burned in the tree he climbed, but they explain to Mother that they were simply trying to "scare the hell out of" him.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a195379b
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a195379b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a195379b
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a280f130
type
Take This Job and Shove It
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a280f130
comment
Take This Job and Shove It: Dad hires a cameraman to film all of his kids and himself getting their tonsils removed. When the cameraman hesitated, Dad threatened to rip out his tonsils personally. After the operations are done, the cameraman writes a letter saying he left the lens cap on the camera (in the film adaptation, there was instead no film in the camera), and he quits. Dad, post-surgery, rips up the letter.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a280f130
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a280f130
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a280f130
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a2b38d3b
type
Eye Scream
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a2b38d3b
comment
Eye Scream: Anne comments briefly that in Lady Godiva's time, they'd probably have put peeping toms' eyes out.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a2b38d3b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a2b38d3b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a2b38d3b
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a30c287
type
Good Parents
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a30c287
comment
Good Parents: While unconventional and often infuriating, the Gilbreth parents recognize the importance of making time to spend with each child individually and to treat them each as unique, important, and valued.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a30c287
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a30c287
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a30c287
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a3cf9ef6
type
…And That Little Girl Was Me
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a3cf9ef6
comment
…And That Little Girl Was Me: During one occasion when the Gilbreths had a guest over for dinner, said guest told a sad story, which turned out to be about himself. (The children suspected it but didn't say so.) Lillian, in tears over her failure to see to a guest's happiness, hugged him, hence becoming his favorite of the children from then on.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a3cf9ef6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a3cf9ef6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a3cf9ef6
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a536f3a3
type
Gender-Blender Name
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a536f3a3
comment
Gender-Blender Name: At one point, Dad thinks his first son is going to be a girl, so he tells the doctor that the new child will be "Lillian".
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a536f3a3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a536f3a3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a536f3a3
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a679184b
type
Due to the Dead
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a679184b
comment
Due to the Dead: In accordance with Dad's last wishes, "Mortuary Myrt", a family friend, arranges for his brain to be studied at Harvard, and Mother scatters his ashes in the Atlantic Ocean.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a679184b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a679184b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a679184b
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a74ca4fc
type
The Peeping Tom
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a74ca4fc
comment
The Peeping Tom: The Gilbreth children deal with one of these by threatening to set his tree on fire.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a74ca4fc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a74ca4fc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_a74ca4fc
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ae3d6438
type
Deadpan Snarker
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ae3d6438
comment
Deadpan Snarker: Mainly Dad, but it clearly runs in the family (leading to Snark-to-Snark Combat). Bill and Martha are probably the leading examples among the children. Even Tom the handyman is a Servile Snarker.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ae3d6438
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ae3d6438
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ae3d6438
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_b4a44588
type
Tough Love
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_b4a44588
comment
Tough Love: Due to the sheer number of children, the Gilbreth parents have to draw some firm lines to keep the household from collapsing in chaos, such as strict bedtimes, multiple headcounts, and regular fire drills to make sure the kids can escape in an emergency. They're also intent on seeing their children succeed, which means the home is run like an educational laboratory, with even the youngest children expected to learn astronomy, foreign languages, and maths. It's hardly abusive, but it's severely regimented. The Gilbreths also believe (to a lesser degree) in Corporal Punishment. Mother, the psychologist, is very reluctant on the subject and gives so many restrictions on spankings ("Not on the base of the spine!") that Dad eventually gives up and resorts to other means to control his brood.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_b4a44588
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_b4a44588
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_b4a44588
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_b707726f
type
Hypocritical Humor
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_b707726f
comment
Hypocritical Humor: Dad, frequently. For instance, after filming the aforementioned newsreel, he makes the kids dig up the casket full of pencils, because surely they don't think he'd let them go to waste?
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_b707726f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_b707726f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_b707726f
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_bc00493f
type
Precision F-Strike
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_bc00493f
comment
Precision F-Strike: Dad's struggles with swearing are a running theme. Officially, he stopped swearing when he got married, but there seem to have been many exceptions. This theme was understandably removed from the film adaptation due to the Hays Code, but he still calls someone a jackass in reference to a comparison that had been made to Noah's Ark.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_bc00493f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_bc00493f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_bc00493f
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_bec0417c
type
Happily Married
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_bec0417c
comment
Happily Married: Frank, Sr., and Lillian clearly had an awesome and very egalitarian marriage.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_bec0417c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_bec0417c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_bec0417c
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c2847a44
type
Word Association Test
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c2847a44
comment
Word Association Test: The children are given one of these by a psychologist who is obviously looking to write about how messed up they are as a result of growing up in their unusual household. They cheat by reading the questions ahead of time and preparing unpleasant, even psychotic-sounding answers, until Lill gives them away by accidentally saying "droppings" before the psychologist says "bird."
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c2847a44
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c2847a44
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c2847a44
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c33ba0a8
type
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c33ba0a8
comment
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Mary (only a footnote in the sequel reveals that she was dead, although it's all too easy for the reader to guess).
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c33ba0a8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c33ba0a8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c33ba0a8
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c4db6423
type
Yank the Dog's Chain
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c4db6423
comment
Yank the Dog's Chain: It seems that Martha is the only one who doesn't need her tonsils removed, and she goes to have a luxurious solo vacation with a Cool Aunt that spoils her rotten. The doctor then reveals that it was Ernestine who didn't need her tonsils removed, and Martha has to go in for surgery after eating sweets for a few days. She understandably protests, saying that it wasn't fair, but the doctor with No Sympathy says that he's going to pretend her tonsils belong to Ernestine. The kids are sympathetic because Martha didn't ask for this and she had the hardest time with recovery, particularly since she underwent anesthetic on a bellyful of doughnuts.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c4db6423
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c4db6423
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c4db6423
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c867e57
type
TheRoaringTwenties
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c867e57
comment
The Roaring '20s: Towards the end of the book.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c867e57
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c867e57
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_c867e57
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_d2979712
type
Old-Timey Bathing Suit
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_d2979712
comment
Old-Timey Bathing Suit: Mother wears a bathing suit that's considered old-fashioned even for the time.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_d2979712
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_d2979712
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_d2979712
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_d848560f
type
Unusual Euphemism
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_d848560f
comment
Unusual Euphemism: Dad preferred "by jingo" and "holy Moses", while Mother would say "mercy Maud" on occasions that called for swearing.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_d848560f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_d848560f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_d848560f
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e236af66
type
Who Would Want to Watch Us?
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e236af66
comment
Who Would Want to Watch Us?: The kids put on skits about the family for their parents, which use many of the tropes, character points and Running Gags we-the-reader have become familiar with through the book.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e236af66
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e236af66
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e236af66
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e407c172
type
Silk Hiding Steel
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e407c172
comment
Silk Hiding Steel: Mother. She is almost-perpetually calm and polite, yet when she talks, everybody listens.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e407c172
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e407c172
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e407c172
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e9fb38
type
The Talk
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e9fb38
comment
The Talk: At one point, the children think a new baby has arrived after Mother goes to bed early with a cold. Dad rushes out, leaving a very reluctant Mother to explain to the children how babies arrive. However, she succeeds in getting across more apiology than human biology, and the children are simply left confused.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e9fb38
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e9fb38
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_e9fb38
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_eae4abcd
type
Rewind Gag
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_eae4abcd
comment
Rewind Gag: One of the family's mealtimes is shown in fast-forward on a newsreel at the local theatre. Dad comments that it could have been worse; at least it didn't rewind it so it looked as though they vomited their food onto their plates.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_eae4abcd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_eae4abcd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_eae4abcd
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_eb002293
type
Shrinking Violet
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_eb002293
comment
Shrinking Violet: One of Ernestine's admirers is too shy to tell her his feelings in person, so he sends her a photo of himself with a sweet message. The younger children embarrass him by doing a "three-part harmony" of the message while he and Ernestine are in the room.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_eb002293
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_eb002293
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_eb002293
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ece6f910
type
Moment Killer
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ece6f910
comment
Moment Killer: The Gilbreth girls had plenty of trouble with their younger siblings and their father disrupting dates once they started dating.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ece6f910
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ece6f910
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ece6f910
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ed874c14
type
Self-Made Man
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ed874c14
comment
Self-Made Man: When Dad is courting Mother and first meets her parents, they're having a fireplace put in, and Dad announces in the bricklayer's hearing that he thinks laying brick must be an easy job. The incensed bricklayer invites him to try it, and he gets to show off his skill. Later, when Mother explains to the children that this was Dad's way of demonstrating that he was a Self-Made Man, he gets indignant:
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ed874c14
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ed874c14
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_ed874c14
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f1a36f8e
type
Delivery Stork
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f1a36f8e
comment
Delivery Stork: This gets mentioned when Mother has to have "the talk" with the children. She tells them to start out with that babies aren't brought by storks, and is surprised to learn they already know that.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f1a36f8e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f1a36f8e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f1a36f8e
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f237981e
type
The Alleged Car
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f237981e
comment
The Alleged Car: The family Pierce-Arrow, which never starts for anyone but Dad.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f237981e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f237981e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f237981e
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f3b51eba
type
High Heel Hurt
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f3b51eba
comment
High Heel Hurt: Mother Gilbreth protests her daughters' decision to wear high heels in high school using the family obsession with efficiency. She tells her oldest, Anne, that it's absurd for her and her sisters to go around in obviously tiring shoes while their father lectures around the United States on removing wasted effort.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f3b51eba
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f3b51eba
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f3b51eba
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f96f188c
type
Drives Like Crazy
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f96f188c
comment
Drives Like Crazy: Dad tends to drive far too fast for Mother's comfort. He also doesn't necessarily see the other vehicles with which he's sharing the roadway.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f96f188c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f96f188c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_f96f188c
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_fa4a59a3
type
Prepare to Die
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_fa4a59a3
comment
Prepare to Die: When a suitor of Ernestine's climbs a tree to see her undress, the other kids corner him up the tree with a torch. Anne tells him to say his prayers if he knows any.
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_fa4a59a3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_fa4a59a3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_fa4a59a3
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_name
type
ItemName
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_name
comment
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cheaper by the Dozen / int_name
 Cheaper by the Dozen / int_name
itemName
Cheaper by the Dozen

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Affectionate Gesture to the Head / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Camera Obscurer / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Clock King / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Cutlass Between the Teeth / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Disconnected by Death / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Everyone Knows Morse / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Foreign-Language Tirade / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Forgot to Mind Their Head / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Go to the Euphemism / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Grade Skipper / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
High Heel Hurt / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Makeup Is Evil / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Mistaken for Gay / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Narrative Profanity Filter / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Nuclear Family / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Only I Can Make It Go / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Rewind Gag / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Skip the Anesthetic / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Super Drowning Skills / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
The Peeping Tom / int_f347d22d
 Cheaper by the Dozen
hasFeature
Word Association Test / int_f347d22d